pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 122
985k
| source
stringlengths 39
45
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__cc
| 0.550039
| 0.449961
|
Zoomobiles (Outreach Programs)
Zoomobile Fees
Prices valid October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 only. Includes 6% sales tax. Payable to City of Idaho Falls.
Groups Located Within the Boundaries of School Districts 91 & 93
Less than 40 people (Non-profit) $31.80
Less than 40 people (For-profit) $42.40
40 to 100 people (Non-profit) $79.50
40 to 100 people (For-profit) $95.40
101+ people $127.20
Additional, same day program $26.50
Groups outside of School Districts 91 & 93 but within a 30-Mile Radius of the Zoo
Additional, same day programs $26.50
Groups in a 30- 50 Mile Radius of the Zoo (and staff-led programs)
Less than 40 people $58.30
40 - 100 people $127.20
101 + people $159
Additional same-day school programs (max of 3) $26.50 each
* In addition to the fee above, groups located 50 miles or more from the zoo will be charged an extra 0.50/mile round trip fee.
Please note: animals are available for Zoomobiles up to 60 miles from the Idaho Falls Zoo. Zoomobiles beyond 60 miles will only have biofacts provided.
Zoomobile Request Form
Zoomobile Topics
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1319
|
__label__wiki
| 0.740648
| 0.740648
|
Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/tiu/tiucen/3142d140-f18c-4699-be28-957befd0a18e.html
On the Scalar Feedback Nash Equilibria in the Infinite Horizon LQ-Game
Engwerda, J.C.
(Tilburg University, Center For Economic Research)
Jacob Engwerda
Engwerda, J.C., 1998. "On the Scalar Feedback Nash Equilibria in the Infinite Horizon LQ-Game," Discussion Paper 1998-112, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
Handle: RePEc:tiu:tiucen:3142d140-f18c-4699-be28-957befd0a18e
File URL: https://pure.uvt.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/1255039/EJC5616904.pdf
Levine, Paul & Brociner, Andrew, 1994. "Fiscal policy coordination and EMU : A dynamic game approach," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 18(3-4), pages 699-729.
Brociner, Andrew & Levine, Paul L, 1992. "Fiscal Policy Coordination and EMU: A Dynamic Game Approach," CEPR Discussion Papers 639, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
de Zeeuw, A J & van der Ploeg, F, 1991. "Difference Games and Policy Evaluation: A Conceptual Framework," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 43(4), pages 612-636, October.
de Zeeuw, A.J. & van der Ploeg, F., 1987. "Difference games and policy evaluation : A conceptual framework," Research Memorandum FEW 268, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
Bas Aarle & Lans Bovenberg & Matthias Raith, 1995. "Monetary and fiscal policy interaction and government debt stabilization," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 111-140, June.
Bovenberg, A.L. & van Aarle, B. & Raith, M., 1995. "Monetary and fiscal policy interaction and government debt stabilization," Other publications TiSEM 551a1c00-24f8-4a9e-aec8-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
van Aarle, B. & Bovenberg, A.L. & Raith, M., 1995. "Monetary and fiscal policy interaction and government debt stabilization," Discussion Paper 1995-1, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
Douven, R. C. & Engwerda, J. C., 1995. "Is there room for convergence in the E.C.?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 113-130, March.
Douven, R.C. & Engwerda, J.C., 1993. "Is There Room for Convergence the E.C," Papers 9350, Tilburg - Center for Economic Research.
Douven, R.C.M.H. & Engwerda, J.C., 1995. "Is there room for convergence in the E.C.?," Other publications TiSEM 36d97fd3-a495-4c2e-b800-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
Tabellini, Guido, 1986. "Money, debt and deficits in a dynamic game," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 427-442, December.
Fershtman, Chaim & Kamien, Morton I, 1987. "Dynamic Duopolistic Competition with Sticky Prices," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(5), pages 1151-1164, September.
Petit, Maria Luisa, 1989. "Fiscal and Monetary Policy Co-ordination: A Differential Game Approac h," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 4(2), pages 161-179, April-Jun.
Weeren, A.J.T.M., 1995. "Coordination in hierarchical control," Other publications TiSEM c24c0d84-75c9-4e80-a9cd-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
Weeren, A.J.T.M. & Schumacher, J.M. & Engwerda, J.C., 1994. "Asymptotic analysis of Nash equilibria in nonzero-sum linear-quadratic differential games : The two player case," Research Memorandum FEW 634, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
Reinhard Neck & Engelbert Dockner, 1995. "Commitment and coordination in a dynamic game model of international economic policy-making," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 5-28, January.
All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:tiu:tiucen:3142d140-f18c-4699-be28-957befd0a18e. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Richard Broekman). General contact details of provider: http://center.uvt.nl .
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1321
|
__label__cc
| 0.683144
| 0.316856
|
LocationsUK & Europe.
AboutHost.
Newsand views.
ContactHost here.
Select Language English Chinese
Host donates to our 2018 Host Environmental Pledge charities!
Fresh from launching the Host Environmental Pledge: Part 2. We’re pleased to announce that through the hard work of our students and on-site teams throughout 2018/19, Host has today (Wednesday 11th December) donated £20,000 to our three nominated charities of the year! Student Minds, Just a Drop and LandAid will each receive a proportion of the £20,000 to support the amazing work that each charity does.
Commenting on the donation, John Ripley, National Operations Director for Host said, “We are delighted to be able to make this donation to our three nominated charities from 2018/19. Sustainability and raising awareness of our environmental impact is a priority for everyone within the Host team. To be able to reduce our effect on the environment while supporting three great charities, by simply engaging and encouraging our students to pledge to make a difference by making small changes such as turning off lights when leaving a room, unplugging chargers, or taking shorter showers has enabled us to make great savings on our energy usage while supporting these three great causes”.
What the charities had to say:
Student Minds.
“We are incredibly grateful that Host chose to support Student Minds through their incredibly worthwhile Environmental Pledge campaign. This fantastic donation will enable us to empower more students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support those around them and create change. On behalf of the whole Student Minds team, thank you!” – Kate Mitchell – Fundraising Officer.
Just a Drop.
“The donation from Host has enabled Just a Drop to bring safe water to the students at Mwambui Secondary School in Kenya for the first ever time. It’s making a massive difference, the students are not only healthier, they’re positive and confident, attend school more often and are better able to focus on their lessons. The impact of the #HostEnvironmentalPledge is huge!” – Brendan Hanlon – Head of Fundraising and Communications.
LandAid.
“We are unbelievably thankful to Host for their fantastic Environmental Pledge campaign. The total raised is absolutely incredible and will make such a fantastic difference to the lives of vulnerable young people who are in need of help!” – Paul Morrish – CEO.
What is the Host Environmental Pledge?
At Host we want to become more ‘environmentally friendly’. The main aim of this particular campaign is to save energy. We want to encourage responsible behaviour and drive sustainability across our sites throughout the UK and Ireland.
Put simply, the more we reduce our overall energy consumption the more we can donate to charity. Find out more about this year’s pledge here.
You can learn more about the charitable work that Host, our employees and our students do with a number of local, national and global charities and community organisations here.
#HostEnvironmentalPledge.
Getting serious about the environment we live in.
To become more ‘environmentally friendly’, Host is launching the #HostEnvironmentalPledge campaign to encourage responsible behaviour and drive sustainability across our sites throughout the UK and Ireland.
It’s a simple campaign! If we can reduce our overall utilities (electric, water and gas) consumption by 1% then we will donate £10,000, 2% reduction means £20,000, 3% is £30,000 and so on, to 3 charities; BulliesOut, Plastic Patrol and World Land Trust.
Show me all news
News flash! Make yourself at home with Host at Southampton Crossings
Whether you’re looking for a prime city centre location, stylish fixtures and fittings or first-class facilities, you’ll find it all at Southampton Crossings. Opening this September, be one of the first to experience student living without the hassle at Southampton’s newest student digs.
News flash! Failing to plan is planning to fail...
Start the new decade on the right foot with our Student tips to plan better and smash this uni term.
News flash! A spotlight on Plastic Patrol
With the 2019/20 #HostEnvironmentalPledge – a campaign aimed at reducing our energy consumption, in full swing, we wanted to take a closer look at the charities we’re working with and supporting. It's time to find out more about Plastic Patrol.
Agents (International & UK)
© Host 2020
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1326
|
__label__wiki
| 0.751693
| 0.751693
|
Follow Rajiv
Interview with Vishal Agarwal
Academic Hinduphobia
In the late 1990s, a major controversy broke when I started to critique Wendy Donigerís depictions of Hinduism which most Hindus found vulgar and outright insulting. Some were too embarrassed to face them while many others found it too controversial to go public with their feelings. What started out as my debate with her students quickly turned into public outrage. There were numerous demands for better representation by practicing Hindus in the scholarship about their tradition.
Soon after my initial articles, Wendy Donigerís own University of Chicago® Magazine interviewed me and did a large and balanced coverage. It was their leading story. The Doniger camp was shaken up at the vulnerability of this icon of Hindu studies.
Things flared up between the Indian diaspora and the American academy for several years, with numerous mobilizations and accusations from both sides. This fight was one of the defining moments in the awakening of Hindu thinkers about the way their discourse was controlled and distorted by others. The academic study of Hinduism has not been the same since.
The drama further intensified because with the help of her hordes of powerfully placed students, Doniger fought back. She arranged a front page article in The Washington Post and another feature article in The New York Times. Unlike the balanced treatment by the magazine of her own university, these were PR jobs tilted heavily in her favor.
The theater widened across the academic and literary circles of Europe, North America, and India as more players joined in on both sides.
Martha Nussbaum, the prominent feminist and University of Chicago colleague of Doniger, wrote a scathing book against Hindus and Hinduism with a whole chapter dedicated to me without bothering to interview me even though that was suggested to her. She and Doniger have consistently ignored my requests for a live debate in public.
In response to what I felt was a one-sided portrayal of the events, three supporters compiled a new book, titled, Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America, and it was published in 2007. Its launch video gives a good idea of our side of the story. (See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtiARMXwI0Q)
The fallout of all this was very significant:
Wendy Doniger lost her clout in the American
academy, and found herself on the defensive. She
lost most of the students who earlier thronged at her
doorstep for PhDs in Hinduism.
The American academy made numerous changes
(still not enough) to become sensitive to Hindus’
views; at least these academics have become less
blatant in their denigration of Hinduism.
The most significant change was that there emerged a
new appreciation among Hindus and a new
mobilization of their leaders. It became widely
accepted that it was a bad idea to outsource the study
of our tradition to scholars whose lenses were
programmed with Judeo-Christian and/or Marxist
doctrines. In fact, no other major world faith is
studied by outsiders with the same authority, power
and negative perspective as Hinduism is.
A brilliant compilation of these debates and
controversies has recently been turned into a web site
for those who want to get a good overview.
(See: http://beingdifferentforum.blogspot.in/2014/02/hitchhikers-guide-to-invading-sacred.html)
Meanwhile, I moved on to many other projects of research and publishing, pretty much forgetting Wendy Doniger as a closed chapter for my work. But the story does not end here.
Some years back, Doniger struck a new alliance to help her make a dramatic comeback: She positioned herself with the Indian Left as their “expert on criticizing Hinduism”. Since Indian secularists are uneducated in Sanskrit and are only superficially informed about religious studies, Doniger was a useful ally to supply them “masala” which they could use in their simplistic works.
In turn, the well-connected Indian secularist/leftist media and writers helped to reposition Doniger within India as a great authority on Hinduism. Soon she was winning awards in India, even though back home in the U.S. her own academic colleagues had distanced themselves because she was seen as a tainted scholar with a bad reputation.
Then another chapter began. Some Hindus in India decided to contest her relatively recent book published by Penguin. They filed a lawsuit in Delhi alleging that it was biased and insulting to Hindus. This sparked a new controversy – this time between Hindus in India and the Doniger/Indian Left alliance.
After four years of litigation, an out-of-court settlement was recently reached under which Penguin agreed to withdraw the book from India. But the terms agreed to do not ban electronic copies or foreign editions from being sold in India.
Doniger’s massive PR machinery went to work overtime to put the matter in the limelight of world news.
The largely ignorant Indian media and its love for sensationalism served her needs. Almost daily there have been extensive TV and major print media discussions in India. In the U.S.A., National Public Radio (NPR), CNN, The New York Times, New Yorker and various other media majors have featured this story in a big way.
As a result, her book once again began selling in India even though the Indian edition was withdrawn. It climbed the rankings like none of her works had ever before. She said in an interview that her opponents’ litigation has backfired badly on them.
The drama has diverted attention away from the substantive errors in her scholarship to be really about being an issue of censorship by radical Hindus.
The bottom line as I see it is this: I have mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the litigation and settlement.
My own approach on this matter had been entirely through a scholarly debate. This takes a lot more hard work, rigor, and creativity. Undoubtedly, Doniger and her followers had retreated as a result of my challenges. But now she has made a comeback, ironically using the withdrawal of her book, to position herself as a victim.
This compilation opens with an interview of me conducted by another independent scholar who resides in the United States and who has followed the works of these biased academics for over two decades.
Thereafter, this book republishes some of the main writings that first appeared more than a decade back. Hence the writings are of historical value to anyone wishing to have a fair background on what transpired then.
I hope you will read this collection of articles with an open mind and form your own views.
I wish to thank Abin Sur for editing and formatting the articles into this electronic book.
The original date of publication of these articles can be found at the following website:
http://rajivmalhotra.com/complete-list-rajiv-malhotra-articles/
Rajiv Malhotra, Princeton, U.S.A.
SHIPPING NOW!
Please allow two weeks for shipment
We are a US tax-exempt non-profit private foundation. Our Internal Revenue Service Tax Id Number is 22-3339826
INFINITY FOUNDATION’S STORE
Visit Infinity Foundation's Store
Our Books in India
Order Our Books in India
©2020 Academic Hinduphobia | All Rights Reserved - Powered By: POGALTD.COM
Columbia University's Lecture/Q&A by Rajiv Malhotra: "Hinduism in Academia"
Rajiv Malhotra's Where is India in the Eagle's Eye?
American Theory-Making on India: "Saving Indians from India" by Rajiv Malhotra 2005 at IIC Delhi
Western Dichotomies towards Dharma - Rajiv Malhotra Lecture at India House, Houston Dec 13 2014
Rajiv Malhotra Invading the Sacred Book Launch Best of Mumbai & Delhi July 1st & 2nd, 2007
Rajiv Malhotra interviewed by young California enterpreneur, Balaji Srinivasan
Hindu Unity Day: Dallas August, 2011
Rajiv Malhotra's Lecture on Academic Colonization Delivered at Uberoi Foundation 2010
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1328
|
__label__cc
| 0.660765
| 0.339235
|
When did navies stop giving out a drink ration to their sailors?
I seem to remember that the British Navy, and the US Navy maybe, used to give out a ration of alcohol to sailors each day. When did this practice stop, and why?
united-states british-empire naval
ihtkwotihtkwot
I remember reading in a newspaper article in 1970 how the British Admiralty would pay 7 cents a day to anyone who gave up their rum ration. – user8562 Nov 26 '14 at 22:58
In the United States, alcohol rationing was stopped in 1862 by an act of Congress which also prohibited "distilled liquors" from being aboard a vessel, with an exception made for medical supplies. Then Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles issued a general order requiring captains to comply.
Two years later, Welles issued another general order requiring that all beer and wine and other non-distilled liquors be treated as the private stores of seamen, and required them to be stowed securely in private areas (Lockers, etc). He further specified that each sailor needed permission from their captain in order to bring it aboard.
In 1893 Article 1080 of the Navy Regulations permitted wardroom and steerage officers to form their own wine messes, that is a mess area for wine. No officers were required to be members of the wine mess.
Finally in 1914, Josephus Daniels, who was the Secretary of the Navy then, issued a general order prohibiting all consumption of alcoholic beverages on-board all Navy vessels.
One reason this practice was discontinued was there was no longer a need for the alcohol. Originally it was used to sweeten stale water that had grown algae in it after a long voyage, and modern storage methods precluded the need for this. Another reason it was discontinued in the US was changing attitudes about alcohol.
In the UK, the beverage issued was called grog, named either for how you'd feel when you drank it (groggy), or maybe more likely, named after the Admiral who instituted the practice of using Rum, "Old Groggy". The practice continued until 1970 among British sailors.
Nathan C. TreschNathan C. Tresch
I'm not sure alcohol was ever to make up for the conditions - it was more that it was a storable and safe alternative to water – none Apr 29 '12 at 14:58
@mgb I have only anecdotal information that it was to help keep discipline: I remember reading that somewhere. The source will come back to me eventually and I can go look at it then, and give a citation if it's an authoritative source. Eidetic memory accompanied by delayed recall of details is irritating sometimes. – Nathan C. Tresch Apr 29 '12 at 15:19
I only heard this anecdotally, but the British Grog ration was more to keep them in line and slightly drunk so they were easier to control. Though I never understood how slightly drunk, impressed low class men were easy to control that way. – MichaelF Apr 29 '12 at 15:27
The Wikipedia entry on Grog appears to be pretty credible (I haven't fully checked out the sources though). The article concurs with mgb's assessment that the main reason for instituting the drink ration was to better keep stagnant water fresh and algae free. The interesting thing about the article is the suggestion that temperance movements had some roll in curbing and eventually ending the practice. Also apparently the US merchant marine avoided drink rations entirely. It is possible that by the late nineteenth century methods of storing water improved thus relying less on alcohol. – BrotherJack Apr 30 '12 at 7:10
In the RN the Queen, or the Admiralty (and possibly a few others) can still order "Splice the Mainbrace" whereby a tot of Rum is given to every sailor on board. – Kobunite Jun 6 '13 at 11:16
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged united-states british-empire naval or ask your own question.
Why did the the US House of Representatives stop reading George Washington's farewell address on his birthday?
When did Harvard give its last entrance exam?
How did the British Navy pass orders to its fleet before radio?
Did the US and Soviet navies really come close to blows in the Indian Ocean in 1971?
Why did Britain place naval mines in their own Channel in WW2?
Did the dramatic improvement in survival rates of scurvy in the Royal Navy significantly affect British port cities?
When did the accusations of convict stain against white Australians stop being culturally significant?
Why did piracy thrive in the late 17th and early 18th centuries?
When did the US colonies/states stop making their own currencies?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1329
|
__label__wiki
| 0.707303
| 0.707303
|
Rupert Quaintance trial update: Day 4
Yes, we’re back to referring to the trial by Rupert’s real name, as it seems the court listings have done the same. As always, we ask that no one speculate about the outcome of the trial in the comments section. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation!
Cross-examination of defendant, part 2
On the fourth day of Rupert Quaintance’s trial on multiple counts of harassment causing fear of violence, court resumed at 10:15 a.m. with Rupert still in the witness stand, being cross-examined by Martyn Bowyer for the prosecution. Noting that he would not be leaving the topic of the other Hampstead “activists” completely, Mr Bowyer took up where he left off yesterday.
“When did you discover that Angela Power-Disney was, as you put it, ‘dangerous’?” he asked.
“I’ll have to think about that”, Rupert said.
Mr Bowyer asked whether the realisation came before or after Rupert’s visit to Lanzarote. On reflection, Rupert said it was about halfway through the second week there. “I decided she was a meddler”, he said. “She manipulates people, especially when they’re frightened”.
Mr Bowyer confirmed with Rupert that his travels had taken him from the United States to Italy, then Holland, then Lanzarote, and finally the UK, where he had arrived on 9 August 2016.
He pointed out that the Excel document found on Rupert’s hard drive, containing the names of Christ Church Primary School parents, had been created on 30 July 2016, so this must have occurred while Rupert was in Lanzarote. “You accepted yesterday that one source for this document could have been Angela Power-Disney”, he said.
Rupert agreed that this was possible, but said he was not certain.
Mr Bowyer asked whether Sabine McNeill could be characterised as another “activist”, and Rupert agreed that she could. Mr Bowyer suggested that Rupert might not have found Sabine as “dangerous” as Angela, and that he might not have had so many concerns about her”. Again, Rupert agreed.
Mr Bowyer noted that the second list of parents’ names had been found on the HampsteadChristChurch.com site, which had been accessed several times by someone using Rupert’s laptop. The link to that site had been sent by Sabine on 31 March 2016, before Rupert left the United States. He asked whether Rupert had seen this site prior to Sabine sending it to him. “It’s hard to say”, said Rupert. “I can’t remember”.
Mr Bowyer said that on 31 March, Sabine had sent a Skype message with a link to the site, and that Rupert had already stated that he “believed he would have looked at it”. He asked whether Rupert had read about the multiple addresses alleged to belong to the father in the case. Rupert said he might have bookmarked it and saved it for later.
Asked when he had realised that the Hampstead case might not have been all he initially believed, Rupert said, “I came to that determination around my second week in Italy”. He said he had gained more clarity, and the case “took on a different tone to me”.
Mr Bowyer asked Rupert why, if he was no longer interested in Hampstead, he had continued to save documents sent to him about the case: “If someone was sending lies to you, which were of no interest to you, why save them?” he asked.
Rupert replied, “I didn’t want to be accused of being a fraud. I wanted to show that I did my work”.
Turning to the American Freedom Radio broadcast, Mr Bowyer asked Rupert who he’d been referring to in the part of the broadcast where he said, “I don’t want to kill them, I just want to beat them up really bad”. “The people who’d been causing me to fear violence”, Rupert said.
“But had anyone been violent toward you?” Mr Bowyer asked, noting that the reference to beating people up had been immediately followed by Rupert saying, “They’ve been physical, why shouldn’t people get physical with them?” Mr Bowyer contended that this reference was not to Rupert’s trolls online, but to the people of Hampstead, who had supposedly “been physical” in abusing children. “This is a reference to the parents, isn’t it?” he asked. “No one in the list of parents had been physical with you, so why would you say this?”
He further pointed out that Rupert had made that broadcast during his sojourn in Holland, immediately prior to coming to the UK. “Your attitude toward Hampstead had not changed one iota”, he said.
Rupert said he could “understand why you think I was ready for a row—I was just trying to puff myself up”.
Mr Bowyer said that when Rupert had referred in his YouTube video to “kicking down doors and taking blood samples”, this could only refer to the parents, as it would make no sense to “take blood samples” from any other party.
“That was off the cuff”, Rupert said. “I never thought it would be repeated”.
Referring to the Facebook post in which Rupert showed himself at the school, Mr Bowyer asked, “Regarding the comments from your friend Clay, is ‘biscuit’ slang for ‘gun’?” Rupert said that it is, especially in the hiphop world.
“So when Clay posted ‘is that a biscuit in your pocket?’ did you think he meant gun?”
“My initial inclination was to delete that comment”, Rupert said, adding that on second thought he had decided not to censor his friend’s comment.
“Was Clay asking ‘are you armed?'” Mr Bowyer asked, “asking ‘has it been necessary to carry a gun’?”
Rupert said that that was the way he’d understood it.
“Why did you choose to respond ‘knife?’?”
Rupert said that at the end of the Facebook conversation, he had said, “Haha, no no no”.
“At some point even Clay suggested that it might be a good idea to remove the post, didn’t he?” Mr Bowyer asked.
“No, I said that”, Rupert said. “I don’t think Clay would say to take it down”.
Referring to his arrest on 13 September, Rupert said that pre- and post-arrest he felt like two different people. “I was really relieved after the harassment stopped”.
Mr Bowyer asked Rupert to explain what was going through his mind during the week between posting the Facebook post and his arrest: “You still wanted to satisfy the people who’d brought you over here, but was it all over for you?”
Rupert said that the morning before he was arrested, he felt he’d overstayed his welcome. “I was exploring getting a plane ticket,” he said. “My final findings were inconclusive”.
“When were you planning to announce you had no evidence” to support the Hampstead allegations?”
“As soon as I left”.
“Did you actually put anything else up about the Hampstead case after 5 September?”
“I don’t remember”.
Mr Bowyer said, “So no report, no video, no Twitter post saying it was a dead story?”
“I didn’t want to be between the two sides, with one wanting me to investigate”, Rupert said.
“You received donations from people like Angela Power-Disney, Sabine McNeill, and others”, Mr Bowyer said. “So your trip was partly funded by them?”
Rupert agreed that this was true.
“On the other hand, you had the people who vilified you—so you had twice the reason to say ‘I’ve done my best, it’s time to move on”. That would have satisfied both sides, wouldn’t it?” Mr Bowyer asked.
Rupert said he had not considered that.
Turning to the original YouTube video, Mr Bowyer asked how it happened that Rupert had completely ignored the negative feedback he’d received on it.
Rupert said that when he makes videos, he glances at the comments, but doesn’t dwell on them; and so in this case he went back a year later and checked.
Referring to videos which Angela made with Rupert, secretly recording them and then putting them up without his permission, Mr Bowyer asked whether Rupert was aware of these.
“Yes, I asked her to take them down”, he said.
“Did you ask YouTube to take them down?”
Rupert said he had not.
Mr Bowyer asked Rupert, “Are you a reasonable man?”
“Yes, but I’m naïve, and I learn the hard way”, he responded.
Mr Bowyer asked whether Rupert accepted that he had played some part in the distress suffered by the witnesses in this trial.
Mr Bowyer asked, “Do YouTubers enjoy attention?” Rupert agreed they did.
“So you enjoyed the attention of this extremely divisive situation, including the abuse?”
“At first, yes”, Rupert said. “But once I realised how deep I was in, no”.
Mr Bowyer said, “I submit that you enjoyed it. You came to this country armed with a list of names”.
“That sounds so nefarious”, Rupert said.
Mr Bowyer pointed out that to take another person’s blood against their will would require violence.
“Put a certain way”, Rupert replied.
“I submit that you wanted to beat them up pretty bad right before you left Holland for the UK, and that after that you came to the school and left a message on Facebook that you were armed, which you didn’t remove”, Mr Bowyer said.
At this point, Rupert could be heard sniffling. Mr Bowyer stated that his cross-examination was done.
Defence response
Referring to the Facebook post, Mr Stevens noted that it ended with a comment from Leo Gallagher, not Rupert’s friend Clay. He asked Rupert whether his response “no, no” was an answer to a question from Mr Gallagher, or from Clay.
Both, Rupert said. “I thought [Leo] was referring to someone who’d been killed by the police.
Mr Stevens stated that the response had been posted on 7 September 2016.
Judge’s questions for defendant
Judge Griffith asked Rupert whether he had had any part in reposting his first Hampstead video in February 2016. Rupert replied that he had not.
Judge Griffith said, “You said you had been told that ‘they’d be waiting for me’ when you arrived in the UK. How did they know when you would be getting off the plane?”
Rupert said he didn’t know.
“How did they know where you were [in London]?” Mr Griffith asked. Rupert said that he had done a video in the back garden of the house where he was staying in Erith, and some people had identified its location from local landmarks visible in the video.
Rupert said, “There were some strange events”, such as people knocking on the door early in the morning or calling the house where he was staying and hanging up. He attributed this behaviour to those who had been harassing him online.
Judge Griffith noted that on Rupert’s Facebook account, someone named “Roger Flutterby” had said, “You look like a creepy knuckle-scraping twat”, and asked whether this was typical of the abuse Rupert had suffered.
“I’d say that was light”, Rupert said.
The judge asked Rupert whether he had any screen shots of death threats he had received.
“Yes, but I don’t have them with me”, Rupert said.
Admissions, part 2
Further to the Admissions which were put on the record yesterday, a set of admissions was given to the jury today. It was agreed between the parties that Rupert had been a target of online abuse; that his address had been published without his permission; that Rupert had complained about this to the police; and that a person who identified himself to police as a Satanist had been asked and had agreed to stop directing angry posts online at Rupert.
Character references
Mr Stevens, defence, read out the contents of four character references for the defendant, in which he was described as “kind-hearted and empathetic” with a “wonderful soul”. One reference said he has a strong work ethic, having been employed nearly five years; another said he exhibits compassion and empathy, and the last one characterised him as kind and respectful.
This was the end of the evidence, for both prosecution and defence.
Judge Griffith gave the jury legal directions, emphasizing that the prosecution must prove the defendant’s guilt, and that it was not up to Rupert to prove his innocence. He reviewed the Harassment Act, noting that the phrase “a course of conduct” must be differentiated from a series of unrelated acts. The course of conduct must be aimed at an individual, so the jury must consider whether this includes the named people in this case, most obviously the parents.
The judge explained that the course of conduct must cause the victims to fear that violence might be used against them. In this case, he said, some of the witnesses had expressed fear for their children. The judge said it would be up to the jury to decide whether the witnesses’ fear had been for themselves, or for their children.
The next step, he said, would be to determine whether Rupert knew, or ought to have known, the effect his course of conduct would have. “It’s not enough for him to say, ‘I didn’t think about it'” he said. Considering whether he ought to have known, the jury must decide whether a reasonable man would have known the effect of his course of conduct.
In this case, there are three possible verdicts: guilty, not guilty, or guilty of a lesser charge, to whit, simple harassment. Simple harassment is harassment in which there is no fear of violence, but rather “alarm or distress”.
Given the character references provided, and the fact that Rupert by his own admission has only been in trouble with the law over a minor cannabis charge long ago, Judge Griffith said that he must be treated as a “person of good character”. This factor must be taken into account, and the jury must consider whether it makes it less likely that Rupert committed the offences with which he has been charged.
Prosecution summing up
In his summing up for the prosecution, Mr Bowyer asked, “Are we sure that the defendant’s actions constituted a course of conduct?” He said that a course of conduct is loosely defined in the legislation, so the jury would need to determine the actual number of acts which constitute it: is it two? three? 16? 136? “It’s up to you”, he said.
He also noted that there is no need to define the amount of time between the acts: “It could be once per week, once per month, once per year”. The time frame in question here is between February 2015 and September 2016, and it may be suggested that he posted the video in 2015 but no one saw them until a year later. It’s up to the jury to decide whether this matters, he said.
The prosecution is certain beyond doubt that Rupert’s behaviour constituted a course of conduct, Mr Bowyer said.
Regarding whether the witnesses felt distressed, it’s clear that they did. “They had fears for themselves, for their children”, Mr Bowyer said, referring to one witness’ need to install CCTV around the home, while another mentioned having to travel home a different way each time to avoid being followed and attacked.
Rupert’s behaviour was “designed to cause alarm and distress to the witnesses when he posted the American Freedom Radio broadcast, Mr Bowyer said. “Did he intend to cause alarm and distress? It is enough if the intended victims were parents of the children at the heart of the investigation”, Mr Bowyer said. “It’s important to know that he had their names on an Excel spreadsheet, and that he had access to another list”.
As to whether Rupert “knew or ought to have known”, he said, “it may be that, being possessed of all the facts, an impartial bystander would have known that as a parent at the school [a witness] might have felt very much under suspicion. Would the average man have known that [the witness] would feel harassed under such circumstances?”
Mr Bowyer noted that this jury brings together 12 people of different ages, sexes, and ethnicities who will come together and decide what a reasonable man would think.
“No one is suggesting that the witnesses in this case were not in fear of violence”, he said. As to whether the fear of violence was for themselves or their children, he pointed out, “If you feared your child was in danger, who would you put between your child and their attacker?” Any parent would do that without stopping to think, he said.
As to whether the jury can be sure that the defendant knew or ought to have known that his course of conduct would cause fear, “how could he possibly not have realised?” Mr Bowyer asked.
“It’s likely that you’ll leave this court in a state of shock that images of children aged eight and nine could be spread across the internet”, Mr Bowyer said. “You’ll be in shock that it is so easy for people hiding behind a keyboard to cause such distress to innocent people”. This shock does not necessarily mean that Rupert is guilty, he said, noting that Rupert himself had described the internet as being like the wild west. That was a place where there was very little law, and a great deal of lawlessness.
“We must try to police the internet”, he said. “In Western movies, if you’re a John Wayne figure on the Oregon Trail, fighting the redskins and robbing wagon trains, normally a sheriff comes along” and deals with the situation.
The prosecution doesn’t suggest that Rupert was not subject to abuse: “When you say provocative things, you’ll provoke a response”. Rupert stated that the abuse he suffered had affected every part of his daily life; but how did it affect the four witnesses?
The YouTube video Rupert posted was seen by a number of witnesses. It starts off with Rupert saying he “believes the children”—that he felt doors needed to be kicked down and blood samples taken.
This was posted about a month before Mrs Justice Pauffley’s ruling, but that did not seem to dull his interest.
Everyone in the public gallery here today is free to say they think the jury got it wrong when this case is finished. However, no one is entitled to embark upon a campaign against the jury or against anyone they perceived as supporting the jury’s decision. No one is entitled to threaten to kick down doors or take blood samples, as this would cause alarm and fear.
Rupert claimed that he didn’t think about the video for a full year. He knew that the court had found the allegations against the witnesses to be unfounded, so why did he choose to become so close to other activists in the case? Was he sucked in? Was this just a way to get a few more likes on Facebook or YouTube?
“Did Rupert consider himself a reasonable man?” Mr Bowyer asked. He was funded by many activists; why had he come to the UK armed with a hard drive with a list of names? Did he know they would fear him? Why did he travel to Lanzarote to meet with one of the most vocal campaigners, whom he described as “considerably dangerous”?
In March 2016, Sabine sent him a link with a list of names. If, before he came to the UK, he considered that Hampstead was a dead story, why did he not delete that file?
It was, Mr Bowyer said, because he intended to continue his campaign. Try as he might to dress it up, what Rupert did was harassment. He made that tirade on American Freedom Radio whilst he was in Holland, right before his trip to the UK. He says it was for the trolls, but the lie comes in the assertion after the threat to “beat them up real bad”: “they’re being physical, why shouldn’t people get physical with them?”
On the first day of the school term, in what Rupert called a coincidence, he showed his “defiant face” on Facebook. Anyone looking at that post might assume that he had a knife. But why say knife? Why not just say no, no problem, I wasn’t armed?
Mr Bowyer pointed out that Rupert said he thought he should remove the post…but he didn’t. There is a difference between a closed Facebook conversation where amusing conversations about “biscuits” may take place amongst friends, and public pages, where anyone can see him standing outside the school, using weapons terminology.
This was undoubtedly a course of conduct, Mr Bowyer said. A reasonable person would realise that the witnesses would fear him.
It is not a defence to say, “I am a publicity seeker”, or “I have two different personas, but I don’t think through what I am doing”. Being online is no defence of the “wild west” on the internet.
The reason we have a jury like you is to say, “enough is enough”.
Defence summing up
Summing up the case for the defence, Mr Stevens said, “This is not just about threats. It’s really about Rupert making threats of violence, and you must think very hard about whether that’s what he’s done—dispassionately, objectively”. Is it fair, or is there a danger that what he did was mischaracterised? If it’s viewed through the lens of cynicism, that’s just not fair.
It is not in dispute that a number of individual posts on the internet were, for the witnesses, very difficult, Mr Stevens said. But where does Rupert fit into the picture? The fact that the witnesses felt emotional and broken by the posts they saw should not colour the jury’s consideration of the evidence.
Mr Stevens said it is different to distinguish the feelings resulting from Rupert’s behaviour from the rest of the campaign, carried out by others.
“People were accused of significant child abuse, which was unfounded. Names and details were put online. Rupert did not do that, so don’t allow him to be the fall guy for all of this”, Mr Stevens said. “You may feel that it’s not one man’s campaign, but one man’s commentary, and no more than that. There is a grave danger of his position being unfairly elevated”.
Mr Stevens urged the jury to be dispassionate, objective, and careful. He said the case is not nearly as straightforward as the prosecution says it is.
“The defendant does not need to prove his innocence”, he stressed. “You have to be sure, as you are responsible for determining these things”. Mr Stevens said that the prosecution has failed to meet some evidentiary hurdles. For example, it is important to be satisfied that Rupert’s behaviour was a course of conduct. “The law doesn’t define a course of conduct, it’s a matter of judgement”, he said.
He asked whether the evidential connections between the video, the American Freedom Radio broadcast, and the Facebook post have been overstated. “These must be scrutinised with great care”.
In fact, Mr Stevens said, three of the four witnesses only saw two of the three pieces of evidence.
Looking at the Facebook post, Mr Stevens said that Rupert was said to have been acting out a threat. “But is that fair? There were more than 18 months between the original YouTube video and the Facebook post, yet the prosecution would have you believe that he was making good on a threat. Really? Where are the kicked down doors?”
There is no suggestion that Rupert was at the school on the day the photo was posted. He didn’t talk to anyone. “So he was not making good on a threat”, Mr Stevens said.
Rupert was the victim of online abuse, so he was simply saying to his detractors, “I’m here”, he said. “He was not defiant against the parents—he was not accusing them. What we need to look at is the evidence, which is not as connected as it’s made out to be”.
Regarding the American Freedom Radio broadcast, Mr Stevens said, Rupert said, “I just want to beat them up pretty good”. “But who? Is it really the parents? What characterised that response is its rambling nature; this snippet comes from a show that was over an hour long”.
“There’s a theory about Mr Quaintance”, Mr Stevens said, “that he’s a bad guy. You may think that’s unfair”. He emphasised the importance of not over-inflating Rupert’s words. “In context, is this not a case where provocation and hyperbolic language” are used?
Rupert accepts that he made all the internet posts in evidence, “but is it fair to accept that they were calculated to cause alarm and distress?” Mr Stevens asked. “This could be dangerous, considering the character evidence given”.
“The evidential hurdles are not passed when you look at events dispassionately”, Mr Stevens said. “Don’t let him be the fall guy”.
As far as Section 4 of the Harassment Act, “we must accept that witnesses heard and saw material online that definitely caused fear of violence. But there is a distinction between how that material was received, and the intent of the person who put it up”.
Mr Stevens noted that in some cases, witnesses had not actually seen material on “two distinct occasions”, and he emphasised the need for the jury to “scrutinise with care” the evidence put before them. One witness described being fearful about her child, but said nothing about herself; this is a distinction, Mr Stevens said. “This is an evidential hurdle that the prosecution has failed to pass”.
“Only when you get past the evidential hurdles do you get to what the defendant knew or ought to have known, so is it really fair to say he knew or ought to have known?” Mr Stevens asked. He urged the jury to scrutinise the evidence with extra care, noting that it could be subject to misinterpretation. He suggested that because Rupert was in a heightened emotional state when he made the material, he might have used emotive language.
“You might say something that sounds like that”, he said. “But would you mean it?” He said that the language in this case has been injected with criminality: “it’s a turn of phrase, and it might be unfair to take it literally”.
He urged the jury to approach the language Rupert used with extreme care, especially considering that “this was at the infancy of his personal investigation, and he had no knowledge of any evidence in the case”.
Rupert didn’t have access to the lists of names at the time when he made the video, Mr Stevens said, so how could he have intended the message of the video to be directed toward the witnesses? “Does he know or ought he to know that the witnesses were looking at the video?” he asked. “There has been no evidence of any communication between Rupert and any of the individuals listed on the indictment, so how could he have threatened them?”
Mr Stevens stated that the witnesses were hypervigilant, and said that any fair-minded person would do the same in the circumstances. “But is it fair to conclude that the defendant would know that?” This was not a case where Rupert targeted individuals, he said; the witnesses were not his intended audience.
He asked the jury to go through the evidence with care, as he said this case has been inappropriately characterised. “There is a danger that he has been made a fall guy for something bigger”, Mr Stevens said. “Don’t allow that to mischaracterise what he’s been accused of”. Stating that Rupert’s actions were not calculated to cause alarm and distress, Mr Stevens said that “people were left emotionally damaged. This is shocking and appalling, but it’s not Rupert’s fault”.
Court adjourned for the day, and will resume at 10 a.m. Tuesday following the bank holiday; Judge Griffith said he would then replay the video evidence for the jury, and give them their instructions before they make their deliberations. It’s hoped that a verdict will be reached that day. Our reporter will be there, and will bring you all the details.
← ****** * ********** trial update: Day 3
Intermission: Charlotte Ward dishes dirt on Hoaxtead mob →
158 thoughts on “Rupert Quaintance trial update: Day 4”
Once again, thank you EC and Reporter.
Danke sehr, EC 🙂
And thanks a bundly to your intrepid reporter!
DAVE SHOULDN'T RUN, HE SHOULD WOBBLE. says:
These comedians really need to work on some new material. Bring back Patrick Cullinanne!
HAT TRICK!!! 😀
Hooray for “hyper-vigilant” parents!
With respect to this case, hyper-vigilant = heroic, in my opinion.
Biting my tongue so bloomin hard……
All I can say is that many of us that were here during the entire event might have quite a different recollection of how ALL of them were acting, one supported by the written evidence of their own posts such as APD’s and mad moo’s continual (and continuing) naming of the children, in defiance of the courts ruling
(hopefully thats well back from the line, I wrote several things, then on second thoughts rewrote and deleted some things)
Hehe, I’d love to see the look on Angie’s face when she reads today’s update. I’ve sent her the link 🙂
Thank you so much to Mr. Coyote for keeping us all abreast of the shenanigans.
A triple whammy, SSFS. Excellent!
This Mr. Bowyer chappie sounds highly competent. Kudos to him.
As I am already 1/1 tonight on Spidey-sense alone, I cannot and will not be able to use my powers to comment on the case, so…. Don’t You Even go There.
My my, what pretty pictures they paint… I pose the following in the form of rhetorical questions in reflection and comment upon the contemporaneous reports I have just read..
Factually, Rupert is on trial in respect of his own actions and their impact on certain individuals, not for some bigger or other thing – which we might reasonably hope will eventually result in others facing the dock for their part. The successful prosecution of Quaintance will not remedy all that has been done wrong with respect to the Hampstead hoax by a long chalk. Therefore the argument that this trial is somehow about scapegoating him for some bigger thing is entirely vacuous.
“As far as Section 4 of the Harassment Act, ‘we must accept that witnesses heard and saw material online that definitely caused fear of violence. But there is a distinction between how that material was received, and the intent of the person who put it up’.”
Is there really? If you fire a bullet in the air near a crowd, it may not be your specific intent for it to strike and injure someone in that crowd when it returns to earth. But as that is a likely consequence of a high velocity projectile returning to earth in a crowded place, you reasonably ought to know that there is a high probability of that consequence when you send it up there! The action is therefore wilfully reckless. Similarly, get into the driving seat of a car drunk, and you may not intend to kill a pedestrian; but would the law consider your ‘intentions’ if you did?
As much as it has been relevant in certain past judgements under this act, is “intent” part of the charges or all that relevant here? As far as I am aware the matter of ‘intent’ was, in the past, raised in relation to parties other than those specifically targeted being jointly and severally affected by proven harassment, and seeking remedy in their own right… The question being who was the target?
However, I believe it has been reported and proven that Rupert actually held records which effectively specified the witnesses as targets. …How he obtained those records or who he obtained them from might be relevant to some other action, but in relation to this, matters such as APD being ‘dangerous’ are just a complete distraction.
If she was so relevant why wasn’t she called or even charged? And at this stage, she isn’t on trial for anything; Rupert is!
“The counts, under the Protection from Harassment Act (1997), claim that:
Rupert engaged in a course of conduct which caused each of five witnesses to fear that violence would be used against him or her; ”
‘We must accept that witnesses heard and saw material online that definitely caused fear of violence.’ say the defence? Indeed so…
“and that Rupert knew or ought to know that his conduct would cause the witnesses to fear that violence would be used against them;
and that Rupert ought to know that his course of conduct would cause the witnesses to fear that violence would be used against them if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think that this course of conduct would cause the other to fear this on that occasion.”
It’s a little unfortunate that the prosecution had not informed themselves as to the true nature of a “biscuit knife” – which, factually, is a weapon sold in the USA, specifically branded as such that even carries a ‘tag line’ very similar to the exact turn of phrase used by Rupert’s associate. – And also that they hadn’t researched the phrase “sharp ham”.
But, objectively, what possible purpose can there be in encroaching upon the boundaries of a school at its first day of term (i.e. when the people you have actually documented as ‘targets’ are likely to be there) taking an adversarial stance against that school – as was his stated position at the time – giving the clear impression of being armed (whether he actually was or not is irrelevant) and stating your ‘defiance’?
Objectively – what effect, what consequence, can reasonably be expected from such an action? i.e. in general is it not accepted in law that behaving in any threatening and/or aggressive manner is something that may well be expected to cause a reasonable person to fear violence?
Then there is the matter of the time and the place… With respect to Rupert’s claims to be a ‘journalist’ researching a case; I will happily call him a deluded fraud. But having donned that mantle can he really escape responsibility for the records he kept and knowing what happened when (i.e. when the school went back – common knowledge)? – The school certainly wasn’t closed that day!
I do not speculate as to the answers to those questions and urge that no-one else does; merely that we each reflect privately upon them. Tuesday will be interesting!
I do believe that the mention of the digestive treat implied by an acquaintence, has been correctly adressed by the prosecution.
That would be also my initial thought if someone implied, that I may have a digestive treat in my own pocket.
On a lighter note.
Yes well, it may well be a moot point… The main point being that he gave the impression of being armed. It just strikes me as too coincidental that when prompted with the word “biscuit” Rupert’s ‘word association engine’ responds “knife”, not gun; and also that this friend’s prompt was pretty-much the tag line for the specific branded item… Additionally, “sharp ham” also appears to be a knife reference. Against that there is Rupert’s claim that this was all an ‘in joke’? I’ll avoid expressing my opinion on that claim ’till after the verdict.
I know, my friend, I know. Deflection I believe, US vs. UK Culture. One implies, the other deflects to what is acceptable knowing a small part of the UK laws.
Excellent reporting again.
Shall button it as I don’t want to spoil things at a critical moment.
I had to laugh that Mr. Bowyer kept mixing up Power-Disney and Disney-Power.
Wonder what she would have thought of that?
Think you’re doing Disney-Power’s job for her there Angiewatch.
As a “Journalist” shouldn’t she be doing her own research?
Translation: “If you don’t like my 9/11 videos, that’s proof that it was an inside job; and if you don’t like my Hampstead videos, that proves that everyone in England is a baby-munching nonce. QED.”
# Daft old butt-hurt bints…
“Attached you will find the photo depicting me with a swastika tattoo, implying that I am a Nazi on this post, published by Hoaxtead Research”
Hmmm. I rather think it’s YOU who exposed YOURSELF as a Jew-hating Holocaust-denying neo-Nazi, Sabine. Remember…? (Go to 34:11)
Wrecka still has her `petition’ up, some more suckers joined it 😦
Some of the comments there make me wonder how the people responsible manage to dress themselves in the morning- one poster claims to be a law student, yet supports wrecka….. I dont see a bright future ahead of her in the law industry if that’s the level of preparation she is putting into any cases she may get in the future…
https://www.change.org/p/lord-chief-justice-stop-this-financial-rape?utm_content=petition&utm_medium=email&utm_source=campaigns_digest&utm_campaign=124815&sfmc_tk=8qKV3%2f8%2fFmqupIoZ%2bENm8LoTYaRXMa0vniIh6kLxvQ6l%2fWuO8u%2bzEIjFeH7rrzlQ&j=124815&sfmc_sub=524442458&l=32_HTML&u=24209635&mid=7259882&jb=2765
Qantloos has one of its people (notorial dissent » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:38 am ) made a beautiful summation on their thread of her losses
http://www.quatloos.com/Q-Forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=11145&start=960
“So as I see it she now has an arrest for trespass, or whatever they are calling it, that she has to answer for, and then another arrest warrant for skipping the last hearing. So I would say that the first three were civil and the last 1/2 are criminal. She is really racking them up at this point.”
plus the costs- started at 5K, now over 75K and rising fast….
and with the lost value of the house with its history and at a forced sale to boot- she’s coming close to probably losing the entire value of the house and now likely to end up in the slammer to boot- all because of her inability to not be a silly tosser and do things correctly…
“Dear Commanders…”
WTF, Sabine? LOL, have a word with yourself, luv!
THEY’RE having internal breakdowns? LOL, whatever, Mad Moo 😀
Does anyone here know how you find out the location of someone from their facebook account?
I don’t mean if they give it out on a public page.
I’m not interested in finding out where someone lives either.
It dawned on me a few weeks ago why someone thinks I live in Brighton.
“…that Rupert had complained about this to the police; and that a person who identified himself to police as a Satanist had been cautioned…”
I am unsure if this is a reporting error, but this is factually incorrect of what transpired. I am the Satanist who was subject to complaint by RQ to the police for alleged harrassment. The police initially contacted EC asking for me to contact them. I sent e-mails, and these were lost by the police e-mail spam systems. I had another chase by EC to me, so I rang the police, and they then found the e-mails. The e-mails denied I was harrassing, and I listed my defences such as prevention of crime. I asked for examples of allegedly harrassing posts, none which was provided. I never met any police representatives in person, all contact was mainly by e-mail, with one telephone call to confirm they had found the e-mails. I was warned off from posting further content against RQ, and I backed off. I did not agree, did not accept, would never have accepted any “caution”, which is a legal alternative to charges and is an official record against someone. Had any official caution been offered as an alternative to charges, I would have rejected, run this into court. I am not particularly bothered about any court case, I would have defeated it, but would have been concerned if in order to try and prove a case, computers were taken, and this would have been fatal to my business where all my data, and the business systems I personally coded, such as accounts, are stored. I would not have given RQ an inch to play the victim card via an official caution of one of his critics in court. Not happy.
SV. This needs to be told to the prosecution as Ruperts lawyer has committed perjury and it could affect the outcome of the jury’s decision. A jury hearing that a trial built around a case of alleged SRA being told a Satanist had been cautioned could very well base their judgement on this, especially if they are religious.
I observe, if this is true of what the jury and court has been told, it could have a significant impact on the eventual outcome. Please refer this to whoever needs to be told. EC can contact me on Twitter, if I need to take further action.
I think the problem stems from my reporting, SV. I’m very sorry–I was using the word “cautioned” in the colloquial, not the legal sense. I checked my notes and there’s nothing about a police caution, so I’ll change my wording on the blog. I’m really sorry to have caused you any distress.
It’s just that I have another email address which I don’t use much and I found 3 messages stating I was located in Brighton twice and Hove once.
Of course I’m in neither.
I then realised that one of the people that has a problem with me has a “friend” that is in to all this hacking and thought he might have done something to get that information.
Won’t say too much more as the delightful David Conaghan reads my comments on here and passes information on.
I heard the Defence Barrister say you had a Caution on several occasions.
I did wonder if you had accepted one and thought it a bit strange.
It wasn’t challenged by the Prosecution, so I thought it must be accurate.
I think the Judge should know what the Barrister said as fact, is not fact before the Jury go out to deliberate.
As an example, if an individual lives in Lands End, and the server for their e-mail or internet is based in Paris, then an application that is reporting on the location of the individual will report back that they are based in Paris.
Perhaps the Defence Barrister could sum up the bit about the Caution again and perhaps he could explain what a Caution is to the Jury as some might know and some might not.
For clarification, I think that the powers to be needs to be informed that I never was offered or agreed a caution. Nor did I admit anything criminal, nor did I even get told of what content I was supposed to have allegedly been accused of posting. I am going to post now some e-mail exchanges with certain information redacted.
Subject: RQ (SEMI REDACTED).
From: POLICE E_MAIL (REDACTED)
Date: Wed, March 1, 2017 9:34 pm
To: MY EMAIL (REDACTED)
Read Receipt: Requested [ Send Read Receipt Now ]
Status: answered
Options: View Full Header | Print | Download this as a file | View as HTML
I am a police officer working for Met Police.
RQ (SEMI REDACTED) has put in a complaint of harassment. He has provided some screen shots from
Twitter and You tube and there is a mention of you.
I would like to speak to you and anyone else involved in this matter.
Please email me or call me on POLICE TEL (REDACTED)
POLICE OFFICER DEALING (REDACTED)
Subject: RE: RQ (SEMI REDACTED).
From: POLICE E-MAIL (REDACTED)
Date: Mon, March 6, 2017 7:45 pm
To: MY E-MAIL (REDACTED)
Read Receipt: Sent
Options: View Full Header | Print | Download this as a file
Mr Hind,
Thank you for your email – I have reviewed the content. I will not be taking any
further action and will close the report, however can you and others on Hoaxtead
Research blog refrain from posting or talking about him on any of the social media
platforms.
POLICE OFFICER DEALING NAME (REDACTED)
My understanding of what I heard was that you had been Cautioned because of a Twitter exchange between you and the defendant.
The problem lies in what CAUTION/ED means.
Imo the Jury could take this 2 ways.
1. You had accepted a Criminal Caution.
2. You had been “told off”.
It’s not clear.
Subject: Re: RQ (SEMI-REDACTED).
From: MY E-MAIL (REDACTED)
Date: Thu, March 2, 2017 11:04 am
To: POLICE E-MAIL (REDACTED)
Hi POLICE OFFICER NAME (REDACTED)
EDIT NOTE: RQ REPLACES NAME OF PERSON MAKING COMPLAINT
Thanks for your e-mail.
Anything I have posted out on Hampstead SRA Hoax and RQ (EDIT) via Twitter, Facebook, WordPress and YouTube are under names
satanicviews, views_s and of course James Hind.
The accounts are as follows:
LISTS 4 PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS (REDACTED)
I do not use any other accounts but these.
I used to be involved with List616 which was discontinued middle of last
year, since Gray Faction of the Satanic Temple is fighting against SRA
which I work with.
RQ (EDIT) has blocked me on Twitter and Facebook, I cannot remember how
long that has been, but it has been a long time.
All actions and postings that I have made is designed to destroy the hoax,
defend and protect the lives, families and homes of Hampstead residents,
families, children plus the same to Satanists and defending my religion.
I was very alarmed and concerned with postings and things RQ (EDIT) said
that suggested to me he might attack people with a gang of people, abduct
children, break down doors and harm people and property. He said things
that suggested he might have a sexual interest in children and that he was
a fanatic and dangerous.
Despite my anxiety over what RQ (EDIT) was saying and doing I posted with
one eye on terms and condtions of social media, plus our law, plus not to
undermine the good work of Hoaxtead.
I will have to see screen shots of any individual postings that RQ (EDIT)
is referring to with regards to his allegations of harrassment by me, I am
confident that I have been within the law on anything I have posted. I
take full ownership for anything posted under the above four named
Even before RQ (EDIT) arrived in the UK I identified him as a person who
could reignite the hoax under the orchestration of Angela Power Disney. I
put in a major effort to argue that there was no SRA, that this was a
fiction, offering rational arguments, sources, satire and clear warnings
this would get him into legal trouble. I cannot see how RQ (EDIT) can
argue he has been harrassed when he deliberately talked and acted to
provoke people. I cannot allow people like this to run around using my
religion as a vehicle to dishonestly say and do things that harm others
for personal gain, the lives, families and homes of Satanists as well as
those accused of being Satanists are at stake. I will take what ever
actions I have to either to mitigate or defend the innocent and those that
are Satanists from fanatics like RQ (EDIT).
RQ (EDIT) was not interested in the truth, he did not have to come to the
UK to see there was no SRA in Hampstead. RQ (EDIT) is a psychopath who
manipulates and deceives for his own ends, he is a dangerous fellow. I
and others provided RQ (EDIT) with all the sources he needed to see the
SRA was a hoax in Hampstead. He was not being a journalist, he was
totally obsessed that SRA was happening in Hampstead, he was not being
balanced and objective. From day one he was determined that RD (FATHER OF P&Q EDIT)
was guility of the dishonest things he was accused of.
It was frustrating to see all my efforts to convince RQ (EDIT) to not
pursue this SRA hoax fail, that he came to the UK paid for by other Satan
Hunters. I tried to get him stopped at the UK border with complaints to
the Immigration, and also whilst he was here. The things he said resulted
in my making police aware of him, of which there will be Tweets about on
my Twitter account.
Defeating the Hampstead SRA hoax requires an information counter-campaign
which requires answering any of the claims of Satan Hunters on social
media by giving the other side of the story. Also, this requires a
challenge to the character and intentions of many dishonest fanatical and
dangerous people who will play the system and victim card for all they
can. Everything a Satan Hunter puts out has to be challenged, otherwise
the hoax spreads, and it will take just one mentally ill person to act
upon it, people then die.
James Hind
Yes, I was speaking of the reporting of the agreed-upon admissions, Babs. While my note-taking is pretty accurate, I can’t claim to capture 100% of what’s said, so it’s quite possible that I missed Mr Stevens saying the word “caution” in other contexts than the Admissions. To be fair, his speechifying was rather…extensive, shall we say, and repetitive. The version I posted last night is really the highlights.
i forget, who’s play was it to make it be the doug mesner videos? or was that something the neighbor did on his own?
The word “caution” should never have been used, if this was in fact used in this court hearing, because a jury will take this as if someone had been guilty of X, and accepted guilt of X, and it will have a significant effect on jury outcomes if they have a misleading misunderstanding of a statement made to them.
Babs, I commented above to SV that the word “caution” did not appear in the section of the trial where they read the second set of Admissions. Admissions are, by their nature, material that has been agreed upon by both sides.
sock account?
sounds fairly sane of you
get yourself a vpn if you’re worried.
Thought for the day,well perhaps a few seconds anyway:
If a merest grain of conscious effort shown by members here to exercise due restraint from reactive/reckless “wiseacring” were to have been manifested by the hoaxmob this blog would almost certainly never have been born let alone closing in rapidly on a million views.
Oh he definitely said “CAUTION/ED” at least twice.
I would expect some on the Jury know what a Police Caution is and others would think it is just a “telling off”, don’t do that again type of thing and that’s that.
That clarification is valued SV…
I must admit, even at this stage, I having read EC’s reports and first-hand accounts from others who were in court, am highly dissatisfied with the accuracy of what appears to have been developed as narrative. And I’m somewhat overcome by the pungent smell of rodent. If one was building a continent water tank one wouldn’t build unnecessary weak spots into it, nor would one deliberately signpost them for the benefit of vandals.
As an aside, I’m currently listening to a somewhat tongue-in-cheek/sceptical/cynical account of gangstalking type activity in the US… That is, ‘where a group or individual spend large amounts of money to stalk or harass another group or individual’. Clearly an issue if you’re an ordinary, innocent citizen, living a quiet life when you suddenly become a genuine ‘T.I.’; targeted by malicious nutcases!
One would reasonably hope in these circumstances that to be protected from harassment it would be sufficient for one’s name or other details to appear on a list of targeted individuals and subsequently subjected to harassment by holder(s) of that list; I would see no relevance in at what stage a copy of that list was picked up by a particular member of the stalking group or who supplied it.
Let’s suppose an Islamic terrorist entered the country armed with a list of ‘targets’ they had obtained a few days previously en-route to the UK, having previously made a generic threat to the safety and security of UK residents… What relevance is there (in terms of their victims actually being targeted) in the timing of those people becoming the point of specific focus for an attack?
Or as another example, if you were an anarchist-type based in say Newcastle and part of an organisation or movement which had among its aims the disruption of democracy and the work of parliament, and you travelled to London with the specific intention of harassing ‘an MP’, does it matter at what point your ‘handlers’ within that organisation provide you with the list of specific MPs you are to target?
Realistically, it is – in terms of any useful function of legislation – enough that an individual with capacity obtains a list of ‘T.I.s’ and acts upon it to actually cause those individuals fear. Any deficiency in that respect would render the relevant legislation impotent and unfit for purpose; it’s really just that simple.
I think it’s highly relevant that long before Rupert entered the UK people were contacting the authorities urging them to turn him away at customs because even then, they were placed in a state of alarm at the prospect of what he might do; he was reported as a terror threat. – There is no doubt that people contacted UKBA urging them to turn him away because he intended entering it with the specific stated intention of terrorising a community; why did they fail us? Again, can you imagine anyone of eastern descent issuing a threat to ‘kick down doors’ at any point and then being able to breeze into the country unfettered?
I would also observe that the middle-aged people ‘of good character’ that I know of and would considered as such will generally have work and study records extending a decade or two and have absolutely no criminal record of any kind… Something more than having managed to hold down a job for five out of thirty-eight years!
There is a video on Youtube that pre-dates Quaintance’s entry to the UK entitled “this thing is Rupert Quaintance” which is actually a better indicator of his character and general conduct. – A long way from the part played of the sniffling preppy twit in his SJW glasses painting pictures in the dock!
Character? Most reasonable people, by that stage in their life, will have partners and families and be productive, responsible members of society… “Pot” won’t be their self-declared “problem” and I’m sure very few men approaching 40 will have filmed themselves dressing and acting like a rather educationally-challenged teenage thug as a record of the ‘lovely’ life with ‘delightful’ friends they lead… For that person also to be going about pretending to be something they are not, with no credible career or profession behind them; all of that strikes me as a long way from exhibiting ‘good character’!
Quite the opposite, it’s the way of a disreputable and dishonest failure.
FALSE FLAG ALERT !
Something’s going down soon. Adverts appeared on this Crisis Actor’s timeline but she has numerous identities and appears as a new person at many events : gatecrashing the Glastonbury Festival. appearing as a drug addled Hippy at Glastonbury Court, Moderator at the Flat Earth conference..real identity believed to be Faigil Yentl Finkelstein…a Zionist Mossad dis-information agent
I think this issue needs to be raised with the judge before Tuesday…
In my view any reference to a person’s religion is potentially prejudicial as this is both a separate and irrelevant thing in respect of any actions. Religious bias is a common if unfortunate fact of life, and I wonder if the individual in question would have so freely highlighted that someone was a Jew or a Catholic or a militant Protestant without fear of censure? Indeed, I wonder if this mention is even lawful?
Equally well there seems to be a legitimate point to protest in the inaccurate claim that James was “cautioned” – that being really quite a specific thing in legal terms, which any lawyer ought to know. We now have two people who have reported hearing that and thus it is corroborated.
Yes, she quite clearly restates the nasty and very old blood libel against Jews in this video: the idea that Jews kidnap and murder Christian babies and then use their blood in their “rituals”. It’s utterly ludicrous and has been discredited many, many times, but for some reason anti-Semitic people just keep reviving it. I don’t think it’s unfair to label someone who continues to promote this lie as an anti-Semite.
I’ll see whether this can be raised with the court.
Words “Satanist” and “caution” are loaded with emotional and legal significance. Firstly, “Satanist”, there is a difference between saying an “individual was warned” as opposed to a “Satanist was warned” in a highly emotional and controversial disproven SRA context. I have a reasonable knowledge of UK law, and I am unaware of any other meaning for “caution” other than a procedure used as an alternative to charges, where the law has been broken, where guilt is admitted of the law is broken, and where the individual accepts the caution, and in all three points I deny.
I would imagine James has a right to email a letter of complaint to the court and follow up with a copy delivered by recorded post or by hand.
Although I am unhappy about what seems to have been said, I am keen that no reader here, any victims, the media or any individual who matters in this court case are mislead, or acts upon misleading information. I have placed upon public record here everything I feel needs to be posted on this matter, and if I have to take any further action, then EC can contact me via Twitter, and I will act accordingly. All that needs to happen is the court offcials or CPS makes a public clarification, so that jury makes decisions without any misunderstandings. The police have all the material on record to put any potential error or misunderstanding right, if CPS and police talk to each other. I also stress, I am in all deeds and decisions, mindful that the Satan Hunters would love to do to me what they are doing to RD and other victims.
SV, I messaged you on Twitter.
I think you have every right to be aggrieved James. It’s a fact that for most of us the term ‘Satanist’ (rightly or wrongly) conjures up fearful and largely pejorative images. However, whether individuals like it or not, it is a recognised religion, and your basic human right to practice it. – We are not talking about anything that is outside the boundaries of the law after all.
Relative to the events Rupert complained of, the religion you embrace is of no consequence or importance. Further, there is an obligation upon the state (the court being a state institution) to maintain neutrality and impartiality between religions and as between religious and non religious forms of belief.
Article 9 ECHR – Freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
“1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”
Given that the comments came from an educated man who ought to know better, the comment as to your religion can only reasonably be viewed as an attempt to throw you and your actions into an unfairly negative light; that would appear to be a breach of your article 9(1) rights. – And yes, I agree that the phrase ‘cautioned’ or ‘given a caution’ in relation to interaction with the police has quite a specific meaning.
The crowd in America that were reporting about RQ, easily available on Google, I will not post the link in deference to the court, seem to have forgotten about him, even though they said they would keep people updated. Some untruths on there about what actually happened.
EC please delete if inappropriate at this time, thank you.
There are sites that you can use to input say a username and find out more information, or a real name if the person knows that and work out the correct one. It really depends how much information one person knows about that person already.
Sites like “pipl” i have personally used in the past amongst many other such as family heritage type sites. Also just a specific google search of a persons username or full name can bring up details depending on how much information is on the internet about that person.
For example I know what cars Dave Shurter has purchased in the past based on internet searches, same with Lift The veil. Obviously if people are professionals with all their business information for networking, or history of their company, there will be more info.
All Abraham Christies company details are online such as his Cash for Gold and Hemp businesses along with dates of operation.
Absolutely SV. When I read this (fantastic – thank you!) report, the mention of a ‘satanist’ certainly stood out to me – it would anyone. Couple that with ‘caution’, and the mind can conjure up a scenario. Beliefs are, I believe, a protected characteristic. Protected rights in law, for people to be treated equally. Do people need to know specifics about any person who holds protected characteristic? We all do have beliefs, physical abilities, sexualities, etc. Not sure why a belief was important to highlight – but for being sensational.
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/equality-act/protected-characteristics
Isn’t David in with the Neelu crowd?
Ps. Sir Henry said it better! I just had to say something – as well as ‘grr’.
There are other issues on a seperate note that I made aware to someone last night and I believe they have forwarded that information onto EC. I won’t go into details but it may be very important or of no importance whatsoever.
Christ, Baby H’s parents must be delighted with the information Angie’s sharing about them with the World!
Oh and there’s another court hearing coming up, so it’s still contempt.
She really is f*cking pond scum to be making comparisons like this, imo 😮
Thanks for feedback. Both the Clerk of the Court and Steve Martin has been e-mailed. This is the limit of my intervention, because I am putting my safety at risk from the Satan Hunters. There is a problem that government and police e-mail servers seem to think my e-mails are spam and dump them in the spam file, so if anyone please could contact these people to let them know my e-mails have been sent, that would be appreciated.
Sis of the Sabre says:
Huh???
Yes he has the hots for Dolly the sister of Neelu.
He’s a Top Grass, so he needs to be grassed up himself.
You’ve got no loyalty David Conaghan and I don’t do Judas’.
Plenty more I could say here but I’m not like you.
Wow! Just wow! And really wow!
Not got a clue what’s out there then but nothing of great interest to anyone I wouldn’t think.
a sock account is basically a fake account. i was asking if a fake account was made in order to report the violent pictures and comments.
just felt like i remembered someone giving a reason for why it was the videos of doug mesner, i just dont remember why but i know they arent the same person
Oh now that’s made my day! 😀
I’m sure those spectacles are really for females.
Not sure if I’m allowed to say that yet.
Innit Matey Peeps says:
Thought it had been “forensically proven” that this blog is run by Ricky Dearman with help from the CIA and based in Washington DC. LOL
You’re boring Angela, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Yannis who hates our guts and can barely speak English? Damnmit – you got us, Detective Disney. Come on, EC (aka Yannis) – ‘fess up! 😀
would you mind giving me links? i can’t find the sharp ham connection, aside from kitchen knives, and the biscuit knives i have found look like roller razors, sorta like a paint roller, but they dont look like they could cut a person..if he was going to try with that he’s stupid
LOL, I know what a sock account is but thanks.
Erm…not sure I can speak Yannistardian fluently enough to be convincing! 😆
I’m no fan of Yannis, but really Angela, really?
He’s not intelligent enough to run this Blog, not in a million years, never.
Pardon my ignorance, DoTB, but why would you need a sock account to report inappropriate content on Facebook? Anyone can report Facebook posts and it’s completely anonymous.
“Is that is?”
The screenshots in full:
Rev O'Lucian says:
Spiny’s an Atheist (not a Satanist). Everyone knows that.
facebook doesn’t always take things down right away. it seemed to be a constant complaint in certain groups, that people would report accounts for inappropriate pictures of children or sexual comments regarding them, only to be told it doesn’t violate community standards. i was wondering if you used sock accounts because apparently bombarding them with multiple reports is more likely to get it removed
By the way, well said to ‘Bollocks’, whoever you are 😀
Did they really bring up “Paul Bonacci”? A man with convictions for abusing a child. King didn’t turn up for the court case as he was in prison so the settlement was by default iirc.
“PAUL BONACCI – convicted at age 21 of molesting a 9 year old boy on three occaisions, Bonacci had a novel albeit offensive rationalization. He claimed that he had Multiple Personality Disorder, and that one of his alters was gay and therefore a child molestor! When the gay guy inside him took over, he would make Paul molest little boys, he said. Bonacci was diagnosed as MPD by the prison psychiatrist, after Bonacci related a pathetic life history of chronic negligence and abuse by older boys and men. Subsequently, Bonacci would relate ever more elaborate tales of victimization in child porn, prostitution and satanic abuse rings, to various interviewers. He also confessed to involvement in kidnapping missing 12 year old Johnny Gosch from Des Moines when he himself was 15, and subsequently raping the boy repeatedly on a rural property just outside the city limits. Bonacci was also interviewed by Dr Judianne Densen-Gerber, a self-professed expert on Ritual Abuse and MPD, while still in prison. She declared him a genuine MPD with “an extraordinary memory for detail”, which is interesting considering that episodic amnesia and problematic memory recall is supposed to be a necessary symptom of MPD.
“Meeting with Paul, I have spoken to several of his personalities. Three psychiatrists who have examined him concurred in the diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder, brought on by horrible, traumatic abuse when he was a child. My first act with respect to representing Paul Bonacci was to have him write down everything he could remember, about individuals who had abused him, from his earliest boyhood. An excerpt from what he wrote appears in Chapter 10. In that document and in Paul’s letters, his handwriting will vary, depending on which personality is in control.
Bonacci was sentenced to five years in prison in 1989, for molesting a young boy for whom he was baby-sitting. Apparently one of Paul’s homosexual personalities was in control of him during the incident, in which he briefly put his hand on the outside of the young boy’s pants, an activity stopped when a remorse-stricken Paul reasserted control…” – The Franklin Cover-Up
Despite being a convicted child molestor and confessing to participation in kidnapping & rape of a younger boy, Bonacci is called a hero & martyr by Satanic Ritual Abuse & Mind Control conspiracy theorists.”
http://www.dysgenics.com/2014/04/10/children-murdered-molested-raped-by-ritual-abuse-victim-claimants-advocates/
“Gunderson then described a conversation he had with a witness, Paul Bonacci, from an alleged satanic-ritual abuse case in Nebraska that was detailed by former Nebraska state Sen. John DeCamp (1992), who was also a speaker at this conference. The grand jury of Lincoln described this case as an attack by DeCamp “for personal political gain and possible revenge” (Dorr 1991, p. 1), a “smear campaign,” and a “carefully crafted hoax” (United Press International, September 18, 1990). The grand jury jailed one and indicted two others (including Bonacci) for perjury, and was so critical of DeCamp that he sued the grand jury for ridicule, though he quickly lost (Dorr 1991). ”
http://www.csicop.org/si/show/conspiracy_theories_and_paranoia_notes_from_a_mind-control_conference/>
If I was in that jury and heard this I would think it meant a formal caution. The Brief is playing a clever trick by saying this.
just an example from two different sites.
“Dolly” and “Top Grass”?
You have already said enough!
Although I thought she had moved onto greener pastures.
Well done indeed SSFS. I wish i had the same results from Facebook with the posts of Araya Soma’s that i reported.
Nice use of those info-resources! 🙂
Why does Sabine always feel the need the to mention being a baby during the bombing of Dresden? How is that supposed to help her in any way?
Nicked them all from you. 🙂
The bombing of Dresden gave Sabine a sore bottom; her baby bum problem probably psychologically turned her mind inside out. When Abraham Christie and Ella Draper started talking about plastic willies and bums, it all came back to Sabine and made her regress to a former anal stage in her development. I am sure Freud and Jung would find Sabine and other Satan Hunters a fascinating subject of study.
Thanks again for the excellent reporting of the court proceedings, greatly appreciated.
Columbo eat your heart out:
It is as I feared, they all have a hidden jelly baby army #jellybabygate
Speaking of U-turns, it wasn’t that long ago that APD was citing Yannis as her “reliable source” that this blog is run by convicted paedophiles. Another apology owed by Angie, methinks.
I’m going to suggest we not hold our breaths. 😉
She’s just stirring it.
Not that I’m bothered, Yannis does enough stirring of the pot.
Even if Yannis was connected to this Blog, and Mrs.Disney-Power??
People don’t have to agree with your nonsense, that does not make anyone a Troll.
The guy talking, who appears to be the leader of said army (even though – spoiler alert – he betrays them towards the end of the video), incorrectly calls them Jelly Beans instead of Jelly Babies. Now, as any fule kno, yer Jelly Bean is a whole different proposition to yer Jelly Baby:
Not a problem though, Ethel, as long as they don’t put this woman in charge of the Jelly Bean army:
Keep talking, Angie. Hehe… 😉
LOL, check out the title. You just know this is gonna be an entertaining one 😀
Speaking of creepy knuckle-scraping twats!
9:53 – “I’m sure that the Devil-lovers will cheer. But I’m not quite sure how long they’ll keep cheering, you know. Eventually, those cheers are going to turn into gasps and cries of anguish, I believe, if I have anything to do with it.”
He’s such a charmer, isn’t he. God must be so proud of him. Bless
We’re “eating our own” and “tearing each other apart”, are we? I must have missed that, lol.
Dave Ja Vu says:
Sounds like Shurter’s been mistreating his dogs again and it’s making them ill. Poor little buggers 😦
Seems the drone pilots who’ve been spying on Neelu’s house fancied a change 😀
‘If she [APD] was so relevant why wasn’t she called’…bears thinking about.
She’s not relevant to what Rupert did… “The bad big girl did it and ran away” line? A bit sad! Rupert’s a middle-aged man, not a child! She ought to be facing the courts, but she’s not Rupert’s mummy – she’s another fucking nutcase!
I had forgotten than Evan Harrington actually gave citations to the Franklin Grand Jury findings, wherein DeCamp’s masterminding of the whole affair was fingered. (I’ve surely forgotten more than I can claim to know, about everything. Scary thought…)
We should dig those out and publicize them, somehow.
Yes. I’m wondering if we’ll even be allowed to comment on that particular issue when the trial is over.
Simply google the term “sharp ham” complete with quotation marks as I suggested yesterday; you seem on the right track already. If you look at the previous thread you will find the “biscuit knife” advertisement. It’s made by a company called Boker, and marketed under the particular tag line “That’s one tough biscuit in your pocket”.
– Then consider the exchange the took place as it has been reported.
@Babs
I spent a little bit of time earlier looking into your concerns. It’s important that if you do not want someone to have your IP address not to connect on Facebook Messenger of a similar chat style messenger as they can get your IP from that as soon as you connect. The same with responding to emails, they can also get your IP from the message header text.
This will be an approximate location, similar to how when you access a website they target you with adverts mentioning your rough location. A persons real identity and details can only be legal obtained through a court order as your ISP protects that information.
It’s not something to really worry about too much to be honest, it can be useful for blocking people from a page, site or blog etc. Be careful leaving comments on blogs and sites you do not trust as the site owner should be able to view your IP address, WordPress even has settings for that.
http://ask-leo.com/getting_all_worked_up_over_ip_tracing.html
@ 1:19 Dave should consider a career move as a QEG door-to-door salesman with that patter.
Is Sharter sure his friend didn’t say “I can hear a drone”, and he was actually refering to the boring noise coming from the other end of his phone?
AP, the DG of MI (but keep that on the QT) says:
In light of Mr. Coyote’s sterling work this week, I want you all to know that I have recommended him for a pay rise. But Mum’s the word – they’re watching us.
LOLOL!
Yes, Angela, thanks for filling us in… with the nonsense from your head.
Jake Blake. Oh man! I wanna hear the gossip. That’s like being given an ice cream and someone snatching it just as you are about to bite into it.lol
“MY INCORRIGIBLE COMMITMENT TO TELLING THE TRUTH”
@JS
Do you mean the court records?
https://docslide.us/documents/paul-bonacci-court-transcripts-from-larry-king-lawsuit.html
http://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/court-of-appeals/1993/a-91-836-8.html
There’s a few more bits here I think.
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/search.action?na=&se=&sm=&flr=&ercode=&dateBrowse=&govAuthBrowse=&collection=&historical=false&st=content%3A%22lawrence+E.+King%22&psh=&sbh=&tfh=&originalSearch=&fromState=advSearch&sb=re&ps=10&sb=re&ps=10
Damn ,thats low. OH…..Wait! Its APD! Normal service resumes!
Keep talking, Angie
? Like me?
Any Crime Unit in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Timbukto, Outer Mongolia, everywhere, watch one of Angela’s videos for more than 5 minutes and then pray to the Lord for it all to stop.
In one of her videos, I think with Hetty B, she manages to make more defamatory claims than all the rest of the hoaxers put together. The only way she hasn’t had a knock on the door is…..
Anyone wanna pay for business advice from a known scammer? Hello?
Oh Christ, is she at it again? 😮
Its the way she tells em.
FTW project? Surely its the WTF project !
Since when was Yannis a Solicitor?
Puh!
Uhm! I’d like to know what crime she thinks the Police would be interested in investigating on this blog?
If she wants to report a crime, why doesn’t she come over to London and go into a Met. Police Station and make a report?
I am growing increasingly concerned about Teflon in all this.Its one thing to be a submissive,sidekick pushover who nods and agrees with everthing his grossly unpleasant misses spews out,but allowing her to use his head as a culture in which to grow a giant mushroom just makes him look a proper twat frankly.
Oh, I’m sure we’re all open minded enough to support gender neutrality where appropriate and don’t want to get too bogged down in stereotypes… I must admit though to being a little puzzled as to why he wasn’t wearing his more typical attire?
Pantomime… Don’t ya just love it?
He looks happy at least. I still haven’t forgiven him for killing that giant spider.
I rather like him, he has nice lips.
Whoops, the white guy.
A Young Tom Hardy. EVERYBODY Love him lol
I knew things in Greece were tough but… I honestly didn’t realise Yannis lived in a motor-caravan, let alone that he hired such expensive and inappropriate drivers! – If he fired them, would the salary he saved not pay for a permanent site?
I dont know about that, googling Anonymous posts has you posting some pretty wild stuff……..
If you really wanted to hide your IP, then using a free or paid proxy will hide it from the website you are posting to
I sometimes use it to bypass bans on the woo sites, many who hand them out like candy for not accepting their viewpoint, or even just as a way of raising cash (GLP, I’m looking in your direction here lol)
Great parody..
Excuse my ignorance but what’s the gag with the second GIF? What am I missing?
Caravans? Drivers? Once again I feel I’m missing something. That’s two gags that have gone over my head now. Man, I’m on the special bus tonight. Either that or I’m still asleep and all this is a dream.
Metropolitan Police, Whistleblower Management Division says:
Thank you for your letter.
After careful consideration, I respectfully suggest that you go fuck yourself.
Plod
Pingback: Rupert Quaintance appeal quashed | HOAXTEAD RESEARCH
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1332
|
__label__cc
| 0.560626
| 0.439374
|
Author: Richard Hoeg
Richard Hoeg ("Rick") graduated in the top of his class from the University of Michigan Law School and is the founding member of The Hoeg Law Firm, PLLC (www.hoeglaw.com) specializing in the fields of corporate governance, venture finance, and mergers and acquisitions. An avid gamer and technologist, Rick expanded his practice to include information technology, software licensing, and related contractual and intellectual property law issues, with a focus on Software-as-a-Service and custom software development. Rick currently lives in Northville, Michigan with his wife and two daughters.
Scalebound on Nintendo? IP, Contract, and Trademark Law
Rumors swirl of a long-dead game being revived for Nintendo’s Switch platform, with Microsoft and PlatinumGames’ abandoned Scalebound project leading the guesses.
Could Scalebound actually come to Nintendo’s Switch?
What do intellectual property rights and contract law mean for how such a project might take shape?
And why does an abandoned trademark tell less than half of this particular story?
Continue reading “Scalebound on Nintendo? IP, Contract, and Trademark Law”
Contract InterpretatonVideo GamesVirtual Legality
Virtual Legality Extra – It’s About Ethics in Games Journalism…
Gamergate long ago scorched the earth of having a reasonable conversation about journalistic practices in gaming and beyond, but…what if it hadn’t?
In our first Virtual Legality Extra, we dive headlong into the conversation started again this past week by The Escapist and Russ Pitts, including a discussion of the comments being made by some the industry’s most popular journalists.
Can we separate out harassment from message?
What place does politics have in the conversation?
And why does the rise of the “influencer” make the consideration of ethics more important than ever?
Continue reading “Virtual Legality Extra – It’s About Ethics in Games Journalism…”
EthicsGamingJournalismVideoVideo GamesVirtual Legality
Hoeg Law’s 2018 Game of the Year Countdown
2018 has been a great year for media of all types. Whether you’re a fan of TV, cinema, or the written word, chances are something (or more than a single something) was made practically just for you.
As our first love here at Hoeg Law is and always will be interactive digital entertainment (or, you know, “video games”), please join us in celebrating the end of 2018 with this list of our favorite games from the past year.
10. Red Dead Redemption 2
Certain to raise the ire of some fans, Red Dead Redemption 2 comes in first…to be mentioned in Hoeg Law’s 2018 Game of the Year Rankings, in the number 10 slot.
Rockstar’s latest open world magnum opus is nothing if not grand. Grand vistas, grand scale, the grand plans of its characters dashed on the rocky shores of a world unwilling to allow them to come to fruition. Again, and again, and again, and again.
While there is little doubt that Red Dead Redemption 2 features fulsomely drawn characters traveling through interesting and meticulous detailed locales, its relatively thin narrative plotting (as opposed to characterization) struggles to support the massive infrastructure upon which it is built throughout the games 60+ hour running time.
In other words, if you thought Breaking Bad’s pacing was slow, well, “Saddle Up, Partner” because Rockstar’s got another gear slower to show you.
But that’s far too negative (and just goes to explain why RDR2 appears this low on the list.)
Never has a video game world felt more “solid” and “real” then the world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Featuring by far the best graphics we’ve ever seen, from the mountains to the prairies, from dusty Valentine to the soot and smog of Saint Denis, if you are looking to have your own Westworld virtual tourism experience, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the place for you.
And since it features one of our favorite musical scores of the year, you’ll be enjoying aural pleasures to go along with the visual.
In terms of gameplay, Red Dead is pedestrian but serviceable. Ride with interesting character to point X. Shoot bad guys at point X (and maybe Y). Ride back with interesting character. Repeat for 60 hours. But that’s too reductive. The real beauty is in the “in-between”.
The sounds of thunder coming over the mountains as the buffalo scatter before you. The look of a stream in the first light of morning as a passenger train passes by. The hustle and bustle of a turn of the century city that feels endless in possibility.
Narrative is absolutely important in games, and Red Dead 2 might well have been better off if it cut a 60 hour story down to 20, but that’s only half the tale. The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is the other half, and it is just an absolutely stunning, wonderful, and immersive place to visit.
All of which makes Red Dead Redemption 2 a more than worthy inclusion on this list. Continue reading “Hoeg Law’s 2018 Game of the Year Countdown”
Game of the YearListlongreadsVideo Games
Hoeg Law First Impressions: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Yesterday, I finally got the chance to spend a few hours with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (stayed up a bit late for the Cubs game…sorry cubbies). Odyssey was one of my dark horse favorites coming out of E3 2018 after thoroughly enjoying its predecessor (Assassin’s Creed Origins) so this was a pretty exciting day.
After about 3 hours of play (that Cubs game would not end) here are just a few of my first impressions:
* If Assassin’s Creed Origins was “baby Witcher 3”, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is “adolescent or teenage Witcher 3”. Bulletin boards in towns, dialogue trees, choices with consequence (we are told), contextualized quest lines, and more means that at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Assassin’s Creed takes place in medieval Poland…with monsters. I have no problem with this.
* Speaking of the Witcher, the music of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, featuring strumming guitars and heavy drum beats, is very, very reminiscent of that series. I am not expert enough to compare the respective histories of Greek and Polish music to speak to Ubisoft’s intent here, but suffice it to say, you will be reminded of the Witcher at every level up (and quite often at other times throughout the game).
* Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers a new first for the series: a choice between two characters. After much consideration, I am playing though the game as Alexios. Interestingly, I had intended to play through as Kassandra, but two things changed my mind: (i) I am currently playing through Shadow of the Tomb Raider and liked the juxtaposition, and (ii) after playing the first hour or so of the game with both characters, there is a…twinkle in the eye…of the Alexios performance that seemed absent in Kassandra’s. At least in that first hour, Alexios comes off as a puckish rogue, while Kassandra comes off much more serious and straight-laced. Neither is seemingly “better” than the other, but I liked the feeling of Alexios being “in over his head”.
* The story starts slowly, with no real inciting incident but more as “a day in the life of a Greek mercenary.” There are indications, though, that this start is just the launching point for a real…odyssey. Provided that is the case, I think the slow beginning (think The Hobbit) is well-considered and gives grounding to “where your character came from”. We will see.
* Playing without a shield is interesting. It certainly makes ranged enemies much more deadly. I’m not sure I like it as much, but it definitely makes aggression more attractive as a defensive option than it was in Origins. Time will tell.
* I am apparently much nerdier than even I usually give myself credit for, as I was immediately tickled to be playing in Ithaca and exploring Odysseus’ old stomping grounds. Thanks high school literature class!
* Not sure if it will be added later (as it was for Origins) but the absence of Discovery Tour is noted. In particular, my daughters love exploring Origins in that mode, going on tours and learning about ancient Egypt. My oldest (8) was very excited about this release and got a chance to see a bit of it, but the violence in the “real” game is a bit much for her.
* Odyssey does add little “tool tip” historical information as you discover “historical sites”, but while the information is cool, it is hidden two menus deep on the map, and is often presented in a dry manner. (Pedantically, it also doesn’t really distinguish between “history” and “myth” in a way I personally find a bit confusing. This may wind up an issue with the game overall, of course. I’ll let you know if I meet Zeus.)
* Finally, Nintendo and Mario should be thanked for helping teach folks (like me) how to spell the word odyssey for the past year. It has helped tremendously in writing things like this post.
Overall, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey makes a tremendous first impression, and immediately thrusts you into a world worth exploring, with the feel of launching an epic adventure. I can’t wait to see and do more, and will be very much looking forward to seeing all it has to offer.
Assassin's CreedAssassin's Creed OdysseyFirst ImpressionsVideo Games
Urban Rights or “Consultants Tell You What You Want to Hear”
About three weeks ago, Ohio State University (“OSU”) Head Football Coach Urban Meyer (“Coach Meyer”) released a statement in which he admitted to speaking “inaccurately” at Big Ten Media Days in July, but was otherwise a model citizen.
You can see my analysis of the positions Coach Meyer took in that statement, as well as his anticipated defenses strategies: HERE.
Last night, Coach Meyer and OSU executed on those defense strategies, taking the path I had suspected: that Coach Meyer was simply too confused by the questions and circumstances of Big Ten Media Days to answer truthfully, and that his actions there and in the past were imperfect, but reflect the (allegedly) muddy facts surrounding Coach Zach Smith (“Coach Smith”) and his wife Courtney.
But now comes the “independent” committee’s report, and given what it shows, it’s somewhat incredible that OSU elected on this path. (Incredible only if your metric for credulity rests on something other than winning football games, of course.)
Let’s dive in.
Continue reading “Urban Rights or “Consultants Tell You What You Want to Hear””
Contract InterpretatonlongreadsOhio StateScandalSportsUrban Meyer
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1333
|
__label__wiki
| 0.582579
| 0.582579
|
IntenseWebs on Twitter
Real World CPU Performance Checker (Excel)
Written by Derek Moore
UPDATE: Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 2019. Microsoft has opened a case and is investigating the formula decrease in speed since Oct. 2019.
UPDATE: Nov. 2nd, 2019 - It appears one of Microsoft's Update to either Windows or Office has slowed down the formulas by at least 50%. We are investigating.
This is a Real World CPU Performance Checker (Excel). This is about as real as it gets. This is a real formula businesses uses to calculate unique orders, accounts, whatever by different business lines. It uses as many cores and as much memory as it can. There are 13 unique Business lines within the one company. There are 50,000 Unique accounts randomized into 250,000 rows along with the line of business to which they belong. The formula below calculates all rows and keeps results from row above it, so the lower it gets, the more it has to track and formula time increase as it goes further.
Download Here and read the Readme first: Excel-Benchmark-Tester.zip
I would love to have your results. Use the contact form on the menu if you'd like to send them to me. Please and Thanks!
BEFORE OPENING the Excel-Benchmark-Tester.xlsm Macro Enabled sheet. The sheet takes at least a minute to load. While calculating, it can appear as if it crashed or a white screen. That is the way Excel is, so don't close it, just let it run and the screen will return to normal when it finishes.
Open up Blank Excel Workbook. Go to Formulas tab and at far right are Calculation Options - Choose Manual. Go to File > Options > Formula and set to Manual Calculation and Uncheck Recalculate before save, so you can save results in the sheet without long wait recalculating.
Now open the Excel-Benchmark-Tester.xlsm and the first time you will have to enable content (trust) or Unblock in the File's properties. The macros are for the manual calculate from that Microsoft page because by default Excel AUTO-Calculates. Next Click the 'Calculate Formula Time". When you have three scores, Click in the average score cell and click 'Refresh Average'.
(Dynamic count unique - MULTI-COLUMN)
THE FORMULA COPIED DOWN TO ALL ROWS:
=IF(COUNTIFS($B$2:$B2,B2,$A$2:A2,A2)=1,1,0)
Formula result gets bigger and slower the further down it goes.
It is checking all rows above it as well as current row.
CURRENTLY 250,000 rows but can be increased or decreased by copying or deleting rows.
Column A - 50,000 Unique Accounts
Column B - 13 Unique LOB's
Both can be present multiple times, hence the calculation.
1=TRUE, It hasn't been counted yet (First Count, UNIQUE)
0=FALSE, It's already been counted
Copyright 2019 by Derek D. Moore (MIT License)
Free to use and Commercialize at your own risk. If you publish this, please attribute me, BUT, ATTRIBUTION IS NOT REQUIRED.
Intel Reportedly Looking Into Further Reduction in CPU Pricing for 2020
Intel's policy on CPU pricing has been a strong, definite one for years: no price reductions. Faced with less than admirable competition from a struggling AMD back in its Phenom and especially Bulldozer days, Intel enforced a heavy hand on the market and on CPU pricing. However, a much revitalized AMD and difficulties in the transition to the 10 nm process have left Intel with no other recourse than to cut pricing on its CPUs in order to remain competitive. No uptake of new I/O technologies such as PCIe 4.0 has also taken its toll on AMD's position in the server and HEDT market, which has led to recent price-cuts and tightening of Intel's Xeon line of CPUs and price-cuts in the order of 50% in their Cascade Lake-X processors compared to the previous generation. DigiTimes, citing industry PC makers, says that Intel is gearing up to keep fighting in the only front it actually can, besides puny core count increases on their heavily-iterated Skylake architecture - pricing. This move comes in a bid to keep its market dominance, which Intel themselves have before said - after Zen 2, that is - isn't a priority for the consumer market. You can rest assured that Intel is very, very likely already practicing hefty price reductions for tray-quantity purchases for partners. However, it seems that the company might bring some price cuts on to its upcoming Comet Lake CPUs. The company has always been loathe to reduce pricing on existing inventory, rather choosing to reduce the price on new launches (see the Cascade Lake-X example above), which, arguably, saves Intel's face on claims of only being able to compete on pricing - which lurks dangerously close to Intel being painted as the budget, price-cut alternative to AMD.
(Raevenlord)
(PR) NZXT Announces the C Series Line of ATX PSUs
NZXT, a leading developer of software-powered hardware solutions for PC gaming, today announces the C Series line of 80 plus Gold modular ATX power supplies. Continuing their partnership with Seasonic, one of the most highly regarded PSU manufacturers, NZXT has created three new power supplies with the C650, C750, and C850. They are built with high-quality components that are backed by a 10-year warranty, ensuring peace of mind. The C Series is available in 650w, 750w, and 850w variants that are 80 PLUS Gold certified giving builders several options to find a PSU that suits their needs. Read full story
Seagate Reveals Lyve Drive Mobile System
Seagate had plenty of things to show off at their CES booth, however, some things specially stuck out, like the Lyve Drive Mobile system. Developed to address the need for data movement between different endpoints, the Lyve Drive system comes in a few flavors. First in the line is a Lyve Drive Cards and Card Reader solution, which offers 1 TB CFexpress cards on the go, and a portable reader for them to read the data on the spot. Next up is the Lyve Drive Shutte which resembles an autonomous data storage and data transport solution that offers capacities of up to 16 TB of HDD or SSD storage. Another Part of the Lyve Drive ecosystem is a Lyve Drive Mobile Array, which offers a sealed and ruggedized solution for carrying up to 6 of Seagate's 18 TB Exos HAMR (heat-assisted magnetic recording) hard drives for a total capacity of 108 TB. Next in the lineup is the Lyve Drive Modular Array - a 4-bay flexible solution that offers various configurations for business, so their deployment strategy of these devices varies. It uses Seagate's MACH.2 multi-actuator technology that transfers the data concurrently. Last but not least is a Lyve Drive Rackmount Reciver which is a 4U rackmount hub that allows for direct connection of Lyve Drive arrays into the data center, without a need to reconnect any of the data center networking specially for storage transfer.
(AleksandarK)
InWin Shows Off New Signature Chassis, mini-ITX Chassis, and Cooling Solutions
At this year's CES InWin had a lot to show off. Starting with its signature case designed to impress even the best PC case modders in the world, InWin wanted to show us what they are capable of. Called the Diéy, this PC case is made out of many materials like aluminium, SECC steel, and plexiglass, in order to form a very unique looking case. Offering a robotic sphered structure that is covered with plexiglass cuts makes it look like a science-fiction creation, rather than a case. While offering unique looks, it is capable of housing an E-ATX motherboard, has support for graphics cards with up to 360 mm in length. There is also support for one 120 mm radiator at the back of the case and one 360 mm radiator at its top, so water cooling capabilities are not lacking here. Read full story
(PR) SteelSeries Launches the Rival 3 Gaming Mouse, Apex 3 and Apex 5 Gaming Keyboards
SteelSeries, the leader in gaming and esports peripherals, today announces the Rival 3 gaming mouse, and Apex 3 and Apex 5 gaming keyboards - high performance gaming peripherals approachable for any gamer. With these products, SteelSeries has sought to bring the innovation and performance of its most premium offerings to a wider audience of gamers. "There are so many gamers out there that are stuck using boring, traditional office peripherals for gaming," said Ehtisham Rabbani, SteelSeries CEO. "With these new products, we set office products in our sights and sought to retool our cutting-edge technologies and put them into products that are accessible for every gamer. No one should have to be stuck using run-of-the-mill office products for gaming." Read full story
(VSG)
AMD Posts Radeon Software Adrenalin 20.1.3
AMD today released Radeon Software Adrenalin 20.1.3 beta drivers. These drivers add support for the new Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card that's hitting the shelves today; in addition to fixing a handful issues. To begin with, the drivers address a display signal loss noticed when performing parallel actions such as web browsing, gaming or watching video. Game crashes related to Nioh, Dragon Quest Builders 2, WWE 2K20, Dead or Alive 6 and Atelier Ryza were fixed. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus now appears correctly in Radeon Software. Text overflow in some UI elements have been fixed. Loss of fan-tuning settings when switching between available GPUs has been fixed. Another kind of intermittent black screen on desktop idling for extended periods has been fixed. DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 20.1.3 Read full story
(btarunr)
URCDKeys Celebrates New Year Across the Globe with Mega Sale
There can be no better cause for celebration than knowing that you've got the same product for much less. URCDKeys is an international discount software vendor that's celebrating New Year across cultures, around the world, with a new sale on popular software to go with your new PC builds or current PCs stuck with older software. Get genuine, globally-valid licenses to Windows 10 Pro, the preferred operating system of pro-users and enthusiasts, for USD $12.73 upon applying a TechPowerUp-exclusive discount code. Office 2016 Professional Plus is another key component of home desktops. Get for as little as $29.82. Why not pair them both for just $36.50? When you're at it, don't forget to check out their New Year Sale for more such amazing deals on genuine software. Don't forget to apply the coupon code TP20 at check-out to avail the prices you see here. Buy Windows 10 Pro from URCDKeys for $12.73 | Buy Office 2016 Professional Plus for $29.82 from URCDKeys | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2016 Professional Plus Combo for $36.50
(PR) be quiet! Announces Straight Power 11 Platinum PSU Series
be quiet!, the market leader in PC power supplies in Germany since 2007, is expanding the company's most silent power supply series with 80 PLUS Platinum-certified models. In addition to the increased efficiency, Straight Power 11 Platinum power supplies will include a state-of-the-art and high-quality topology, additional connection options, and models from 550 up to 1,200 watts. The base characteristics remain untouched, such as the whisper-quiet operation, exemplary cooling concept, and wire-free interior. All models of the Straight Power 11 Platinum series have been awarded the 80 PLUS Platinum certification and offer an efficiency of up to 94.1 percent at 230 V input. Thanks to an active PFC, the power factor is a maximum of 0.99, and the power supplies meet the ErP standard with less than 0.16 watts consumption in standby mode, ensuring lower energy consumption, better cooling and low noise levels. Read full story
(PR) Noctua Introduces NH-L9a-AM4 chromax.black CPU Cooler
Noctua today introduced another addition to its chromax line of all-black CPU coolers: the new NH-L9a-AM4 chromax.black is a low-profile quiet CPU cooler for AMD's Ryzen-based HTPCs and Small Form Factor (SFF) builds. Thanks to the same proven heatsink design and NF-A9x14 PWM fan as the original NH-L9a-AM4, it stays true to the same successful formula of fusing a height of only 37 mm with strong performance and excellent quietness of operation, as well as 100% RAM and PCIe compatibility. At the same time, the chromax.black version, with its black fan and black coated heatsink, combines these assets with a sleek stealth look. "AMD's Ryzen platform has become more and more popular over the last few months, not only for high-end builds but also for compact HTPCs and Small Form Factor systems", says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). "We've already introduced the black NH-L9i low-profile cooler for Intel in October, but now we also want to give design-conscious AMD users a new option with the black version of NH-L9a-AM4!" Read full story
AMD "Renoir" Ryzen 7 4700U Geekbenched
An unknown Lenovo notebook powered by the 15-Watt Ryzen 7 4700U "Renoir" 8-core processor was put through Geekbench. The chip yielded scores of 4910 single-core, and 21693 multi-core. This puts the 4700U ahead of the Core i7-1065G7, which is known to score around 4400 points on average in the single-core test, and around 17000 on average, in the multi-core test, falling behind due to fewer CPU cores. The 4700U features an 8-core CPU based on the "Zen 2" microarchitecture. Its desktop compatriot, the Ryzen 7 3700X, is significantly faster, with around 20% higher single-core, and over 60% higher multi-core performance. This is probably because the 3700X is unconstrained with its 65-Watt TDP and significantly higher power limits. It also has four times more L3 cache, but that's probably to cushion the IFOP interconnect between the CPU chiplet and I/O die.
NVIDIA to Reuse Pascal for Mobility-geared MX300 Series
NVIDIA will apparently still be using Pascal when they launch their next generation of low-power discrete graphics solutions for mobile systems. The MX300 series will replace the current crop of MX200 series (segregated in three products in the form of the MX230, MX250 10 W and MX250 25 W). The new MX300 keeps the dual-tiered system, but ups the ante on the top of the line MX350. Even though it's still Pascal, on a 14 nm process, the MX350 should see an increase in CUDA cores to 640 (by using NVIDIA's Pascal GP107 chip) from the MX250's 384. Performance, then, should be comparable to the NVIDIA GTX 1050. The MX330, on the other hand, will keep specifications of the MX250, which signals a tier increase from the 256 execution units in the MX230 to 384. This should translate to appreciable performance increases for the new MX300 series, despite staying on NVIDIA's Pascal architecture. The new lineup is expected to be announced on February.
PowerColor Presents the Red Devil and Red Dragon RX 5600 XT Graphics Cards
PowerColor today issued a press release where they present the world their new Red Devil and Red Dragon models of AMD's RX 5600 XT graphics cards. This comes after reports on AMD's move towards increasing TDP, memory and core clockspeeds on their new graphics card so as to better compete with NVIDIA's recently price-cut RTX 2060, which would make it a much better performer than AMD's RX 5600 XT at a slightly higher price ($279 vs $299). Hence a reported strike back from AMD in increasing performance for their RX 5600 XT with increased power envelope (160 W over 150 W), faster memory (at 14 Gbps instead of the original 12 Gbps) and increased core clocks (1615 MHz gaming and 1750 MHz boost, versus 1375 MHz gaming and 1560 MHz on AMD's CES press-event slides). The change in configuration brought about changes in the card design, with the higher-powered Red Devil coming in with 1x 8-pin and 1x 6-pin power delivery inputs, instead of the firstly developed 8-pin only. The changes have been brought about by a BIOS change, and not all cards will ship with the new specifications. However, PowerColor said that a BIOS update will be made available for customers to get their RX 5600 XT on steroids. Of course, whether or not it should be the onus of users to do such an update (which may risk in bricking their graphics card) is another matter entirely. The press release follows. Read full story
Rumor: NVIDIA's Next Generation GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 "Ampere" Graphics Cards Detailed
NVIDIA's next-generation of graphics cards codenamed Ampere is set to arrive sometime this year, presumably around GTC 2020 which takes place on March 22nd. Before the CEO of NVIDIA, Jensen Huang officially reveals the specifications of these new GPUs, we have the latest round of rumors coming our way. According to VideoCardz, which cites multiple sources, the die configurations of the upcoming GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 3080 have been detailed. Using the latest 7 nm manufacturing process from Samsung, this generation of NVIDIA GPU offers a big improvement from the previous generation. For starters the two dies which have appeared have codenames like GA103 and GA104, standing for RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 respectively. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the Streaming Multiprocessor (SM) count. The smaller GA104 die has as much as 48 SMs, resulting in 3072 CUDA cores, while the bigger, oddly named, GA103 die has as much as 60 SMs that result in 3840 CUDA cores in total. These improvements in SM count should result in a notable performance increase across the board. Alongside the increase in SM count, there is also a new memory bus width. The smaller GA104 die that should end up in RTX 3070 uses a 256-bit memory bus allowing for 8/16 GB of GDDR6 memory, while its bigger brother, the GA103, has a 320-bit wide bus that allows the card to be configured with either 10 or 20 GB of GDDR6 memory. In the images below you can check out the alleged diagrams for yourself and see if this looks fake or not, however, it is recommended to take this rumor with a grain of salt.
ASUS Rolls Out ROG Theta Electret Premium Gaming Headset
ASUS today rolled out the ROG Theta Electret, a premium stereo variant of the ROG Theta headset from 2019, featuring a hi-fi grade 120 mm electret driver in charge of reproducing extremely precise high and mid frequency sound; while a conventional 45 mm neodymium driver handles lows (bass). Both drivers sit in an airtight chamber. The headset is purely analog, and features conventional 3.5 mm jacks, and ASUS made sure to get rid of all digital components, such as the USB DAC and even the RGB-illuminated ROG logo. Thanks to the electret driver, the headset enjoys a wide frequency-response of 20-40,000 Hz. The detachable microphone, too, is fully analogue. The headset supports both single headphones+mic jack, and split 3.5 mm jacks. ASUS didn't reveal pricing.
(PR) Scythe Announces Mugen 5 BLACK RGB Edition CPU Cooler
The Japanese cooler specialist Scythe introduces a refreshed version of the popular Mugen 5 Rev. B CPU cooler as the first product of the year 2020. The new version, called Mugen 5 Black RGB Edition, comes with a black top-plate and a high quality RGB fan from the new Kaze Flex 120 RGB PWM series. The Black RGB Edition offers a much stronger contrast and a matching fan, with frame and vibration absorber completely in black. All the performance features, like the high compatibility and the groundbreaking mounting system are inherited from the award-winning Mugen 5 Rev. B. The new Mugen 5 Black RGB Edition refines the design and combines it with the numerous performance features of the popular and award-winning CPU cooler series. The black anodized cover of the heat-sink forms a sharp contrast to the aluminium end-caps of the heatpipes and the diamond-cut Scythe logo. The fan frame is kept in black color and matches seamlessly to the unified design. No compromises have to be made in terms of cooling performance and efficiency. In addition, the new Black RGB Edition utilizes total of six high-quality and powerful copper heatpipes, which connect the solid copper base plate with the heat-sink. Both the copper heatpipes and the copper baseplate are refined by the nickel-plating process, which ensures a very unified and high-quality appearance of the Mugen 5 Black RGB Edition CPU cooler. Read full story
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1337
|
__label__cc
| 0.590791
| 0.409209
|
Predictive Software Engineering
Business Application Development
Big Data & Business Intelligence Development
Application Migration and Legacy Modernization Services
Dedicated Software Development Teams
Remote In-Sourcing®
Startup Scaleup
TETRA: Technical Debt Reduction
InteticsLab
Intetics.BPM
Intetics.GEO
Please delete special characters. Please input text for query.
Intetics > White Papers > Hitting The Right Balance of “In” and “Out”. A Closer Look at Evolving Sourcing Models
Hitting The Right Balance of “In” and “Out”. A Closer Look at Evolving Sourcing Models
June 11, 2015 White Papers
With the rising demand for risk mitigation and service-based outsourcing, providers constantly develop improved sourcing models to meet customer demand. This article, published in IAOP’s July 2013 issue of Pulse Magazine, examines the evolution of sourcing models, which improve to create more reliable, low-risk, and low-cost services. It presents a short overview of outsourcing history, and explains how Remote In-sourcing, one of the latest sourcing models, is an innovative extension of traditional insourcing and outsourcing models.
Using an impressive number of direction-related terminologies, the outsourcing industry has developed an exhaustive lexicon of business models and service offerings. The flexible and often overlapping business models aim at improving business efficiency and eliminating the risks associated with the outsourcing process, though unsurprisingly not all models are as successful as others. The question of how to limit the risks of outsourcing is at the very core of the industry. In fact, risk mitigation is what often determines whether to in-source or out-source.
The outsourcing lexicon has by now become confusing and almost directionless. Each new sourcing model sends you either in- or out-, off- or on-, near- or far…is there an over and under yet? There is no need for all the confusion; to understand outsourcing one must simply understand why people do it in the first place. In reality, companies outsource for two main reasons: to gain expertise and to cut costs. The first consideration is the lack of expertise in a certain area. Any expertise can be found anywhere in the world, which is “just” a question of the second consideration
– the cost. The two considerations create a milieu of problems as companies attempt to find the best available expertise for the cheapest possible price.
Of course, from the outset the purpose of outsourcing was to limit costs by giving responsibility for internal IT departments to experts like IBM or EDS. At first, companies outsourced their non-core competencies, but by 1990s with the Internet increasingly providing necessary technology foundation, more companies tried to outsource their (near-) strategic functions.
As such attempts became unmanaged with limited controls and standards, many outsourcing deals came to a halt. Trust in outsourcing diminished and the fear of unmitigated risks increased. Many companies learned the hard way that it is easier to fix problems in-house, rather than watch things go awry while coordinating with a third-party. Nevertheless, in order to resolve the need for expertise and cost efficiency, outsourcing was not abandoned as a business strategy. Instead, providers aimed to improve their service offerings. New guidelines were written as more accountable and outlined contracts were demanded. As a result, for almost 10 years the industry has been working with “scalable” outsourcing and pay-per-cost contracts. Yet again the demands of outsourcers and the industry as a whole are beginning to change as more flexible but still reliable – sourcing models are being introduced.
Download full article to learn more about Remote In-sourcing, one of the latest sourcing models, is an innovative extension of traditional insourcing and outsourcing models.
Download White-Paper
Strategic, Core and Non-Core Activities: What to outsource for best results?
Why and What Do Companies Outsource?
Future Prospects for IT Talent and Innovation
Why and What Do Companies Outsource? The State of Software Development Outsourcing for 2019
Software Service Provider Integration: The Magic Matrix
EU: +49 (211) 1386-6231
odt@intetics.com
© 1995-2020 Intetics Inc. | Privacy Policy | Sitemap
This website uses cookies. By continuing to browse website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out more
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1340
|
__label__wiki
| 0.787789
| 0.787789
|
Mumbai varsity faculty member punished for remarks on Rahul Gandhi; BJP, Congress spar
Yogesh Soman, the Director of Mumbai University's Academy of Theatre Arts, was sent on compulsory leave after students, backed by NSUI and AISF, staged several protests against him.
Written by Abha Goradia | Mumbai | Updated: January 14, 2020 9:54:12 pm
Despite attempts to contact him, Soman remained unavailable for comment. (Photo courtesy: theatreartsdepartmentmu.com)
Action against a senior Mumbai University faculty member for his “objectionable remarks” against Rahul Gandhi sparked a political row on Tuesday.
Yogesh Soman, Director of Mumbai University’s Academy of Theatre Arts, has been sent on compulsory leave by the varsity following protests by members of Congress’s youth wing National Students Union of India (NSUI), All India Students Federation (AISF), and Chhatra Bharati.
On Monday, students of the theatre academy, with support from NSUI, AISF and Chhatra Bharati, staged a sit-in at the Kalina campus against the affairs of the theatre academy. The students were protesting till late night, after which registrar Ajay Deshmukh is learnt to have assured them of Soman’s compulsory leave. A letter to the students by Deshmukh also states that a fact-finding committee fill be formed to probe into Soman’s conduct, and a report sought within four weeks.
Despite attempts to contact him, Soman remained unavailable for comment.
Responding to the action againt Soman, BJP leader Ashish Shelar said: “It has been learnt that Congress and left wing students have threatened Yogesh Soman. Isn’t this an act of intolerance?”
गेल्या महिनाभरापासून मुंबई विद्यापीठात अभिनेते योगेश सोमण याच्या बाबतीत जे घडते आहे. त्यांना सक्तीच्या रजेवर पाठवण्याचा निर्णय घेणे, त्यांना काँग्रेस आणि डाव्या विद्यार्थी संघटनेने धमकावणे…या सगळ्या गोष्टी आता असहिष्णुतेत बसत नाही का? pic.twitter.com/BNpBDjHgYe
— Adv. Ashish Shelar – ॲड. आशिष शेलार (@ShelarAshish) January 14, 2020
Raising questions on freedom of expression, he further said, “For the past few days, dissatisfaction is being created among students of cultural and academic institutions, distancing them from education. Isn’t this intolerance?”
To this, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant retorted, “Given the instances of intolerance we have been seeing in our country, no BJP member has the right to speak about intolerance. Speaking of Yogesh Soman, any government employee should refrain from political statements. This is the government’s rule. If Soman has been participating in political events, it’s at the behest of BJP. We are proud of NSUI for taking steps to save the Constitution. Sending him on compulsory leave is not sufficient. His conduct has shown that he is not adhering to the stipulations of the government.”
योगेश सोमण यांचा राजकीय उपयोग @BJP4Maharashtra करत होती. शासकीय पदावर कार्यरत असताना राजकीय मते मांडणे प्रशासकीय नियमांनुसार योग्य नाही. असे असताना जाणिवपूर्वक ते अशी मते मांडत होते. @NSUIMumbai चे आंदोलन लोकशाही बळकट करण्यासाठी होते. सोमण यांच्यावर चौकशी करून कारवाई झाली पाहिजे pic.twitter.com/Qg7YmFBZ5O
— Sachin Sawant (@sachin_inc) January 14, 2020
Chhatra Bharati said students have complaints against Soman’s handling of the theatre academy.
Apurva Ingle, first-year student of MA in theatre arts and cultural secretary of Chhatra Bharati, said, “We are not related to NSUI. We only want to request the VC that our new director should be appointed on the basis of a solid vision and reputed personality. Most of our faculty can’t teach. Soman has been recruiting his peers from Pune, where he hails from. He is unapproachable and unfriendly. We will continue to fight till Soman tenders his resignation.”
The academy has 85 students across both years, and 50 students enrolled for diploma in acting skills.
On December 14, Soman had posted a video on Facebook and Twitter, addressing Gandhi. The video was made after Gandhi at a rally said “I’m Rahul Gandhi, not Rahul Savarkar.” The Congress leader had said this after he was asked to apologise for his comments about “rape in India”.
In the video, Soman says: “You truly aren’t Savarkar. The truth is, you aren’t a true Gandhi either. You don’t have any of the values…” adding that he protests against “Gandhi’s Pappugiri”.
NSUI first protested against the 51-second video on December 24, with members of the outfit gheraoing the Vice-Chancellor’s office and submitting a memorandum. On December 28, the outfit filed a complaint against Soman at BKC police station. This was followed by a protest rally on January 9, where his effigy was burnt.
NSUI National Secretary Nikhil Kamble said, “Merely sending Soman on compulsory leave is not enough. He must be sacked from the director’s post immediately. Yogesh Soman has been appointed illegally and he does not conduct any lecture. Students have said that he has attempted to impose a particular ideology on them.”
For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App
Abha GoradiaAbha works with the Mumbai bureau and covers the education beat as wel... read more
Upcoming academic year: BMC’s first ICSE, CBSE English medium schools to start operation
Mumbai University plans to digitise documents of its famous alumni
Quality Council of India report: In BMC schools, less focus on critical thinking in classes, more on course completion, bettering scores
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1345
|
__label__wiki
| 0.681463
| 0.681463
|
A bonus holiday gift guide for the drinker in your life
By Jon Bonné on December 19, 2014 at 2:43 PM
If you’re still shopping for gifts for the drinker in your life, I wanted to throw a few final suggestions into the mix. I already tackled much of the current crop of drinks books earlier in the fall but more have come my way. And there’s still time for a handful of other last-minute items.
Let’s start with “The Old-Fashioned” (Ten Speed Press; 168 pages; $18.99) by Robert Simonson, who writes about drinks for the New York Times and other publications. Simonson’s is one of the more erudite approaches to the booze world, and this book reflects that. How else to provide so much backstory on what’s essentially the simplest of three-ingredient drinks?
It’s not, of course. The various forms of Old Fashioneds are woven into the fabric of the nation’s history, and its many evolutions and variations (Wisconsin’s brandy take, for instance) are cultural touchpoints. Simonson captures them all. I’m typically resistant to single-cocktail books, but this one shows how it should be done.
In a completely different vein, “Tasting Whiskey” (Storey; 256 pages; $18.95) deals with the full spectrum of how to appreciate that spirit — from production to proper methods of sampling to its use in the right cocktails. As author Lew Bryson is the managing editor of Whisky Advocate, it goes without saying that this is authoritative. But it’s also approachable, and an almost effortless read, which is a rare trait in whiskey writing. This is the book to propel the whiskey drinker in your life to true aficionado status.
None of which is to overlook the big daddy of booze books this season, “Death & Co.” (Ten Speed Press, 300 pages, $40), based on the work of that now-famous bar in New York’s East Village. “Death & Co.” is a handsome thing, bound in black cloth and dramatic in its coffee-table look (props for William Hereford’s photos and Tim Tomkinson’s drawings), and comprehensive in its scope. No cocktail lover would go wrong here. If I had a wish, it would be for a bit more narrative verve — way tricky, with two bar owners (David Kaplan and Alex Day) and an additional writer (Nick Fouchauld of Short Stack Editions) trying to weave their authorship together — but none of that will impact the pleasant several years you’ll likely spend testing out the hundreds of recipes within.
There’s one significant wine book from this spring that I hadn’t managed to digest by the time of my October column: Ian d’Agata’s “Native Wine Grapes of Italy” (UC Press, 620 pages, $50). D’Agata has written extensively about Italian wine, and in this big tome he took on one of the most uneasy tasks in wine: trying to make sense of Italy’s seemingly endless roster of grapes. If the narrow band of so-called international varieties — Cabernet, Chardonnay and so on — has become old hat, the country’s problem is the absolute opposite: endless varieties and subvarieties, local genetic offshoots and misnomers. (Know your Albanella from your Albanello?) Luckily, d’Agata has done superb scholarship on grapes both minor and major, in some cases providing insight on major grapes matched only by 2013’s “Wine Grapes.” The Lambrusco family, for instance, has likely never received such thorough consideration. If the discussion can veer into the granular — which Nebbiolo clones were virus-treated in which way, and so on — d’Agata also has taken time to chase many grapes into their New World homes. Serious lovers of Italianate wines need this book.
I’m more hesitant on the matter of Isabelle Legeron’s “Natural Wine” (Cico Books, 224 pages, $24.95), and not because of the obvious polarity of its subject. In fact, what amounts to natural wine has needed a deep gaze for a while, and Legeron, the first Frenchwoman to become a Master of Wine, is a smart guide on the topic. She is frank about the fact that the very term “natural wine” is fraught (“perhaps ‘natural wine’ is not the best term to use”) although she never quite resolves the matter of how to interpret a terminology so tricky that even its practitioners can’t quite sort it out.
But she at least tackles a number of tricky issues, not least of which is purported health benefits of these wines. And she is broad-minded enough to include producers who I might describe more as minimalist than natural. My major concern, aside from a too-cutesy design, was that quality — the undiscussed issue on the natural-wine table — gets scant discussion in “Natural Wine.” What of the virtuous failures and half-successes too often released into the world, their flaws defended in the name of purity? These are experiments we’re asked to pay for and drink. It’s a topic that requires serious discussion, and Legeron’s book would have been the right forum for one.
Finally on books, one other entry from Inside Scoop’s Paolo Lucchesi. (Because I previously offered a blurb for it, I declined to review it.)
I’m obviously not the beverage connoisseur that my colleague Mr. Bonné is (who is?), so I went into Talia Baiocchi’s fascinating “Sherry” (Ten Speed Press, 264 pages $24.99) with a very rudimentary understanding of the book’s namesake wine. That all changed after spending just a few hours diving into Talia Baiocchi’s smart writing and fun tales from Jerez. This is what a single-subject book should be: an encyclopedic yet engaging look at the progression of sherry through the ages, and perhaps just as importantly, where it is going in the 21st century. It’s a guide, a resource, and a great example of cultural storytelling through the lens of sherry. It’s a book that, I suspect, both sherry experts and novices alike will enjoy. And it’s my favorite booze book this year, for sure.
The flood of new wine glasses being unveiled is conclusive proof of the economy’s rebound. Most, as usual, are destined for the kitsch pile, although it’s a pleasure to see Riedel’s new Champagne glasses are less flute and more akin to a white-wine glass. (Although using a white wine glass for Champagne will be just fine.)
The worthy entry this year is from Gabriel-Glas, which somewhat resembles its Austrian counterpart, Zalto. While the Zalto glasses follow the model of a different shape for each type of wine, Gabriel-Glas went the other way, with a “One for All” design meant to flatter a wide range of wine styles. That’s welcome news to wine lovers who don’t want to buy a full range of glassware — and while the Gabriel-Glas stems aren’t inexpensive ($29 apiece) they are surprisingly durable and work, as a universal glass, remarkably well. In truth, there’s a second glass in Gabriel-Glas’ line — a $55 handblown version that’s featherweight but otherwise quite similar in shape. It’s too late to order from the Gabriel-Glas online store (www.winegls.com) in time for Christmas, but you can find them at such local stores as Plumpjack, Paul Marcus Wines, Artisan Wine Depot and Bay Grape.
Finally, after much recommending of wine (in this year’s Top 100 and elsewhere), two suggestions for the drinker in your life who thinks they have everything.
First, if you haven’t been following the work of Rob Easter and his Workhorse Rye, you need to be. Easter is actually bringing the dream of a San Francisco-produced whiskey to fruition — both in his series of organically-sourced whiskies and his three flavors of bitters. The coffee-rye bitters in particular can bring an added dimension to a Manhattan. Both whiskies and bitters are available locally.
We’ve occasionally highlighted the work of Nicolas Palazzi, whose work hunting down little-known spirits is akin to a boozy version of J. Peterman’s early years. Palazzi has added a bunch of new selections to his roster: a Navazos-Palazzi single-malt Spanish whiskey aged in Palo Cortado barrels (this in partnership with the Sherry curators Equipo Navazos); several rare Spanish brandies and rums; long-aged Pineau des Charentes (a Cognac-related aperitif) from Paul Marie & Fils; single-cask Armagnacs from Domaine d’Esperance; even U.S. access to Xoriguer, a unusual Mahon gin produced on the island of Menorca.
Many of Palazzi’s offerings can be found locally at K&L Wines, and while they are not cheap, they are both extremely rare and sublime.
Jon Bonné
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1350
|
__label__wiki
| 0.531779
| 0.531779
|
You are at:Home»Alerts»**** Internet Explorer 0-Day Vulnerability ****
**** Internet Explorer 0-Day Vulnerability ****
By Shannon Ortiz on January 20, 2010 Alerts, Exploits and Vulnerabilities
You may or may not already know that an unpatched vulnerability for Internet Explorer was announced last week. On Friday, exploit code was made public so it’s likely that we’ll start seeing exploitation on campus soon. Here are the details:
=== VULNERABILITY INFO ===
The vulnerability can be exploited when a client visits a malicious webpage (clicking a link in an email, visiting a website that contains a malicious advertisement, or visiting a website that has been compromised itself and is unknowingly hosting malicious content). Exploit code has been publicly released, and although we have not yet received reports of widespread exploitation I would expect that’s likely to change soon.
Current exploits function only against IE6. Although the vulnerability is present in IE7 and IE8 as well, the current public exploit code fails on those platforms.
=== Workarounds ===
Microsoft is likely to release a patch soon, outside of their normal patch-Tuesday cycle. Keep an eye out for it.
If you have users who are still using IE6, now would be a great time to get them upgraded. Current exploit code doesn’t work against IE7 or IE8, and although the vulnerability is present in those browsers it’s likely that MS will have a patch out before attackers can adapt the exploit code to work on them.
As an alternative to upgrading, you could also set the “security level” for the “Internet Zone” to high for IE6 in Tools — Internet Options — Security Tab — Internet Zone — set security-level slider to “high”. This disables JavaScript among other things which may degrade performance for some sites. Sites that are needed for business purposes and rely on the disabled features should be added to the “trusted sites” list in the same preference tab listed above, for example add *.nyu.edu there.
A more narrowly scoped workaround is to manually disable JavaScript for IE6 in Tools — Internet Options — Security Tab — Internet Zone — Custom Level — Scroll down to “Active Scripting” and disable. Sites that are needed for business purposes and rely on JavaScript should be added to the “trusted sites” list in the same preference tab listed above, for example add *.nyu.edu there.
=== LINKS ===
MS Advisory with details on the vulnerability:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/979352.mspx
MS security blog posts with more technical details:
http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2010/01/18/additional-information-about-dep-and-the-internet-explorer-0day-vulnerability.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2010/01/15/assessing-risk-of-ie-0day-vulnerability.aspx
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1360
|
__label__wiki
| 0.577636
| 0.577636
|
Absence of nystagmus during REM sleep in patients with vestibular neuritis
I Eisensehr,
S Noachtar,
M Strupp,
H v Lindeiner,
T Brandt,
U Büttner
Department of Neurology, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
Dr I Eisensehreisen{at}nefo.med.uni-muenchen.de
Saccades, including fast phases of nystagmus, disappear during drowsiness and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, but are present during the alert state and REM sleep. The purpose of this study was to determine whether spontaneous nystagmus is present in patients with vestibular neuritis during REM sleep.
Eight patients with spontaneous nystagmus due to vestibular neuritis and eight control patients without any nystagmus underwent at least one night of polysomnography. Fast phases of nystagmus were analyzed. The number of right and left horizontal saccades were counted, first during 3–5 minute samples of the awake state before sleep onset, then during the first REM episode and the last REM episode of nocturnal sleep, and finally during the alert state in the morning after nocturnal sleep.
All patients with vestibular neuritis showed significantly more saccades (fast phases) towards the side contralateral to their vestibular lesion in the awake state before and after the polysomnography. This reflects their spontaneous nystagmus. By contrast, during REM sleep the patients with vestibular neuritis showed no preponderance in saccade direction. The eye movement pattern in REM was the same for patients and controls.
In conclusion, peripheral vestibular imbalance producing nystagmus in vestibular neuritis in the awake state is not active at the brain stem level during REM sleep.
spontaneous nystagmus
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.71.3.386
It is assumed that the same pontine neurons burst with saccades during the alert state, REM sleep, and the fast phases of nystagmus, which are saccades.1-5 There is a close relation between the presence of saccades and nystagmus. As eye movements during REM sleep are considered to be saccades, nystagmus could also be expected to occur during REM sleep.
This is the first prospective study on peripheral vestibular lesion and REM sleep which investigated whether spontaneous nystagmus during the awake state in patients with acute vestibular neuritis also occurs during REM sleep.
STUDY POPULATION
Informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study. Eight patients with vestibular neuritis and eight controls had a complete physical examination and underwent at least one night of polysomnography (PSG). Polysomnography of the patients with vestibular neuritis was performed from days 1 to 6 after the onset of symptoms of vestibular neuritis (mean 69 hours, range 24–144 hours). For inclusion in the study, nystagmus (slow phase velocity of at least 7°/s in the dark) before and after the PSG night had to be present in patients with vestibular neuritis. The diagnosis of vestibular neuritis was based on criteria described in detail elsewhere.6 7
The patients without vestibular neuritis had been referred to the sleep laboratory because of suspected sleep disorders. They were included in the study as controls if they had no history of vertigo and no spontaneous nystagmus during the awake state as verified with Frenzl's glasses.
The recording and scoring of the PSG were performed as described elsewhere.8 An electro-oculogram (EOG) was obtained from electrodes placed lateral to both eyes and to the infraorbital and supraorbital regions; EOG calibration was performed at the beginning and the end of the PSG and included eye excursion of 35° from the midline to the right and left, vertical views with and without Frenzl's glasses on, and provocation of vertical and horizontal optokinetic nystagmus. A time constant of 10 seconds was chosen for the EOG. Velocities of the slow phases of horizontal eye movements can be calculated by summarising the amplitudes of the fast phases during a certain time period. Slow phase velocities were exclusively determined for patients with vestibular neuritis during the awake state, when long periods of obvious nystagmus in one direction were present. Right and left (ipsilateral and contralateral) horizontal saccades were counted separately during 3–5 minute samples of the awake state before sleep onset, the awake state after the nocturnal sleep period, and the first and the last continuous REM episodes of the nocturnal sleep. Horizontal eye movements were scored only if they had an excursion of 2° or more and a velocity of at least 50°/second.9 Any preponderance in saccade direction was considered potential nystagmus.
DATA PRESENTATION AND STATISTICS
Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical package for Windows 9.0. They are presented as mean (SD) if not stated otherwise. The data were tested for normal distribution with the Kolmogorow-Smirnov test. Data points between and within the two study groups were compared using the χ2 test and Mann-Whitney Utest for paired and independent samples. In the two groups (controls/vestibular neuritis), the numbers of right/ipsilateral and left/contralateral horizontal saccades were compared within awake and REM sections to detect directional preponderance of horizontal saccades and nystagmus. A p value<0.05 was considered significant.
Patients with vestibular neuritis were slightly older than controls (vestibular neuritis 65.1(14.7) years, controls 55.4 (19.8) years) and were more often women (n=7) than controls (n=4), (p>0.05). Vestibular neuritis was located on the right in five patients and on the left in three patients. Controls were diagnosed as having periodic limb movement disorder (n=2), narcolepsy (n=2), obstructive sleep apnoea (n=1), and sleep state misperception (n=3). These disorders are not reported to be associated with ocular-motor disorders. As we wanted to score rapid eye movement directions and were not interested in analyzing sleep macrostructure, we thought that our controls were adequate. All patients with vestibular neuritis had spontaneous nystagmus, which was best seen with Frenzl's glasses on, and to a lesser extent during fixation before and after the night of recording. The slow phase velocity with the eyes closed in patients with vestibular neuritis had decreased slightly from the evening before to the morning after the PSG (evening 11.05 (6.80)°/s; morning 8.39 (1.32)°/s; p>0.05).
The videotapes showed that all patients and controls lay on their back without turning their heads extensively to the right or left side during the analyzed awake and REM periods. All patients with vestibular neuritis showed significantly more saccades to the side contralateral (v ipsilateral) to their vestibular lesion in the awake state (eyes open and closed), indicating spontaneous nystagmus (p=0.012) (table 1). During REM sleep, none of the patients with vestibular neuritis showed either any nystagmus or any significant preponderance in saccade direction. Similarly, no tonic deviation was found in patients with vestibular neuritis during REM sleep (analyzing eye in head position with EOG and synchronised videotape). No difference in saccade direction was found in control patients during the awake state or REM sleep. Occasionally, brief phases (about 2 seconds long) of nystagmoid jerks (one to four jerks a second) or slow horizontal eye movements with velocities between 10 to 20°/s (fig 1A) with changing directions and without any directional preponderance were found in both patients and controls during REM sleep. Saccadic eye movements were not found in non-REM (NREM) sleep.
Saccades during wakefulness and REM sleep of patients with vestibular neuritis and control patients
(A) Thirty second sample of the awake state before sleep onset of the polysomnogram for a patient with right vestibular neuritis and one control patient. The control patient shows several blinking artifacts in the channel for the vertical eye movements. To get highly artefact free awake phases the patients and controls were told to relax as much as possible during the initial and final wake phases. This might have been easier for controls than for patients with vestibular neuritis, who mostly complained about nausea when they were awake. Therefore, the low chin muscle tone in the control indicates good relaxation by contrast with the patients with vestibular neuritis. (B) Thirty second sample of the first REM period of the polysomnogram for a patient with right vestibular neuritis and one control patient. The drift of slow eye movements to the right, which preceded a series of rapid eye movements in vestibular neuritis, was not a frequent finding. Such an occasional drift occurred in various directions and was also seen in controls. A1=left ear; A2=right ear; LBE=left below eye; RAE=right above eye; ECG=electrocardiogram.
This is the first prospective study comparing eye movements in REM sleep of well defined patients with vestibular neuritis with those of controls. We found that the mechanisms generating REMs during desynchronised sleep are not influenced by mechanisms producing nystagmus in vestibular neuritis. Moreover, the nystagmus associated with vestibular neuritis was abolished during NREM sleep.
Studies investigating eye movements during REM sleep of patients with nystagmus in the awake state due to various CNS lesions report contradictory findings.10-13 Gordonet al,10 who examined six patients in a vegetative state, and Appenzeller et al,11 who studied three patients with alcoholic and one patient with post-traumatic encephalopathy, described brief phases of nystagmoid jerks during REM sleep. These jerks differed from the continuous nystagmus seen during wakefulness (no description of nystagmus direction). However, brief phases of irregular nystagmoid jerks during REM sleep have also been described in healthy subjects,13 and we also found non-systematic brief phases of nystagmoid jerks in vestibular neuritis and controls. These may be related to a gaze holding deficit on lateral gaze, which might correspond to a neuronal integrator disorder during REM sleep. By contrast, two studies reported that the nystagmus generated by CNS lesions in the awake state disappears during NREM and REM sleep.12 13 Another study found a nearly total suppression of rapid eye movements directed away from the side of the lesion during REM sleep in six patients with unilateral attentional neglect,14 although phases of nystagmus were not described in the study.
In cats, unilateral labyrinthectomy and unilateral section of the eighth nerve resulted in spontaneous nystagmus during wakefulness for several days,15 16 which was largely depressed or completely abolished during NREM and REM sleep.
Studies on the influence of vestibular stimulation on eye movements during sleep in normal subjects have given contradictory results.17-19 Reding and Fernandez,17 using perrotatory stimulation at 10 minute intervals in a sample of five children, found that nystagmic jerks (direction not specified) were significantly associated with the occurrence of rapid eye movements in REM sleep. However, brief phases of nystagmic jerks during REM sleep have also been described in healthy subjects under normal conditions.13 Other studies in adult humans demonstrated that neither postrotatory nor perrotatory vestibular stimulation elicited nystagmus during any stage of sleep.18 19However, slow compensatory conjugate deviation of the eyes occurred with each oscillation during REM sleep, whereas rapid eye movements were absent in the study of Tauber et al 18; this suggests some vestibular influence on eye movements during REM sleep. We exclusively evaluated the number and direction of horizontal saccades during REM sleep. Therefore we cannot exclude vestibular influence on other characteristics of rapid eye movements during REM sleep (number of clusters versus single rapid eye movements, velocities etc). However, nystagmus seen during wakefulness in our patients with vestibular neuritis could definitely not be seen during REM sleep. In analogy to the de-efferentation of the motor output during REM sleep, it might be hypothesised that there is a deafferentation of the peripheral vestibular input to the REM sleep generating areas. This deafferentation might originate from REM sleep generating structures in the paramedian pontine reticular formation and inhibit peripheral input to the medial vestibular nucleus, which plays an executive part in rapid eye movements during REM sleep.4 5 20 Caloric labyrinthine stimulation during REM sleep should be performed in humans to test this hypothesis.
Horn AKE,
Büttner-Ennever JA,
Büttner U
(1996) Saccadic premotor neurons in the brainstem: functional neuroanatomy and clinical implications. Neuroophthalmology 16:229–240.
Hoshino K,
Pampeiano O,
Magherini PC,
(1976) The oscillatory system responsible for the oculomotor activity during the bursts of REM. Arch Ital Biol 114:278–309.
Kamogawa H,
Ohki Y,
Shimazu H,
(1996) Inhibitory input to pause neurons from pontine burst neuron area in the cat. Neurosci Lett 203:163–166.
Bizzi E,
Pompeiano O,
Somogyi I
(1964) Vestibular nuclei: activity of single neurons during natural sleep and wakefulness. Science 145:414–415.
(1964) Spontaneous activity of single vestibular neurons of unrestrained cats during sleep and wakefulness. Arch ital Biol 102:308–330.
Strupp M,
Arbusow V,
Maag KP,
(1998) Vestibular exercises improve central vestibulospinal compensation after vestibular neuritis. Neurology 51:838–844.
Brandt T
(1999) Vestibular neuritis. Adv Otorhinolaryngol 55:111–136.
Eisensehr I,
Ehrenberg BL,
Noachtar S,
(1998) Association of obstructive sleep apnea syndome with plasma epinephrine levels, platelet activation and blood pressure. Neurology 51:188–195.
Neetens A,
van den Ende P
(1989) Eye movements during sleep. Bull Soc Belge Ophtalmol 237:227–244.
Gordon CR,
Oksenberg A
(1993) Spontaneous nystagmus across the sleep-wake cycle in vegetative state patients. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 86:132–137.
Appenzeller O,
Fischer AP
(1968) Disturbances of rapid eye movements during sleep in patients with lesions of the nervous system. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 25:29–35.
Tauber ES,
Weitzman ED,
Herman J,
(1973) Absence of nystagmus during REM sleep in a patient with waking nystagmus and oscillopsia. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 36:833–838.
Kawahara R,
Hazama H,
Fukuhara T,
(1980) Nystagmus and REM density during sleep in patients with brain stem lesions. Waking Sleeping 4:205–210.
Doricchi F,
Guariglia C,
Paolucci S,
(1993) Disturbances of rapid eye movements (REMs) of REM sleep in patients with unilateral attentional neglect: clue for the understanding of the functional meaning for REMs. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 87:105–116.
Baldissera F,
Broggi G,
Mancia M
(1967) Nystagmus induced by unilateral labyrinthectomy affected by sleep-wakefulness cycle. Nature 215:62–63.
Lenzi GL,
Pompeiano O
(1970) Orthodromic transmission of 8th nerve volleys through the vestibular nuclei during sleep. Adv Otorhinolaryngol 17:2–27.
Reding GR,
Fernandez CO
(1968) Effects of vestibular stimulation during sleep. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 24:75–79.
Handelman G,
Handelman R,
(1972) Vestibular simulation during sleep in young adults. Arch Neurol 27:221–228.
Jones GM,
Sugie N
(1972) Vestibulo-ocular responses in man during sleep. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 32:43–53.
Morrison AR
(1965) Vestibular influences during sleep. I. Abolition of rapid eye movements during desynchronized sleep following vestibular lesions. Arch Ital Biol 103:569–595.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
Online: ISSN 1468-330XPrint: ISSN 0022-3050
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1369
|
__label__cc
| 0.725026
| 0.274974
|
Assistant Professor - Department of Radiation Oncology - College of Medicine
Assistant/Associate Professor
(Final Rank/Title commensurate w/Credentials, Education, and Experience)
University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine
Department of Radiation Oncology
The University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine in Ohio is seeking 3 full time Assistant or Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology. An Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati is expected to teach, conduct research, scholarly and other professional or creative activities. This position will support the University of Cincinnati’s mission and commitment to excellence and diversity in our students, faculty, staff, and all of our activities.
The successful candidate’s academic position and appointment level is commensurate with experience. Primary responsibilities will include management of radiation treatments, development of radiation therapy programs for patients, consultations and treatment, training of residents and education of medical students.
The Department of Radiation Oncology has a thriving, multi-facility practice with twelve Attending Radiation Oncologists, one Nurse Practitioner and eight Medical Residents. Locations of care include The University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the Cincinnati Veteran's Hospital, a suburban, free-standing facility in West Chester and our University of Cincinnati-affiliated Proton Center in Liberty Township. Available technologies include:
• Varian TrueBeam with integrated imaging capabilities
• Tomotherapy
• Superficial Radiotherapy
• SRS and SBRT capabilities
• Brachytherapy (LDR and HDR)
• Varian PRO BEAM Proton unit with a pediatric gantry, an adult gantry and the only gantry fully dedicated to research in the world.
Minimum qualifications: Candidates must have an M.D. or D.O. degree, training in Radiation Oncology and be either Board certified or Board eligible
SF:OMJ SF:OOD SF:RM SF:INS SF:INS
Job Segment: Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Medical, Academic, Healthcare, Education, Research
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1372
|
__label__cc
| 0.59425
| 0.40575
|
It’s ‘bout to get Sailor Moon SuperSurreal up in here.
The comments after last week’s S finale were almost entirely about how divisive this new season is among fans, which oddly enough made me even MORE stoked to watch it. Where will I fall on the SuperScale? Will I enjoy this arc warts and all? Or despise it with the fires of a thousand suns?
Well, I’m only two episodes in, but I can already see why it’s polarizing, given the sudden jump into surreal, dreamlike fantasy worlds and characters (as opposed to past seasons’ sciency-magic), the focus on Chibiusa, and the… shall we say not untroubling nature of the way villains attack their targets. (Which, BT-dubs: Content Warning for some sexual assault implications and imagery. It’s not literal, but the “dream invasion” stuff with Tiger is Sailor Moon Super unSettling, and some of my screenshots and commentary will touch on that.)
That said, I LOVE me some surreal, dreamlike fantasy worlds, Chibiusa’s pretty likable at this point, and the villains’ attacks won’t bother me unless it turns out to be gratuitous rather than serving some seasonal thematic purpose. Not to mention I’ve been grumbling for Season One’s recurring characters to make a, well, recurrence for the past like 75 episodes, and lo and behold! they’ve come roaring back. Bonus points for that one!
Plus. You know. CIRCUS MOTIFS. Excuse me while I drool all over my keyboard.
Episode 128 – The Greatest SuperShow on Earth
The first ten or so minutes of this one are a mad visual feast, starting with Chibiusa’s beautiful dream sequence starring a mysterious talking Pegasus. No wait, a unicorn. No wait, both. Alicorn! He’s got his own set of Moon Disco Powers, hence why I called him “DiscoHorse” in my notes, but, pfft, surely I can come up with a better nickname than that. We’ll work on it.
DiscoHorse asks Chibs to keep their meeting a secret, right before Usagi shakes her awake her so they can go on an eclipse-viewing date with the gals, Mamoru, and HEYYY, Motoki and Unazuki, welcome back! Always a relief to know our recurring normies didn’t die in the last wave of apocalyptic destruction!
Unazuki’s been staying out late and getting into teenage shenanigans, but there’ll be time to discuss that later—for now, it’s time to meet the baddies who just rode in on the last eclipse, and they’re…
THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN, WHY DID NONE OF YOU NERDS TELL ME THE CIRCUS WAS GOING TO BE IN TOWN, MY HEART WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS MUCH JOY.
…Sorry. Deep breaths. I’ll reign it in.
(I really like circus settings, you guys.)
The Circus gets a Fabulous freaking MAX introductory scene, full of eye-catching character designs and imagery over a pitch-black background and off-kilter BGM, and filled with cynical philosophizing about how humanity doesn’t “care about anything beyond their own rooms.” Along the way, we meet the show, their Ringmaster Madame Zirconia, and her Top Minions, the Ringling Brothers Amazon Trio: Tiger’s Eye, Fish’s Eye, and Hawk’s Eye. And look, they’re color-coded for our convenience!
Silverfish, Bengold tiger, and sHAWKing pink.
The plot: Destroy the wHOA WAIT NOPE, new villains, new priorities. These guys’ll be taking OVER the world, and to do so they need to take advantage of the “once-in-centuries chance” to capture “him.” Only problem is that “he” has taken refuge in beautiful dreams, so the team has to track down people with beautiful dreams and then get all up in them dreams to see if “he” is hiding there. “He,” of course, is Chibiusa’s new alicorn friend… Peggy Corner? Ehhh, but it’s a boy alicorn, so maybe not. We’ll keep trying.
Tiger’s up to bat first, and the guy is a major Akio-level creeper, spouting strategies straight out of one of those gross pick-up artist playbooks. He hones in on Unazuki because she’s “his type,” and also perhaps because he can sense insecurity. She confides in Usagi and Chibiusa that there’s a boy in her pendant, but he’s “not her boyfriend” and she’s not really sure what they are. Chibs encourages her to stop waiting around and “get on her own white horse and find prince charming,” and ma-haaan is this ever an Ikuhara-directed episode.
“Trust me on this one, Unazuki. I have seen some shit.”
Cut to that night, when Tiger stalks Unazuki off the bus and goes after her dreams. Luckily Chibs and Usagi were out trying to find a magical dream-pond, so they hear her anguished screams and can suit up to take out their latest enemy.
Tiger calls on a Lemures to fight for him because ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THEY’RE NOT JUST A CIRCUS, THEY’RE A MUTHAFUGGIN GHOST CIRCUS, HOW COULD THIS GET ANY MORE
…So yeah, there’s great music and some more Fabulous Max art design as the scouts fight a creepy dead automaton with detachable body parts (HNNGH, just leave me here to drown in coolness). Meanwhile, Tiger decides to kill Unazuki because, even though Twilight Sparkle (nah, too easy) isn’t in her dreams, he can’t leave any beautiful dreams in the world lest the alicorn camp out in them at a later date.
Then Tuxedo Mask shows up so he and Tiger can throw shade at each other, which ends in Tux frantically trying to come up with a catchphrase to prove he’s cooler than he looks.
*voice cracks*
But despite The Tux’s best DUELING!cane action, Tiger gets them right where he wants them… until the alicorn appears to dump a bucket of glitter on Usagi and Chibiusa and turn them into Super Moons! They use a new long-distance attack to “stage out” the Lemure, and Tiger opts to retreat.
The alicorn vanishes again, as do the gals’ Super forms. Usagi and Mamoru are like “I’ve seen some weird stuff but this might just take the cake,” and as much as Chibs wants to tell them about her dream, she remembers the alicorn’s request for secrecy and keeps mum. So, for now, it looks like Chibiusa and her new friend will be confined to private nighttime outings only.
Sparkly, immortal, AND he watches you while you sleep? I’VE GOT IT. Ladies and gents, our magical new friend shall henceforth be known as…
PEGWARD CULLEN.
Episode 129 – My Little Ponies
While the rest of Cirque du Ombre gossips about Tiger’s failure, our Minion Trio talks it out in their favorite seedy bar. The dynamic between these three is already pretty entertaining, as Fish might have a crush on Tiger while Hawk is just like “Ugh, y’all are SO unprofessional,” but for the moment we’re stuck focusing on Creepy McTigerpants, who’s got his eyes on a local equestrian named REIKA!?
That’s right, team—after disappearing to Africa for a solid 100 episodes, Motoki’s girlfriend Reika is back and more awesome than ever, because she ALSO rides horses! The Moonies sort of stumble across her training (and sucking at it), so they pop in so she can reveal her complex troubles to a bunch of girls she met once. Those troubles? She’s just too damn awesome, as her research in Africa was such a hit that folks are begging her to study at a university in Europe. Only problem: It’s a ten-year(!?) commitment, and ever since she told Motoki about it, he’s refused to see her.
Ever the earnest Cupids, Usagi and Minako vow to find out why Motoki’s being such a poop, but he takes none-too-kindly to their butting into his business and leaves in a huff.
“GAWD, now I remember why I wrote myself out of this show in the first place.”
Ami points out that maybe they should be focusing on this new enemy of theirs instead, but c’mon, who’s got time for that?
Chibiusa, turns out, albeit in a roundabout way. She’s been spending a lot of time with Reika and her horse and listening to her concerns, which mainly amount to worrying that Motoki thinks she’s being selfish and hates her for it. Chibs wonders if physical distance and emotional distance are connected, or worse, inevitable—and given how far she is from her parents and her BFF, it’s no wonder this weighs heavy on her.
But enough philosophizing. There are monsters to fight! Tiger canters his way into Reika’s life and gets her to open up to him (because if there’s one thing Reika loves, it’s baring her soul to near-strangers), which is when things get a little…
SAILOR MOON SUPERSUBTLETY!
…Well, things get a little that. Chibiusa transforms and calls Tiger out for being a raging asshole and the rest of the Moonies arrive to back her up, but Tiger just shrieks his amazingly high-pitched laugh and summons a new Lemures to handle things. The Lemures wipes the floor with ‘em until Pegward appears to SuperSailor the Moons again, and we already know how that formula goes.
Okay, awful predatory villain defeated (and thank heavens Reika has no memory of Tiger mind-molesting her)—time to get back to the relationship stuff! The gals approach Motoki again, only this time Mamoru’s there as well (back from his college seminar) to be like “Dude, just tell them why you won’t see Reika and they’ll leave you alone.” Look at you, Mamo-chan, learning from your past mistakes!
Motoki explains that he doesn’t want Reika to give up her dreams because of him, which is why he won’t see her until she’s decided what she wants to do. And lo and behold, they had Reika lurking behind the cafe counter, listening in on the whole thing!
“Motoki, you are clearly shit at communicating so this long-distance thing is doomed… but at least I know you care!”
Chibiusa’s certain things will work out between them as long as they reeeeeally love each other. While it’s an overly idealized sentiment to end on, it’s also a very Sailor Moon sentiment to end on, and it’s hard for me to fault the series for staying true to itself.
And suddenly my continued insistence that the “vampires” in Twilight are actually blood-drinking unicorns seems a lot more reasonable.
Tux got a catchphrase AND Chibiusa got her own transformation sequence? Look at our Moonie Groupies, leveling up like actual team members!
This episode aired in early 1995, meaning that Reika has had time to spend a decade in Europe, return to Japan, and spend another decade in Japan. In other news, I AM SO OLD.
Llllladies.
Hark! A plot point! Pegward speaks of a “Crystal Forest” that’s weeping and asks for Chibiusa to help him. Not sure what this forest has to do with the traveling Carnalval, but put a pin in it, as I’m sure we’ll be coming back to it later.
August 7, 2015 Josei Next Door anime, episode 128, episode 129, recaps, reviews, sailor moon, sailor moon supers
[Mild spoilers for SuperS general story outline below]
So, I have a few theories as to why this season is so divisive:
1) No outer senshi; This one is pretty baffling, and was probably even more frustrating back when it first aired. How can you introduce 3 interesting and powerful characters and just yank them away from us the next season? Also, what the hell is going to happen to Hotaru? You mean you’re not going to tell us? Boo! I should mention that the Outer Senshi ARE in the Dream Arc of the manga.
2) Speaking of that, this anime adaptation is wildly different from the manga; Now, obviously, the anime adaptations have always been pretty different from the manga, but in this season especially
3) Focus on Chibiusa; Although I like her enough at this point, for some people, they still have R Chibiusa burned into their brains; that makes this season a hard sell. Also, that makes a lot of the lessons and messages seem very childish (as you mentioned about episode 129, the message was a little too sentimental and cheesy; you can expect a lot of that this season)
4) Filler. This season is the most guilty out of all five in having way too much filler vs. plot heavy episodes. In fact, don’t expect the plot to move very much at all until near the end of the season.
5) Following S; If you ask Sailor Moon fans which season is the best, I’m willing to bet that it will be split about 60/40 between S and Stars. Well, SuperS has the unfortunate fate of being sandwiched in between, and it just doesn’t compare
That said, I like this season, at least more than I like R (my least favorite season). It’s probably the funniest season, it has my favorite villains, better designed monsters of the day, my favorite Sailor Moon transformation and attack, and it’s overall the best looking season as far as animation and art design go. I’ll be interested to see what your final opinion is once this is all over.
Hey, just a quick reminder that I’d prefer we not get too spoiler-y on these comments. Avoid specific details (which you did, so thanks!) and tag vague ones with a spoiler notice (I added one to your original post, btw). It doesn’t really bother me, but I want to be respectful to other newbie SM readers who might not want to know anything about the upcoming season, even which recurring characters make an appearance or where the general focus of the season lies.
I’ve been super(S) lax about this with everyone up to this point because, like I said, it doesn’t really bother me as long as there are no specific plot details revealed, but site traffic on these posts has gone up in recent weeks and I figure I should probably, y’know, actually enforce some of my comment policies for once. ^^;
Anyway, please don’t think I’m yelling at you or anything. It’s no worries, just something to keep in mind for the future. ^_^ Thanks!
gabrieliosp says:
Chibiusa x Pegasus isn’t that creepy in the manga since manga-Chibi is actually 900+ years old (no, I’m not making this up… she is as old as she appears to be in the anime though).
And oh yes, the Amazon Trio, one of the most interesting minion groups of SM as a whole. It should be noted that all of them are homosexual in the manga (Naoko calls them “the Okama Trio” in an artbook) but Tiger’s Eye and Hawk’s Eye were turned straight in the anime.
Vrai Kaiser says:
*sip* So is….this the part where I bring up that there is toooooooootally a great crossover fic where the Amazon Trio goes Dream Hunting in Night Vale? Because it exists. And it made my whole year.
(Also hey, Fish! I missed you, you almost filled the Zoisite-shaped hole in my heart).
Man, I love the Internet. I’d ask you to send me the link but I haven’t heard a word of Night Vale so it wouldn’t make any sense to me. I’ve heard great things about it but I’m incapable of focusing on podcasts. If my eyes aren’t engaged, my brain gets bored, and since I don’t have time to draw comics (and don’t have to commute to work) anymore I don’t really have an “eyes only” activity I could do while listening to the shows. Maybe some day they’ll make a TV or comic series or something and I’ll actually be able to get into it with everyone.
*requisite gasping noises* I get that – personally I play Angry Birds/some simple mobile game while I listen (I really cannot recommend it enough of course, and I will, in depth, should you so desire). I’m going to make sad podcast eyes at you while reluctantly acknowledging that it is Your Life, and your Choices and Likes are Valid (and hoooooooomygod is it one of my favorite things ever)
Deelight says:
So now you know. Now you know why this season is a cherished one for me because- well, Pegasus! As an adult I don’t squee much, but I will now!
Also to piggy-back off what Carlos said above, this season also has my fav. villains, climatic battle, and filler episodes. Granted, one of the weaker points is that it feels like the Chibi-Usa Show. I mean, the girl has already had two seasons dedicated to her- why does she need another?
This season was also where the English dubers didn’t really know what to do. Like Zoisite they changed both Fish Eye and Madam Zirconia’s gender. Fish Eye became a girl and Zirconia became a old man. And that’s a Moon ROCK FACT! (Get it? I hope you’ve watched Over the Garden Wall otherwise that joke just failed.)
“As an adult you don’t squee much,” PFFFT OKAY, SURE. Lines like that might work on your online-only friends, but I’ve seen the fanning hands, you ain’t foolin’ nobody here.
And that’s… so weird of the English dubbers. Why would you need to change Zirconia’s gender? I get the other switches in a “wow US TV was/is homophobic” kind of way, but that one doesn’t even seem necessary. Stuff like this just makes me happier that I avoided the original dub altogether.
In other news, I really need to get back to OtGW and actually finish it. I really like what I’ve seen, I just never seem to remember I have it downloaded and keep forgetting to watch it.
Barjona Bombers (@FH14) says:
(I hope the bolding worked orz. I apologize in advance if it didn’t.)
I actually really like the early “Attack-of-the-week” episodes because they tend to focus on returning recurring characters, but after a certain point they focus heavily on characters of the week that aren’t as interesting or developed as ones in past seasons (hell, some are downright unlikeable and I found myself rooting for the villains to kill them – particularly the ones Fisheye interacts with).
Episodes like these also remind me how much I miss the early season recurring characters which added so much to the everyday lives of the characters, and makes it seem less like they’re all living in some kind of bubble.
Also, a couple of minor technical notes to file away:
1) Do you remember Chibiusa’s friend Momoko Momohara? She appeared in R and S briefly and she returns here but with her hair color changed to more closely resemble her manga design. And she appears more frequently as a recurring character alongside Kyuusuke Sarashina and they serve a similar function for Chibusa that Naru and Umino served for Usagi in season 1.
2) In between episodes episodes 131 and 132, there is a three-part OVA special (that probably won’t be streamed on hulu unfortunately) that are some of my favorite segments of the season. One of them serves to help reintroduce Momoko and Kyuusuke to the audience and adapts a manga short story, and another features the only appearance* this season of Haruka and Michiru and explains what they’re up to. (*Unless you count the SuperS film which is a continuity nightmare). If you get the opportunity to later I highly recommend you watch this.
The bolding worked just fine, and thanks for using it! ^_^
I remember Momoko but I didn’t notice her in the episodes. I’ll have to keep an eye out for the new design. The OVAs sound interesting, so hopefully Viz will re-release those as well. If nothing else maybe they’ll throw them on the DVD box set and I’ll be able to snag a rental copy someplace.
Agreed about the recurring characters – it was so great to see Motoki, Unazuki, and Reika this week, and I’m looking forward to more little stories like that, for sure.
Lexi Mitchell says:
Ahh, the only thing I knew about “lemures” was nobody knew what they were, because of the whole issue with non-Japanese words being written in Japanese, when you translate them into English it can be hard to tell what the heck the word is supposed to be (especially an unfamiliar word with an an L and an R). I remember someone translating it as “remless” which I think makes much more sense – like, REM-less, not having a REM cycle while sleeping, in an arc about dreams?
But it’s cool finding out lemures are a real thing and not a totally made-up or mistranslated word!
Leave a Reply to Josei Next Door Cancel reply
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1374
|
__label__cc
| 0.619159
| 0.380841
|
Posted on February 8, 2009 by islamoscope
Jesse Petrilla and Tom Trento interview Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders about the Islamization of Europe and its implications on America and the entire Western world
Filed under: Ethnic, Europe, freedom of speech, History, homosexual, human rights, islam, islamisation, women | Tagged: al qaeda, dutch politician islam, dutch politics, execution, fitna, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, geert, geert wilders, human rights, intolerance, islam, islamism, islamist, islamists, islamofascism, islamoscope, koran, muhammad, muslim, netherlands, pakistan, religious persecution, taliban, terrorism, terrorists, widlers, wilders, women in islam | Leave a comment »
I have found in my dialogue with Muslims is that they absolutely detest the idea of textual variants in Quranic manuscript. I am yet to find a Muslim who is actually prepared for this kind of discussion and I believe this is due to the openness of Muslim apologists and faux academics making the claim that all Quranic manuscripts are exactly the same. (I have previously challenged this claim in examining textual variants in the oldest Quran manuscripts compared to today’s version )
NB: Some Muslims have recently responded to this and as was predicted- the response was a red herring. They did not engage with the issue, my arguments or the examples. Meaningful variants among Quranic manuscripts and versions is a fact of life apologists of the Islamic faith cannot deal with as they are in denial.
Their usual Red Herring is in regard to the variant readings of the Quran. These variants occur with the addition of vowelisations etc for professionalised recitations to the original Uthmanic text. Now, these variant readings do not usually change the meaning of the Quran and the Muslim will give you the blanket statement that there are no differences in the Quran as a result of these variants. But is this statement true?
In regard to the variant recitations, Professor James A. Bellamy states:
These variants, however – I have counted more than two-hundred that make a difference in the meaning – are important in that they tell us there was no solid oral tradition stemming directly from the prophet to prove which variant was correct. [2]
So, we can see that there are many variants among the readings and Bellamy has recorded over 200 which render a different meaning within the text.
Professor Bellamy then goes on to provide an example:
in Surah 6:63, of the seven readers, the two from Kufah recite ‘njyn‘ (anjana) “he saves us.” and the other five ‘njytn’ (anjay- tana) “you (sg.) save us.” These two words sound so dif- ferent that no one, unless he were deaf, could mistake one for the other, and the words on both sides of the word in question are unambiguous. One cannot argue that the prophet used one variant one day and the other the next. Nor can one maintain that there is a firm oral tradition that guarantees the reading of the unambiguous words but breaks down when more than one reading is possible. [3]
In short – beware of taking Muslim claims in regard to the integrity of the Quran at face value. As has been demonstrated above, there are a number of changes in meaning that result from the variant readings of the Quran.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_herring_(logical_fallacy)#Red_herring
2. Bellamy, p. 1
3. Bellamy, p.2
James A. Bellamy (2001), ‘Textual Criticism of the Koran’. Journal of the American Oriental Society. Vol. 121 No. 1 (Jan-Mar. 2001), pp. 1-6.
Filed under: Discussion, History, islam, Qur'an and Haditha | Tagged: bail out, changes in quran, corruption, islam, islamists, james bellamy, journal of the american oriental society, koranic corruption, muhammad, orientalism, quran manuscript, samarkand quran, saudi arabia, summer, tawhid, terrorism, terrorism awareness, textual corruption, textual criticism of the koran, textual integrity, variant qurans | 6 Comments »
A WOMAN suspected of recruiting more than 80 female suicide bombers has confessed to organising their rapes so she could later convince them that martyrdom was the only way to escape the shame.
Samira Jassam, 51, was arrested by Iraqi police and confessed to recruiting the women and orchestrating dozens of attacks.
In a video confession, she explained how she had mentally prepared the women for martyrdom operations, passed them on to terrorists who provided explosives, and then took the bombers to their targets.
“We arrested Samira Jassim, known as ‘Um al-Mumenin’, the mother of the believers, who was responsible for recruiting 80 women”, Major General Qassim Atta said.
“She confessed her responsibility for these actions, and she confirmed that 28 attempts had been made in one of the terrorists’ strongholds,” he said.
Samira Jassim was arrested on January 21. She is allegedly linked to the Ansar al-Sunnah insurgent group.
Two of the attacks for which Samira Jassim admitted responsibility in the video confession took place in Diyala province, in central Iraq, which is considered one of the most dangerous areas of the country.
The Associated Press reports US military figures indicate at least 36 female suicide bombers attempted or carried out 32 attacks last year. Women are often allowed through military checkpoints without being searched, making it easier for them to hide explosives under their traditional robes.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25006101-12335,00.html
For once in my life I am speechless in regard to these abhorrent acts.
Filed under: blog, Discussion, human rights, Iraq, islamic violence, Terror Attack, women | Tagged: bigotry, freedom, freedom of religion, hadith, human rights, iraq, islam, islamic intolerance, islamic terrorism, islamic violence, islamists, islamofascism, islamoscope, jihad, koran, muhammad, quran, terrorism, terrorists, violence, women in islam | Leave a comment »
Don’t be soft on Islam, says EU terror chief
Posted on September 28, 2008 by islamoscope
Europe’s anti-terror chief has launched a stinging attack on the political correctness that he says is hampering the campaign against militant Islam.
Gilles de Kerchove, the EU counter-terrorism co-ordinator, said last week that concern about stigmatising Muslim populations was hampering policy-making and thus prevention. ‘One of the problems … is that some member states are extremely reluctant to be explicit about the link with religion,’ said de Kerchove. ‘Religion has been hijacked and distorted for political ends.’
De Kerchove’s statement comes against a background of infighting within the EU over counter-terrorism policy. The European Commission has been working for several years on a paper analysing militancy in Europe and outlining policy to combat radicalisation. The Council of Ministers is still waiting for the now long-overdue paper, on which future policy will be based.
EU officials claimed last week the delay was because Jacques Barrot, the French Commissioner for justice, freedom and security, had grave reservations about the definition of terrorism in the commission’s policy paper and had delayed signing the policy document as it ‘went too far in blaming Muslim communities’.
A spokesman for Barrot refused to comment. ‘There is a paper that is being prepared. Our services are working on it and there is no fixed timeframe at the moment,’ he said.
De Kerchove praised the Home Office’s emphasis on countering the extremists’ message through the media. ‘We have to provide an alternative narrative,’ he said. ‘A lot of research is showing that young people being radicalised are looking for thrills as much as anything ideological. We need to show the violence for what it is, bloody and indiscriminate, and the people who do it for what they are, ugly criminals not heroes.’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/28/terrorism.eu
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: britain, Don't be soft on Islam, eu, Europe, european union, islam, islam in europe, islamic terrorism, islamic terrorists, islamism, islamists, islamofascism, koran, mohamed, muhammad, muslim, muslim terrorism, muslim terrorists, muslima, political correctness, quran, religion, says EU terror chief, terrorism in islam | 1 Comment »
Marriott bombing group threatens fresh attacks on US targets
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he will not allow any foreign power to violate the country’s soverignity “in the name of combatting terrorism.” In his opening address to the joint houses of parliament in Islamabad on Saturday, he said that Pakistan should also understand the limits of confrontation.
This was his first speech to MPs since he replaced Pervez Musharraf in August. It was also the first by a president in almost six years.
Ahead of his first meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York, Zardari also said that ties with India need to be “creatively re-invented.”
Zardari said that he would like to move ahead with India based on three pointers which were, as espoused by former PM Benazir Bhutto, to come up with new ideas, to make bold committments and to be honest in the relationship.
Zardari called for a parliamentary committee to investigate abolishing his powers to dissolve the assembly and dismiss the government.
“In the history of Pakistan this is the first president who is giving away his powers, he commented.”
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: fata, fatwa, islam, islamabad, islamic terrorism, islamist, islamists, jihad, jihadists, marriott bombing, marriott hotel, muhammad, muslim terrorists, pakistan, terrorist attacks, zardari | Leave a comment »
Britain’s Youngest Terrorist Charged
18-year-old Hammaad Munshi has been sentenced to two years in a juvenile detention centre, making him the youngest person to be charged, tried and sentenced under Britain’s Terrorism Act.
Munshi was arrested after police found a guide to making napalm on his computer, and because he was associating with Aabid Khan, someone described as a “key player” in using the Internet to promote Islamic extremism.
The barrister representing Munshi said that the boy had been viewing the bomb- and napalm-making guides out of curiosity, a claim police have denied.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: aabid khan, british terrorists, Hammaad Munshi, islam, islamic militans, islamists, islamofascism, jihadist, militant islam, muhammad, munshi, muslim terrorists, News, religion, religious news, terrorism act, terrorism in britain, terrorists, Video | Leave a comment »
Islamic Jihadists Hit Australia (but caught first…)
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: afl grand final, beuracracy, bomb testing, cheat, convicted terrorist, dole, double standard, facebook, hate, hate speech, illegal immigrant, islam, islamic terrorism, islamists, islamofascism, jihad, jihadist, koran, miracles in islam, muslima, muslims, passport, planned terrorist attack, quran, religion, terror cheat, terrorism, terrorist, terrorists, terrorists suck, visa, welfare, welfare cheat, welfare payment | Leave a comment »
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1383
|
__label__cc
| 0.664326
| 0.335674
|
Stories of Ingenuity
Captive Centers
Sri Lanka Set-up Guide
Setting up in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Startup Report 2019
Labour Standard
Submit Case Studies
Marketing Material for Local Companies
NES ICT/BPM Initiatives
Central Bank Annual Reports
SLASSCOM Reports
Board of Investment Reports
Security & eLaws
FishTech! What 99X is doing with fresh fish in China!
IceFresh—a global fresh fish processing company from Europe
Established in 2004 and a subsidiary of the Icelandic Samherji-Group, IceFresh is a fresh fish processing company primarily procuring fish from Iceland and Norway. Headquartered in Germany, IceFresh carries out its operations across the globe.
Doing Business in Sri Lanka Information Memorandum
Download our comprehensive information memorandum for details on Sri Lanka’s advantages and opportunities for investors and prospective clients of Sri Lankan ICT/BPM companies.
The problems of keeping your fresh fish…fresh
Being a global fresh fish processing company isn’t easy, and IceFresh realized this when catering to their large customer base in China. Because IceFresh operated using a manual system, the geographic constraints of the Chinese market became problematic for them. IceFresh understood that their only way forward was to digitize their manual system, and to do this they partnered with 99X Technology, an award-winning, niche software development outfit based in Sri Lanka. Together with 99X Technology, IceFresh looked to transform their entire system end-to-end, all the way from where they fished, right up to the point where their catch was handed over to Chinese vendors.
Keeping up with the standards and requirements of two countries, especially when one of them is China
While the project posed many challenges, one of the most prominent was having to align the digitized platform with the standards and criteria of two countries in different continents—especially when one of them was China. Even the internet speed when connecting out of China is very slow, and these posed some big hurdles that needed to be tackled along the way.
“We strive for minimal errors and issues in our deliveries. That’s why we’re called 99X, we always strive to achieve 99% efficiency”
– Mano Sekaram, CEO, 99X Technology
Building a customized and state-of-the-art supply chain management system
99X developed a fully-fledged supply chain management system interconnected to several third-party services, to sell catches from Norway and Sri Lanka to the Chinese market through online stores. The web application was built using the MEAN technology stack and integrating Azure Cloud into the system to enable it to work in real time. The system also leveraged the brand recognition of the third-party services it connected with—helping build customer confidence for IceFresh and allowing it capture market share.
A niche software development company based in Sri Lanka with additional offices in Oslo, Norway, 99X’s specialized work deals with co-engineering software products with ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) from the Scandinavian block, the Americas, and Australasia. These ISVs readily chose a Sri Lankan partner, owing to the company’s technical competency, quick domain adaptability and excellent track record in delivering high-quality work with little to no errors in the process. As a result, 99X Technology boasts a mammoth 150+ IT products engineered since the company’s inception in early 2000, an astounding feat for a small company with less than 200 employees.
In 2017, the prestigious Red Herring 100 Asia Index included 99X Technology in their rankings, recognizing the excellent development skill coming out of the island. While attention to detail may have driven growth, it is probably the company’s people factor that contributes to the real source of this success. 99X Technology makes it a point to find and hire unique industry profiles, giving them a workplace that lets them thrive.
The Great Place to Work (GPTW) Institute has awarded 99X Technology their highest honour for 5 consecutive years. In 2017, the company was inducted into the GPTW Hall of Fame, confirming the notion that the right work environment is a sure-fire plan for success.
99X Technology believes in honing the classic Sri Lankan instinct to think fast and envision the future, no matter how short-term the project. Deploying this knowledge across the business operation and trusting in each employee has resulted in smarter, more effective teams, delivering work that consistently exceeds expectations.
Sri Lankans flourish in informal working environments: an understanding that has been vital to 99X Technology’s way of life.
Go To Software Development
This content has been produced within the framework of the EU-Sri Lanka Trade Related Assurance Project, funded by the European Union and implemented by ITC and UNIDO in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka.
Island of Ingenuity is a collective of the knowledge services industry in Sri Lanka, whose ethos is to provide inventive solutions through proactive and flexible customer engagement. It is endorsed by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Sri Lanka Board of Investment, Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies, Information & Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka, Federation of Information Technology of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Electronic Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
National Export Strategy ICT/BPM Initiatives
Sri Lanka Exports Development Board
Board of Investment of Sri Lanka
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM)
Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka (FITIS)
Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA)
Sri Lanka Electronic Manufacturers and Exporters Association (SLEMEA)
Board of Investment Publications
SRI LANKA EXPORT DEVELOPMENT BOARD
(SLEDB)
No. 42 Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka.
+94-11-230-0705 (Ext: 233/284)
ioi@edb.gov.lk
http://www.srilankabusiness.com/
This website uses cookies. Some of them are essentials while others help us improve your experience. We also use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyses our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. If you continue to use our website, you consent to our use of cookies.AcceptDeclinePrivacy policy
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1384
|
__label__wiki
| 0.632308
| 0.632308
|
Breaking news: Politics in Constantinople remain byzantine
Fethullah Gülen of
of Saylorsburg, Penn., leader
of the shadowy Gulenists.
In the United States, few ploys are more effective at deflecting media interest from a line of inquiry than to label it a "conspiracy theory." In much of the rest of the world, however, with Istanbul traditionally leading the way, conspiracy theories are cherished as the most plausible way to understand political and legal events. After all, what else are politicians, generals, government officials, religious leaders, business magnates, and journalists paid to do other than to conspire over small cups of strong coffee? And why wouldn't you want to know who is conspiring against whom?
A New York Times op-ed illustrates this American-Turkish gap in worldview: Andrew Finkel, author of “Turkey: What Everyone Needs to Know," explains in the NYT:
ISTANBUL — A wave of early morning police raids in Turkey on Dec. 17 gave the world a sudden glimpse into the murky inner workings of the country’s ruling elite, pulling back the curtain on astonishing scenes of bribery and graft.
The head of the state-controlled financial giant, Halkbank, had $4.5 million secreted in shoe boxes in his study. Istanbul’s best-known real-estate developer was interrogated over bribes to evade zoning restrictions.
I am shocked, shocked to hear that Istanbul's best-known real-estate developer is under suspicion of paying bribes to evade zoning restrictions, and that high ranking government officials appear to be skimming cash from gigantic construction projects such as the city's new international airport.
In Turkey, however, the locals have a different reaction to the news from these police raids on Turkey's rich and powerful: they want to know who is behind these audacious attacks on the power structure. After all, it takes more than a little bravery to attack a national leader's confidants.
In contrast, Westerners like New York Times' readers are annoyed by Turks' interest in behind-the-scenes machinations. Instead, Turks should just focus on what has been presented to them in the media and not try to figure out why it's suddenly in the media. Speculating about what's going on behind the curtains is downright un-American. Finkel goes on:
...Mr. Erdogan does not know how to play defense. Last weekend, he addressed rally after rally and cursed the “international groups” and “dark alliances” trying to undermine Turkey’s prestige. Newspapers tied to his government named the culprits: Israel and the United States. One pro-Erdogan broadsheet demanded that the American ambassador, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr., be declared persona non grata for trying to punish Halkbank for its dealings with Iran.
... Absolute power corrupting absolutely tells only part of the Turkish story. ...
Many commentators have framed the raids as evidence of an escalating row between Mr. Erdogan and the religious preacher Fethullah Gulen, who controls an influential network of adherents from a self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.
It’s true that the Gulenists were natural allies of the A.K.P. when it first came to power in 2002. Zekeriya Oz, the prosecutor who initiated last week’s investigation, is the same official who launched the Ergenekon trial — a successful criminal action against the top brass for plotting a military coup (he is believed to have Gulen connections).
Ergenekon was a giant conspiracy theory propounded by Erdogan's elected government alleging that out-of-favor Kemalist generals and other lifetime members of the deep state were formulating a giant conspiracy to overthrow the government to prevent the government from conspiring against the deep state out of its fear that the deep state was conspiring against the government and so forth and so on.
To the American mind, this hall of mirrors set of conspiracy theories seems alien -- after all, we've been conditioned by extensive campaigns going back to the Warren Report to never believe in conspiracy theories. But to the Turkish mind, an infinite loop of conspiracy theories seems obvious; moreover, the average American strikes the average Turk as a naive dupe too obtuse to notice how he is being manipulated by powerful interests in America and abroad.
The speculation is that many of those police officers who lost their jobs in the last 10 days had Gulen affiliations. A recent brimstone sermon webcast by Mr. Gulen fueled speculation that new revelations about A.K.P. wrongdoing are in the pipeline.
But blaming the Gulen movement is a bit like blaming Zionists. It’s a sad commentary on contemporary Turkey that people have to reach for conspiracy theories to explain why public officials are doing their job to prosecute corruption.
In contrast, we don't have to reach for conspiracy theories in contemporary America to explain why public officials are doing their job to prosecute corruption in, say, the mortgage mess. Instead, almost nobody gets prosecuted.
... The government is treating the crisis as nothing short of a coup by those jealous of its success.
Similarly, the American government doesn't have to worry about a coup by those envious of its success.
This is nonsense.
The opposition it faces has emerged because of the A.K.P’s own lack of respect for the rule of law and a cynical disregard for public accountability. It can no longer hide behind conspiracy theories and bluster.
mmarkus said...
It's about time Gülen showed his hand, he's getting old. I expected this sort of action to happen way earlier. The Wikipedia article talk page archives on Fethullah Gülen make great reading for those who enjoy Byzantine wars and their present-day PR-methods http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Fethullah_G%C3%BClen/Archive_2
...Mr. Erdogan does not know how to play defense. Last weekend, he addressed rally after rally and cursed the “international groups” and “dark alliances” trying to undermine Turkey’s prestige. Newspapers tied to his government named the culprits: Israel and the United States.
Erdogan has made noises about joining the SCO and maybe the Eurasian Union... he's probably right.
Yes, good point. Turkey is a NATO member but has been cozying up to Russian and China and buying weapons from them under Erdogan.
Every Turkish is a proffessional conspiracy theorist. The problem is that even the prime minister uses that and even if he leads the country for 11 years.
His ministers were accused of bribery and their defense is the same conspiracy theories they use for a decade, instead of answering to criminal accusations. They even invented some strange lobby names that never exist, for example "interest lobby", a lobby supposedly trying to increase interest rates globally, this is just because interest is forbidden in Islam. All their world view is islamic oriented, and therefore is doomed to fail, just a matter of time...
The thing with Gulen movement is that even if they are few, they are much more intellectual than the average AKP fan. Thats why they are powerful. By intellectual I mean at least they concentrate on writings, and they are smart, even if religious. You could compare them to talmudic scholars of 19th century, being a self selection of smart people.
Turkey was always a bad fit for the EU. Asia to the Asians!
Simon in London said...
"the average American strikes the average Turk as a naive dupe too obtuse"
I can understand why the average Norwegian doesn't give much credence to conspiracy theories; chances are his leaders aren't being particularly conspiratorial (even if they have decided to replace him with a bunch of third world immigrants, they don't make a secret of it). But Americans seem particularly unfortunate in that they have almost Norwegian levels of trust combined with a fairly high degree of conspiratorial behaviour by their ruling class, and a media incredibly* deferential to that ruling class, so they are more easily taken advantage of than most.
*From the outside the deference of the US media is very striking. France, Germany, Britain etc all have much less deferential media, which takes real courage in countries like France where the ruling class will happily jail uppity newspaper editors. Whereas the free US media consistently shills for the Powers-that-Be.
Anyway, getting back to the conspiracy - I get the impression that the US is now backing Gulen's Islamists against Erdogan's Islamists, as punishment for Erdogan going soft on Iran? Even though Erdogan's govt has backed the Sunni rebels in Syria enthusiastically? The NYT is a pretty reliable mouthpiece for the American Deep State. >:)
"But blaming the Gulen movement is a bit like blaming Zionists. "
I'm sure the Zionists would rather have the Kemalists/Donme back... but if they have to settle for more reliably anti-Iranian Islamists, then that will do.
Talking of Zionists, Israel's bleakly hardheaded policy on Syria seems to be to keep the war going, so nobody wins. Whereas New York's policy (NYT, Neocons et al) seems to be to overthrow Assad, in the insane belief this will result in Liberal Democracy rather than in an Al Qaedist state. Or maybe they're ok with an Al Qaeda state.
"Whereas the free US media consistently shills for the Powers-that-Be."
Consider how little attention the U.S. mainstream media has paid over the last 30 or so years to Noam Chomsky. He has his obvious biases and weaknesses, but to the rest of the world he seems like a great man. In the U.S., however, he's a fringe figure.
I am sure the Gulenists are behind the investigation.
But Erdogan's big weakness has been morality. Like all Islamists he preaches public morality and particularly, sexual and alcohol related morality. While being himself incredibly corrupt. It was no doubt an open secret that his government was skimming cash off construction projects and dealing direct in gold with Iran.
As for the US and Israel, well Israel doubtless has used whatever influence it can to bother a regime hostile to it and conspiring with the Iranians. But the US? Erdogan is Obama's best buddy, and since the Iran deal (we OK their nukes and abandon the ME) the idea that the US has influence in Turkey or anywhere else is laughable.
The key is Iran. Turkey has traditionally been hostile to Iranian/Farsi/Persian power, and sees itself as the bulwark of Sunni Islam in the ME and Central Asia. Against what Sunnis feel is a "not real Muslim" Persia with lots of Zoroastrian fire-worshipping Manichean Islamic heresies.
Its not just the military. Lots and lots of urban businesses and exporters to the EU are threatened by an overt tilt to Iran that benefits only the inner circle of Erdogan. My cynical side says his error was not in spreading the Iranian gold-dealing, construction graft goodies around enough so other people were raking it in.
Nevertheless the piles of cash, gold, and such by senior Minister relatives is proof beyond a doubt that Erdogan is just as corrupt when it comes to money as the military and secularists. Maybe more.
Steve, Chomsky is a hard Marxist crackpot. His linguistics research is probably good. But his political theories are as insane as the late Eric Hobbsbawm, or other hard-core Marxists. I.E. Royalists who like their royalty pseudo-scientific.
The closest analog is Arthur Conan Doyle going off the deep end after his son died in WWI, believing in fairies and spirits and sceances. Its as lunatic as spiritualism.
Yes, the investigations were politically motivated. Likely because the Erdogan government was a juicy target, like say Bill Clinton's horn-dog behavior made him a "target rich environment" for Republicans looking for scandal.
Lesson: if you have hard core political enemies, be straight edge in everything. No weaknesses allowed.
"To the American mind, this hall of mirrors set of conspiracy theories seems alien -- after all, we've been conditioned by extensive campaigns going back to the Warren Report to never believe in conspiracy theories."
Actually, Americans are as susceptible to conspiracy theories as anybody else. Conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination are still a cottage industry 50 years after the fact. And the Democrats have been campaigning and raising funds for years by fulminating that all opposition to their agenda is some sort of plutocratic/racist/sexist/neocon conspiracy (at the same time, of course, that they connive with the same plutocrats to flood the country with more immigrants, to destroy health care, etc.). It is only conspiracies in which the Left is implicated that the politically-correct mind does not believe in.
Remember, it was not so long ago that Hillary Clinton herself branded opposition to her husband as "a vast rightwing conspiracy." The Democrats seem to believe that if they just fine-tune campaign finance laws enough, all opposition to them will vanish into thin air.
There's probably some social benefit to mocking conspiracy theories. Even if there are some conspiracies that could be exposed, the general idea that the powers-that-be have everything rigged would make people fatalistic and discourage risk takers.
It was no doubt an open secret that his government was skimming cash off construction projects and dealing direct in gold with Iran.
Maybe an open secret to you, but not to most Americans, who don't give a shit about what happens between Turkey and Iran.
Simon in London is pretty smart.
Taki's Filthy Foreign Lucre said...
In the U.S., however, he's a fringe figure.
Can't imagine why.
http://www.paulbogdanor.com/200chomskylies.pdf
1/ To put $4.5 million in shoe boxes in your study shows a lot of trust, at least in people who have (or could have) access to your study.
That's the opposite of what you'd find in the society you've described.
2/ Naive Americans seem to be doing much better than those worldly knowledgable Chomsky-reading Turks. If only those wily Anatolians could find out who's behind all that obvious hidden transfer of wealth.
I'll even go farther-the larger the portion of a country's intelligensia that follows Chomsky, the poorer that nation is. But at least they know what's REALLY going on.
Spare some change, sahib?
Henry Kissinger is 90. David Rockefeller is 98 (allegedly)
Corruption in Turkey, gambling in Vegas, chicanery on Wall Street--what's the world coming to?
Seriously, who pays this guy to live in Istanbul and agonize over Turkish politics in the NYT?
Here's what I want to know: what is this Turkish Islamic scholar who's still hip-deep in Turkish politics doing in my country? Why can't he practice his hugely prolific Muslim scholarship in any of the 50+ countries run by and for Muslims?
Incidentally, somewhere on the internet, there's a video of a big pro-Assad demonstration in some US town. I think half the bloody Middle East is already over here. Things should get really vibrant in a few years when the Sunni-Shia conflict starts playing out in US and Canadian suburbs. Car bombs at Little League games! Automatic rifle fire at ethnic food festivals! Dick Florida and Tyler Cowen can hardly wait.
Dave Pinsen said...
Any chance the prosecutor Oz is related to Dr. Oz?
There's also the highly legalistic way of looking at things. In the US, a government regulator or politician can be guaranteed highly lucrative private sector jobs and speech money if he does things and behaves in certain ways conducive to certain private sector interests while in government. But if there's no explicit quid pro quo or paper trail or sacks of money, this kind of arrangement can be protected from charges of corruption. To the Turkish mind, this is clearly corruption and an example of elites pulling a fast one over Americans.
Naive Americans have not been doing "much better" considering demographic and economic displacement. Naive Americans have been declining much more than Turks over the recent decades.
The Ergenekon conspiracy sounds a bit like framing guilty men (well, some of them at least). The actual frame-up was laughable in parts, but you just know Turkey's Kemalist military old-guard is stewing over the AKP and trying to think up ways to get them out of power again. That's how they've always been, and their opponents have just managed to prevent being overthrown for an unusually long amount of time. Putting the fright into them with even bogus conspiracy accusation charges likely frightens them away from dissenting/conspiring with insufficient discretion. At least that's the rationale behind all the agents provacateur we use to entrap idiot wannabe terrorists.
Simon in London, interesting point. I'm often surprised by how daring (even reckless & dishonest) British journalism can be considering their horrendous libel law vs our first amendment.
Whiskey, Chomsky is actually an anarcho-syndicalist rather than Marxist. Although he's hostile enough to our government that he'd tend to side with communist regimes against it.
Wasn't there a recent worlwide online poll of the most influential people, where a whole bunch of Turks flooded in to vote for Chomsky and some other folks no American had ever heard of?
There's probably some social benefit to mocking conspiracy theories. Even if there are some conspiracies that could be exposed, the general idea that the powers-that-be have everything rigged would make people fatalistic and discourage risk takers."
It's definitely beneficial to avoid the Arab route of assuming all-powerful, all-competent conspiracies.
Renegade Arab princess to me, in a London pub: "Of course Arabs couldn't possibly have done 9/11..."
Me: "What? They're not competent enough to pull it off?"
Renegade Arab Princess: ~ANGRY FACE~ >:)
OTOH, a realist approach would recognise that people do plot and scheme, within the limits of their limited competency. Conspiracy in America is probably more like Ireland than Byzantium - mostly fairly grubby and straightforward, small to medium scale corruption. But Washington DC is the centre of global power, and OF COURSE the centre of global power will attract plotters and schemers.
This looks like the list I was thinking of, from 2008.
"Naive Americans have not been doing "much better" considering demographic and economic displacement. Naive Americans have been declining much more than Turks over the recent decades."
Hm, I suspect the relative decline in numbers of 'white' or 'Bosphorus' Turks relative to Anatolian Turks may well look a lot like the decline in US whites vs Mestizo and other non-white immigrants. Of course all these Turks are the same race, but culturally the Bosphorus ones are very much European (moreso than Greeks IME! - Greece is much more alien than people realise); the Anatolian ones are Middle Eastern.
To the American mind, this hall of mirrors set of conspiracy theories seems alien -- after all, we've been conditioned by extensive campaigns going back to the Warren Report to never believe in conspiracy theories.
I think the campaign against "conspiracy theories" dates back to the pro-Communist counterattack during the Second Red Scare at the beginning of the Cold War.
"but to the rest of the world he seems like a great man."
By saying all the nasty things about America they wish were true.
Hepp said...
A five minute discussion with any Middle Easterner should be enough to convince anyone that the dangers of having a population that is too naive is less than the danger of having a society where people never take responsibility for anything because everything is a conspiracy.
Finkel writes:
"But blaming the Gulen movement is a bit like blaming Zionists. It’s a sad commentary on contemporary Turkey that people have to reach for conspiracy theories to explain why public officials are doing their job to prosecute corruption. It doesn’t seem to have crossed people’s minds that disunity within the A.K.P. coalition has given wiggle room to those who actually believe in the rule of law and want to enforce it."
That seems pretty reasonable to me. It seems much more likely than the idea that some Imam in Pennsylvania is the one pulling all the strings.
That would be like northern whites declining relative to southern whites in the US. That's not the analogous situation in the US.
First time I've seen somebody make a smiley face typo.
"The government is treating the crisis as nothing short of a coup by those jealous of its success. This is nonsense. "
I know very little about Turkey, but every time the NYT has said something is nonsense about stuff I do know about, it's turned out to be true. They usually try to fake impartiality. If the NYT is so exercised about something as to drop that pretense (This is nonsense!), you've got to pay attention.
Whiskey:
"Steve, Chomsky is a hard Marxist crackpot. His linguistics research is probably good."
This is so funny. Chomsky isn't a Marxist and most of his linguistics is nonsense. Whiskey, any thoughts on gold prices in the new year?
Steve, Chomsky is a hard Marxist crackpot. His linguistics research is probably good.
His linguistics is nonsense. It's up there with Marxism and Freudianism:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/865339/posts?page=151
culturally the Bosphorus ones are very much European (moreso than Greeks IME! - Greece is much more alien than people realise
I realise it. My Greek neighbours invite our family to their family functions. It's interesting sitting at a table with the old Greeks, talking conspiracy theories about Obama grasping to rule the world. Somehow they can tie the actions of some tin pot despot in their home towns to Obama's desire for world dominion through a Byzantine chain of relationships and events that would challenge the analytical skills of an All-Star team of the finest systems analysts. I find it as interesting as my wife finds it irritating, but women aren't invited to join the conversation so who cares?
"Similarly, the American government doesn't have to worry about a coup by those jealous of its success."
I noticed the US military had to be dragged into the Libya thing.
I personally think they were not happy with the Syria armada attack. While it is tempting to think the British parliament rebelled, my guess is the equivalent of the deep government made sure there was not a confrontation between Russian and Anglo-American navies off Syria. I am personally surprised that very little official media coverage discussed the possibility of firing missiles over the Russian navy's head, and why that might be a bad idea.
"Gülen lives in the United States, and he has received praise and support from high-level figures in the American government. Bill Clinton and James Baker have delivered encomiums to his contributions to world peace, for instance, and President Obama has made an admiring visit to the Gülen-inspired Pinnacle School in Washington, D.C. Former CIA officer Graham Fuller—also former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council and the author of The Future of Political Islam—vouched for Gülen personally in his green-card application process, as did former CIA officer George Fidas and former ambassador to Turkey Morton Abramowitz."
http://www.city-journal.org/2012/22_4_fethullah-gulen.html
by Claire Berlinski. Long and VERY informative article. All one needs to know.
Jeffrey S. said...
Turkish politics comes to Chicago:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/24480273-452/cps-says-no-to-charter-schools-but-michael-madigan-says-yes.html
We know a thing or two when it comes to conspiracies here in Chicago...
If Chomsky isn't a Marxist, he'll do till one comes along. I think it's interesting that he advocates both anarchism and gun control, which makes even less sense than green ideas sleeping furiously.
There's also the highly legalistic way of looking at things. In the US, a government regulator or politician can be guaranteed highly lucrative private sector jobs and speech money if he does things and behaves in certain ways conducive to certain private sector interests while in government. But if there's no explicit quid pro quo or paper trail or sacks of money, this kind of arrangement can be protected from charges of corruption."
The American form of corruption is much more efficient. You don't pay the whore (i.e. politician or official) until after he or she has put out. Plus you get them to compete with one another to do your bidding, and then you only have to pay out big to the few who deliver.
Steve, Chomsky is a hard Marxist crackpot.
No whiskey, Chomsky is a 'post-Christian'.
Look, it's really gotten pretty obvious that the difference between a real-life conspiracy and a ridiculous "conspiracy theory" is that one is promoted on TeeVee and the other isn't. After all, that's how we decide what's really happening in the world.
Suppose the TeeVee people decided to play a little joke on everyone and suddenly switched things around, presenting all the silly "conspiracy theories" as factual reality and all the factual realities of our world as silly "conspiracy theories." Obviously, people would be a little confused and discombobulated for a few days, but within a week or so, things would have settled down and everyone would say they'd always really suspected that the UFOs had faked the JFK Assassination in order to install him as the long-lost Emperor of Mars while the Warren Commission Report was so totally ridiculous that nobody could have ever believed it.
After all, that's why television networks have always been so valuable---they create Reality. Though Google's getting pretty good at doing the same thing these days...
And you know who Graham Fuller used to be the father-in-law of, don't you?
PapayaSF said...
If I were in charge of the NSA, and wanted to destabilize a country that was causing the US some problems, it wouldn't be too hard to use NSA resources to snoop on some emails and phone calls and bank accounts, figure out where the corruption was, leave a few anonymous tips, and let nature take its course.
I was about to post the link to the Claire Berlinski article on Gülen, but mmarkus beat me to it. If you're interested in the Gülen movement, it's an excellent place to start.
I think that for a lot of Americans, it's difficult to fathom what's going on among the Gülenists because -- first of all -- Gülen's followers are very adept at projecting a favorable image abroad, much more so than is Erdoğan. But there is a deeper issue at play.
When Americans read about someone like Gülen, they immediately try to analogize him to some roughly comparable American figure. An expat Billy Graham whose followers are directed to enter fields such as education, law enforcement, and government service in order to shape the direction of the country does seem pretty far-fetched. But Gülen isn't Billy Graham, the Turkish legal system is not the American legal system, and Turkey isn't America, not even Bible-thumping America.
I'm reminded of a conversation some years ago with a Turkish student living in the States who worked an evening job at nearby mall. He commented on the greed exhibited even by affluent Americans. Why, he himself knew of well-to-do kids who were made by their parents to work at the mall. I tried to explained that if their parents encouraged them to work such jobs, it was probably to help them learn about responsiblity and the value of a paycheck. He then gave me one of those smiles that suggest, "OK, OK, now you're lying to me."
At first, I was taken aback that he had so misjudged a situation that seemed obvious to me. After all, I came from a middle class family, worked a variety of jobs in high school and college, and was never expected to give my parents a dime. But this guy came from a culture where there is a significant class stigma associated with teenagers working. It imples that the family is poor-ish, can't support itself adequately, and must turn to the kids for income.
Well-off Turkish kids don't work at Burger King to earn spending money and learn about responsibility. Period. He was just applying the lens he knew to what he saw at the mall.
Stating the obvious:
Isn't the foisting and imposition of massive, uncontrolled immigration upon the British people - a people who have again, again and again expressed their disapproval and anger at this imposition - an example of an elitist conspiracy?
If it isn't an elitist conspiracy, how elese would you describe it?
>> Noam Chomsky. He has his obvious biases and weaknesses, but to the rest of the world he seems like a great man.
Perhaps you'd like to contribute to building his memorial statue. Where do you want it, right next to the statues of similar world-lauded greatnesses? A spot RIGHT NEXT to the statue of Mandela is available, Steve. Act quickly before the spot is given to Evo the Bolivian, Steve.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/12/27/mob-of-teens-cause-disturbance-at-kings-plaza-mall/
"After a flash mob in a Brooklyn mall, you must be 18+ or accompanied by an adult to enter."
This Gulen stuff is great. It's a giant mashup of iSteve obsessions.
Farang said...
Simon in London wrote: countries like France where the ruling class will happily jail uppity newspaper editors
I'm a Frenchman living in France and I'm rather surprised by your statement. Can you give even a SINGLE example of such a thing?
"I personally think they were not happy with the Syria armada attack. While it is tempting to think the British parliament rebelled, my guess is the equivalent of the deep government made sure there was not a confrontation between Russian and Anglo-American navies off Syria."
The British Parliament rebelled - they didn't want us in another Iraq or Afghanistan. The British public was hugely against attacking Syria, and even government ministers were willing to abstain rather than do their political duty to vote us into another disaster.
BUT liberal interventionists certainly did/do want us to attack Syria, and it was a close run thing. The Neocon-friendly politicians (Tory & Blairite), the Left-media (BBC, Independent etc), the Neocon newspapers (esp the Murdoch papers), and the Sunni Muslims (eg the Pakistani Deobandi, who are the dominant Muslim group) all wanted the attack. I'd say it was a damn close run thing. The media campaign to propel us into war failed, because the British people were not willing to be fooled again as we were in 2003 over Iraq. From what I've seen of US polling data etc it was similar in the US - strong media support for attacking Syria, strong public opposition unaffected by that media campaign.
The Deep State doesn't always win. The people running it are no more competent than the rest of us, nor are they all-powerful. And, frankly, Barack Obama & Hilary Clinton are not mindless shills of the Powers That Be (John Kerry seems to be, mind you), they do have ideas and concerns of their own.
>> Anonymous said...
If it isn't an elitist conspiracy, how else would you describe it?<<
Yes, it's certainly a conspiracy. In that case we know there was an actual top level conspiracy by the Blair government to replace the native population, as accidentally revealed by Andrew Neather in 2009, as I recall.
More important is the diffuse conspiracy between the Capitalists and the Marxists to foster mass immigration at the expense of the native population, under cover of cultural Marxism/Political Correctness. From what I've seen this involves frequent low-level conspiring between supposed foes - eg the recent attempts in the US at 'immigration reform' - but not a single vast centrally directed conspiracy. When the pigs and the farmers all get together round the same table like the end of Animal Farm it's over specific goals like passing a particular Immigration Reform Bill.
The goals are different; the cultural Marxists want to destroy the West, and settled on immigration as the way to do that. They're like a predator devouring its prey.
The capitalists want to make lots of money, and are more like parasites whose behaviour eventually kills the host - for them the Death of the West is a side-effect, not a goal, and one that would harm the parasite itself, so they can sometimes be persuaded to moderate the disease load so the host doesn't keel over too fast.
SFG said...
"There's also the highly legalistic way of looking at things. In the US, a government regulator or politician can be guaranteed highly lucrative private sector jobs and speech money if he does things and behaves in certain ways conducive to certain private sector interests while in government. But if there's no explicit quid pro quo or paper trail or sacks of money, this kind of arrangement can be protected from charges of corruption. To the Turkish mind, this is clearly corruption and an example of elites pulling a fast one over Americans."
True, but I get the sense most people know we have 'the best democracy money can buy'. Even liberals who believe in government want to free it from the corporations.
Simon in London:
I suspect the relative decline in numbers of 'white' or 'Bosphorus' Turks relative to Anatolian Turks may well look a lot like the decline in US whites vs Mestizo and other non-white immigrants. Of course all these Turks are the same race, but culturally the Bosphorus ones are very much European (moreso than Greeks
All Turks are not one race. Some Turks are actually Turks. The remainder are Turkified natives of Thrace and Anatolia. After Mazinkert in AD 1071, and the Fall of Constantinople in AD 1453, its not as if all the natives of the East Roman Empire suddenly fled or were killed. Many, if not most, stayed right where they were and gradually adopted a new nationality, just as they had previously given up being Lydians, Hittites, and Galatians to become Hellenized Romans. This process continued for the entire period from Mazinkert to the defeat at Bithynia in AD 1302. In betweeen that time there was much back-and-forth on the borders of Turkish control and Roman control.
The end result post AD 1453 was that actual Greeks were to be found right where they had been for 2000 years and where they would remain until 1923 on the Aegean and Black Sea littorals, in a few inland cities and inhabiting Constantinople in huge numbers, the non-Greek native Anatolians took on Turkish nationality and religion and intermarried, and the inhabitants of the east - Armenians, Assyrians, and Kurds also remained, but were now sprinkled through with Turks.
"His linguistics is nonsense. It's up there with Marxism and Freudianism"
I'm curious if there are other areas of academia besides the obvious ones (what you mentioned plus Boasian anthropology) that are nonsense for the same exact reasons. For example, I'm not qualified to judge whether string theory belongs on that list. Ayn Rand and Richard Stallman didn't work in science, but in every other way their movements fit the same pattern. It's obvious that this pattern recurs naturally. The idea that numerous areas of science could be nonsense without me knowing it is troubling.
http://www.aei-ideas.org/2013/12/a-testament-to-economic-resilience-world-trade-and-output-both-reached-new-all-time-record-highs-in-october/?utm
Black Sea:
"But this guy came from a culture where there is a significant class stigma associated with teenagers working. It imples that the family is poor-ish, can't support itself adequately, and must turn to the kids for income. "
I've seen New York Ashkenazi journos make similar comments - we need mass immigration so our kids won't have to mow the lawn or work in McDonalds. Outside New York many US Jews seem to have more or less generally assimilated to Protestant 'nobility of toil' norms, though.
Come to think of it, wasn't Adam Smith a conspiracy theorist? I seem to remember something about businessmen men seldom coming together that they do not conspire to raise prices.
http://youtu.be/ddUnm1uXlcY
'US, UK media are slaves of security apparatus'
There was obviously a massive conspiracy involved in the JFK assassination.
Consider the evidence:
.Oswald was trained in Russian by the military before defecting to the Soviet Union.
.When Oswald did defect, the military and US govt permitted him to leave the US. When Oswald returned back to the US, he was never debriefed. Every year thousands of American tourists were being debriefed after visiting Soviet Union, but not Oswald.
. The exact timing of the gunshots, according to the Warren commission, has never been replicated with the necessary accuracy.
.Oswald supposedly shot officer JD Tipitt, but the only witness (Domingo Benavides) couldn't identify Oswald as the shooter. Only after Benavides' twin brother was killed, in a mysterious bar incident, did Benavides identify Oswald.
.JFK's head snaps back and to the left during the assassination, not forward. Yet the Warren Commission claims Oswald shot from behind.
. Witnesses heard gun shots from the grassy knoll.
.Acoustics tests have proved there were gun shots from multiple guns.
.Johnson had the JFK car washed clean and Governor Connally's suit sent to the cleaners after the assassination
.JFK's body was snatched from Dallas, against doctors' wishes, and taken to Bethesda. There the autopsy was completely bungled and, afterward, a doctor burned his notes. The findings of the Bethesda autopsy contradicted the observations made in the Dallas hospital.
.JFK's brain went missing in 1966 and has never been found, despite being locked up in tight security.
. Oswald claimed he was a pasty after the assassination of JFK.
. After murdering Oswald, mafia man Ruby makes claims about LBJ being responsible for the JFK assassination and claims the govt injected him with cancer.
.A huge number of JFK witnesses died mysteriously during the investigation.
.After Judge Jim Garrison put Clay Shaw on trial, he was the target of two attempts. The first was an indictment on taking bribes, which he beat. He later was charged with child molestation, but beat that too.
.Jim Garrison was derided by the media as a crank, but the Grand Jury agreed with his indictments of Clay Shaw and David Ferrie. Later, his chief witness David Ferrie died and another witness, Dean Andrews, committed perjury. Clay Shaw lied too during the trial and said he wasn't a CIA informant, but later the CIA admitted he was (after Shaw's death).
.CIA officer E Howard Hunt confessed to planning the assasination.
.LBJ's mistress also claims that LBJ told her he had a hand in killing Kennedy.
.LBJ was being investigated for bribes shortly before the assassination, when the chief investigator died under mysterious circumstances - multiple gun shot wounds to the head. Then LBJ becomes president and the investigation is shut down.
.LBJ's lawyer Barr McClellan claims that LBJ is guilty.
.The United States House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations in 1979 wrote a report claiming multiple gunmen shot at JFK. For some reason, this has been ignored.
d.... said...
"Of course all these Turks are the same race, but culturally the Bosphorus ones are very much European (moreso than Greeks IME! - Greece is much more alien than people realise); the Anatolian ones are Middle Eastern."
My sentiments exactly, but my sentiments are based on a couple of weeks' visit to both countries, back in the late 90s.
Educated Western Turks are completely Western. Mind you, I realize they are not the Turkish masses. But compared to educated Greeks, much more Western -- and Americanized, obsessed with b-ball, etc.
Not saying this is good or bad, just saying.
Istanbul was terrific, Athens a sh*tty mess. Athens was much more Asian. Again, just my observations.
Also, Istanbul is a much more romantic town than Athens, or for that matter, NYC or London. Lots of boy/girl* couples canoodling on benches, and a lot of the girls wore headscarves.
If Erdogan is failing, perhaps it is because he is being too hardcore puritanical. The Muslim thing we will always have with us. But with Turkey's population, which is firmly Muslim but made of up the kind of Muslims who are fine with boy/girl PDA, maybe he has overstepped it?
*I feel the need in this day & age to specify what kind of couple I am talking about.
Somewhat OT, what about this Weinstein fellow who AQ has taken hostage?
Isn't it kind of risky to send a guy named Weinstein to Lahore?
Does the CIA think that Pakistani Muslim fundies don't know that Weinstein is a very Jewish name? I mean, geez, the least they could do is give him a cover name like Robert Smith.
Noam Chomsky imagines that the US ruling class is engaged in a conspiracy against the world outside the US and has caused all of the world's problems. This silly notion is wildly popular outside the US, which is why Chomsky is considered a "great man." In fact, the US elite is engaged in a conspiracy against American society, and, in particular, middle class white American society.
Anon from Turkey said...
> The Anti-Gnostic said...
>Here's what I want to know: what is this Turkish Islamic scholar who's still hip-deep in Turkish politics doing in my country?
CIA. Invade the world, invite the world.
> Simon in London said...
>Anyway, getting back to the conspiracy - I get the impression that the US is now backing Gulen's Islamists against Erdogan's Islamists, as punishment for Erdogan going soft on Iran?
No. Gulen/US have always had good relations, so to speak, since 70s. Erdogan was drifting away from US for some time. I know for a fact that Erdogan and Gulenists had a falling out under the surface since, at least, 2009. And since for the last couple years Ergogan's govt has been pacifying the Gulenists in bureaucracy. Erdogan was planning to move openly against the Gulenists, probably after the soon-to-be-held elections in which he expected a landslide victory, everything finally melted down.
>Even though Erdogan's govt has backed the Sunni rebels in Syria enthusiastically?
It's all Syriana in Syria. Erdogan went neck deep in Syria for whatever reason, and was expecting US intervention. But then was hung out to dry, when Obama backed down from intervention.
>I'm sure the Zionists would rather have the Kemalists/Donme back
Donme political influence are a thing of early twentieth century. Trying to explain Turkish politics by referring to donmes are like talking about papist conspiracies to explain london mayoral elections.
PC Makes You Stupid said...
You can't understand the history of the last 100 years without thinking intensely about jewish concerns.
which makes even less sense than green ideas sleeping furiously.
That's colorless green ideas sleeping furiously, an example of form without content.
Nyt article on the undeserving poor in Israel. Term borrowed from you?
http://badassdigest.com/2013/12/28/another-open-letter-to-the-makers-of-the-wolf-of-wall-street
Turks have some of the weirdest names in the world.
I mean what the hell is 'Gulen'?
Turkey and the West were far better off under the secular military regime set up by Kemal Ataturk. Bring back the Kemalists ASAP!
According to Chomsky he was raised most definitely as a "pre-Christian." After all, as a child he went to Hebrew school.
An article on one part of what passes for the Deep State in Britain:
http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9034691/daniel-finkelstein-lord-of-journalism/
It's all very cosy and collegiate - BBC, Conservatives, New Labour, Murdoch press, all chummily working together. The US looks similar; substitute the NYT for the BBC.
Do not underestimate the power of the Gulen Movement. They are everywhere in the world, they have companies, hospitals, ngos, bureaucrats, media power and especially schools which are quite succesful compared to the local ones even in places like Western Europe and North America etc. It looks like they managed to create an Islamic version of the Protestant work ethic. This last fight they get into with Akp is very dangerous though. They look like they try to pull the strings in Turkey by conquering the bureaucracy, judiciary with the people they produced and Akp seems to be fed up with this and trying to stop or even purge them.
venus envy said...
'Envious' is the right word.
'Jealous' involves a third party.
You are envious of someone's talent, wealth, or power.
You are jealous of someone because he/she has the attention of whom you love.
When Americans read about someone like Gülen, they immediately try to analogize him to some roughly comparable American figure.
Americans analogize someone like Gulen to whomever they're told to analogize him by the media. Ordinary Americans only even ever get exposed to someone like Gulen through the media. Ordinary Americans don't spend their free time actively seeking out information about world political and religious leaders. If they media analogized him to Hitler or bin Laden, that's the analogy most Americans will accept.
Johnycomelately said...
For a newbie, could someone explain the difference between Gul and Erdogan?
If both sides are Islamists then what are the issues, I'm aware the CIA is behind Gul and that he has his finger in the pie globally but who are Erdogan's backers?
Is it a case of the nationalists versus the internationalists?
"All Turks are not one race. Some Turks are actually Turks... "
I just meant 'race' in the broad American sense of a major population group - black/white/east-Asian/Amerindian etc. Pretty well all Turks are Caucasian/white; some have Turkic east-Asian ancestry but it's very diffuse at this point - Turks are much less east-Asian than are Finns; Finn-Finns (as opposed to Swede-Finns) show up about 20% east-Asian on gene profiling, but no one doubts they're 'white'.
>>Simon in London wrote: countries like France where the ruling class will happily jail uppity newspaper editors
I'm a Frenchman living in France and I'm rather surprised by your statement. Can you give even a SINGLE example of such a thing?<<
Probably just my British bias... >:) People seem to get prosecuted all the time in France for political stuff, but thinking about it it's private prosecutions like the Union of Jewish Students prosecuting Yahoo for auction sales of Nazi memorabilia. Then there was the French paper that published the Mohammed cartoons, but the editor was only fired, not jailed. No UK paper dared do it, a real miserable low point of the New Labour years.
"Noam Chomsky imagines that the US ruling class is engaged in a conspiracy against the world outside the US and has caused all of the world's problems. This silly notion is wildly popular outside the US, which is why Chomsky is considered a "great man." In fact, the US elite is engaged in a conspiracy against American society, and, in particular, middle class white American society."
The elite, whether Texan cowboys or NYC cosmopolitans, wants to enrich itself at the cost of Americans and foreigners. That's why the country is rich and the people poor.
>>Anon from Turkey said...
Donme political influence are a thing of early twentieth century. Trying to explain Turkish politics by referring to donmes are like talking about papist conspiracies to explain london mayoral elections.<<
Ah, so that's why Ken Livingstone was reelected! And you know Boris is part Turkish?!
The Donme comment wasn't entirely serious, it's an iSteve thing. >:)
Turks are Middle Easterners who speak a Turkic language but aren't really Turkic. Just like Jamaicans are blacks who speak English but aren't English.
Ah, but thats what they want you to think. ;-)
OT, hilarious: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/12/28/Teen-mob-overruns-mall-in-New-York-Citys-Brooklyn-borough/UPI-63611388247604/?spt=mps&or=4
Not too hard to read between those lines...
"For a newbie, could someone explain the difference between Gul and Erdogan?"
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think you may be confusing Gül and Gülen. Abdullah Gül, the president of Turkey, is an AK Party member, former Foreign Minister, and one-time political ally of Erdoğan. Both Gül and Erdoğan are believed to have been "students" (followers?) of Fetullah Gülen, who is the founder of the Hizmet (Service) movement, the guy in Pennsylvania who is reputedly pulling the strings at the moment.
Erdoğan is clearly in a feud with Gülen. At this point, neither Erdoğan nor Gülen is trying to conceal this. For example, Erdoğan recently tried to abolish dersanes, which are essentially private cram schools or language schools. Dersanes are a huge business in Turkey, and a large source of income and support for Gülen's Hizmet movement. Why would the PM of a country embroiled in a corruption scandal suddenly decide to outlaw cram schools? Everyone already knows the answer.
Erdoğan and Gül, despite their leadership in the same party, have also broken ranks, though more quietly. Erdoğan has been clearly the more dominant political figure, a populist who knows how to rouse the party's base. Unfortunately, to more moderate Turks and to the Western world, Erdoğan can appear unhinged, ignorant, and delusional.
From a Western perspective, Gül is a much more appealing figure. The son of a working class family in Central Turkey, he went on to do graduate study (in Economics, I think) in the UK, and holds a PhD from Istanbul University.
He's probably smarter than Erdoğan, or, certainly better educated in a formal sense. He speaks English, which Erdoğan doesn't, he doesn't shout and rave in speeches, which Erdoğan does, he doesn't have the popular support, which Erdoğan has, at least for now, but he understands the outside world in a way that Erdoğan doesn't, and he plays much better abroad.
Having said all of this, secular Turks generally consider him even more dangerous in his Islamist views than Erdoğan, and claim that he's just a lot smarter about muting their public expression. In othe words, his approach seems fairly Gülenist, and one could say that his break with Erdoğan is a facet of the larger feud between Erdoğan and Gülen.
Sumdood at 7:21 said: Turks are Middle Easterners who speak a Turkic language but aren't really Turkic. Just like Jamaicans are blacks who speak English but aren't English.
Hunsdon begged to differ: The Turks got to the Middle East just a little while before the Jamaicans got to Jamaica. If you want to stick to the analogy of the Jamaicans, you could call them Central Asians who profess Islam but aren't really Middle Eastern.
Turkey and Turkish news is hardly ever reported in the UK.
The BBc hardly mentions it, and even the so-called 'quality' papers barely cover it in a few odd columns of the foreign news pages. Which all seems rather a shame to me, since it appears - as far as I can make out - that Turkey is a rising industrial power, a rare success story of an under-developed naion that has managed to break out of the traps and mires of perpetual middling status - something that Latin America has signally failed to do, and only east Asia has seemed able to accomplish.
In contrast to te bombed-out, stagnant decining EU - which has contemptuously thumbed its nose at Turkey for the past 50 odd years, Turkey is fast growing and actually going somewhere. Furthermore, its growth sectors are in manufacturing industry, technology, electronics and the like, independently developed, industries that are the hallmark of a nation that's got it's act together and not merely another one of the wannabe also-ran middling states.
I would go as far as to say that the serious pundit should ignore the EU - a busted flush whose dumb, hidebound politicians are intent on destroying - and study Turkey instead.
Speaking of Chomley the Khmer Rouge apologizing freak, shouldn't he be more worried about the phenom of MANUFACTURING DISSENT?
With boomer radicals and their teachers' pet minions having taken over elite positions, they are now passing off their own form of consent as the new dissent. Notice that so many 'progressive' policies really serve the elites, especially the Jewish and homo ones.
Notice how the 'gay' stuff is being used as a battering ram against Russia.
This whole 'gay' movement has been funded and spread by Jewish power.
Notice how all this 'compassion' for 'undocumented immigrants' is used to increase diversity so that Jewish elites can play divide-and-rule among the goyim.
Consent may always have been manufactured, but look all around and so is most dissent today. It is owned by the likes of George Soros who fund groups like thinkprogress. Or look at the likes of Lawrence O'Donnell the proud 'progressive' who dumps on Edward Snowden while covering up for Obama, the stooge of Jewish elite power.
A typical example of manufactured dissent: the hysteria about KKK at Oberlin; the notion that white conservatives who disliked Diana Ross and the Supremes destroyed Detroit; NYT venom that Dallas is responsible for the death of Kennedy; invoking the trope of KKK to explain the murder of a black by a black in Mississippi.
All such views pass themselves as daring and 'progressive' but they are the same ole homilies and cliches recycled by the powers-that-be(mostly Jewish) to make whites feel forever evil and bad, therefore easier to manipulate and control by the hostile elites.
Turks aren't really Central Asian genetically. They're Mideastern genetically.
Turks are about as "Middle-Eastern" as Greeks. Not terribly, though somewhat.
Of course "Middle-Eastern" and "Central Asian" are both sub groups of the "Caucasian" galaxy, and they are much closer genetically to Germans than to sub-Saharan Africans or Chinese.
AK Party asks for a summit meeting with Fetullah Gülen in order to beg for mercy:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-fm-calls-on-gulen-movement-for-dialogue-to-find-way-out-of-political-crisis.aspx?PageID=238&NID=60299&NewsCatID=338
So when can we expect the Turks in Europe to move back to Turkey?
Turkey, BTW, has a smaller economy than Mexico. And outside of the open border supporters, no one believes Mexico will be a world beater, or that Mexicans will ever not want to come to the USA. Likewise, I doubt the mass of Turks will ever not want to move to Europe. Good to the Europeans for snubbing their noses at Turkey. Bringing Turkey into the EU would surely be the kiss of death to Europe.
Thanks Black Sea.
"Good to Europeans snubbing Turkey".
I dont think the Europeans snubbed Turkey at all, I think Turkey was left out of Europe so it could become the centre and power house of the future Middle East Union or Mediterranean Union.
The ghost of the Ottoman Empire strikes back?
Chomsky tends to see himself as a prophet upholding Jesus's Golden Rule. In actuality he simply has a monomaniacal thesis (American foreign policy = evil). But he hits as often as he misses. He has told us some hard useful truths. And it's a good bet he's more lied about than lying.
I wouldn't build a shrine to Chomsky but to pretend he's some kind of nutty communist spy is dumb.
Pinker offers an insightful criticism of Chomsky in this YT vid. Mr. Pinker is playing for our team here and it's interesting to hear what he has to say (cf. Sowell's "Conflict of Visions").
Chomsky's linguistics? It seems like unremarkable common sense dressed up in jargon. What I most appreciate is how he annihilated the sinister pretensions of B.F. Skinner, a true service to mankind.
Breaking news: Politics in Constantinople remain b...
Tetlock's Good Judgment Project
Obama DoJ: "Knockout Game" exists!
My 2014 forecast!
Christmas Econ Punditpalooza
I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, you kn...
Ridley: "Heritable IQ is a sign of social mobility...
Who parodies whom?
Feminism: Making children cry on Christmas since 1...
Uncle Ruslan claims credit for Bomb Brothers comin...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1385
|
__label__wiki
| 0.95395
| 0.95395
|
JWC Speed Skating News
Odor returns victorious in ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating ranks
Enschede, The Netherlands
#SpeedSkating
Gabriel Odor (AUT) and Robin Groot (NED) are the crown prince and princess of international Speed Skating. The Austrian and the Dutch Junior both won two individual gold medals and one bronze at the second leg of the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Enschede, the Netherlands. Canada dominated the Neo-Senior competition with eight gold medals and a total of 12. American Speed Skating legend Shani Davis was in Enschede coaching the Chinese skaters, who took 3 golds, 4 silvers and 5 bronzes in the Neo-Senior category.
Groot and Kok lead Orange junior ladies
Robin Groot (NED) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating (NED) 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Like the week before in Norwegian Bjugn, Groot won the ladies' 3000m on Saturday, adding gold in the 1500m and bronze in the Mass Start on Sunday. Femke Kok (NED) also won two individual distances. The ISU World Junior Speed Skating Champion skated a Junior track record in the 500m (38,75) on Sunday, after already having led a Dutch clean sweep in the 1000m on Saturday. Maud Lugters and Marrit Fledderus took silver and bronze in the 1000m and together with Kok they also seized gold in the Team Sprint. Laura Peveri (ITA) grabbed the only non-Dutch gold medal of the weekend in the ladies' Juniors category, when she left Bente Kekhoff and Robin Groot behind in the Mass Start.
Two golds and a bronze for Odor
Gabriel Odor (AUT) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating (NED) 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
In the men's Junior category Gabriel Odor (AUT), who had raced in the senior ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Minsk last week, won the 3000m and the Mass Start, adding a bronze in the 1500m. The Japanese Junior men won three gold medals. The 1000m podium was exactly the same as in Bjugn, with Taiyo Nonomura (JPN) taking gold, ahead of Sang Hyeok Cho (KOR) and Wataru Morishige (JPN). On Sunday Morishige took the title in the 500m, with Sang Hyeok Cho coming second and Katsuhiro Kuratsubo (JPN) third. The Japanese men also won the Team Sprint. In the 1500m Norway's Peder Kongshaug won in a Junior track record time of 1:50.60.
Taiyo Nonomura (JPN) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating (NED) 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Howe and McDougall shine for Canada
Canada turned the tables in the Neo-Senior competition. China had taken the majority of the medals in Norway, but in Enschede Connor Howe and Brooklyn McDougall led Team Canada to the top of the medal table. Howe won the men's 1000m, 1500m and 3000m, while McDougall took gold in the ladies' 500m and 1500m, while also grabbing silver in the 1000m.
Adake Er Ahena (CHN) at the ISU Neo-Seniors World Cup 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Adake Er Ahena (CHN) took gold medals in the 3000m and the Mass Start after also having won those events in Norway last week and German Lea-Sophie Scholz also took a back-to-back victory in the 1000m. Canada won the ladies' Team Sprint.
Hayden Mayeur (CAN) at the ISU Neo-Seniors World Cup 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Canada's Hayden Mayeur ran away with gold in the men's Mass Start and Canada also won the Team Sprint. China's Haotian Wang (CHN) won the 500m.
For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series please visit the Series Page on ISU.org.
Subscribe to the ISU Newsletter to receive the latest information and follow the conversation with #SpeedSkating.
IG: @isuspeedskating
Facebook: @ISUSpeedSkating
Twitter: @ISU_Speed
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series 2019/20:
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating - Qualifying YOG 2020 - Bjungn (NOR) Nov 16 – 17
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating - Qulaifying YOG 2020 - Enschede (NED) Nov 23 - 24
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final - Minsk (BLR) Feb 15 - 16
Dutch and Chinese dominate ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Bjungn (NOR)
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating 2019/20
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating - Qualifying YOG 2020 - Bjungn (NOR)
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating - Qulaifying YOG 2020 - Enschede (NED)
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final - Minsk (BLR)
ISU Junior World Cup Series
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1386
|
__label__cc
| 0.583453
| 0.416547
|
SUCCESSFUL CASE RESULTS
MEDICATION INJURIES IN CHILDREN
Can Zofran Cause a Birth Defect or Birth Injury?
BRAIN INJURY DURING BIRTH FROM LACK OF OXYGEN
INSURANCE PROPERTY DAMAGE
NFL CONCUSSION SETTLEMENTS
LIVE CHAT >
FPJL Announces Passage of Bill to Help Curb Bad Faith Insurance Practices Post-Maria
December 1, 2018 | FPJL | Bad Faith, Firm News, First Party Property Insurance, FPJL, Hurricane, Hurricane Maria, PC 1054, PC 1058, PC 1645, PC 1727, PC 1729, Property Insurance, Puerto Rico
We are excited to announce that on Tuesday, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, signed six bills into law that seek to grant justice to the island’s policyholders. Gov. Rosselló says the new measures are designed to expand coverage options for the island’s policyholders and correct an imbalance in favor of insurance companies, who generally have a considerable advantage over insureds in terms of bargaining power. The new laws come a year after Maria made landfall on the island as a Category 4 storm, causing an estimated $100 billion in damage. For nearly 6 months, the attorneys at FPJL have been working non-stop to curb the abuse and unfair practices of the insurance industry in Puerto Rico. The passage of PC 1645, creates a new statutory bad faith action for policyholders who feel their insurer is failing to settle a claim in good faith when the insurer could and should have done so.
Puerto Rico’s new bad faith law requires an insured to provide the insurer with written notice of any alleged violations at least 60 days prior to bringing a bad faith action against the insurer. The written notice is to include specific information such as: the name of the insurance company that the insured claims is acting in bad faith, a reference to the statutory provision which is alleged to have been violated; and the facts and circumstances giving rise to the violation. The new law also applies to all types of insurance including: accident, health, auto, as well as residential and commercial property insurance.
Other Changes Under the Law
PS 1054 provides a more efficient and cost-effective way for policyholders to obtain resolution of their claims via non-binding mediation. However, if a policyholder opts to resolve their claim via mediation, they do not give up their right to later pursue litigation over their claim.
PS 1056 is intended to expedite payments to policyholders during a state of emergency. The new law requires insurers to issue partial payments on any undisputed loss within ten days after the policyholder agrees to the insurer’s offer.
PS 1058 requires each insurer to prepare a written response plan for emergencies or catastrophic events to “guarantee the continuation of their services and operations in the event of a disaster. The plan must be certified annually by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
PC 1729 is one of two laws aimed at expanding the number of low-cost insurance products available to low-income policyholders. PC 1729 makes low-cost “micro-insurance” available for the first time on the island. In the event of a catastrophic event, policyholders will receive a predetermined amount of compensation for their loss without having to go through the adjustment process.
PC 1727 allows certain commercial entities to use surplus lines, with authorized insurers from other jurisdictions, after their request for coverage is fully or partially denied three times.
We would like to thank the Governor, Congress & Senate for pushing this bill through swiftly and giving a strong voice to the people. Bad faith claims can be quite challenging to litigate, particularly if you intend to secure an award of punitive damages. Given the inherent complexity of bad faith litigation, it’s important that you seek the assistance of a team of attorneys that has experience successfully recovering damages in bad faith disputes on behalf of policyholders.
How to Get a Mortgage Company to Release an Insurance Claim Check
How Insurance Companies Underpay Insurance Claims
How to Deal With a Long Drawn Out Insurance Claim Process
Was Your Insurance Claim Denied Because of a Water Leak That Lasted Over 14 Days?
What Are Your Rights When Filing a Homeowner’s Insurance Claim?
Centro Nacional de Huracanes
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Claim Denial
Class Action/MDL
deducible
denied insurance claim
Derivative Claimaint
Eligible Season
First Party Property
First Party Property Insurance
Flood Insurance Lapse
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
FPJL
huracán
hurricane preparation 2019
Law and Ordinance
Lou Gehrig’s Disease
NFIP Reauthorization
NFL Europe League
Post-Loss Compliance
Replacement Cost Value
Representative Claimant
Retired NFL Football Player
The American Football League
Timely Notice
World League of American Football
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1390
|
__label__cc
| 0.604685
| 0.395315
|
Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia.
Romancing the RX-100 – A Southern Odyssey -1993. Part -1.
“Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to arrive” – Robert M Pirsig.
Every man, according to me, makes one life defining travel unless of course he or she is Ibn Battuta where travel itself becomes life. If we leave out the early homo sapiens migration who travelled to populate the earth, the earliest travelers would be the Buddhist Monks and Christian Missionaries. Those journeys were in quest of popularizing the teachings of their messiahs.
Travels within India for centuries were mostly pilgrimages. People from South India travelled to Varanasi (a holy place for Hindus) and the pilgrims from North made a trip to Tirupati and Rameswaram, at the southern tip of India, to pray at the ancient temples. Group of pilgrims from a village walked together across the country under the scorching sun, heavy rains and biting cold to complete these arduous journeys. My great grandmother made one such trip from Kaveripakkam, a small village in Tamil Nadu to Varanasi, a distance of about 2,000 Kilometers (Google Map says 1960 KMs or 1225 miles).
The advent of steam engines and trains made travel easy and affordable and affected the way people travelled in a way unknown to us from the time we learned to walk on legs. Two train journeys made a significant impact on Indian History. Mahatma Gandhi, on his return from South Africa travelled across the country in Train to meet and listen to ordinary folks before he took the plunge in freedom struggle. It was during one such journey, after seeing a woman in completely tattered cloths, he changed his attire to a simple dhoti, which made Churchill to call him a fakir. The train journeys taught him more about India and the travails of its citizens than all the books he read about his motherland.
The other train journey was under more tragic circumstances. The partition of India in 1947 resulted in mass migration of people. Tens of thousands of Muslims from India travelled to Pakistan millions Hindus and Sikhs travelled from Pakistan to India resulting in the biggest human migration (in peace time) in the history of mankind. People lost their homes and farmlands and in most cases their kith and kin during migration from either side. The first tragedy of Independent India which displaced a total of 14 million people. You can read an heart wrenching account of this journey in Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan .
Trains in India always helped people to migrate to greener pastures and thus people from all over the country moved to Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkata) and Delhi looking for employment. For many, their first train journey would have been traveling in a train to join the civil services in Delhi or to attend an interview at a commercial firm in Bombay or Calcutta.
I firmly believe ‘travel for travel sake’ was not a known concept in India till the early eighties. The journey was always to meet relatives or to attend a marriage or for a pilgrimage. Vacation for children meant traveling in trains to spend the summer with an aunt or uncle or grandparents. I still vividly remember my first long distance train journey (I was probably 8 or 9 years old). As I have mentioned in my blog The Family Autocrat – Tribute To My Grandma, we were staying with our grandma in Kaveripakkam and my father was working for a construction company and posted in Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala. During the summer vacation, my sister, JK and I travelled with our grandma from Chennai to Thiruvanathapuram (900 KMs/600 miles away) in a train and when we got down to meet our parents at the station we were completely covered in soot from the steam engine.
Eric Newby has compiled a brilliant anthology of travel writers A Book of Travellers’ Tales (from 3rd century BC to 1960s). In a book that covers more than 300 authors, I could not find a single Indian name in it. It looks little strange for a country which has established trade with Romans as early as second millennium BC to Tamil Kings who expanded their kingdoms as far as Thailand and Indonesia as late as 10th Century AD that in an anthology of over 300 writers, not a single Indian could be found.
Travel as a hobby or for relaxation or for a vacation started only in the mid eighties when Indians started to have a little disposable income. It was still restricted to travel by trains as cars were expensive and only the rich could afford it and flights which were few in numbers covering just a handful of cities, were beyond everyone’s reach. My earliest travels across India were all done in trains.
The advent of 100 CC motorbikes in the mid eighties changed all that. Though the bikes were still used mainly for commute to office, few adventurous ones rode their bikes to travel across their states and beyond. In my earlier blogs A Marriage in Mumbai and an M-50 and My brother goes to College – again!, I have narrated how JK and I started our bike travels and our early adventures.
We bought a Yamaha RX 100 in 1991 and attained our instant nirvana. Actually I convinced the MD of the company where I worked, (Ivax Paper Chemicals) to get me the bike so that I could visit all the paper mills in Maharashtra by bike and save a lot of time in taking circuitous routes in trains and buses. He obliged and my travels in Yamaha bike began in full earnest.
The Yamaha RX 100 was not just a bike. It was a pride possession of bike enthusiasts. In a country where people were obsessed with mileage, it gave a poor average compared to the Hero Honda bike (35 KMPL against 65 KMPL) but was still popular. It had power and was quick to accelerate. It was a very stable bike even though it had skinny tyres. In the late nineties, I was traveling with my colleague from Australia (David Hardy) in a Maruti car (800 CC) to see a customer. David commented that his lawn mower had more power than my car. So 100 CC bike is not much to rave about. If he had travelled with me in RX 100, he would have said his hairdryer had more power than my bike. But we could touch 110 KM speed (70 MPH) with two people and a back pack on our RX 100. It also stopped when you used the brake and I don’t think it even had disc brakes forget ABS.
And it was the fastest on the road. Occasionally a Maruti (Suzuki) car would overtake us. Otherwise we were the kings on the road. The buses and ambassador cars were nothing in front of the fury of Yamaha. We could overtake everything in our sight, and we just loved to ride it.
Apart from work related travel in the bike which took me to nooks and corners of Maharashtra, JK and I used the bike for our weekend adventures. We visited the coastal towns and interior villages. Never once the bike skidded or had a flat tyre or an engine seizure even when on full throttle for hundreds of miles.
Robert Pirsig during his ‘Zen’ Trip
Though The motorcycle classic Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance was published in 1974, we read it only in 1990 and we planned to do a travel like that but never got around to do it. One Sunday in early 1993, I read an article about some of the monuments and temples in Aihole and Pattadakal in Karnataka (a state in South India) and told JK we should visit these places and more importantly this could be our own ‘Zen’ trip.
So I set out in earnest to prepare for the bike ride. We decided to do the trip in April after the financial year closure in India (for me year end sales target was a challenge and JK would be tied up with book (accounts) closure in March).
I would like to remind young readers of the blog that in 1993 there were no mobile phones in India (the landline was just about to cover the country), no GPS and hardly any bike clubs we were aware of. There was no Google and Wikipedia to do our research. So I first bought a Map of South India and measured the distances we had to travel. We decided to ride across Karnataka and terminate our journey in Chennai.
I discussed with my mechanic about our plan to ride 1250 miles (2000 KMs) and he said the bike would make it without an issue. I got it serviced and went about acquiring the essentials. We bought a tool kit, guard ropes, a first aid pouch and a puncture kit. We discussed various options for the route we should take and after a month of talking for hours on end, arrived at an itinerary. We would start on 9th and reach Chennai on 13th just in time for Tamil New Year on 14th of April. I also bought some cotton fabric and stitched two riding jackets from our family tailor.
Day-1, 9th April, Pune – Bijapur – 381 KMs (238 Miles):
The Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur
We had an early start and stopped for breakfast in Bhigwan, a sleepy village about 110 KMs from Pune. Early morning drives in Pune were always good even in summer as the city had one of the huge temperature differences in a day. So even if the day was a hot 400C, by night it fell to about 220C making the mornings pleasant. When we started after breakfast the sun also climbed up and by the time we reached Solapur it was scorching.
Bijapur was still 60 miles away and after lunch we immediately set out for our destination of the day. We had a connection to Bijapur town. My mom had spent her childhood there and always talked about the Gol Gumbaz. The town flourished under Adil Shahi’s rule in the early 16th century.
Gol Gumbaz (L) and Ibrahim Rauza R), magnificent monuments.
Gol Gumbaz has one of the most amazing architecture one would get to see in India. Built as a tomb to Mohammed Adil Shah, it had the largest dome ever built in India, second only to St Peter’s Basilica. The dome was so enormous we stood watching it for minutes and checked out the whispering gallery and the museum maintained by Archeological Survey of India.
The other place of interest was Ibrahim Rauza, a short walk away from the Gol Gumbaz. It had a tomb on one side (Ibrahim Adil Shah), a mosque on the other side and a fountain in between. The architectural symmetry would take one’s breath away.
We booked into KSTDC Adil Shahi (run by Karnataka Tourism) and headed for a beer at the bar where we met a young couple from UK. They had a taken a break from work for 6 months with a plan to ride across India and Sri Lanka and it only their 3rd day in India. We exchanged notes about our itineraries and understood they had a similar route like ours till Bangalore.
Day-2, 10th April, Bijapur- Badami – Hampi – 315 KMs (200 Miles):
Day 2 started with lot of excitement. After all, we would be visiting the places today which actually triggered our journey across south India – Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal. When we came out of the hotel, we saw the couple from UK arranging their pinions and other stuff and our eyes fell on the bike. It was a BMW and gleaming all over. It was a beast of a machine. Our jealousy went up a few notches. We had just managed a week of leave from our offices and they were going to be on the road for the next six months. We had our skinny machine and they were on a BMW. We thought we would wait for them but realized they would take at least half an hour to pack. We kick started our bike and were on our way.
About an hour into our drive, I saw a bike approaching us and in a moment realized it was the BMW couple. Readers in India would know the quality of roads in India and it was more primitive in the nineties. Added to that we were on a state highway which was just broad enough to accommodate a single vehicle. If you saw a bus, you had to get off the road to give way. In that road, when we were struggling to go at 80 KMPH (50 mph) the BMW was easily doing 110 KMPH (70 mph). It was some bike.
We had a brief stop for breakfast. As we were in Idli and Dosa territory (our staples) , we relished a quick bite and headed towards Badami, our first stop for the day.
Badami Cave Temples
Readers from Tamil Nadu would know Badami as Vathapi (as it’s called in Tamil). The Chalukyas of present day Karnataka and Pallavas of present day Tamil Nadu were at war for decades. Pulikesin II went to war with Mahendra Pallava and won a decisive battle 617-18. In 642 AD, King Mahendran’s son, Narasimhavarman I avenged the defeat of his father, conquered Badami and earned a title ‘Vathapi Kondan.’
Yellamma Temple, Badami
The Yellamma Temple was our first stop. The temple construction was a mixture of North and South Indian type of architecture and built during 11th Century CE.
JK looking at Agastya Lake, Badami
We went around the cave temples at Badami built in 6th Century AD and proceeded to see the Agastya Lake, which is mentioned as Agastya Tirtha in our epics.
Pattadakal – The Temple Template:
After lunch, we drove to Pattadakal. The temple complex is a mesmerizing sight. Built with North and South Indian temple architecture, Pattadakal has ten temple at one site. The imagination and ingenuity of our ancestors is something beyond description. 1400 years have passed since they have been built and they stood in all their majesty. They provide proof of the architectural skills of our ancestros and provided a prototype for future temples built in India.
The Temple Complex of Pattadakal
Aihole: Confluence of Religions
Aihole is a just a short drive away. One could see temple of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist cultures built at close proximity. We were dazzled by the Durga temple as it’s sheer elegance mesmerized us.
Durga Temple, Aihole
Aihole is an unforgettable place for another reason as well. It provides the backdrop of the only picture of Yamaha RX 100 bike we photographed.
JK on RX 100 in Aihole; the only photo of RX 100 we have.
The bike was doing admirably well through the small interior road of Karnataka. We decided to stay the night at Hospet, a distance of 128 KMs (80 miles) from Aihole. We checked into KSTDC Mayura, Vijayanagar and to surprise saw the couple from UK who also had the same route planned for the day.
Day-3, 11th April, Hospet- Hampi – Chitradurga – 201 KMs (126 Miles):
Hampi – the most famous ruins of India
After an early breakfast, we set out for Hampi from Hospet a distance of about 50 KMs. The first look at the ruins from a distance would blow one’s breath away. Situated on the banks of river Tungabhadra, the city has been inhabited by people from King Asoka’s period (3rd century BC) and achieved it’s pinnacle of glory during King Krishnadevaray’s period in early 15th Century. During this period, it was probably the richest city in the world.
First Look at the ruins
We went to pray at the Virupaksha Temple and then rushed to Lotus temple. The design of the Lotus temple was indeed unique and a look at the Elephant stable convinced us that, only a king with enormous wealth and unmatched taste can build a stable which looked a like mini palace.
The Lotus Temple (L) and the Elephant Stable (R).
Even the water tank was so elegantly designed. The sculptures at the temples, even the smallest ones, were so detailed one could spend hours looking at them.
JK (L) and Yours Truly (R) stood rooted, examining the details of the sculptures.
A few lines of blog is no way to write the magnificence of Hampi, a city of temples and water tanks, stables and palaces, forts and fountains, which was destroyed after the Mogul invasion. But I am sure it will kindle readers’ interest to know more about the city which was once as famous as ancient Rome or medieval time Beijing.
We left the city determined to come back and spend few days to study the history of the city thoroughly. The plan was to reach Belur by night but about 60 KMs (37 mile) into drive, we met with the first and only harassment on Indian road. By now we were on national highway and overtook a small Maruti (Suzuki) car. After a few moments, the car overtook us almost touching us to throw us off balance. JK saw the driver was a young guy traveling with friends. He slowed down to give us some distance and saw them slowing down as well. When we overtook them, they again shot past us, cutting narrowly once again. The scene repeated 3-4 times and we decided to stop the bike. The occupants of the car shouted and waved at us as they went past us. We sensed something was not right and waited for 15 minutes before we started again.
By the it was getting dark as well and we decided to stay in Chitradurga, the nearest town on our way. In our entire riding and driving experience covering hundreds of thousand miles over a thirty year period, this was the only instance, I remember, being harassed on the road. After checking in at Prakash Lodge, we had an early dinner and went to bed after making the customary call from a nearby STD booth to our parents informing them we were safe and doing well.
Day-4, 12th April, Chitradurga – Halabeedu – Belur – 225 KMs (140 Miles):
Halabeedu and Belur: The Most Beautiful Temples in India
Halabeedu was the capital of Hoyasala empire in the 12th and 13th centuries. The city along with Belur, has the most beautiful temples built in India. The temples in Tamil Nadu are magnificent. The difference is basically in sculpture designs. The Tamil Kings built enormous temples with huge towers possibly the largest in Asia. You would be awestruck by the size and the engineering marvel. For e.g. the dome on top of the Big Temple (Bragdiswarar Temple) in Tanjavore in Tamil Nadu, weighs 80 MT. How could someone carve a 80 MT stone and lift it to the top of 100 Meter high Gopuram (tower) without the benefits of modern engineering like lifts and cranes?
The temples of Halabeedu and Belur, on the other hand, do not have huge gopurams (towers). Two Hindu and Two Jain temples still stand testimony to the artwork of these great craftsmen.
Breathtaking Carving of elephants at Hoyaleswara Temple Halabeedu
The ultimate artwork from bygone era.. Belur and Halabeedu
Late in evening we went back to Chennakeshwara Temple and spent some time relaxing at the huge courtyard there. We were talking about the architecture and the ruins. Just then, the temples priests were taking a small bust of the God around the courtyard. They were singing a lullaby for the God (it is a custom followed for centuries, before closing the temple, they put the God to bed after singing a bhavan), which wafted across the gentle winds of the night. It became the most memorable experience of the trip for us. We stayed the night at KSTDC Mayura – Velapuri.
Day-5, 13th April, Belur – Shravanabelagola – Bangalore – Madras (584 KMs 360 Miles):
Mad dash to Madras
We broke the dawn to dusk rule of riding by starting early as we had huge distance to cover. Sharavanabelagola was in national news last month when our Prime Minister visited the place of worship. The town is an important place of pilgrimage for Jains. The monolithic statue is so huge, we could not capture the entire statute in a single frame in our camera. The temple is built on a hillock and involved some steep climb.
The Colossal Image of Gommata.
The pond at the centre of town.
It’s only apt that I am writing about the holy city of the Jains on the day of Mahavir Jayanti (29-03-18).
After having a quick breakfast, we proceeded to Bangalore and were looking for the exit to Madras (now Chennai). We saw a huge signboard in the local language, with information about two possible routes. Since we could not read the script, we made a guess, took one on the left and after 50 KMs, realized this was not the one we wanted to take.
We broke for lunch and made a dash to Madras which was still 330 KMs away. When we crossed Ranipet, a sudden summer shower broke out drenching us completely. We were not prepared for this and drove for next two hours in blinding rains. The bike was coping admirably and I was concentrating hard to see the road under the heavy downpour. By eight in the evening the outskirts of Madras appeared and I heaved a sigh of relief.
We reached our friend’s place around 9 PM, had a shower and narrated our adventures to every one. We were bone weary and every single muscle in the body ached. But we were also immensely happy that we did the trip without an itch and our beloved Yamaha did not trouble us at all.
Day-6, 14th April, A short ride to Muttukadu (60 KMs 38 Miles):
14th of April being the Tamil New Year, our friends had an holiday. To commemorate our successful trip, we took a short ride to Muttukadu beach on the Madras – Mahabalipuram highway.
Chatting with fishermen at Muttukadu Beach
First of al why this blog after so many years? JK and I are planning to do the same trip by bike on the same days after 25 years – April 2018. The idea is to observe and record the changes India has seen in the past two and half decades. We needed a reference point to compare. I hope this blog could give us a start. The D day is just 10 days away. So there was a deadline to meet.
We travelled light with just a backpack and a tool-kit. I request readers to check the featured image (title image). The photo collage has all the items we carried. Apart from our cloths we carried only the following;
A backpack
A toolkit in a saddle bag
Water bottle and camera
Helmets and a pair of gloves
A tourist map and a notepad
There were no mobile phones and laptops so no chargers, cables and the constant struggle to find the right connectors.
Travel was easy and it was fun. Whenever you were struck for directions, you just stopped the bike, lifted the visor of the helmet and asked the passerby the directions. It still works in India.
Today we talk more of personal space and choices. JK and I did the trip without ever discussing about how were we going to fund the trip. The trip costed 3,000 Rs or close to 50 Dollars in today’s currency, but it was still about 15 days wages for us. We did have our arguments on the way and an occasional fight. It was difficult to ride pillion in a small bike for hours on end. The irritation you develop manifests in the conversation and you end up arguing and fighting. But we also enjoyed each other’s company. JK gained from my adventurous attitude and I learnt a lot from his attention to details and planning. There was immense joy in sharing the meagre resources we had. The strong bond we formed stands till today after 25 odd years.
We do have our regrets. We rationalized on the photos we took as a single photo would cost as much as a liter of petrol – 10 Rs/Liter (if you add the cost of negative, development fee and printing expense). We still shot close to 100 pictures (3 film rolls) and this was the 2nd biggest expenses after petrol during the trip. So we don’t have photos of the bike in front of the monuments and we don’t have a single photo where we appear together.
We also did not write diaries during the trip which could have served as excellent tool for narrating this story. Nor did we take the details from the UK couple and never knew how was their travel through India and Nepal.
In the late nineties, the Government of India put a ban on two stroke engine bikes and production of Yamaha RX 100 stopped. I had returned the bike to my company when I resigned but never thought of buying the bike again. Yamaha RX 100 has become a cult classic now with dedicated rider groups and facebook pages. Yes, we miss the bike even today.
Last but not the least of the reasons for writing the blog is to share a word with millennials in the family and friends. We were just amazed to see the confluence of the cultures India provides to a traveller. The first place of our visit was to see the Mosque and tombs at Bijapur, a remarkable place to see the architectural excellence of Moguls and for the next 3 days saw some of the most ancient Hindu temples and scluptures, culminating our ‘sight seeing’at Sharvanabelagola, a holy site for Jains. All these places are declared as UNESCO world heritage sites now and well protected.
Of course you can see a mixture of Byzantine and Muslim cultures in Istanbul and Christian/Muslim influence elsewhere. But I have not seen anywhere a prototype for temples for Hindu, Jain and Buddhist (3 great religions of the world) at a single site, as I saw in Pattadakal. So my request to young readers is to see Badami before you think of going to Barcelona. Check out Aihole before you book your tickets to Amsterdam to see the tulips. Explore Mahabalipuram before you rush to see La Tomatina in Madrid. The spectrum India provides for a traveller is unmatched and only by making a trip to these places you would understand the richness of Indian culture.
Finally thanks to JK, without the log he has written in the most legible handwriting in the family which only he could decipher, this blog would not have been possible.
JK’s log of our trip in his inimitable handwriting.
The Route – Plotted in Goggle Maps.
I hope with all the technology available today, I can write a blog everyday during our 25th Anniversary trip and share it with readers in real time.
Published by kaveripak
Take the long way home View all posts by kaveripak
Biking, Nostalgia, Travel
A Book of Travelllers' Tales, Aihole, Badami, Bangalore, Belur, Bijapur, BMW, Chennai, Churchill, Eric Newby, Gol Gumbaz, Halabeedu, Hampi, Hospet, Ibn Batuta, Ivax Paper Chemicals, Khushwant Singh, La Tomatina, Madras, Mahatma Gandhi, Maruti 800, Muttukadu, Partition of India, Pattadakal, Robert M Pirsig, RX 100, Shravanabelagola, Steam Engine, Train Journey, Train to Pakistan, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Yamaha RX 100, Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Prasadam – Prasad – Sundara Ramasamy
Stamp Album – Sundara Ramasamy
17 thoughts on “Romancing the RX-100 – A Southern Odyssey -1993. Part -1.”
Nicely written travelogue. All the best for your forthcoming trip. Look forward to your blog on that.
kaveripak says:
Thanks Uma. Hope we will be able to create the magic again
Mohan says:
Writing this blog could have been as arduous as the trip .. what an amazing levels of details . Super language , rare pic .. Tag it in Karnataka tourism also
Best wishes for the anniversary ride
Thanks Mohan. This blog has taken so much time to write and drained me out. Hope it serves as an inspiration for young travelers. Yes I should tag Karnataka Tourism
Thanks for taking us back in time
Enjoyed the nuances thoroughly
Wishing you both great joy, pleasant times as you retrace your previous journey
Safe trips!
Thanks a lot for the wishes Sateesh
Thanks Sateesh for the encouraging comments and wishes
Ramesh Bhat says:
Very nicely written.
Surprised to see your hidden literary skills.
Pl continue to enthrall with more writings.
Wish you a great success for your anniversary journey.
Thanks Ramesh. Your comments are very encouraging. Hope we can get as much fun this time around as well
Satish Singh says:
Very well described the journey and it’s important
Especially the line😂😂😂 he would have said his hairdryer had more power than my bike.
All these reminds of our olden days in one or the other way
But with due respect our life began only when You gave a U turn to it Ramesh
Very well described the journey and it’s importance
Thanks Satish. Yes they do remind us of our olden days, those long drives in Nagpur and North India
Pingback: Killa – Introducing Maratha Forts & Marathi Movies – Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia.
Pingback: Valparai – the last unspoilt hill station in India – Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia.
Pingback: Romancing The RX 100 – Part II. Twenty Five Years Later. – Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia.
Pingback: Temples & Test Scores – Growing Up in Madras. – Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia.
Pingback: கருமாரி அம்மன் கோவிலும் கணக்கு மார்க்கும் – சென்னை நாட்கள். – Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia.
Bengali Movies Biking Books Chennai Days Cricket Democracy DIY Festivals Food Forts Independence Language Lyrics Maratha Forts Marathi Movies Movie Reviews Movies Music Nostalgia Politics Science fiction Short Stories Social Sports Tamil Movies Tamil Short Stories Train Journeys Travel Tributes Work Ethics
Follow Biking. Adventure. Nostalgia. on WordPress.com
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1407
|
__label__wiki
| 0.603687
| 0.603687
|
Life 21.01.20
The IMA launches its “comedy club”
Since last year, the Arab World Institute is launching its own comedy festival. An opportunity to present artists without borders. For its second edition,...
A closing of fire for the Dakar 2020
This first Saudi edition of the rally race ended on Friday after a wild twelfth round. After the crowning of the champions in Qiddiya,...
48 hours in Fujairah
120 km from Dubai, the Emirate of Fujairah is the only one bordering the Gulf of Oman. A geographical position that offers idyllic beaches,...
Polo in the AlUla desert
The first-ever desert polo tournament has just taken place at the UNESCO World Heritage site AlUla as part of the Winter at Tantora festival....
A selfie museum opened in Dubai
A selfie museum called The Selfie Kingdom has recently opened in Dubai. It is an opportunity for visitors to stage themselves in different settings,...
Dakar 2020: Saudi Arabia, in full view
The organization of the race in the kingdom had aroused a certain apprehension on both sides, especially among drivers, sportsmen above all, for whom...
5 Instagram accounts to follow to discover the Arab world
There's no better way to experience the Arab world from an authentic perspective than through Instagram. If all is not good to take, Kawa...
Tribute to Paulo Gonçalves
Following the death on the circuit of motorcyclist Paulo Gonçalves, many personalities made their voices heard to salute the memory of the man who...
Four pilots for whom the Dakar is a home race
This first edition of the Dakar in the Middle East is an opportunity for drivers from the region to shine at home. It is...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1408
|
__label__wiki
| 0.707375
| 0.707375
|
Karen Kubby
1 Activism
2 Fair Rent Coalition
3 Iowa City Committee on Community Needs
4 Greetings to Prairie Progressive
5 Kubby for Council
6 DSA contribution
7 "Fair share housing"
8 Socialist Party USA Involvement
9 Socialist Party 100 years old
10 Socialist Scholars Conference
11 Bernie Sanders fundraiser
12 Emma Goldman Clinic for Women
13 Independent Progressive Politics Network
14 Water Activism
15 Draft Sanders
16 Family
Karen Kubby has been a councilperson on the Iowa City Council. She was also the Executive Director of the Emma Goldman Clinic for Women. She has been a community activist since 1979.
She served 11 years (1989-00) as Iowa City council member, and directed Emma Goldman Clinic (1999-08). Co-owner with her sister, Laurel, of Dawn’s Hide & Bead Away across from Englert Theatre, she teaches, creates, and sells pottery, craftwork and jewelry. She first lived in Iowa City during 1970-72 while her father taught ROTC. Since returning in 1978, her impact on local political life has mushroomed, especially “green” and “progressive” causes. After two unsuccessful candidacies, her election to city council brought ascendancy of her voice for socialism and liberalism locally and beyond.[1]
Kubby has been heavily involved in activism in Iowa since 1979 including standing on picket lines with local labor unions and advocating for environmental protection, affordable housing, supporting the public library, and a variety of other human rights issues.[2]
Fair Rent Coalition
In 1983 Karen Kubby was a spokesman for the Fair Rent Coalition. Don Doumakes was Chairman.[3]
Iowa City Committee on Community Needs
In 1985 Dave Leshtz, Reginald Williams, and Karen Kubby were all members of the Iowa City Committee on Community Needs.[4]
Greetings to Prairie Progressive
Those who sent 1986 Labor Day greetings to Iowa City Democratic Socialists of America's Prairie Progressive included Jan Corderman, Dave Leshtz, Karen Kubby, John Schacht, David Tucker, Tom Jacobs, Sheldon Pollock, Ross Atkinson, Karen Massetti-Miller, Dennis Harbaugh, Rick Taylor, Larry Ross, Tom Matthews, Diane Decker, Dennis Ryan, Jesse Singerman, Kathy Mitchell, Steve Marsden, Janet Lyness, Peter Fisher, Jean White, Mary Wyckoff, Dow Voss, Jeff Cox.
Kubby for Council
The Daily Iowan, December 9, 1988
In 1988 Jeff Cox was Treasurer for Karen Kubby's Kubby for Council.[5]
DSA contribution
In 1990, Iowa City Councilor, Karen Kubby, contributed an article to the Iowa Democratic Socialists of America journal, The Prairie Progressive on "Time to Re-Cycle Council Thinking?[6]
"Fair share housing"
In 1997, Jim Throgmorton and Karen Kubby went to various local groups to promote the concept of "fair share housing."
It was a form of mandatory inclusionary zoning that would require any new development to incorporate housing for people living at a lower income. This would create equity by spreading out affordable housing throughout the community. Kubby first started working and commenting on affordable housing as an organizer for the Fair Rent Coalition.[7]
Socialist Party USA Involvement
Kubby has served on the SP-USA National Committee since 1980.[8] In 2001, David McReynolds' 2000 campaign team organized a "Draft Kubby" effort for the 2004 campaign for presidency of the Socialist Party USA. However Kubby indicated that she is more inclined to run in 2008 or 2012.[9]
Socialist Party 100 years old
The Socialist Party USA celebrated its 100th Anniversary on Saturday July 28 2001, with a conference in Milwaukee, WI. One of the main speakers was Frank Zeidler, the party's Chairman Emeritus who served three terms as Milwaukee's openly Socialist mayor during the Cold War years of 1948 through 1960.
The other speakers at the conference were SP-USA Co-Chair Susan Dorazio, a child care activist from Massachusetts; former National Director of Democratic Socialists of America and organizer for the April 2000 anti-IMF rally in Washington D.C., Horace Small; and three-term Iowa City Councilwoman, Karen Kubby. The forum will be moderated by Erin Lares,18, Vice Chair of the Young People's Socialist League.[10]
Socialist Scholars Conference
David McReynolds, Co-Chair, Socialist Party USA, Sara Bowling, Labor Organizer, Socialist Party USA, Karen Kubby, Councilperson, Iowa City and John Martin Winter, Socialist Party USA were speakers on the Socialism in Our Time: Where is the Socialist Party Now? panel sponsored by the Socialist Party USA at the Tenth Annual Socialist Scholars Conference. The conference was held April 24-26, 1992 at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York City[11]
Bernie Sanders fundraiser
During the summer and fall of 2006 Democratic Socialists of America Political Action Committee helped DSA activists around the country, “from San Diego up to Maine” to host house parties to raise funds that helped Bernie Sanders become the sole Socialist in the U.S. Senate.
On October 8, Jeff Cox of DSA and Karen Kubby of the Socialist Party USA teamed up to hold a house party in Iowa City. Cox reported, “We had about 20, including a number of old DSA ex-members and labor activists that I hadn’t seen for a long time.....[12]
Emma Goldman Clinic for Women
Karen Kubby serves as the Executive Director of the Iowa City Emma Goldman Clinic for Women, an abortion clinic providing abortions up to 20 weeks among other services. The clinic offers the following services to ensure easy access to abortion and other services for young people or low-income women:
Half price gynecology services for teens
Discounted services for students
Free pregnancy testing and options counseling
Reduced fee abortion services for women living on lower incomes
Additionally reduced fee abortion services for women on Title XIX[13]
In Jan. 2006 Kubby reported, according to the DailyIowan.com that her clinic had "raised enough money last year... to subsidize 1,143 abortions"[14]
Independent Progressive Politics Network
In 2009 Karen Kubby served on the National Steering Committee of the Independent Progressive Politics Network[15].
Water Activism
Kubby stated in an October 2006 interview, "Water is [the] next big issue. It’s the next oil. It already is but I don’t think people recognize it. It will be much more overt.”[16]
Karen Kubby and husband Joe Bolkcom
Draft Sanders
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont politician who is a self-described democratic socialist, is the focus of a draft for president committee in Johnson County. A press release from the group says it wants him to run for president as a Democrat in the 2016 Iowa caucuses.
The steering committee members include Karen Kubby, Jeff Cox, Wally Plahutnik, Doug Baynton, Caroline Dieterle, Paul Street, and Duncan Stewart. The group plans an organizing meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Iowa City Public Library.
Conor Boylan and Steve Cobble of the Progressive Democrats of America are scheduled to speak at the meeting to discuss efforts to build a national campaign to persuade Sanders to run.[17]
Karen Kubby was married until 2011, to Iowan State Senator Joe Bolkcom. In 2002 Kubby declined to run for the presidency of the Socialist Party USA stating that she did not want to do anything that would interfere with the plans of her husband to possibly run for Congress in 2004.[18]
↑ The press-Citizen, Fabulous 150, Karen Kubby
↑ http://www.abortionconversation.com/conversationalists.php#kubby
↑ [http://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1983/di1983-09-12.pdfDaily Iowan, rent ordinance not legal, By Carlo. Trevino StaffWriler , 09/12]
↑ The Daily Iowan, Nov. 4, 1985
↑ The Daily Iowan, December 9, 1988
↑ Democratic L, Sep./Oct. 1990, page 20
↑ Iowa City Press-Citizen, owa City needs to say 'yes' to affordable housing Karen Kubby / Writers’ Group 8:52 a.m. CDT September 27, 2014
↑ http://www.politics1.com/socialist04a.htm
↑ Fwd: [SP-USA Celebrate 100 Years of the Socialist Party!Joanna Sheldon cjs10 at cornell.edu Tue Jun 19 14:52:44 PDT 2]
↑ SSE Tenth Annual Conference Program, 1992
↑ TYR, August 2006
↑ http://www.emmagoldman.com/about/access.html
↑ http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2007/01/abortion_clinic.html
↑ http://www.ippn.org/IPPN_People
↑ http://megdoesblogs.blogspot.com/2006/10/karen-kubby-interview.html
↑ http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-politics-insider/2014/07/17/sanders-iowa-caucuses-president/12782983/Des Moines Register, Draft Sanders for president group to meet in Iowa City William Petroski, bpetrosk@dmreg.com 11:36 a.m. CDT July 17, 2014]
Retrieved from "https://keywiki.org/index.php?title=Karen_Kubby&oldid=396808"
Iowa City Democratic Socialists of America
The Prairie Progressive
Iowa Democratic Socialists of America
Pro-choice activists
Socialist Party USA
Iowa Socialist Party
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1412
|
__label__cc
| 0.657628
| 0.342372
|
Alternativo en Español
Sub-Rock
KSJS
About KSJS
RTVF 121
The Chemical Brothers bring good music, good vibes and lasers
Electronic, Show Reviews
Good music, good vibes, lasers, and killer 3D visuals. The Chemical Brothers ticked off all electronic music concert-goers’ boxes. While thousands were gathering in Las Vegas for EDC, I was able to get a slice of the old school rave…
Lil Pump and Lil Skies at the Warfield
Show Reviews, Urban
Katherine was at the Lil Pump and Lil Skies show back in April, read her review below! On April 26 I attended the Lil Pump and Lil Skies show with my boyfriend at the Warfield in San Francisco. The doors…
Laughing. Crying. Dancing. MGMT.
Yes, those guys that did "Electric Feel." MGMT put on quite the show on May 2. Read our KSJSers' reviews here! MGMT is a band that is rarely found on tour, so getting the chance to see them at the…
Gorgon City Does It Live
Electronic, Music, Show Reviews
Do you like house music, but want to see music performed live rather than a DJ simply playing an audio file? Gorgon City may satisfy this need for you. Gorgon City played an unconventional set at the Regency Ballroom in…
You could say Space Jesus was out-of-this-world
How do I even begin to describe Space Jesus...he’s one of those “If you know, you know” kind of things. I had the pleasure of seeing him live for the first time on April 6th at the Catalyst. Let me…
DJ Dippin reviews the Joe Budden Podcast
“Pump It Up” was his hit back in the early 2000s but Joe Budden is still out here hustling in the entertainment game. Joe and his wife have been on the TV show Love & Hip Hop: New York since…
Kilo Kish Made Our Wishes Come True
Looking for an artist with high energy and creativity? Well then Kilo Kish is your girl. I had the pleasure of seeing her perform at the Regency Ballroom on March 26. Her concert was an art piece. From the mesmerizing…
It’s pronounced MadeInTokyo, not MadeInT-Y-O
Back in March, I was lucky enough to catch MadeinTYO’s concert at Slim’s in San Francisco. Originally the show was supposed to be scheduled back in January but it was postponed and fortunately I was able to get ahold of…
Fisher, food trucks, fun
On the day of Irish celebration (St. Patrick's Day), I had the opportunity of seeing Fisher perform outside The Great Northern in San Francisco. Fisher is a well-known house artist. He puts on a great show and is a wonderful…
12th Planet was out of this world
Sorry for the terrible pun, but we just had to go there. 12th Planet's Swamplex Tour was fantastic. Read our Electronic department's reviews below! This concert was not for the faint of heart. 12th Planet was full of wubs…
9 Ideas for Relieving Stress in San Jose
6 Songs We Would Share with the Aliens
We’re Thankful to Have These 6 Artists in Our Lives
PG&E power shutoff information
8 of Our Favorite Album-Opening Songs
KSJS 90.5 fm
Hugh Gillis Hall Room 132
San Jose, CA 95192-0094
Email: ksjs@ksjs.org
Requests: 408-924-KSJS
Copyright © 2020 KSJS
Razorfrog Web Design
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1417
|
__label__wiki
| 0.646842
| 0.646842
|
1.8 - Why We Like What We Like? It's Nature
예일 대학교
4.9(1,833개의 평가) | 110K명의 학생이 등록함
Using a simple and enjoyable teaching style, this course introduces the novice listener to the wonders of classical music, from Bach fugues to Mozart symphonies to Puccini operas.
Art History, Music, Chord, History
4.9(1,833개의 평가)
One of the best courses I have taken so far. The instructor is simply the best and the material is awesome. I learnt so much and could not stop until I finished. Great job Prof. You are the best.
This course was an absolute joy, and I was always in a good mood after the lectures (except maybe minimalism and Copeland, whose technique I found quite boring after all the others). Thank you!
What Is Music?
Every day around the world, billions of people listen to music of one sort or another, and millions listen to Western classical music. Why do we do it? Because it’s fun? Because it energizes or relaxes us? Because it keeps us current, allows us to understand what’s happening in past and popular culture? The pull of music--especially classical music—has never been explained. The aim of this course is to do just that: To explicate the mysteries and beauties of some of Western cultures greatest musical compositions—among them masterpieces of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Puccini. We begin with the elements of music, breaking classical musical into its components of pitch, duration, and sound color, allowing us to better understand how music works. Next, we proceed to the compositions themselves, starting with the Middle Ages and Renaissance, to show how Western music developed in ways unique to the West. Ultimately, we reach the masters, commencing with Bach. What makes his music great? Why does it move us? What should we listen for? And so we proceed down through Western musical history, visiting virtually the people who created it and the places where they did so. By the end, we hope all of us have become more human (enriched our personalities) and had a rollicking good time!
1.1 - Introduction5:44
1.2 - Popular Music and Classical Music Compared6:31
1.3 - Music and Emotions4:40
1.4 - How Do We Hear Music? Sound Waves and the Ear6:41
1.5 - Music Thrills Us, Music Chills Us1:52
1.6 - Why We Like What We Like? It's Nurture2:53
1.7 - It's Nurture: The Syntax of Western Music5:09
1.8 - Why We Like What We Like? It's Nature8:18
Henry L & Lucy G Moses Professor of Music
언어 선택하기네덜란드어독일어스페인어영어중국어 (간체자)크로아티아어포르투갈어 (브라질)
[MUSIC] Turning now to nature. There are in fact, principals about the physics of music that apply to all musical cultures. Universal principals about the physics and the acoustics of sound. Let's take a look at just one of them, the overtone series. The overtone series does indeed involve, as the Beach Boys say here, good vibrations. When any string on an instrument or column of air in a tube created by a wind instrument, produces a sound, actually it's producing many sounds through something of an auditory trick or illusion. We hear only the lowest sound in part because it's the loudest. But there are many other strings sounding, as when I play this pitch. [SOUND] Now we can represent this sound by a diagram as you see on the screen. Here we have one string sounding, that's the black string. But it's also being divided. Halves of that string are sounding, thirds of that string are sounding, quarters, fifths, and so on. And this applies to all musical instruments. Now, let's look at these vibrations in a different way, now with the lengths of string standing vertically. The first, and lowest, the one to the left, we call the fundamental. And all the others the overtones. These overtones are small string sections vibrating softly in the background. So, we have the fundamental and the overtones, notice that the first overtone is only half as long as the fundamental. It reflects a two to one ratio, which in music always produces the sound that we call an octave. A distance of eight letter names on the scale. We'll get into all that in our third session. Next comes a rate relationship, a ratio of three to two. Three units of strings sounding against two units. That produces what we call the interval of a fifth. So here's the octave. [SOUND] Here's the interval [INAUDIBLE]. [SOUND] Then we come to four units of string sounding against three, which produces the interval of a fourth. [SOUND] Spans four letter names. Then five to four which gives us interval of the third and so on. [SOUND] Now we can take, as you see on the screen here, the fundamental and all these overtones and apply them to a keyboard. We hear the fundamental note way down here. [SOUND] But we also hear the first overtone, second overtone, third overtone, second, and on up the scale we go. These others, [MUSIC] We hear this and these others are sounding very quiet. These are the overtones at work. The octave the fifth, the fourth, and so on. These are the primary units of music around the world. In Indonesian gamelan music, Chinese music, every music, classical or pop. We all have the same overtones and therefore the basic notion of consonances. We all have the same basic notion of consonance. Because when I play these fundamental notes, this fundamental. [MUSIC] We get this very [SOUND] consonant sound. Knowing this was important to Richard Strauss. He knew it and he used it. He used the fundamental, [MUSIC] In a famous piece called, Also sprach Zarathustra. It's a big piece for a western symphony orchestra. The name is German and it sounds very impressive, very intimidating. But you've heard this piece a thousand times on film and in countless TV commercials. In it, Strauss builds up the beginning of the piece by using the primary overtones [MUSIC] What's this piece about this, Also sprach Zarathustra. Well, said very simply, it's about the dawn of a superman, a superhero who is equated with the rising of the sun and the advent of the new age. How does composer Strauss depict, through music, the rising of the sun and the super hero? Well, let's give a listen. [MUSIC] Well, we start with low rumblings down underneath to suggest primordial slime. Then the sound of the trumpet. Since time immemorial, the trumpet has been associated with the military, the army, with royalty, with power, with the hero. And this powerful sound is moving upwards. It reaches a midway point and then seems to fall back as if the super hero is not quite equal to the task. [MUSIC] Then he tries again, but is now able to reach, [MUSIC] And hold onto the sought after goal. [MUSIC] Eventually we move onto the end, to the conclusion of this opening section where we end with this, a chord progression. Remember, a syntax tells us we've got to go home. [MUSIC] And that final chord there is a very consonant chord, consisting of pitches made up the fundamental, and the first four overtones sounding loudly now all together. But it sounds a lot better when played by a full western symphony orchestra. [MUSIC] Now that's the power of classical music. [MUSIC]
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1418
|
__label__wiki
| 0.733255
| 0.733255
|
Captain Marvel (2019) – Review
Spoiler Free Thoughts and Review
Infinity War and Endgame are, not surprisingly, coming out very close to each other. At least when compared to the previous Avengers outings they are close to each other. This is kind of understandable given how disruptive the end of Infinity War was. Even Agents of SHIELD essentially took a prolonged break to wait for things to be fixed. A couple of films have squeezed in between, both featuring things that will likely show up prominently in Avengers End Game. The first was Ant-Man and the Wasp, which according to the post credits scene, effectively happens simultaneously along side Avengers Infinity War.
Captain Marvel gets around this problem by taking place in the past. Only the credits scene happens during “present day”. This is kind of a first for Marvel films which have always taken place “Present day”. Captain America: The First Avenger got around this by having it’s current day scene happen at the end of the film after Steve wakes up from his long cold sleep.
The core of the film is an origin story for Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, aka Vers (pronounced Veers). The majority of the film takes place in the mid 90s with some flashbacks to Carol’s past life 6 years previous. It sort of mixes up the standard “origin” concept this way since it doesn’t just start with “here is how she got her powers” then “here is how she learns to be a hero”, which is nice. Her original also ties heavily into the plot itself.
The real show stealers of this film are Samuel L. Jackson, who plays a CGIed younger version of himself as Nick Fury, and Carol’s cat Goose. Ben Mendelsohn also does a pretty good job as the Skrull leader Talos throughout the film. There are some good funny bits, mostly involving one or more of these three characters though it’s not a constant joke like Guardians of the Galaxy.
So how is the movie? It’s… alright. There has been some controversy with the film getting brigaded with negative reviews on review sites. It’s not the best Marvel film by any stretch, but it’s certainly not god awful like some of these “ratings” suggest. It’s like a pretty solid 7/10 or so probably.
Synopsis and Spoilers
The film opens with Carol, at this point known as Vers (Veers), living on the Kree home world and training with Yon-Rogg to join an elite Kree Commando force known as the Starforce. We get a brief look at how she has no memory of her past but has dreams of it occasionally through a brief dream sequence where she is injured on the ground along side Annette Benning’s character and being attacked by a Skrull. The Starforce and Kree are at war with the Skrulls. The Kree should be fairly familiar to anyone following the MCU, they have showed up in a few movies and the Agents of SHIELD show quite a bit. The Skrulls are new to the MCU though. Basically, they are tricky aliens who can shapeshift. It’s not a plot element in the movie but Super Skrulls can also replicate the abilities of super heroes.
Anyway, Vers gets summoned to meet with the Supreme Intelligence, leader of the Kree, who takes the form of “something important to each individual”. In the case of Vers, it takes the form of Annette Benning. Vers is recruited into Starforce and the little party of fighters head off on a mission to rescue someone on a Skrull planet. They arrive, we get to see the Starforce in action a bit when they are ambushed by Skrulls, and Vers heads into a base alone to look for the hostage. It turns out it’s a trap and the hostage is a Skrull, and Vers is taken captive.
We get a few flashes of her past again, as the Skrulls scan her memory for information. They find a memory of Vers and Annette Benning together on an airfield on Earth, after reviewing the memory several times they discern the location of the airfield. Around this time Vers manages to break free of the system and starts fighting her way out of the Skrull ship. She escapes as the ship explodes and crash lands in a Blockbuster video on Earth.
This brings up my first kind of problem here, we later find out she was out for a few hours, but it’s not really explained when the Skrulls traveled to Earth from wherever they were. I mean, obviously it happened, but the way it was presented felt a little random and convenient.
After using the Earth’s phone system and some Kree technology, Vers manages to contact Yon-Rogg and sets out to find out why the Skrulls were looking for Annette Benning. Not before being confronted by SHIELD and Nick Fury, with Agent Coulson in tow as a rookie agent. Fury doesn’t seem to quite believe Vers’ story about aliens and Skrulls and Kree. They are interrupted by an attack by a Skrull whom Vers chases down on foot with Fury and Coulson pursuing in a car. Vers fights with the Skrull a bit on an elevated train as the SHIELD agents follow on along behind. Fury gets a call on the radio of his car from Coulson, who wonders where everyone went from the Blockbuster, which alerts Fury that Coulson in the car isn’t who he thinks it is. After a brief fight he wrecks his car, killing the Skrull who reverts back to his normal form. Vers loses the Skrull she was following in a crowd.
After changing to some normal clothes from her fancy Kree suit, Carol takes to searching the internet for clues about Annette Benning’s whereabouts. Coulson gets some information on the Skrull body at the SHIELD base before, in classic Fury fashion, showing up randomly to talk to Vers. Since he now believes her story, they agree to team up to figure out what’s going on and head to a secret base where Annette Benning was working. In the base they find that the person they are looking for has been dead for years. They also find a cat that appeared previously in Vers’ memories and some information on the Light Speed drive that had been worked on there. Vers also discovers that she is in a photo of the test experimental test plane.
Meanwhile, Fury has contacted SHIELD to let them know where he was, only it turns out that his boss has been replaced by a Kree. In a bit of a clever bit, he discovers this when his boss calls him “Nick” instead of “Fury”. He previously made a huge point to Vers that no one calls him anything but Fury. No one. He tricks the Skrull into splitting up by commenting “Just like in Haiti”, which I only mention as it comes up again later.
Anyway, Fury reunited with Vers, who is not happy at all about him alerting SHIELD to their location. There is a brief battle before they escape in a Quadjet, which looks a lot like a bulkier and older model Quinjet. They discover that the cat managed to stow away with them on board the jet. They set off to visit Maria Rambeau, who was listed as the last person to see Vers alive in her past life.
It turns out Maria was best friend to Vers in her past life. They bond, we learn that Vers is from Earth (which we all kind of expected given the flashbacks). We learn that her name isn’t Vers, it’s Carol Danvers. There is a half a dog tag that reads “Carol Dan” on it. Carol had a jacket that apparently Maria’s daughter wears sometimes. Maria is a little town since she is happy her friend is alive and a little irritated that she was off on another planet.
This is all interrupted by the arrival of Talos, the Skrull commander, now in his normal Skrull form. He wants a truce, and to talk, and to reveal… the plot twist. It turns out that Annette Benning wasn’t human, but was a Kree scientist known as Mar-Vell. He plays back a recording of the crash Carol was involved in, the one that’s he had been dreaming about. Mar-Vell and Carol are piloting the experimental craft and get shot down by some alien craft. Only instead of being attacked by Skrulls, it turns out she had been attacked by Yon-Rogg. The Kree were the ones after the Light Speed Drive all along, not the Skrulls. During the confrontation, Mar-Vell had revealed her secret to Carol. Carol then fires a Kree weapon at the Light Speed drive, causing it to explode. Somehow the energy is absorbed into Carol’s body. Seeing this power, Yon-Rogg abducts her, her memory is wiped, and she is recruited to Starforce. We also see him pick up the other half of the dog tag which reads only “vers”, which was the missing half of “Carol Danvers” on the complete dog tag, and the reason she is called “Vers” early on.
Carol is a little pissed that she has been lied to of course.
This recording also leads to the secret coordinates that aren’t on the Earth, but are actually in orbit around Earth. The Skrulls modify the Quadjet for spaceflight and they all (Carol, Fury, Talos, Maria, the Cat) head into space. Once there they discover Mar-Vell’s secret cloaked space station, which, surprise, contains a bunch of Skrull refugees. Specifically, Talos’ family, who had been working with Mar-Vell. It also contains the source of power that the Kree are after in the Tesseract Cube. Carol gives the Tesseract to Fury for safe keeping, or specifically, Goose the Cat eats is with a bunch of tentacles that spew out of it’s mouth, because it’s not a cat it’s a Flurgen.
The Starforce squad shows up and use an implant in Carol’s head to force her to power down. Carol is then, once again, confronted by the Supreme Intelligence. The Skrulls and Fury and Maria are locked up. Carol confronts the Supreme intelligence who kind of taunts her about how weak she is. This pretty much causes her to overcome the implant and unleash her full power. She wipes the floor with the Starforce Squad. Meanwhile, Talos has disguised himself as a Starforce grunt, and alerts Fury with a comment about Haiti, which is once again, kind of clever. They overpower their captors and escape with the Skrulls to the Quadjet. Along the way we get to see more of Goose’s true power as the Cat eats several of the guard whole.
Carol and Yon-Rogg blast out of the station in a shuttle, but not before Ronan arrives to cleanse the Earth of it’s Skrull infestation. His starships launch several missiles at the planet. Carol uses her newfound Super Saiyan powers to fly into space, destroying the missiles along the way and easily dispatching one of Ronan’s ship. Ronan turns tail and exits the area to go off and get killed by the Guardians of the Galaxy later.
Carol returns to the surface to confront Yon-Rogg. Realizing he is no match for her, he goads her into proving she can fight him with no powers, but she blasts him anyway. Because she is “the hero” she tosses him into the escape pod, programs it to head back to the Kree home world and tells him to let the Kree know she is coming for them.
She says her goodbyes to Fury and Maria, leaving the Goose and the Tesseract with SHIELD. She makes it her mission to help the Skrulls find a new home world and to combat the Kree, and she leaves with the Skrulls to parts unknown. Before leaving she leaves Fury with the modified pager he can use to summon her in case of emergency.
There are two end credits scenes. One with the Avengers in Avengers HQ, lamenting their loss at the hands of Thanos and pondering the meaning of the Pager, which was activated by Fury at the end of Infinity War. The pager has mysteriously stopped sending a signal and they don’t know why. Suddenly, they turn and a very angry looking Carol is there, and asks ‘Where’s Fury”.
The second scene shows Fury’s desk, Goose jumps up on the desk. Anyone who has owned a cat can probably predict what happens next in the context of the film, I know I did. I mean cats like to eat things they shouldn’t like plants, or Tesseracts, but these things don’t really flow through the digestive tract. Goose starts hacking and coughing before ejecting the tesseract out onto the desk. It’s pretty funny.
How it’s Connected
So, there’s a fair amount of connected here, but the biggest and most obvious is the Tesseract which first appeared in Captain America: TFA and later in the first Avengers film. It also made a brief appearance in Thor: Ragnarok, since after Avengers it was stored in Asgard, where it was saved from Ragnaros by Loki. Then again in the opening for Avengers: infinity War where it was taken by Thanos and inserted into the Infinity Gauntlet as the Space Stone.
The Tesseract is shown to be the source of power for the Light Speed drive that was being developed by Mar-Velle which exploded and infused Carol with her super powers. It makes sense that this would be able to power a super powered space engine since it’s the Space Stone, which has the ability to let the user travel across space.
Fury gets his eye scratched out by the cat Goose, which is supposed to explain why he has an eye patch in the future. It’s kind of cute since it’s bad ass Nick Fury and you expect it to have happened by something more than a cat. In this same line, it’s a little lame, because you expected it to be more than a cat. Ok, technically Goose is a Flurgen or whatever.
Near the end of the film, the Kree general Ronan makes a brief appearance. His small fleet of ships shows up to destroy Earth but are stopped by Captain Marvel when she goes Super Saiyan. Ronin, you may recall was the primary antagonist of the first Guardians of the Galaxy. He isn’t the only character to show up in Captain Marvel from GotG, Korath (“Star-Lord Man”; “Who?”) shows up as well as a member of the Kree Star Force squad that Carol is a part of.
Then of course there is Agent Coulson, whom Fury refers to as “Rookie”. His roll isn’t very big but it’s nice to see him show up again in the films and not just Agents of SHIELD.
There is also a slightly cheesy brief bit at the end that implies Fury got the name for The Avengers from Carol’s pilot nickname of “Avenger”.
Then of course the credits scene, where Carol answers the call of her pager sent out by Fury at the end of Infinity War, and shows up looking rather pissed.
One other note that may or may not become relevant later, Carol’s friend has a daughter named Monica Rambeau. She is like 10 maybe in the film. She carried the Captain Marvel mantle in the comics briefly, and even lead the Avengers briefly. I doubt she elevates to that level in the MCU, but she may show up again “present day” as an adult. She is also a member of the slightly niche with a cult following group Nextwave. I would be pretty happy if they opted to make a Nextwave film.
Thoughts on what’s next
Captain Marvel will show up again alongside the Avengers in the next film, Avengers: Endgame. Her massive power level will definitely be a strong addition to whatever fight happens in that film. I look forward to seeing her go toe to toe with Thanos. I also wonder how well she will play with the rest of the characters. In her own movie here, she comes off as pretty single track on her goals. I can see her showing up, discovering what has happened to Fury and everyone else, and jetting off to beat the shit out of Thanos as soon as she discovers his location, despite protests from anyone else (Steve Rodgers).
I can also see her getting along with Thor in interesting ways. Thor already outclasses all of the other Avengers in power level, which became supremely clear in infinity War, but I feel like Carol may actually be stronger than he is in a straight fight.
There isn’t a lot of the larger picture that is advanced here, but it does introduce us to a new hero which will add a new dynamic to things going forward. The film does a fairly decent job of sort of explaining where Carol has been since her time in the 90s and the present day time. So far, nothing has happened that would have given Fury cause to summon her before either. The invasion of New York was handled by the Avengers and Ultron was a problem, but not one that he really knew about until last minute, and once again, the Avengers managed to keep it under control. Ultimately, it’s a nice introduction, but it’s kind of unnecessary in the grand scheme of things.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1420
|
__label__wiki
| 0.509623
| 0.509623
|
Nordic/Baltic
Global LT
HomeCORPORATEParty clashes: what will frighten the ratings leaders?
Party clashes: what will frighten the ratings leaders?
November 26, 2018 Media Briefing CORPORATE, Opinion 0
DELFI / Andrius Ufartas
That said, the experts observe that the Order and Justice plans could be derailed by increased activity by the Labour Party with Viktor Uspaskich in the lead, while Gintautas Paluckas‘ Social Democrats will likely struggle due to the loss of state dotation.
A survey performed on October 16-30 by Spinter Tyrimai, commissioned by Delfi, shows that the Conservatives (19%) and “Farmers” (15.2%) remain firmly in the lead in the ratings.
In third place is Order and Justice with 9.2% (7.2% in September) and the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) in fourth with 6.2% (5.4% in September).
Beneath the 5% vote barrier remain the Labour Party (4.6%), Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Union (4.3%), Lithuanian Social Democratic Labour Party (3.5%), Liberal Movement (3.4%) and Lithuanian Centre Party (3.3%).
“Everything will depend on how much the “Farmers'” popularity will drop because their voters will automatically distribute themselves among the other parties. If we are to consider the period up to the next Seimas elections, a less unexpected rise would be that of Order and Justice, while the other variant I would bet on would be G. Paluckas’ Social Democrats,” Lithuanian War Academy docent, political scientist Vytautas Isoda told lrt.lt when asked, who could become a dark horse in the coming elections and compete with the Conservatives and “Farmers”, who are leading in the ratings.
Vytautas Magnus University professor, political scientist Algis Krupavičius agreed with V. Isoda’s opinion. According to him, the LSDP could even return to the highest league.
Nevertheless, the political scientists agree – it is easier said than done. Political experts assure that both Order and Justice and the Social Democrats will face major challenges in the competition for voters’ sympathies.
The secret to Order and Justice’s fortune and V. Uspaskich breathing down their back
Market and public opinion research company Baltijos Tyrimai sociologist Romas Mačiūnas states that the basis Order and Justice’s popularity is linked with favourable public views of party leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis.
“The main reason, why Order and Justice is popular right now is that it is the only party, which has a leader, who is more viewed positively than negatively. R. Žemaitaitis is the only leader like that,” R. Mačiūnas stated.
V. Isoda pointed out to lrt.lt that Order and Justice managed to grow their popularity because the party found a vacuum on the left wing, being left as the only party to not be battered by scandal in recent times. He points out that historically, in Lithuania the left wing electorate has always been larger and this electorate has always sought a party, which is not the Conservatives.
“This vacuum, which appeared after the Social Democrat break-up, was successfully filled after cleansing themselves of Petras Gražulis,” the political scientist noted, adding that the withdrawal of the controversial leader Rolandas Paksas also had to do with the party’s ratings rising.
A. Krupavičius believes that Order and Justice has been successful in mobilising the protest electorate recently, but he cautions that Labour has also taken aim at this segment. While support for Order and Justice is rising in it, for Labour it is decreasing, nevertheless a redistribution of support may not be favourable to Order and Justice.
“V. Uspaskich is less energetic, less active, but he still has a sort of appeal and has the ambition to return the party to at least 5% support and such a goal is not unfeasible,” he pointed out.
Will the LSDP return to the party elite?
A. Krupavičius also noted that the of the split Social Democrats, G. Paluckas’ Social Democrats have recently begun retaking voters lost due to the split. The political scientist points out that this is no surprise because the LSDP retained the large party infrastructure, with Social Democratic Labour failing to draw old members away or obtain new ones.
“The truth is that most of the party members remained with G. Paluckas’ Social Democrats and now we see a certain recreation of the Social Democrats’ ratings. You can almost confidently predict that if G. Paluckas’ Social Democrats will be active in the municipal elections, they will be more successful there than Social Democratic Labour. Then the Social Democrats could return to the highest league and compete with the Homeland Union and “Farmers” over the voters’ support,” the VDU professor commented, emphasising that the LSDP could even regain some voters that migrated to the “Farmers” or the recently formed Social Democratic Labour and even the protest electorate. TO achieve this, however, they need to be more active.
V. Isoda notes that he can see the Social Democrats actively striving to change the party’s public image and reform the organisation, which is yielding positive results. Nevertheless, the political scientist points out that the Central Electoral Commission’s decision to not grant the LSDP dotations due to severe financial breaches in the Seimas elections could prevent the LSDP from rising.
“Considering that the party already lost the half a million euro, everything will depend on financing. The Social Democrats need much more exposure. There are very few famous faces, talking heads there. Earlier, anyone on the street would have known A. Butkevičius, G. Kirkilas and other politicians, whom the Social Democrats have lost. Thus, the Social Democrats are now a fairly grey party and they need a very strong public relations campaign, which they could potentially achieve,” the political scientist said.
Potential party merger
Sociologist R. Mačiūnas also finds that the G. Paluckas’ LSDP has better chances to perform at both the municipal and Seimas elections, given that it retained the strongest branches. Furthermore, he points out how Gediminas Kirkilas, the head of Social Democratic Labour is among the most negatively perceived politicians in Lithuania.
V. Isoda points out that the Labour Party will likely maintain its positions in the regions in the coming municipal elections, however the 2020 Seimas elections will prove decisive for the party. The political scientist points out that the party will continue to balance around 3-5%, but if it fails to surpass the 5% barrier in 2020, the likelihood of which is significant, the party may be consigned to oblivion. This, he notes, could lead to seeking a merger, potentially with Social Democratic Labour, who are in a similar position.
The Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Union (LLRA-KŠS) balances at around the 5% ratings margin, however sociologist R. Mačiūnas says that the party always manages to mobilise minority representatives in elections and form a Seimas group. That said, the LLRA-KŠS’ fortunes depend on voter turnout.
“We see the trend that the LLRA-KŠS can have 5-7% of the vote if the elections aren’t very active, if the turnout is less than 50%. If the elections are active, there is always the chance that the LLRA-KŠS may not suffice with ethnic minorities’ votes to exceed the 5% barrier,” the sociologist cautioned.
Liberals need to transform
In terms of the Liberal Movement, VDU political scientist A. Krupavičius observes an ongoing crisis in the party. According to him, the Conservatives have already managed to exploit the Liberals’ declined popularity, drawing a portion of the Liberal voters to their side.
“Despite the deep crisis, the Liberal Movement has formed a small, but constant number of voters. Such voters will not vanish in one or two nights. The Liberals’ ratings are fluctuating, but I believe that 3% is the floor the Liberal Movement can descend to,” the political scientist drew a grim future for the party.
He guesses that after the municipal elections, the Liberals may seek to regain popularity by drawing back former companions from civic electoral committees and thus strengthening their positions before the coming Seimas elections.
V. Isoda was also not optimistic regarding the Liberal Movement, given the party’s bleed of famous politicians, which spurs on the need for reform to survive.
“R. Šimašius, A. Armonaitė, these are national level faces for the Liberals, ones who appeal to the Liberals’ voters, thus their withdrawal from the party may not have been the final nail in its coffin, but certainly a strong blow and the party will definitely have to reform.
There may not be many exclusively Liberal voters in Lithuania, but they exist. These voters rarely migrate to, for example, the Conservatives. One way or another, there are liberal voters in Lithuania, thus there is need for a liberal party in the country. That said, it is unlikely that the Liberal Movement reflects this demand. Something new will have to provide its offering,” V. Isoda mused.
Algirdas Butkevičius EN
Algis Krupavičius EN
Aušrinė Armonaitė EN
Baltijos Tyrimai EN
Central Electoral Commission
Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania
Farmers and Greens
Gediminas Kirkilas EN
Gintautas Paluckas EN
Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democratic
Labour Party EN
Liberal Movement
Lithuanian Centre Party
Lithuanian Social Democratic Labour Party
Order and Justice Party
Remigijus Šimašius EN
Remigijus Žemaitaitis EN
Romas Mačiūnas EN
Social Democratic Party
Spinter Tyrimai EN
Viktor Uspaskich EN
Vytautas Isoda EN
Lithuanian Film Week pays tribute to Lithuanian cinema in Warsaw
Seimas acknowledged Adolfas Ramanauskas Vanagas, partisan commander, as Head of State of Lithuania
Lithuanian foreign minister’s strong stance on Russia under criticism from fellow party members
November 19, 2014 BNS Politics 0
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has come under criticism from some of his fellow party members for his hard position on Russia, the Lietuvos Rytas daily reports. […]
Eugenijus Gentvilas. Answers to Raimundas Lopata
December 8, 2017 Eugenijus Gentvilas CORPORATE, Opinion 0
Raimundas Lopata raised several questions regarding my past in his article 2G: the Liberal dilemma. One of the questions is how I could not have known that E. Masiulis is preparing to take a bribe […]
Evaluation of S. Skvernelis’ chances: by clashing with the media, he may have made a mistake
January 18, 2019 Media Briefing CORPORATE, Opinion 0
Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis chose Rusnė as the location to announce his presidential bid. During his cabinet’s term, financing was arranged for the Rusnė overpass. The prime minister stated he wishes for there to be “harmony between governments in the country,” because at the moment he sees discord between the branches of government and journalists, who according to S. Skvernelis participate in politics, add further pressure. This was the discussion topic of Dienos Tema featuring VU TSPMI docent and KTU scientist Mažvydas Jastramskis and the chief editor of BNS news agency Vaidotas Beniušis, lrt.lt writes. […]
Janeliūnas letter to the majority: you‘re parasites!
Masiulis: the most important events of 2019 and predictions for 2020
Andrius Kubilius. On Western Strategy towards Russia
Say No to “Double Standards” on Counter-terrorism
Now everybody can see that the current parliamentary work will produce no grain, only chaff
We know how to growl at Belarus, but not talk to it
Heiko Maas: Where were you when the Berlin Wall came down?
You can keep on creating a welfare state for even a hundred years
Is there a need to worry about national identity?
There are many examples that show we are in the land devoid of ideas
Little room left in the Baltic States’ relations for the spirit of the Baltic Way
Vytautas Landsbergis. The Sąjūdis uprising and the revolution of the Baltic Way
China releases white paper on vocational education and training in Xinjiang
80 years after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact: Dividing lines in Europe linger on
Vytautas Bruveris. Politicians’ tools – hammer and sickle
K. Eidukonis – Disinformation warfare in Lithuania and the USA
Will we long hide our historical wounds in the name of glory?
China moves up in global innovation ranking
Audronė Telešienė: Let’s not panic that there is not 3 million of us
Vytautas Landsbergis: Lithuanian Uprising was the right thing to do and it was worth it
The Belt and Road Initiative Progress, Contributions and Prospects
PACE: Russia was not confused for too long
Andrius Kubilius: Saving the Council of Europe
Will we tussle with history for long?
What will the fate of Lithuanian conservatism be or is it already in the past?
How Grybauskaitė‘s presidency decade will be remembered in 50 years?
The cost of Western naivete
How does foreign news media present Lithuania to travellers?
In 2019, Lithuania was covered as a travel destination by TIME, The Times, The Independent, Travel+Leisure, Le Monde and a variety of specialized publications and blogs, which have audiences in the millions. “Lithuania increasingly appears […]
Yes, this letter is to you, Ramūnas Karbauskis, Agnė Širinskienė, Saulius Skvernelis and all others, who still think that you have authority. By the way, you no longer have authority. It’s just an illusion. Yes, […]
Nerijus Mačiulis. Let’s lower the celebration glass
At the end of the 2019 year, Lithuanian economic growth has not fully lost momentum and this is something to celebrate. However, it does not inherently guarantee that without extra effort, we can expect further […]
Lithuania has become a centre for Fintech and the world has noticed
Considering the ever-changing needs of consumers in the financial services domain, the digitisation of services will be the main topic of this year’s Fintech Inn conference. Due to the rapid growth of fintech companies, there […]
Astravyets due to launch soon: how will Lithuania protect itself?
There is ever less time left to the launch of the Astravyets Nuclear Power Plant. Lithuania is taking measures to prevent the entry of Belarusian electrical power into our market. There are plans that the […]
2019 was an exciting year for the telecommunications market: consumer trend changers dictated market growth, while the US-Chinese struggle changed everything – from general device use to national security concerns, Petras Masiulis, Tele2 CEO for […]
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1425
|
__label__cc
| 0.504288
| 0.495712
|
William Russell Wallace – Dirty Soul Reaction
William Russell Wallace’s LP may go by the name of Dirty Soul, but it’s a piece of unadulterated talent, pouring straight from the source.
The whole album is permeated by a palpable confession-like honesty and retrospection that comes in various forms. Some songs are faster and more energetic, oozing joyous frivolity that just makes you daydream about the rock and roll life. Other songs are much more poignant and seem to have come from times when the euphoria of the partying has faded away and given way to guilt.
The common denominator in Dirty Soul between fast and slow tracks, the cheerfully uplifting and melancholically bittersweet is the pronounced, quite classic folk feel which streams from melodic harmonicas, snappy rhythms, catchy guitar riffs, and last but not least, Wallace’s unadorned, beautiful singing.
Toro y Moi – Outer Peace Reaction
When you take a closer look at many of the songs’ lyrics, everything comes together even more – Dirty Soul isn’t just the work of a talented musician, but of one that uses music as a conductor of his most inner feelings and thoughts, and in this particular case, the album is perhaps the best form of purging a musician could ever hope for.
William Russell Wallace’s LP may go by the name of 'Dirty Soul', but it’s a piece of unadulterated talent, pouring straight from the source.
Francesca Brown – “Hashslingin’ Blues” Reaction
Oliver James – ‘The Hardest Part’ Reaction
Scizzorman – ‘Schizophonic’ Reaction
Rocket – “Giants” Reaction
Is this a review? No Yes
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1431
|
__label__cc
| 0.539695
| 0.460305
|
Home Michigan Oakland County Southfield Kenneth T. Watkins
Kenneth T. Watkins
Sommers Schwartz, PC
Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice
Ken Watkins is an accomplished trial attorney and Senior Shareholder with Sommers Schwartz. Over the course of his career, he has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar settlements on behalf of the clients he’s been proud to represent. His achievements include one of the largest seven-digit medical malpractice cases in Macomb County in 2008, and his election to membership in the exclusive Million Dollar Verdict Club.
Outside of the practice, Ken is known for giving back to the community. He has spoken on several occasions at the Detroit Public Schools Career Days; serves on board of directors for Urban Solutions, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing scholarships to inner-city youths each year. Ken was a charter member and trustee for the Motor City Optimist Club, assisting area youth through community activities and organizational empowerment and previously served as co-president of the Brother Rice High School Dad’s Club and participated on its board of directors for three years.
Ken was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Oakland Schools Education Foundation, and also serves on the Board of Directors for Don Bosco Hall, a private non-profit agency that provides supportive human services to enhance the quality of life for youth and their families residing in the Metropolitan Detroit-Wayne County Community.
Michigan Medical Law Report
“Chaperones Are Necessary Eyewitness for Both Patient, Doctor”
Detroit Public Schools, Career Days
Wolverine Bar Association, Minority Bar Review Course
“Men of Excellence”
Michigan Chronicle
Top Lawyer
Michigan Super Lawyers – 2010 to present
American Academy of Trial Attorneys
Litigation Counsel of America
Equity and Commercial Transactions
American Jurisprudence Awards
Wolverine Bar Association
Former President and Former Executive Board Member
Michigan Association for Justice
Executive Board Sustaining, Board of Directors
Michigan Minority Delegate Representative & State Delegate
Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area
rmer Special Assistant to the President, Former Member of Judicial Review & Selection Committee
State Bar of Michigan
Judicial Qualifications Committee
State Bar of Michigan # P46231
FacebookTwitterLinkedInJustia ProfileKenneth T. Watkins's Avvo Profile
What Compensation Is Available to Victims of Medical Malpractice?
In this Legal News Update, Sommers Schwartz attorney Kenneth Watkins explains the types of damages that medical malpractice victims and their families can recover.
In this Legal News Update, Sommers Schwartz attorney Kenneth Watkins discusses the law and facts necessary to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit.
What Kinds of Medical Errors Constitute Medical Malpractice?
In this Legal News Update, Sommers Schwartz attorney Kenneth Watkins explains the types of mistakes that doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers make that can lead to...
Sommers Schwartz P.C.
1 Towne Square
Email Kenneth T. Watkins
Michael J. Morse
Darren K. Legato
Lukasz Wietrzynski
Edward J. Shankin
Neil Davis
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1435
|
__label__wiki
| 0.64252
| 0.64252
|
Explore stats, updates, time-on-ice charts, and line combinations for members of the Calgary Flames
Sam Bennett is 6' 1" and weighs 195 pounds. He is currently 23.6 years old.
Calgary Flames Leaders
Tkachuk 15 23 38
Johnny Gaudreau 13 25 38
Elias Lindholm 20 16 36
Sean Monahan 14 22 36
Derek Ryan 9 16 25
Mikael Backlund 6 16 22
Mark Giordano 5 17 22
Andrew Mangiapane 8 7 15
Noah Hanifin 5 9 14
TJ Brodie 1 13 14
Is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Will not play in tonight's game against the Vegas Golde...
Is on the ice for the morning skate.
Unsustainable - Skaters - November 29, 2017
19-20 CGY 34 4 2 6 1 28 58 1.7 6.9 1 71 10 56 0.0 12.59 11.38 1.11 0.10
18-19 CGY 71 13 14 27 -6 93 115 1.6 11.3 6 121 27 50 55.6 13.29 11.57 1.53 0.19
17-18 CGY 82 11 15 26 -18 59 157 1.9 7.0 3 140 34 119 54.3 14.40 12.34 1.35 0.71
16-17 CGY 81 13 13 26 -16 75 122 1.5 10.7 4 127 46 374 46.1 14.99 12.63 1.23 1.13
19-20 0.63 0.16 0.79 56 -1.12 1 0 N/A 375 51.0 49.5 4.8 0.962 1010 48.0
18-19 0.83 0.89 1.72 62 -0.25 11 3 22.1 856 53.5 52.8 7.8 0.905 983 54.1
See also: Calgary Flames Line Combo Tool | Line Production Tool
CGY LUCIC RYAN BENNETT 3 2 60.0 62 55 53.0 49 38 56.3 8.8 0.938 1026 45.8
CGY MANGIAPANE RYAN BENNETT 4 0 100.0 49 34 59.0 32 24 57.1 16.0 1.000 1160 47.1
CGY BENNETT RYAN QUINE 1 1 50.0 40 33 54.8 32 23 58.2 5.3 0.929 981 60.0
St. Louis Blues on January 28, 2020 | See also: Line Matching Tool
*** You are seeing no results because these teams have not played yet this season or Sam Bennett was likely ill, injured, or scratched for the previous matchup. ***
OTT 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 11:14 11:13 00:01 00:00
TOR 0 0 0 0 2 0 N/A 2 0 1 0 100 11:19 11:19 00:00 00:00
MTL 0 0 0 -1 2 6 0 2 0 4 4 50 12:04 12:04 00:00 00:00
EDM 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 1 3 2 60 11:08 11:08 00:00 00:00
MIN 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A 1 0 0 0 0 10:24 10:24 00:00 00:00
CHI 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A 2 1 0 0 0 10:38 10:38 00:00 00:00
MIN 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 12:50 12:50 00:00 00:00
NYR 0 0 0 -1 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 11:32 10:51 00:41 00:00
EDM 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A 1 0 0 8 0 13:38 13:33 00:05 00:00
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1440
|
__label__cc
| 0.542806
| 0.457194
|
MADS MEDIA
I love pop culture more than anything.
Book Review: Bethlehem by Karen Kelly
July 9, 2019 July 9, 2019 allthewordsbetween
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Bethlehem by Karen Kelly
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction
Links: Buy on Amazon | Goodreads
Format: ARC
With the writing chops of Ian McEwan and the story-craft of Lisa Wingate, Karen Kelly weaves a shattering debut about two intertwined families and the secrets that they buried during the gilded, glory days of Bethlehem, PA.
A young woman arrives at the grand ancestral home of her husband’s family, hoping to fortify her cracking marriage. But what she finds is not what she expected: tragedy haunts the hallways, whispering of heartache and a past she never knew existed.
Inspired by the true titans of the steel-boom era, Bethlehem is a story of temptation and regret, a story of secrets and the cost of keeping them, a story of forgiveness. It is the story of two complex women—thrown together in the name of family—who, in coming to understand each other, come finally to understand themselves.
Kelly’s debut novel makes a terrific splash in weaving together the tale of two complex women, both haunted by the tragedies of the past and the unrelenting nature of love in its most daunting form – uncontrollable.
Uprooting his family to the town of Bethlehem, PA and its lustrous history of the steel industry, Joanna discovers the faults in her marriage run deeper than she anticipated.
It is only under the cruel light of the endless blue skies she begins to see the dark truth of not only her own life but the thunderous echoes of the past. Often left to her own devices due to her husband’s busy work schedule, Joanna finds herself taken with the eccentric caretakers of the home.
She floated in Chap’s arms like a feather in a stream, with a strange, transcendental feeling of utter fulfillment, made more bewildering by the fact that she hadn’t realized it had been missing before.
Her new connections lead her to make a curious connection with her mother-in-law, a woman whose story mirrors Joanna’s in an almost uncanny way.
Bethlehem is a vibrant, soapy, and absorbing debut. It’s romantic without being sappy, mysterious without being dour, and realistic with its descriptive passages of aureate architecture and old-money opulence.
What makes Bethlehem such a startling novel and a departure from the tired and true romantic sentiments is its disavowal of a fated “to be.” There is a sadness to love, the idea that being enraptured by one may blind you to the truth.
Karen Kelly makes an exhilarating debut with this historical fiction novel. Stick with it. The beginning can be daunting due to its many character introductions and alternating usage of the timeline.
Rest assured you will be eased into the complicated family relationships between the Collier and Parrish families. The delicate intricacies of their family relationships form the underlying foundation of this story and beg the question of familial history – if one does not understand the past is it doomed to repeat?
Only when Susannah recognizes the imposter, does she impart a moral to the woman who became so inexplicably linked to her in the past and the present.
FOLLOW ME: TWITTER | LETTERBOXD | GOODREADS
About Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly has a BA in English from Vanderbilt University,
and lives in Edina, Minnesota.
Website | Amazon
Tagged Bethlehem, fiction, historical fiction, Karen Kelly
Previous postBook Review: The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt by Andrea Bobotis
Next postBook Review: Hideaway by Nicole Lundrigan
Follow MADS MEDIA on WordPress.com
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1446
|
__label__cc
| 0.614046
| 0.385954
|
Animal Man (1988-1995) #23
Animal Man (1988-1995)
Animal Man visits John Starr in hopes that he can help him find the key to time travel, so that Buddy can prevent the murders of his wife and children. Animal Man teams up with Booster Gold to go after the Time Masters!
Pencils:
Paris Cullins
Steve Montano
Brian Bolland
Superhero Mature
Vol. 3: Deus Ex Machina
Buddy Baker is your average family man...who just happens to possess the power to absorb the characteristics of the entire animal kingdom. Award-winning writer Grant Morrison made his DC Comics debut with this existential look at one of DC Comics' classic characters!
Doom Patrol (1987-1995)
Join the team of superhero misfits known as the Doom Patrol as they tackle the strangest and most bizarre cases in the DCU!
Once he was Hero of the Beach...and of the Doom Patrol. Now Flex Mentallo, the Man of Muscle Mystery, returns to investigate the sinister dealings of his former comrade, The Fact, and a mysterious rock star whose connection to Flex may holding the key to saving them both. This fast-paced tale twists super-hero tropes, introducing one mind-boggling concept after another.
From the mind of acclaimed creator Grant Morrison! Throughout history, a secret society called the Invisibles has worked against dark forces seeking to repress humanity's growth. Now, the Invisibles' latest recruit, a London teenager, must survive a bizarre, mind-altering training course!
Swamp Thing (1982-1996)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1457
|
__label__cc
| 0.718913
| 0.281087
|
Profile and Red Child (M.284)
Home › Profile and Red Child (M.284)
Framed Size: 24.25" x 21.25"
Product Variants 12.5 x 9.5 - $4,850
Marc Chagall is, without doubt, one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He created a unique world full of pathos, poetry, humor, and enchantment, drawing on vivid memories of his childhood in what is today Belarus. "Profile and Red Child" is a lithograph. The image size is 12.5 x 9.5 – inches.
Though Marc Chagall’s work bears the formal influence of Cubism, Fauvism, and Symbolism, he steered away from total abstraction, and instead held fast to representation by proving its potency with a distinctly narrative approach. Dreamlike color and folkloric imagery pervade throughout Chagall’s oeuvre comprised of painting, printmaking, and book illustration.
Clearly influenced by Byzantine and Russian icon painting and folk art, he wished his own mythological floating figures and symbolism to be interpreted freely. Chagall loved life. He loved the circus; he loved the Bible and found the same human paradox in both—joy mixed with tragedy, beauty with sadness. The poetic and biblical inspirations of Chagall’s art have always appealed to a broad public, and his works are collected, exhibited and admired all over the world.
Marc Chagall was born Moishe/Marc Shagal in Liozne, near Vitebsk, in modern day Belarus, in 1887. He was a Russian-French-Jewish artist of international repute who, arguably, was one of the most influential modernist artists of the 20th Century, both as an early modernist, and as an important part of the Jewish artistic tradition. He distinguished himself in many arenas: as a painter, book illustrator, ceramicist, stained-glass painter, stage set designer and tapestry maker. Widely admired by both his contemporaries, and by later artists, he forged his creative path in spite of the many difficulties and injustices he faced in his long lifetime. Chagall's early life in the schetl with his Hasidic Jew parents was a strong influence on his work throughout his life. He carried a Russian mysticism, and an intrinsic understanding of and sympathy for his religious roots wherever he travelled.
More from Marc Chagall
"Love is a god, my children..." (In the Land of the Gods, M.532)
Lithograph Inquire for Price
Lovers in Bouquet of Dahlias
watercolor, tempera, pastel, color pencil and pencil on heavy vellum paper Inquire for Price
Rêve Familier, 1973
Magic Flight (M.980)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1462
|
__label__wiki
| 0.50204
| 0.50204
|
Earth-616, Werner Roth/Creator, Milky Way,
Utah (State)
The Mojave Desert
The High Desert
Earth-616
Star System
California; Arizona; Nevada; Utah
Werner Roth
Matt Slade, Gunfighter #2
(July, 1956)
Named after the Mohave tribe of Native Americans, the Mojave Desert, locally referred to as the "high desert," occupies a significant portion of southern California and smaller parts of central California, southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, in the United States of America.
Acheron Mountain
Jenny Rose Cafe
Banner Secret Base 19B
China Lake
Mojave City
S.H.I.E.L.D. Mojave Base
M.O.D.O.K.'s Secret Lair
107 Appearances of Mojave Desert
8 Minor Appearances of Mojave Desert
4 Media Mojave Desert was Mentioned in
1 Images featuring Mojave Desert
Location Gallery: Mojave Desert
10 locations in Mojave Desert
Retrieved from "https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Mojave_Desert?oldid=5098572"
Werner Roth/Creator
Templated Articles
3 Anthony Stark (Earth-616)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1463
|
__label__cc
| 0.564331
| 0.435669
|
Carrying Histories of Protest
Jaquira Díaz witnesses her father’s rebellious fight for a better life, and her homeland’s fight for its place in the world.
Joe Raedle / Getty, Algonquin Books
This story was funded by Longreads Members
Join and help support great storytelling
Jaquira Díaz | Longreads | excerpt from Ordinary Girls: A Memoir | October 2019 | 11 minutes (3,065 words)
Puerto Rico, 1985
Papi and I waited in the town square of Ciales, across from Nuestra Señora del Rosario, the Catholic church. He was quiet, stern-faced, his picked-out Afro shining in the sun, his white polo shirt drenched in sweat. Papi was tall and lean-muscled, with a broad back. He’d grown up boxing and playing basketball, had a thick mustache he groomed every morning in front of the bathroom mirror. Squinting in the sun, one hand tightened around his ring finger, I pulled off Papi’s ring, slipped it onto my thumb. I was six years old and restless: I’d never seen a dead body.
My father’s hero, Puerto Rican poet and activist Juan Antonio Corretjer, had just died. People had come from all over the island and gathered outside the parish to hear his poetry while his remains were transported from San Juan. Mami and Anthony, my older brother, were lost somewhere in the crowd.
During the drive from Humacao to Ciales, I’d listened from the backseat while Papi told the story: how Corretjer had been raised in a family of independentistas, how he’d spent his entire life fighting for el pueblo, for the working class, for Puerto Rico’s freedom. How he’d been a friend of Pedro Albizu Campos, “El Maestro,” who my father adored, the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party leader who’d spent more than twenty-six years in prison for attempting to overthrow the US government. How he had spent a year in “La Princesa,” the prison where Albizu Campos was tortured with radiation. After his release, Corretjer became one of Puerto Rico’s most prominent activist writers.
Local Bookstores
In the car, Mami had lit a cigarette and rolled down her window, her cropped, blond waves blowing in the wind. She took a long pull from her cigarette, then let the smoke out, her red fingernails shining. My mother smoked like the whole world was watching, like she was Marilyn Monroe in some old movie, or Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface. Every time we left the house, my mother was made up from head to red-pedicured toes, her hair colored, her eyes dramatically set in eye shadow and a thick coat of mascara, with lipstick to match her nail polish.
While my mother smoked, not paying attention to my father’s story, Anthony slept beside me in the back, his mouth half open. My brother had no interest in stories, but I lived for Papi’s tales of magic and Boricua Robin Hoods, imagined myself as a character in them, riding a black horse into battle, slicing conquistadores in half with my razor-sharp machete.
It was my father who’d taught me to tie my shoelaces like rabbit ears, to catch fireflies at dusk, to eat ensalada de pulpo bought from chinchorros on the side of the road in Naguabo and Luquillo, to play chess. He’d told me stories of coconut palms that bowed to the sun, of jíbaros like his uncles and grandfather, who got up before daylight to cut cane in the cañaverales. Stories of machetes, sweat, and sugar, before paved roads and indoor plumbing and English. Stories of women: Lucecita Benítez, one of Puerto Rico’s most famous singers, who sang about race and liberation; Lolita Lebrón, who fought among men, taking up arms after La Masacre de Ponce; Yuíza, a Taíno cacica who would be resurrected, rising from ash and clay and blood to avenge the death of her people. His tales were spun of history and wind and poetry.
The funeral procession approached, a caravan of cars led by a white hearse—every car flying a Puerto Rican flag—moving slowly uphill toward the plaza, closer to the church, where arrangements of roses and lirios and carnations already waited. The crowd grew, hundreds of people approaching the square, some of them waving Puerto Rican flags. Papi watched them, never looked away, even when I yanked his hand this way and that way or when I tugged on the hem of his shirt, even as I picked up pebbles and flung them across the plaza at the pigeons. Not even to wipe the tears from his eyes. I wanted to ask about his tears, to remind him of what I’d heard Mami say while Anthony, during one of his tantrums, thrust himself against the walls of our apartment, then the floor: Los hombres no lloran.
Papi and I moved through the crowd, the two of us zigzagging in between couples and families and students in their school uniforms, all of them waiting for their turn in front of the open casket. When we’d finally made our way to the front, I saw the man in the casket for the first time: in his seventies, balding, patches of white hair on the sides, pale, white mustache. I tried to memorize the lines around Corretjer’s mouth, the shape of his forehead, the arch of his eyebrows. I wanted to trace my fingers along the creases of his unmoving face, commit them to memory.
I don’t know how long Papi and I stood there in front of that open casket, as if in a trance, as if waiting for the rise and fall of Corretjer’s chest, my father voiceless, sweat trickling down his face. But I was sure of one thing: that I wanted everything my father wanted, and if he loved this man, then I would love him, too.
Months after Alaina was born, Anthony in the second grade, Mami working at a factory in Las Piedras, I spent my days at home with Papi. Abuela took care of Alaina while Mami worked, so I had Papi all to myself. He’d sit up in bed, reading to me from Juan Antonio Corretjer’s Yerba bruja or Hugo Margenat’s Obras completas or Julia de Burgos’s El mar y tú, a mug of café con leche in his hand. My father, who’d been a student at the University of Puerto Rico, had spent his college days writing protest poems and studying literature and the work of independentistas and activists.
I loved books because Papi loved books, and his were the first I tried to read. I was a kid trying to learn my father’s secrets, whatever mysteries he’d found in those pages that kept him from me for so many hours each day. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that Manuel Puig’s El beso de la mujer araña didn’t involve a masked superhero using her spider powers to save innocent people from muggers or mad scientists. Or that Mario Vargas Llosa’s La ciudad y los perros was not about a society made up entirely of dogs.
In my father’s books, I got lost in stories: children who sprouted eagles’ wings, a baby born with the curled tail of a pig, a man who spent a hundred years on an island prison mourning the loss of his lover but never aged a day, a woman who carried a pistol into a government building and opened fire.
One morning, I woke to find Papi in the bedroom I shared with Anthony, sitting at my desk, his back to me. He pulled dollar bills, wrinkled and folded, from a black garbage bag, unfolding them, lining them up in stacks. Our bedroom was cramped with our twin beds, Alaina’s crib, stacks of Papi’s books in a corner, our toys littering the floor. From my bed, under a nautical bedspread sewn by my mother, I watched him counting and bundling and fastening them with rubber bands, until the desk was covered with money.
There was another morning, and another, and another, and I learned not to ask questions, not to let slip what I knew about the money, about Papi’s hiding places: the top shelf in our closet, which Anthony and I couldn’t reach, the small suitcase under my parents’ bed, my father’s toolbox.
One morning, I woke to find Papi in the bedroom I shared with Anthony, sitting at my desk, his back to me. He pulled dollar bills, wrinkled and folded, from a black garbage bag, unfolding them, lining them up in stacks.
Every afternoon when my mother came home from the factory, my father left and went to the little plaza in El Caserío. And every afternoon I begged him to take me along, but he refused. I could play outside, but la plaza, he said, was no place for a girl.
“How come Anthony always gets to go?” I would ask Mami, yelling, slamming my fists on the kitchen counter. Anthony was never banned from any place, always got what he wanted because he was a boy.
But Mami, she didn’t take no shit. She’d pull me by the arm, the half-moons of her sharp fingernails biting into my skin, and shut me right up. She’d leave me sobbing, longing for something to lift this burden of girlhood.
One afternoon, outside our apartment building, I kicked off my chancletas and ran around on the front lawn, barefoot, looking for moriviví. It grew all over the neighborhood, a small plant with leaves that closed like tiny fists when you touched them, faking their own death, reopening when left undisturbed. I leaned down to touch it, running my fingers over it, until my friend Eggy, who lived two blocks over, showed up on his bike.
“Wanna go for a ride?” he called from the street. Eggy was my best friend, always wandering the streets because his mom didn’t pay him or his brother Pito any mind. He was brown, a dash of freckles across his nose and cheeks, his Afro always unkempt, his T-shirts always either too small or too big, with holes on the front. Eggy was too smart for his own good, always knew everybody’s business: whose husband crashed their car into a barbershop, who kissed who behind the elementary school, which boys got caught looking up the girls’ skirts on the playground.
I glanced back at our building, our balcony, our apartment’s open windows. Mami had told me to stay where she could keep an eye on me, but Papi was in the plaza, and I was dying to see what he did there, why girls weren’t allowed. So I climbed up on Eggy’s handlebars.
“Don’t drop me!” I said.
Eggy pedaled hard, making a left toward the building across the street, then past his building. We rode around to the back, the wind slapping my head, my curls blowing in my face. I held on to the handlebars, my bare feet in the air.
When we finally got to la plaza, a small square surrounded by two-story buildings, shaded by ceiba trees and flamboyanes, I hopped off the bike.
Next to one of the buildings, children’s clothes were drying on a clothesline. A homeless man slept on a discarded sofa, baking under the sun. Four hustlers, three men and one woman, played dominoes around a makeshift card table made from a large paint bucket and four milk crates used as chairs. Papi was standing among his stone-faced friends. Tecatos walked up to Papi, said something I couldn’t hear, handed him money, then disappeared behind the buildings.
“You know what they’re doing, right?” Eggy asked.
“Your dad is selling them perico.”
I knew what perico was, just like I knew what tecatos were—Eggy had told me. His mother, he’d said, had sold all her jewelry and their TV to get perico. She would’ve sold the food in their fridge, if they’d had any.
Eggy got off his bike, leaned it against the building.
Kickstart your weekend reading by getting the week’s best Longreads delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon.
I looked for my brother among the men, feeling betrayed, wondering how much he knew, if this was a secret he and Papi shared, something else they kept from me. But Anthony was not around.
My face hot, upper lip sweaty, I turned and started walking back home.
“Where you going?” Eggy called after me.
I kept walking, ignoring his question. Bare feet on the grass, then the sidewalk, on tiptoes, trying not to step on broken glass while crossing the street. As I reached the front of my building, I found one chancleta there, right where I’d left it. The other one gone. I leaned down and ran my fingers over all the moriviví. They each shriveled, leaf by leaf, dying their fake deaths. And me, pretending I’d been there all along, in case Mami looked out the window, stepped out on the balcony, asked where I’d been.
During the warm nights in El Caserío, I lay in the hammock on our first-floor balcony, listening to the coquis’ songs as they echoed through the whole neighborhood. Every night, at all hours, Papi’s friends came asking for him. I fetched my father when I saw them approaching, watched as he took their balled-up dollar bills and handed them their baggies over the railing. Some of them came by every day. Some of them, a few times a day.
I was rocking myself in the hammock when one of them strolled right up to our balcony, a man with a curved, jagged scar on his face extending from the corner of his lips all the way up to his eye.
“Is your father home?” he asked.
“No,” I said, even though my father was home. I lied without hesitating, without knowing why. Maybe I thought I was protecting my father. Maybe I sensed that something about this man was dangerous.
“Do you want to see what I’m holding?” the man asked, stepping closer. He looked past me, through the door into our living room. “I have something for you.”
I got up out of the hammock and walked over, thinking that maybe he’d hand me a few crumpled dollar bills to give my father. I wanted so much to believe him. But when I looked at his pants, down below his waist, he pulled out his dick.
It wasn’t like the ones I’d seen before—my brother’s, a baby cousin’s, or Eggy’s, which I saw once when he pulled it out and started pissing on a dead toad. Eggy’s had been no big deal. I’d been more interested in the toad, its carcass torn open and full of live maggots. Those other ones had been small, shriveled-up things. But this was something else. This was a grown man’s dick, swollen and thick and veiny. Horrifying.
At first I thought it was a mistake, that he’d meant to pull something out of his pocket and it somehow slipped out. But then, the smile on his face, the serrated edges of his sickle feather scar. I stumbled back.
“Papi!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. The man tore past the side of our building toward the cañaverales behind El Caserío.
Papi came out to the balcony, barefoot, wiping sleep from his eyes. But how could I explain what had just happened? From my mother, I’d learned that a girl’s body was special, that I should stay away from men, who were not to be trusted, that I should not let boys see my private parts, or let them show me theirs. How could I explain what the man had done without admitting that I’d stupidly let him? Years later I’d remember this moment, how I’d thought it was my own fault. How, ashamed, I thought of it like a secret that needed to be kept.
Standing there, heart pounding in my chest, I said nothing as my father rushed over, as he wrapped his arms around me, as he asked, “What’s wrong?”
I held my stomach, willing the tears to come, as Papi asked again and again, “What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”
But I kept it to myself, just cried and cried, wilting like moriviví in his arms.
I adored my father. He was the center of my universe, and I wanted, more than anything else, to be the center of his. That whole year, I had Papi mostly to myself during the day. But when I didn’t, at least I had his books.
In my father’s books, I would learn about the genocide of the Taínos, about our island’s Taíno name, Borikén, which then became Borínquen, and later, Puerto Rico. About Africans who were brought through the Transatlantic slave trade, including part of our black family, although most of my father’s side came from Haiti right after the Haitian Revolution, and settled in Naguabo. In my father’s books, and in my father’s own stories, I would find our history:
Ponce, 1937
After Pedro Albizu Campos’ first imprisonment in La Princesa, members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and civilians organized a march in protest. Puerto Ricans wanted independence from the United States, and from Blanton Winship, the US-appointed governor, who had not been elected by the people. They secured all the necessary permits, invited a marching band, gathered with their families after church. Men, women, and children headed toward the parade, where they would celebrate Palm Sunday with music and palm fronds.
This was our history, I would eventually learn. We’d come from uprisings against colonial rule, slavery, massacres, erasure. We’d carried histories of resistance, of protest.
Hundreds of people marched as the band played “La Borinqueña.” They were met by hundreds of police officers in riot gear who shot their Tommy Guns directly at the crowd of unarmed civilians. Under Winship’s orders, the cops surrounded the demonstrators, leaving them no route for escape.
The shooting lasted about thirteen minutes, some people say. Others insist it was fifteen.
The police murdered nineteen people, and wounded about 235, including a seven-year-old girl, a man shielding his young son, and an eighteen-year-old boy looking out his window.
Witnesses said that as the cops walked by the dead or dying, they beat them with their clubs. Most of the victims who lay dead on the street, the evidence showed, were shot in their backs while running away from the gunfire.
Although an investigation by the US Commission on Civil Rights found that Governor Winship had ordered the massacre, none of the murderers were ever convicted, or even prosecuted.
And I would also learn that my father, even though he spent his days selling perico, was imagining some other life. All that time lost in his books, all those nights writing poetry and painting, every single dollar he stashed away—Papi dreaming of another place, where his kids could play outside, where he didn’t have to sell dope anymore. One day, he would tell me all his secrets, all the stories not meant for children: the other woman he’d loved, the baby who died before I was born, the army days. And I would write it all down, determined to remember.
Prohibido olvidar.
Jaquira Díaz was born in Puerto Rico. Her work has been published in Rolling Stone, the Guardian, Longreads, the Fader, and T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and included in The Best American Essays 2016. She is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes, an Elizabeth George Foundation grant, and fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, the Kenyon Review, and the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing. She lives in Miami Beach with her partner, the writer Lars Horn. Ordinary Girls: A Memoir is her first book.
Published courtesy of Algonquin Books.
Longreads Editors: Sari Botton and Katie Kosma
Posted by Longreads on October 29, 2019
Categories: Books, Essays & Criticism, Featured, First Chapters, Nonfiction, Story
Tags: Books, cocaine, drugs, fathers, funerals, Jaquira Díaz, Juan Antonio Corretjer, memoir, protest, Puerto Rico
Get the Longreads Weekly Email
Sign up to get the week’s best Longreads delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon.
Friends: We Need Your Help to Fund More Stories
We want to dramatically increase our story fund this year, but we can't do it without your support. Every dollar you contribute goes to writers and publishers who spend hours, weeks, and months reporting and writing outstanding stories. Now is the time to join us.
Support Longreads
Become a Longreads Member for just $3 per month
Follow us on WordPress.com
wordpress-logo
Create your own site at WordPress.com arrow-right
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1466
|
__label__cc
| 0.588541
| 0.411459
|
Test Driving Cafe Wolseley - a restaurant for reviving shoppers at Bicester Village
Corbin and King
The window booths at Cafe Wolseley are the best spot by far
So what do we need to know about The Wolseley Cafe?
For starters, it's the first place to be opened by eminent restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King outside the Big Smoke. The all-day space comprises a grand café-restaurant, takeaway counter and a shop.
Where is it exactly?
You'll find it at the halfway point of Bicester Village - the high-end designer outlet shopping centre in Oxfordshire - opposite Dolce & Gabbana. Getting there is a cinch - just take the train from Marylebone direct to the village itself. It's about a 40-50 minute train journey if you get the fast train.
And why would a Londoner want to come all the way out here exactly?
Well, if you're after a designer bargain, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, then this is the place for you, with outlet stores from international names like Coach, Gucci and Balenciaga to more homegrown talents like Alexander McQueen, Bamford and Smythson.
When you're exhausted from all that splashing of cash, you'll be wanting somewhere to crash. Back when it was just fields and supermarkets around here, the only option was Pret. Now you have Soho Farmhouse, Shan Shui (from the Rasa Sayang group) and this iteration of The Wolseley.
What's the difference between this and the one in town?
Let's start with the fact that the Piccadilly version occupies a Grade II listed building and this one is purpose-built. That said, they've created a very clever pastiche of the original, bringing a little Viennese glamour to this high-end shopping mall. The main dining room is lovely and airy and ideally, you'll be wanting one of the booths that look out over the street so you can sip champagne whilst pitying the poor shoppers who didn't think to book ahead.
They really have done a good job of transferring the elegance of the Piccadilly dining room to Oxfordshire.
I need to book?
Yes, definitely. It was tipping down in Bicester the day we visited and the queue for Cafe Wolseley was 20 deep so we were very pleased to know we had a table and could skip the line of soggy shoppers.
Obviously the menu here largely reflects that of the original restaurant, but there are a few differences - namely that this one has a selection of pasta and pizza dishes, presumably to reflect the large family market here.
Here's what we had:
Severn and Wye oak-smoked salmon (£11.95) - classic C&K dish and the salmon from this high-quality smokehouse never disappoints.
Chicken liver parfait with Sauternes jelly (£9.75) - maybe not as beautifully presented as it was when we last had it at Soutine in St John's Wood, but then the dish is almost £2 cheaper here and it still tastes as good as ever.
Buttermilk fried chicken burger with chips (£16.50) - also exclusive to the menu here is this very good chicken burger. To be honest, we probably would have had the schnitzel had it been on the menu, but this was a more than decent alternative.
Ribeye steak with chips and bearnaise sauce (£28) - cooked just as we liked it, although this maybe could have done with a little more charring.
And to drink?
As you might expect from a family-focused establishment there's plenty in the way of booze-free options, including some rather good non-alcoholic cocktails. But the wine list is there too if you want to toast the purchase of your new Balmain cape with a glass of Pommery (£9.75) and it's all pretty decently priced, given the captive market.
Overall thoughts:
Obviously, a trip to Bicester Village is only really going to be of interest to those who love a bargain - but we are firmly of that demographic and very much enjoyed having Cafe Wolseley on hand as a place to recover from our retail splurge.
More about Cafe Wolseley
Where is it? Unit 145, Pingle Drive, Bicester Village, OX26 6WD
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Twitter @cafewolseley
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Cafe Wolseley. Prices correct at time of publication
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1482
|
__label__cc
| 0.634899
| 0.365101
|
Señor GIF Channels
NASA Scientists Discovered Water Vapor on Jupiter's Moon Europa
Extra extra read all about it. Europa, one of Jupiter's and the solar system's most iconic celestial bodies, has been examined by NASA scientists, and the results are pretty astounding. Though in recent times Mars and exploration of the "Red Planet" has taken the spotlight and held it in the public eye. But Europa is trying to change all that.
jo38ma3
The Hubble Telescope Gave Us an Incredible Look at Saturn's Rings and Moons
Amazing what a mere collection of water and ice and a few rocks can turn into. Saturn's rings are one of the most incredible sights in the night sky, and in space overall. Though their make up is unremarkable, since the 1970s when the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft visited the system and gave us our first close-up look.
What's more amazing is that unlike many other celestial bodies in our universe, that we need to physically reach in order to get a clear picture of, Saturn is close enough that we can get images like those below.
science beaches
What Would it Look Like if the Planets of the Solar System Were as Close as the Moon
One internet artist gave us a real perspective at what the planets would look like if they were as close as the moon. Can you imagine taking a selfie with Saturn in the background? Or taking a SpaceX weekend ride to Pluto? Whatever the case these visuals are simply incredible.
Extra Extra Read All About It - NASA Boss Thinks Pluto IS A Planet
Though downgraded to dwarf planet status, Pluto has been on the comeback trail of late. Many issues arose with the reclassification in 2006, including that only 424 of the 9000 members of the international organization in charge of making such decisions voted. In addition, immediately after the resolution, hundreds of planetary scientists petitioned against the changed classification. The problem began when the body changed the definition of what constitutes a planet, and due to Pluto lacking several of these features, it was demoted.
A recent mission to Pluto by NASA called New Horizons, recently gave us our closest and clearest look of Pluto and the surrounding planetary bodies in its area and orbit.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1490
|
__label__wiki
| 0.977141
| 0.977141
|
Tina Fey Tells Oprah She Lost 30 Pounds During 'SNL'
lizzy-buczak
When she’s not making people laugh or producing Broadway shows, Tina Fey is sticking to her diet plan and meeting weight goals.
The actress that brought “30 Rock’s” funny gal Liz Lemon to life credited WW (formerly Weight Watchers) with helping her shed weight.
Fey made an appearance at Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus tour stop in St. Paul Minnesota on Sunday, where she told the WW spokesperson that she lost 30 pounds thanks to the program.
#TinaFey shares her recipe for a weight-conscious banana split with @Oprah https://t.co/mmUwRnnt3D
— ET Canada (@ETCanada) January 13, 2020
Fey said the lifestyle change happened shortly after she moved from Chicago to New York in 1997 to become a writer on “Saturday Night Live.”
“I was in Chicago, and really enjoyed the food… and the big coats,” she jokingly told Winfrey, according to ET.
At first, the pressure and demands of the job caused her to deal with her stress by eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts, according to an interview with PEOPLE in 2004.
But that’s all in the past as Fey has embraced a healthier lifestyle.
In fact, she says that whenever her sweet tooth tingles, she eats a low-calorie dessert instead of skipping sweets altogether.
“I take a banana and strawberry, and put frozen Cool Whip on it with a chocolate drizzle, and tell myself it’s a banana split,” she said per ET.
According to O, the Oprah Magazine, Fey’s a “lifetime” WW member and occasionally uses the program’s community app to scout recipes under an alias.
She also admits that she’s not currently tracking points, but that will soon change as she gears up to host the 2021 Golden Globes alongside fellow comedian and partner-in-crime, Amy Poehler.
Follow RADIO.COM
tina-fey
oprah-winfrey
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1500
|
__label__wiki
| 0.841287
| 0.841287
|
And That Happened: Sunday’s Scores and Highlights
Braves 10, Phillies 1: Ozzie Albies led off the game with his ninth homer of the year, doubled in a run and Ronald Acuña went 2-for-3 with an RBI double himself — it should’ve been a triple but he fell down rounding second — reaching base four times. The 1-2 punch at the top of the Braves order is both exciting and young, their combined ages less than Bartolo Colon‘s 44 years. They had help from a Johan Camargo three-run homer. He’s 24 so I suppose the Braves have some old men contributing as well. Brandon McCarthy allowed one run while pitching into the sixth. McCarthy is 34. He has to feel positively ancient on this club. I’m sure no one cares, though, as the Braves have won four of five.
Royals 5, White Sox 4: Cheslor Cuthbert homered twice and drove in four runs. No word if Sal Perez was OK with how he carried himself on his trots or if he should be “excited” given that Cuthbert has never been in a playoff game, but something tells me Perez would be OK with cartwheels and back handsprings given that it’s his teammate.
Cubs 2, Brewers 0: There are, like, 47 “Tylers” in baseball right now and likely more on the way given the naming conventions of the mid-to-late 1990s, but only one Tyler — Chatwood, of the Cubs –tossed seven, two-hit shutout innings yesterday and singled in a run to help his own cause. I guess we almost had two Tyler shutouts, what with Mahle for the Reds pitching well too, but we only had one. I’m guessing we stand a decent shot of having multiple Tyler shutouts on one day soon. At least as long as no Taylors or Zacks or Bradens or Hunters or whatever break ’em up with homers.
Mets 14, Padres 2: Adrian Gonzalez homered and drove in five as he returned to Petco Park and his home town. Padres fans booed him when he pinch hit on Saturday, which is about as dumb a thing as I can imagine. Dude is the biggest star the Padres have had in the post Tony Gwynn-era and he didn’t choose to leave. He was traded. One of the guys he was traded for was Anthony Rizzo, by the way, and then the Padres traded him away too. Maybe Padres fans should boo their front office. Anyway, the Mets batted around in both the seventh and eighth innings, scoring five runs each frame. Zack Wheeler struck out nine in five innings and enjoyed 14 runs and 19 hits of support.
Orioles 5, Tigers 3: Moderate power dudes over 30 who are defensive liabilities are all but extinct in Major League Baseball these days, but if you look in the undergrowth of the big league rain forest you can still see some out there, struggling for survival but still exhibiting the same characteristics from back when they flourished. You see stuff like Pedro Alvarez hitting two homers and getting starts at third base, as he did yesterday. Life finds a way.
Red Sox 4, Rays 3: Sandy Leon hit a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning, J.D. Martinez had four hits and drove in two and Craig Kimbrel worked out of trouble in an inning and a third of work to help the Red Sox snap the Rays’ eight-game winning streak. Denard Span had a two-run homer in the loss.
Blue Jays 7, Rangers 2: Kevin Pillar Teoscar Hernandez and Yangervis Solarte homered to help the Jays avoid being swept. Randal Grichuk helped too, with this:
He freakin’ fell, but still controlled his body enough to be in the position to catch that ball and, with a little luck at the end, brought it in without even seeing it. Unbelievable.
Mariners 10, Indians 4: Ryon Healey hit two homers and drove in four and Robinson Cano and Mitch Haniger went deep too in this rout. Cano’s bomb was his 100th as a Mariner. The M’s won three of four in the series and hit ten homers in all. Healey had three himself.
Marlins 3, Rockies 0: Caleb Smith twirled seven innings of two-hit shutout ball, striking out nine for his first big league win. Miguel Rojas homered and Lewis Brinson singled in a run. Only nine runs total were scored in this three-game series, with the Rockies scoring only two and notching only fifteen hits.
Nationals 3, Diamondbacks 1: Gio Gonzalez struck out eight over seven innings as the Nats avoid a sweep. Worse for the Dbacks than the loss was losing starter Robbie Ray to a strained oblique muscle. He’ll have an MRI today but the disabled list is waiting. The Dbacks did manage to win their ninth straight series to start the season with their wins on Friday and Saturday, and that’s pretty cool.
Pirates 5, Cardinals 0: Pirates starter Nick Kingham made his major league debut in this one and all he did was take a perfect game into the seventh. He ended having giving up just the single which broke up the perfecto, walked no one and struck out nine on 98 pitches. This was supposed to be a spot start due the Pirates playing a double header last week. I suppose we’ll see about that. The Pirates swept the Cards and won their fifth straight.
Reds 8, Twins 2: Tyler Mahle was impressive for the second time in a row, allowing one run over six and a third and striking out seven while Jose Peraza had three hits and Adam Duvall homered. The Reds took two of three from the Twins, giving them their first series win of the year.
Astros 8, Athletics 4: Gerrit Cole continues to be impressive as all get-out for Houston, striking out 12 in six and two-thirds innings of work. It was the fourth time in six starts this year that he has struck out 10 or more batters. He only had six double-digit strikeout performances in his five previous seasons combined. George Springer and Jose Altuve each drove in two. The A’s committed four errors on the day, including two in the bottom of the seventh which helped Houston take the lead for good.
Giants 4, Dodgers 2: Ty Blach outpitched Kenta Maeda, backed with Evan Longoria‘s three-run homer and a Brandon Belt RBI double. Cody Bellinger was benched for dogging it and the Dodgers dropped three of four to the Giants. It’s been a bad early go of it for the men in blue this year. They have a four-game set against the Dbacks starting today. It’s time to shake off the cobwebs and realize that preseason predictions and last season performance have no bearing on the standings once the season begins.
Yankees 2, Angels 1: Gary Sanchez hit a massive two-run dong and that was all CC Sabathia needed in support, as he twirled seven innings of one-run ball. The Yankees have won nine in a row.
Tags: Adam Duvall, Adrian Gonzalez, Anthony Rizzo, Bartolo Colon, Brandon Belt, Brandon McCarthy, Caleb Smith, CC Sabathia, Cheslor Cuthbert, Cody Bellinger, Craig Kimbrel, Denard Span, Evan Longoria, Gary Sanchez, George Springer, Gerrit Cole, Gio Gonzalez, J.D. Martinez, Johan Camargo, Jose Altuve, Jose Peraza, Kenta Maeda, Kevin Pillar, Lewis Brinson, Miguel Rojas, Mitch Haniger, Oscar Hernandez, Ozzie Albies, Pedro Alvarez, Randal Grichuk, Robbie Ray, Robinson Cano, Sandy Leon, Teoscar Hernandez, Ty Blach, Tyler Mahle, Yangervis Solarte, Zack Wheeler
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1501
|
__label__cc
| 0.737608
| 0.262392
|
Graham-Field Opens New Global Headquarters
Graham-Field Health Products has a new base of operations in Atlanta.
The new facility — the company’s global headquarters — opened to great fanfare on Dec. 12, with 150 guests and Georgia dignitaries in attendance.
The facility is 7.45 acres and is located in two counties in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The address is One Graham-Field Way.
The new location houses not just the global headquarters, but also Graham-Field’s regional distribution center, a customer showroom, and its therapeutic support surfaces and specialty seating manufacturing operations.
In its news announcement, Graham-Field said the global headquarters represented a $10 million investment.
“The decision to expand our presence in metro Atlanta was the next step in our growth strategy,” said Ken Spett, Graham-Field’s President/CEO. “With the 10-month construction process complete, the new space, combined with our facilities in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Missouri, Rhode Island and California, cements Graham-Field’s position as a prominent design, engineering and domestic medical equipment manufacturing company.”
Graham-Field currently has more than 300 employees company wide.
BOC Congratulates New Executive Committee & Directors
Permobil Foundation Honors Life & Career of Brandon Edmondson
NMEDA Conference Registration Now Open
A Win for CRT Consumers
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1504
|
__label__cc
| 0.612006
| 0.387994
|
An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice
P. M. Motta, E. Vizza, S. Correr, G. Macchiarelli, G. Familiari, U. Muglia
Istituto Regina Elena
The presence and distribution of contractile cells in mature corpora lutea (CL) of pregnant and normal cycling mice were studied by transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. In the connective tissue surrounding the CL. SEM observations made after maceration in alkali, revealed long, flat, spindle-shaped elements arranged parallel to each other, forming a continuous capsule. TEM of these elements revealed ultrastructural features of mature smooth muscle cells (SMC), as well as structures intermediate between fibroblasts, fibrocytes and SMC. Discrete bundles of SMC were seen to exit the external capsule of the CL and to penetrate the luteal tissue. The extensive branches of these bundles of SMC appeared to make contact with numerous vessels. Therefore, three-dimensional reconstruction, based on TEM and SEM analysis, revealed that the SMC of the CL were organized such that they form a wide fibromuscular skeleton around and within the luteal mass. It is possible that pulsatile or tonic contraction of this structure may help to regulate the secretory activity of the luteal tissue by modifying the pressure inside the CL.
Cells Tissues Organs
https://doi.org/10.1159/000147585
Smooth Muscle Myocytes
Alkalies
Electron Scanning Microscopy
Muscle Cells
Ultrastructure
Motta, P. M., Vizza, E., Correr, S., Macchiarelli, G., Familiari, G., & Muglia, U. (1994). An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice. Cells Tissues Organs, 149(4), 247-254. https://doi.org/10.1159/000147585
An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice. / Motta, P. M.; Vizza, E.; Correr, S.; Macchiarelli, G.; Familiari, G.; Muglia, U.
In: Cells Tissues Organs, Vol. 149, No. 4, 1994, p. 247-254.
Motta, PM, Vizza, E, Correr, S, Macchiarelli, G, Familiari, G & Muglia, U 1994, 'An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice', Cells Tissues Organs, vol. 149, no. 4, pp. 247-254. https://doi.org/10.1159/000147585
Motta PM, Vizza E, Correr S, Macchiarelli G, Familiari G, Muglia U. An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice. Cells Tissues Organs. 1994;149(4):247-254. https://doi.org/10.1159/000147585
Motta, P. M. ; Vizza, E. ; Correr, S. ; Macchiarelli, G. ; Familiari, G. ; Muglia, U. / An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice. In: Cells Tissues Organs. 1994 ; Vol. 149, No. 4. pp. 247-254.
@article{706072a9c74c4160a5eed08314d686a3,
title = "An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice",
abstract = "The presence and distribution of contractile cells in mature corpora lutea (CL) of pregnant and normal cycling mice were studied by transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. In the connective tissue surrounding the CL. SEM observations made after maceration in alkali, revealed long, flat, spindle-shaped elements arranged parallel to each other, forming a continuous capsule. TEM of these elements revealed ultrastructural features of mature smooth muscle cells (SMC), as well as structures intermediate between fibroblasts, fibrocytes and SMC. Discrete bundles of SMC were seen to exit the external capsule of the CL and to penetrate the luteal tissue. The extensive branches of these bundles of SMC appeared to make contact with numerous vessels. Therefore, three-dimensional reconstruction, based on TEM and SEM analysis, revealed that the SMC of the CL were organized such that they form a wide fibromuscular skeleton around and within the luteal mass. It is possible that pulsatile or tonic contraction of this structure may help to regulate the secretory activity of the luteal tissue by modifying the pressure inside the CL.",
keywords = "Corpus luteum, Mouse, Smooth muscle cells, Ultrastructure",
author = "Motta, {P. M.} and E. Vizza and S. Correr and G. Macchiarelli and G. Familiari and U. Muglia",
doi = "10.1159/000147585",
journal = "Cells Tissues Organs",
T1 - An ultrastructural study of the fibromuscular capsule of the corpus luteum in mice
AU - Motta, P. M.
AU - Vizza, E.
AU - Correr, S.
AU - Macchiarelli, G.
AU - Familiari, G.
AU - Muglia, U.
N2 - The presence and distribution of contractile cells in mature corpora lutea (CL) of pregnant and normal cycling mice were studied by transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. In the connective tissue surrounding the CL. SEM observations made after maceration in alkali, revealed long, flat, spindle-shaped elements arranged parallel to each other, forming a continuous capsule. TEM of these elements revealed ultrastructural features of mature smooth muscle cells (SMC), as well as structures intermediate between fibroblasts, fibrocytes and SMC. Discrete bundles of SMC were seen to exit the external capsule of the CL and to penetrate the luteal tissue. The extensive branches of these bundles of SMC appeared to make contact with numerous vessels. Therefore, three-dimensional reconstruction, based on TEM and SEM analysis, revealed that the SMC of the CL were organized such that they form a wide fibromuscular skeleton around and within the luteal mass. It is possible that pulsatile or tonic contraction of this structure may help to regulate the secretory activity of the luteal tissue by modifying the pressure inside the CL.
AB - The presence and distribution of contractile cells in mature corpora lutea (CL) of pregnant and normal cycling mice were studied by transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. In the connective tissue surrounding the CL. SEM observations made after maceration in alkali, revealed long, flat, spindle-shaped elements arranged parallel to each other, forming a continuous capsule. TEM of these elements revealed ultrastructural features of mature smooth muscle cells (SMC), as well as structures intermediate between fibroblasts, fibrocytes and SMC. Discrete bundles of SMC were seen to exit the external capsule of the CL and to penetrate the luteal tissue. The extensive branches of these bundles of SMC appeared to make contact with numerous vessels. Therefore, three-dimensional reconstruction, based on TEM and SEM analysis, revealed that the SMC of the CL were organized such that they form a wide fibromuscular skeleton around and within the luteal mass. It is possible that pulsatile or tonic contraction of this structure may help to regulate the secretory activity of the luteal tissue by modifying the pressure inside the CL.
KW - Corpus luteum
KW - Mouse
KW - Smooth muscle cells
KW - Ultrastructure
U2 - 10.1159/000147585
DO - 10.1159/000147585
JO - Cells Tissues Organs
JF - Cells Tissues Organs
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1511
|
__label__wiki
| 0.691233
| 0.691233
|
A maternally inherited 8.05 Mb Xq21 deletion associated with Choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation syndrome in a male patient
Siying Liang1,
Nan Jiang1,
Shuo Li1,
Xiaohu Jiang2 &
Dongyi Yu1
Molecular Cytogenetics volume 10, Article number: 23 (2017) Cite this article
Deletions in Xq21 cause various congenital defects in males including choroideremia, deafness and mental retardation, depending on their size and gene content. Until now only a limited number of patients with Xq21 deletions has been reported.
Here we describe a 17-year-old male with choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation syndrome. Using SNP arrays, an 8.05 Mb deletion in Xq21 was identified inherited from the apparently healthy mother. The deleted region harbors 12 OMIM genes, of which POU3F4, CHM, and ZNF711 might have contributed to the patient’s phenotype including hearing loss, poor vision, and intellectual disability. Moreover, the patient’s mother exhibits a normal phenotype while carrying the same deletion, which is often observed in previous studies on female carriers in families with this syndrome.
Our study confirms the causative effect between the Xq21 deletion in males and choroideremia, deafness and mental retardation.
X-chromosome deletions can result in serious congenital defects. Males seldom exhibit these defects, as deletions on the X chromosome are essentially lethal in male embryos discarded at an early embryonic stage. Even though high-resolution SNP array analysis has been performed to identify small deletions on the X chromosome, the clinical significance of Xq21 deletions in males is still poorly understood. It has been shown that a contiguous gene Xq21 deletion, including POU3F4, CHM and ZNF711 genes, could result in choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation syndrome. This deletion produces degeneration of the choriocapillaris, the retinal pigment epithelium, and the photoreceptor of the eye, as well as inner ear abnormality with progressive mixed hearing loss and intellectual disability. In the last decades, only six cases with Xq21 deletions have been reported [1,2,3]. Despite the severe symptoms exhibited by male probands, most female carriers are non-symptomatic or express only a mild phenotype [2].
Here we describe the case of a 17-year-old male with mental retardation, choroideremia, hearing impairment, cochlear deformity, and facial anomalies. Analysis by SNP array, identified an 8.05 Mb contiguous gene deletion in Xq21 harboring POU3F4, CYLC1, RPS6KA6, HDX, APOOL, SATL1, ZNF711, POF1B, CHM, DACH2, KLHL4, and CPXCR1 genes. The same deletion was identified in the apparently healthy mother. Our data contribute to further understanding the correlation between Xq21 deletions and the abnormal phenotypes. Furthermore, we present all the Xq21 deletion cases previously described in order to review the matter of genotype-phenotype correlations.
The patient was born by spontaneous delivery after an uneventful pregnancy (birth weight 3.350 kg and occipitofrontal circumference 35.5 cm) to phenotypically normal parents. He showed global development delay since infancy. He learned to speak at 18 months old and to walk at 2.5 years old. During childhood, he showed severe learning impairment and social disabilities. However, he was able to react to verbal words and to carry out brief communications. He has a narrow forehead, slightly drooping eyelids, short palpebral fissures, and prominent ears (Fig. 1). His IQ level is below 40, according to the Wechsler Intelligence Scale test, and his general cognitive ability is also low. His vision test result was out of the normal scale, indicating poor sight. His hearing test showed moderate hearing impairment with 60 dB of hearing loss. Ophthalmoscopy showed partial degeneration of the eye choroid (Fig. 2a). High resolution CT (HRCT) imaging showed that the base turn of the cochlea was shortened, the second turn and the apical turn were merged or unclearly divided, and the modiolus was absent, which evidently supported for the inner ear malformation (Fig. 2b). The patient’s mother also underwent the tests described above. However, her results were normal and there was no evidence suggesting that she might exhibit choroideremia, or hearing impairment in the future.
Facial dysmorphism of the patient, including narrow forehead, slightly drooping eyelids, short palpebral fissures and prominent ears
a Ophthalmoscopy photos of the patient showed the partial degeneration of the choroid in both eyes. b High-resolution CT imaging showed the cochlea deformity of the patient, including the short base turn of the cochlea, unclear division between the second turn and the apical turn of the cochlea and the absence of the modiolus
Peripheral blood samples of the patient and his mother were used for genomic DNA extraction. Briefly, genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood using DNA Blood Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germany). Chromosomal microarray analysis was performed using Cytoscan 750 K chip, (Affymetrix, USA) according to manufacturer’s instructions. CMA was performed with CytoScan 750 K array (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA) according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. The platform is composed of 550,000 non-polymorphic CNV probes and more than 200,000 SNP probes with an average resolution of 100 kb. The data was analyzed using chromosome analysis software ChAS (Affymetrix, USA). Primers flanking the deleted fragment, POU3F4and CPXCR1, were designed using Primer 5.0 (Premier, Canada) and were used to validate the deletion by PCR and agarose electrophoresis. Data collection were performed via searching in DECIPHER database (https://decipher.sanger.ac.uk/) and ISCA (https://www.clinicalgenome.org/) in order to identify cases of patients carrying similar deletions [4].
SNP array analysis detected an 8.05 Mb deletion in the long arm of the X chromosome at Xq21.1-21.31 (Fig. 3) in both the patient and his mother. The genomic position of this deletion according to GRCh37/hg19 was Chr X: 80,817,978-88,868,979. The deleted region harbors 12 genes, including POU3F4, CYLC1, RPS6KA6, HDX, APOOL, SATL1, ZNF711, POF1B, CHM, DACH2, KLHL4 and CPXCR1(Table 1). The PCR result confirmed the SNP array data.
Detected by SNP arrays analysis, an 8.05 Mb deletion on the long arm of the X chromosome at Xq21 in the patient
Table 1 OMIM genes included in the deletion, protein products and function and disease caused
Patients with choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation were first described by Ayazi [1]. In a kindred (XL-45), two brothers and their maternal uncle exhibited this syndrome, while the females had only characteristic retinal changes. The second kindred (XL-62) was reported by Nussbaum [2], in which two matrilineal first cousins had choroideremia, mental retardation, deafness, and short stature. Nussbaum found that affected members from both kindreds, XL-45 and XL-62, carried similar size deletions in Xq21. Following fine mapping studies revealed that the deleted region contained putative loci for choroideremia, X-linked deafness-2 (DFNX2), and non-specific X-linked mental retardation. These loci are currently known as genes CHM and POU3F4 [5]. Another case was reported by Song et al. [3], in which a 3-year-old boy showed deafness and mild mental retardation, while genetic analysis confirmed the presence of a 16 Mb Xq21 deletion. In this kindred (SV-08-20), the carrier mother had only mild high-tone hearing loss. To the best of our knowledge, so far, our patient is the seventh reported case with this syndrome. Although the genetic deletion and clinical phenotype are highly typical compared to the previous reports, there are still notable distinctions. For instance, in our case the patient’s mother exhibits no symptoms, which is consistent with most of the female carriers in XL-62 but not with those in XL-45. A detailed comparison of all the seven cases and female carriers is made in Table 2.
Table 2 Detailed comparison of the phenotype, the deleted region and the genes included in the probands and female carriers in the reported kindreds
As deafness and choroideremia are commonly observed in all the recorded cases, POU3F4 and CHM gene deletions are two basic indexes for diagnosis. POU3F4 gene encodes POU-III class factor 4, a transcription factor that mediates epigenetic signals, which induce striatal neuron-precursor differentiation. By generating non-functional products, mutations in this gene often lead to DFNX2, which is characterized by conductive and sensorineural progressive hearing loss and pathognomonic temporal bone deformity, including dilatation of the inner auditory canal and fistulous connection between the internal dilatation auditory canal and the cochlear basal turn [6]. Accordingly, our patient showed inner ear deformity with short base turn of the cochlea, unclear division within the cochlea and the absence of the modiolus, which is a typical consequence of POU3F4 deletion.
CHM gene defect is a confirmed cause of choroideremia, an X-linked disease leading to progressive vision loss. CHM encodes REP1, a subunit of geranylgeranyl transferase that affects the regulation of vesicular traffic. Deletions and point mutations in CHM generate a truncated product and result in degeneration of the choriocapillaris, retinal pigment epithelium, and eye photoreceptors [7]. Despite the strong pathogenicity in male patients, mutations in CHM do not have the same effect on female carriers. This might be a consequence of the non-random inactivation of the X chromosome, which has been validated by Carrel and Willard in their studies on CHM-inactivation escaping pattern [8].
Notably in previous reports, all male probands exhibited prominent phenotypes, including both choroideremia and hearing impairment, while the female carriers of each kindred exhibited only one of the clinical characteristics and their symptoms were milder. In our case, the mother manifests no symptoms, similar to the female carriers in kindred XL-62. This diversity of female carrier’s phenotypes shows that although a regressive inheritance pattern is clear, the exact influence of gene loss towards female carriers is still unpredictable.
ZNF711 is a member of the zinc-finger gene family. It has been proved that the ZNF711 protein interacts, as a cofactor, with demethylase PHF8 in binding to target genes, thus suggesting a role for ZNF711 in transcriptional modulation [9]. Although limited in clinical case reports, ZNF711 gene loss is believed to be causative to non-specific X-linked mental retardation(MRX97). By exon sequencing of the X chromosome in 208 families with X-linked mental retardation, Tarpey et al. 2009. identified two truncating mutations of ZNF711 in two families with MRX97 [10]. Clinical reports of sporadic cases also support this pathogenetic connection [11]. Recently in 11 male patients from two new found MRX97 families, Van der Welf et al. [12] identified a frameshift deletion and a missence mutation in ZNF711 which both predict the deleterious effect and cause the disease. By expression analysis of cell culture, they also showed that these mutations induced differential expression of genes known to be expressed in the brain compared to controls, which adds evidence to ZNF711 as a transcription factor. In our case, our patient exhibits severe intellectual disabilities and facial dysmorphism, which are coincided with the phenotype of MRX97. Considering of other pathogenetic genes (POU3F4 and CHM) have no independent effect to mental retardation, ZNF711 loss may have contributed majorly to the MRX97 phenotype of our patient.
We continued to search in the Decipher and ISCA databases for similar size deletions at Xq21.1 and identified 11 deletions with certain pathogenicity. Although most of them have concurrent phenotypes, none is exactly corresponds to the phenotypes of our patient. A notable fact is that deletions which does not contain ZNF711 are often not associated with mental retardations (Decipher 289,263, 287,836, ISCA 582602, 3,442,681, and 578,452, Fig. 4) or only with moderate MD (Decipher 287,069, Fig. 4). This furtherly suggests that ZNF711 gene loss might be an independent cause to mental retardation.
Xq21.1 deletion. The upper part of the figure illustrates the exact locations of the protein coding genes included in this region. The lower part of the figure schematically represents the Xq21.1 deleted region in our patient(in red) and other deletions reported in the Decipher(in black) and ISCA database(in red). The ID of each patient is reported. The clinical features of the patients are reported in parentheses below the corresponding deletion as described in Decipher (https://decipher.sanger.ac.uk/) and ISCA (https://www.clinicalgenome.org/)
In conclusion, our male patient carrying the 8.05 Mb Xq21 deletion exhibits a typical phenotype of choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation syndrome, an association which has been demonstrated by previous cases. Meanwhile, as it is commonly observed in other female carriers, the mother of our patient, who carries the same deletion, is non-symptomatic. Additionally, comparing to previous reports our patient has a more compact deleted genome region which contains less OMIM genes. This may help to prune down the causative genes of disease phenotypes. Although our study confirms the causative effect of the Xq21 deletion in males with multiple congenital defects, more cases are needed to be studied in order to clarify the consequences of gene loss in this chromosomal region and the effects on the phenotype.
APOOL :
Apolipoprotein O like
ChAS:
Chromosome analysis suite (Affymetrix)
CHM :
Rab escort protein 1
Chr:
CPXCR1:
CPX chromosome region, candidate 1
CYLC1 :
Cylicin, basic protein of sperm head cytoskeleton 1
DACH2 :
Dachshund family transcription factor 2
DFNX2:
Deafness, X-linked 2
HDX:
Highly divergent homeobox
HRCT:
High-resolution computed tomography
IQ:
KLHL4:
Kelch like family member 4
Online Mendelian inheritance in man
POF1B :
Premature ovarian failure, 1B
POU3F4 :
POU class 3 homeobox 4
RPS6KA6 :
Ribosomal protein S6 kinase A6
SATL1 :
Spermidine/spermine N1-acetyl transferase-like 1
Single-nucleotide polymorphism
Xq21:
X chromosome long arm q band 21
ZNF711 :
Zinc finger protein 711
Ayazi S. Choroideremia, obesity, and congenital deafness. Am J Ophthalmol. 1981;92(1):63–9.
Nussbaum RL, Lesko JG, Lewis RA, Ledbetter SA, Ledbetter DH. Isolation of anonymous DNA sequences from within a submicroscopic X chromosomal deletion in a patient with choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987;84(18):6521–5.
Song MH, Lee HK, Choi JY, Kim S, Bok J, Kim UK. Clinical evaluation of DFN3 patients with deletions in the POU3F4 locus and detection of carrier female using MLPA. Clin Genet. 2010;78(6):524–32.
Firth HV, Richards SM, Bevan AP, et al. DECIPHER: database of chromosomal imbalance and phenotype in humans using Ensembl resources. Am J Hum Genet. 2009;84(4):524–33.
Bach I, Robinson D, Thomas N, Ropers HH, Cremers FP. Physical fine mapping of genes underlying X-linked deafness and non fra (X)-X-linked mental retardation at Xq21. Hum Genet. 1992;89(6):620–4.
Phelps PD, Reardon W, Pembrey M, Bellman S, Luxom L. X-linked deafness, stapes gushers and a distinctive defect of the inner ear. Neuroradiology. 1991;33(4):326–30.
McTaggart KE, Tran M, Mah DY, Lai SW, Nesslinger NJ, MacDonald IM. Mutational analysis of patients with the diagnosis of choroideremia. Hum Mutat. 2002;20(3):189–96.
Carrel L, Willard HF. Heterogeneous gene expression from the inactive X chromosome: an X-linked gene that escapes X inactivation in some human cell lines but is inactivated in others. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999;96(13):7364–9.
Kleine-Kohlbrecher D, Christensen J, Vandamme J, et al. A functional link between the histone demethylase PHF8 and the transcription factor ZNF711 in X-linked mental retardation. Mol Cell. 2010;38(2):165–78.
Tarpey PS, Smith R, Pleasance E, et al. A systematic, large-scale resequencing screen of X-chromosome coding exons in mental retardation. Nat Genet. 2009;41(5):535–43.
Jin Z, Yu L, Geng J, Wang J, Jin X, Huang H. A novel 47.2 Mb duplication on chromosomal bands Xq21.1-25 associated with mental retardation. Gene. 2015;567(1):98–102.
Van der Werf IM, Van Dijck A, Reyniers E, et al. Mutations in two large pedigrees highlight the role of ZNF711 in X-linked intellectual disability. Gene. 2017;605:92–8.
We thank the patient and his family for their participation in this study.
Please contact author for data requests.
By carrying out molecular genetic tests, helping in the clinical examination of the patient and writing manuscript, Siying L,NJ and Shuo.L have contributed equally to this articles. XJ helped in data research for revision. DY conceived of the study and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
The legal guardian of the patient has authorized the usage of patient’s data(including facial images) for publication. See supplementary material.
This study has been approved by the Ethic Committee of Qingdao Women and Children’s hospital, and with full knowledge, the legal guardian of the patient has signed written informed consent to participate in it.
Genetic Testing Center, Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, #217, Liaoyangxi Road, Qingdao, 266034, China
Siying Liang
, Nan Jiang
, Shuo Li
& Dongyi Yu
Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
Xiaohu Jiang
Search for Siying Liang in:
Search for Nan Jiang in:
Search for Shuo Li in:
Search for Xiaohu Jiang in:
Search for Dongyi Yu in:
Correspondence to Dongyi Yu.
Liang, S., Jiang, N., Li, S. et al. A maternally inherited 8.05 Mb Xq21 deletion associated with Choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation syndrome in a male patient. Mol Cytogenet 10, 23 (2017) doi:10.1186/s13039-017-0324-6
Received: 03 January 2017
Choroideremia
SNP arrays
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1512
|
__label__cc
| 0.74249
| 0.25751
|
Scientific Research and Monitoring 2011-2018
Collection of Data During 2017-2018 Overwintering Season
From January to March, MBF board member, Isabel Ramírez, and her team collected data that will be used for four projects: one for the North American CEC (Commission for Environmental Cooperation), to analyze the sampled monarch’s natal origin (stable isotopes analyses will be done by Dr. Tyler Flockhart from the Appalachian Lab in Maryland); the second, in collaboration with Dr. Jeremy McNeil from the University of Western Ontario and Dr. Jocelyn Millar from the University of California, Riverside will attempt to find chemical signals that overwintering butterflies may leave behind on the branches and soil as clues for future butterfly colonies; the third, includes the collection of forest regeneration data in areas that were identified as being damaged by the illegal logging in 2015 to follow-up the forest restoration plan drafted by the reserve; and finally, Isabel and her students continued to collect climate data and soil cover changes for the long term environmental research project that she has been working on for the past fifteen years.
Monitoring of Forest Health
The Butterflies and Their People, A.C. (B&TP), led by Dr. Ellen Sharp and Joel Moreno, are training residents from Ejido El Capulín, Ejido Nicolás Romero and Nicolás Romero indigenous community to participate in multiple monitoring projects. In September 2017, B&TP hired one full-time forest arborist from each of these communities who regularly visit the overwintering colonies and provide detailed information about wildlife, species, and forest health over the winter period. In collaboration with MBF board member, Dr. Pablo Jaramillo, arborists have been trained to monitor a natural regeneration project as well as documenting birds, flowers, and mushrooms in Cerro Pelón. Thanks to this grant, the program began last year and has now grown, thanks to an online GoFundMe campaign allowing B&TP to hire additional arborists. We are happy to have contributed to this budding project that promises to continue helping local communities and the forest!
Arborists from the Butterflies and Their People
Biodiversity Monitoring
While the monarch butterfly is our main concern, many other organisms also inhabit the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR). This year, MBF funded a project to organize, review, process, and analyze acoustic, ultrasonic and wildlife camera files collected during 2016 in the MBBR by several NGOs (members of the Monarch Network-Red Monarca) as part of the existing data base in the National System to Monitor Biodiversity (SNMB).
Led by Belinda Ibarra López, independent consultant, in collaboration with the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN), this project will improve the information on species dynamics and their populations over time.
FMCN received 39,520 received files which were organized, classified, and integrated into 62 fauna databases. Forty five percent of the data was analyzed and a total of 86 species were identified, out of which 31% are not registered in the MBBR´s Management Plan. Specifically, 60 species of birds were identified in the acoustic files, 15 of bats in the ultrasonic recordings and 11 of mammals in wildlife cameras. Below are some photographs from the wildlife cameras. The bat pictured below is under special protection and is endemic to Mexico.
(Bassariscus astutus)
(Canis latrans)
Mexican Dog-faced Bat
(Cynomops mexicanus)
The results not only helped to learn about species’ presence, abundance and activity patterns but will allow researchers to update species distribution maps, conduct censuses of the domestic fauna, detect and map habitat fragmentation among other things. All this data will contribute to better management practices in the protected area such as restricting human activities in certain areas during relevant periods for the health of wildlife populations and identify priority areas to promote the connectivity of forest landscapes among others.
MBF is very excited with the contribution this research will make to improve the MBBR’s Management Plan. Additionally, government institutions, the Reserve and local communities are all collaborating and now, thanks to this research, have the necessary tools to make informed decisions to implement the best management strategies for the area that are compatible with the ecological requirements. This will promote the ecological integrity of the MBBR and protect wildlife, the forest, and our beloved monarchs!
Evaluation of Ecological Restoration
This summer MBF funded undergraduate environmental sciences student Salvador Huitrón, from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, to evaluate the ecological restoration activities in the monarch butterfly overwintering sites during 2012-2107.
Since overwintering sites of the monarch butterfly were discovered in Mexico, four decades ago, actions geared towards recovery of the forests that have been degraded need to be documented and assessed in a systematic fashion. Salvador will evaluate the approaches and strategies related to the restoration of the monarch butterfly’s overwintering sites carried out by the ejidos and indigenous communities during 2012-2107 and highlight their successes and lessons learned. This will allow stakeholders to analyze the current restoration activities and foresee future trends, as well as guide and strengthen the ecological restoration efforts in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR).
To do this Salvador will identify priority micro-watersheds of the monarch butterfly’s overwintering sites based on the historical records of the colonies, identify the main impacts of deterioration and/or recovery in the forests, and the ecological restoration activities carried out to revert the damage, evaluating these activities. This research will give important input for the development of a Best Practices for Ecological Restoration Plan for the MBBR and aims to identify all the local strategies and existing initiatives to provide approaches that are in tune with the current situation of the forests, restoration priorities and climate change trends acknowledged to date.
Ecologic and Genetic Variation in Oyamel Research
Another project that will be supported by MBF is for doctoral student Claudia Guerrero Vizcaíno, who will describe, both ecologically and genetically, multiple populations of oyamels (Abies religiosa) in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR).
Claudia will analyze the ecological and genetic features in the recovery of Abies religiosa in forest gaps where wood was extracted under various management conditions inside the MBBR. Her methodology includes identifying sampling sites with clearings caused by extraction in the oyamel forests as well as natural regeneration and/or reforestation sites. She will also collect soil samples to determine nutrient availability and record the various species of plants in the understory, to learn what factors facilitate or inhibit the regeneration of oyamels. In addition, she will carry out genetic analyses by collecting oyamel needles to learn about their genetic diversity, flow, and structure.
The maintenance of genetic diversity is key to conservation programs since it promotes adaptation and the evolution of populations and species. MBF is very pleased to support Claudia’s work. Her project will be one of the first studies on genetic and population ecology of Abies religiosa in the MBBR, as well as one of the first to compare the recovery of populations under natural recovery programs and reforestations as a component of public policy. We are sure that the results of her research will provide new guidelines to improve conservation public policies and management in the MBBR.
Assisted Migration 2018
Dr. Cuauhtémoc Saénz-Romero, in collaboration with Dr. Arnulfo Blanco-García and students Esmeralda Navarro-Miranda, Erika Gómez-Pineda, among others, carried out several experiments related to assisted migration of oyamels in his lab with encouraging results! After one year in the field, an evaluation revealed 96% tree survival rate. Seedlings were originally rescued from natural regeneration sites and grown for two years in a nursery. Afterwards they were planted under the shade of nurse plants on a deforested site. The figure below shows the results.
This amazing survival is due to several reasons including the fact that the seeds originated from the core zone in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, were rescued from natural regeneration in mossy sites which were carefully transplanted into nursery containers, were grown at a communal nursery at high altitude (3000 m) and planting on the field was done under the shade of nurse plants.
This made Cuauhtémoc and his team realize that it is necessary to produce local shrubs in communal forest nurseries and plant them on perturbed sites that don’t have any shrubs, two years before planting the oyamel seedlings.
The series of photos below show the assisted migration field tests for pine (Pinus pseudostrobus, reforestation site at 3010 m of altitude), with treatments of: (a, b) 30 % of rain exclusion, (c) shade without rain exclusion, and (d) control (no rain exclusion or shade). The project’s aim is to see the effect of rain reduction, projected by some climatic change scenarios.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
MBF is very excited with this results that give us a clear strategy to follow when planning reforestations!
Support for the Butterflies and Their People
In 2017, MBF began to fund a new project developed by the Butterflies and Their People, A.C. , a new organization, established by Dr. Ellen Sharp and Joel Moreno. Their project involves training arborists in the Cerro Pelón Monarch Butterfly sanctuary to they can provide detailed information about forest health to researchers. Arborists wil monitor natural regeneration areas, identify flora and fauna, birds, mushrooms and other species. Dr. Guillermo Ibarra, renowned botanist and Dr. Pablo Jaramillo will train the arborists.
Overwintering Colonies 2016-2017
According to the CONANP-WWF (National Commission of Natural Protected Areas-World Wildlife Fund) report, the 2016-2017 overwintering colony in Sierra Chincua was divided in two fragments: a small 0.17 ha area located in federal property and another 0.42 ha in El Calabozo ejido. Both fragments were located just 1.6 km (5,250 ft.) from each other.
The colony in the federal property was the only one open to the public in Chincua. On February 18, on the way from C. Prieto, MBF Board member, Isabel Ramírez and her students visited this site and they observed that the forest was considerably thinned out. The exposed roots of the trees that fell due to the March 2016 storm were everywhere, as well as the remains of the fallen trees that were extracted. However, since the winter was particularly mild, there were flowers everywhere, which seems to have grabbed the attention of tourists as much as the butterflies.
Isabel and her students were able to get close to a fragment of a monarch colony at Llano del Coala. There, they observed a remarkable recovery in the colony size compared to previous years. The only sound was the wind blowing and the fluttering of butterfly wings as they flew around. The storm did not cause a lot of damage on the north face of this mountain. The trees where the colony was established were very young and the understory was sparse. A young forest between colonies was dominant, with very few old-growth trees and a lot of trees from recent natural regeneration. Experiencing this reminded everyone that there is still a lot to do so that the monarch butterfly remains a flagship species for conservation.
2017 Evaluation in Chincua
On 30 March 2017, MBF Board member Pablo Jaramillo went to the illegally logged area in Arroyo Hondo in Sierra Chincua to evaluate the survival rate of trees that were planted in June 2016. In collaboration with Arnulfo Blanco from the Michoacana University, six undergraduate students and Luis Dávila (from the Reserve), 10 permanent monitoring plots (100 m2 each) were established and each planted seedling was marked to determine whether it was dead or alive. The final data will be available soon, but early field estimates of the survival rate of the reforested trees is about 75-80%. This is excellent considering that many people participated in the planting process (approximately 60 people per day) over three working days last summer. The permanent plots that were set up will be monitored periodically over the next five years to determine if the reforestation of this area was carried out successfully or if trees allowed to grow by natural regeneration will outperform the reforested seedlings.
Research on altitudinal genetic differentiation among natural populations and assisted migration of oyamel seedlings is ongoing in Dr. Saénz-Romero’s (MBF advisor) lab. In December 2017, Marisol Ortiz-Bibian, one of Dr. Saénz Romero’s students and lead author published the results of this study in a scientific journal.
Cuahutémoc, Marisol and team with oyamel seedlings in a common garden test
The research consisted in collecting seeds from fifteen oyamel (A. religiosa) populations along 50-meter intervals at elevations between 2850-3550 meters. Seedlings were evaluated in a common garden test over a period of 30 months. Significant differences were found among populations in total elongation, height, date of growth cessation, foliage, stem, and total dry weight, as well as frost damage. These differences were strongly associated with the cold temperatures. When collecting seeds close to mountain peaks, the altitudinal shift would exceed the highest elevations within the MBBR. This led the authors to conclude that A. religiosa stands need to be established outside the MBBR, on higher mountains and volcanoes, such as Nevado de Toluca, Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl and Pico de Orizaba, as potential future overwintering sites. Food for thought as the future approaches and climate change is upon us and the monarchs!
Dr. Sáenz (MBF advisor) and his team will continue their research with a project titled “Non-regular planting under nursing plants and drought stress resistance of Abies religiosa rescued seedlings and Pinus pseudostrobus rain exclusion in altitudinal assisted migration tests.” During 2016, Dr. Saénz (MBF advisor) and his team of researchers discovered that oyamel seedlings originated from seed collected at an altitudinal difference of 350m, resulted in genetic variations in growth potential and frost resistance. This highlights the importance of considering the altitudinal origin of the seed source used to produce seedlings in the nurseries for reforestation programs, and the importance of carefully considering the altitudinal difference between the site of seed collection and that of reforestation. They also discovered that after one year of planting on a reforestation site, survival under open fields is 77%, while under the shade of local shrubs it rises to 95%. Based on these results, in 2017, the researchers will conduct additional tests and experiments to assess the differences in survival and growth of trees relative to the seeds source and the planting site based on climate and altitudinal changes. To view an article about this research click here.
Don Pancho from Ejido La Mesa showing a device installed to measure temperature
Nursery tests of seedlings that were collected along an altitudinal gradient (2950 to 3450 m) at the MBBR. In this new experiment different colored spoons were used to indicate provenance.
Evaluation of Community-based Resource Management
Doctoral student Miramanni Mishkin continued her research evaluating the success of community-based resource management, this time interviewing people from the San Juan Zitácuaro and Nicolas Romero communities. These communities were chosen because they have done a good job conserving their forests maintaining more than 80% of the dense forest cover over the last decade. Miramanni observed that the struggle to protect the forest is still a significant challenge since Nicolas Romero still faces illegal “ant logging” and San Juan Zitácuaro suffers damage to the fences they use to keep intruders out. However, the success of both communities in protecting their forests is due to the support they get from external institutions, their small size, and well-defined boundaries. In the case of San Juan Zitácuaro they have appropriate leadership and constant monitoring which adds to their success. It is important to identify these variables to be able to make recommendations to other communities so that they too become successful forest managers.
Dr. Cuauhtémoc Saénz, Dr. Arnulfo Blanco and their students continued their project to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting assisted migration of oyamel natural populations to compensate for climatic change in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve.
Abies religiosa altitudinal upward shift assisted migration field test
To test the altitudinal upward shift assisted migration, the team initiated a field experiment in July 2015. They planted 2-year old seedlings at an altitude of 3440 m to anticipate the climatic change expected for the year 2030. Additionally, this field experiment includes two treatments: seedlings planted with and without coverage of local bushes to test the feasibility of using nurse plants to protect young Abies religiosa seedlings from extreme temperatures. The research is ongoing and will provide valuable information to decide when it is viable to allow the forest to naturally regenerate and when to reforest.
This year MBF funded a research project by Dr. Cuauhtémoc Saénz Romero and his students to discover whether there are significant genetic differences among oyamel trees in different altitudes to determine what the best seed and seedling distribution for reforestation programs.
Branches and cones of oyamel populations along different altitudinal zones in an area close to the Monarch Butterfly Reserve were collected and analyzed considering their form and structure. Results indicate that low altitude populations have shorter needles and longer cones than those at high altitudes. Consequently, the research team suggests reforesting in three provisional altitudinal zones using seedlings originated from each zone. If climate change is considered, sites should be reforested in the zone immediately above the zone where the seeds were collected to assist the migration of seeds. The results of his research were published in the Revista Chapingo, the University of Chapingo’s scientific journal and is available here in both English and Spanish. This research will be very useful to MBF and will help us improve our reforestation strategy.
This year MBF gave a grant to doctoral student Miramanni Mishkin to evaluate the success of community based resource management in the indigenous community of Carpinteros with regards to forest conservation in the Monarch Reserve. Carpinteros has a history of sound forest management and Miramanni wanted to discover what contributes to their efficiency.
Through interviews with the community and using a method called Bayesian Network Analysis she identified several characteristics that are influential for efficient forest management in Carpinteros. Among the most relevant features she found were small community size, well defined boundaries, appropriate leadership, shared norms facilitating social pressure and rule enforcement, fair resources allocation (thus discouraging clandestine use), locally devised and easily enforced access and management rules. The community also relies on low-cost exclusionary technology (fences), which aids in the physical protection of their forest boundaries and helps enforce the general rules of conservation established by the Reserve.
We are very pleased with the results of this research as it will allow us to identify the ideal attributes of communities that are successfully conserving their forest, so we can support and encourage other communities to do the same.
Biosolids Experiments
The biosolids experiment set up in 2012 to determine how applying organic fertilizer (Bokashi) affects survival rates of reforested seedlings continues expanding. This year, Dr. Pablo Jaramillo will set aside 10 hectares in one community as an unfertilized control plot and 10 hectares in two communities where he will apply the Bokashi. In his field observations, Dr. Jaramillo has noticed that natural regeneration in specific areas results in less damage to the landscape and improved recovery of the forest. This year his research proposal includes signing agreements with two communities to set up a protection scheme in selected areas that will be left alone to promote natural regeneration of the forest. This will provide an initial baseline for future natural regeneration experiments.
Biosolids Experiments 2012-2013
During the summer 2012 season we set up two experiments to determine the optimal soil conditions for seedlings to thrive. Biosolids (organic byproducts) from dry latrines were obtained from Alternare´s Training Centre and transported to the field site.
One experiment includes biosolids, local soil and locally-produced seedlings, while the other experiment includes biosolids, bokashi (organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment), local soil and two sources of seedlings (locally and commercially produced). We have collected baseline data on seedling size and also soil samples for further analysis. We expect to collect seedling size data during the month of November after seedlings have endured transplant shock and the rainy season has ended.
The experiments were setup with communities that are ready and agreed to convert their agricultural plots into forest.
Biosolids Experiments 2011
In 2011 we established a research plot to determine the factors that contribute towards reforestation success. In this plot we will evaluate survival rates of seedlings under different soil conditions and compare seedlings from community-managed nurseries versus commercial ones. The plot is being monitored to determine transplant shock and the correlation between the organic amendment and tree survival rates.
We have already found evidence that trees produced in community-managed nurseries are adapted to local environmental conditions and show less transplant shock than their commercially produced counterparts. We will continue collecting data along with survival rates in other reforested sites to compare and establish correlations and be able to determine the importance of soil management and site selection in the reforestation process. Results from this experiment will help us improve our understanding of reforestation dynamics and improve the survival rate of future reforestation projects.
Community members were involved in soil sampling activities and conducted the reforestation activities witnessing what will happen to plants they produced themselves and that will be planted in their land.
Scientific Research, How We Started…
Our efforts in monarch conservation in México started by providing financial support and scientific expertise as part of the advisory group convened by WWF-Mexico to design a new protected area for the butterflies. Advising the Mexican government, the group determined the habitat required for the long-term protection of migratory phenomenon and proposed new reserve boundaries congruent with the needs with the conservation of the overwintering colonies. From 1998 through 2001, we provided $26,000 to WWF-Mexico to support their research on optimal Reserve design.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1515
|
__label__wiki
| 0.768688
| 0.768688
|
Americans still waiting for a bigger raise
by Paul R. La Monica @lamonicabuzz November 3, 2017: 1:48 PM ET
4.1% unemployment, lowest in 17 years
Many Americans are still waiting to see a bigger paycheck. They may have to keep waiting.
The government said that average hourly earnings -- another way of saying wages -- rose 2.4% over the past 12 months.
That's a slip from the 2.9% increase reported in September. And it remains below the 3% to 3.5% range that many agree is normal in a truly healthy economy.
The last time wages were up more than 3% year-over-year was in April 2009, just as the economy was emerging from the depths of the global banking crisis that fueled the Great Recession.
It's a bit puzzling though. Why have wages remained stagnant even though many other indicators of the job market and broader economy look healthy? Unemployment continues to drop. The housing market is vibrant. And stocks continue to soar.
John Bellows, a portfolio manager at Western Asset, thinks there a couple of things at play.
Bellows argues that the impact of globalization, more automation and an increased number of people working part-time (the so-called gig economy) are keeping wages in check.
Related: U.S. unemployment rate drops to lowest level in 17 years
He adds that this isn't something that the Federal Reserve can solve. The U.S. economy is already at what most would consider to be "full employment."
And the Fed is now actually raising rates -- something that will likely continue if Jerome Powell, President Trump's nominee to replace Fed chair Janet Yellen early next year, is confirmed by the Senate.
That's why Bellows and others think lawmakers and President Trump need to take action to improve American wages.
"I'm not sure how much the Fed can do to increase wages," Bellows said. "But we shouldn't be defeatist about it. It's now just mostly up to Congress."
Erik Weisman, chief economist at MFS, says that if tax reform passes and leads to lower corporate tax rates, big multinational U.S. companies may bring back to the U.S. cash that's sitting overseas, and use it to boost salaries and hire more workers.
Related: Here's what's in the House Republican tax bill for businesses
"Lower taxes could incentivize companies to keep profits onshore and invest more domestically," Weisman said. "If multinationals felt they had better visibility for U.S. demand, then they would have a greater need for building out capacity, and that might necessitate higher wages."
Just look at Apple, (AAPL) for example. The iPhone maker reported Thursday it has nearly $269 billion in cash. CFO Luca Maestri said during the company's earnings call that $252 billion -- 94% of it -- is stashed overseas.
But Weisman conceded that there is a bit of a chicken versus egg problem that lower taxes may not solve. Global growth will need to keep rebounding in order for companies to feel more confident and do more with their cash than just hoard it.
Many companies may also choose to reward shareholders with bigger stock buybacks and dividend increases instead of investing in labor.
Still, Matt Schreiber, president and chief investment strategist of WBI Investments, thinks there's another problem. Now that companies are hiring again, people who had been unemployed or underemployed may be returning to the workforce for lower salaries simply because they're excited to have a job.
"More people are getting jobs that underpay and are not making what they used to," Schreiber said.
Related: Inequality among America's seniors is getting worse
He added that businesses are still waiting to see if recent signs of U.S. economic improvement -- two consecutive quarters of annualized growth of at least 3% -- is sustainable.
"The real issue for companies is that we've still had relatively anemic growth. That makes it difficult to increase overhead," Schreiber said, adding that he is also hoping "corporate tax cuts could turbocharge the economy and wage growth."
There are some hopeful signs though.
Matt Toms, chief investment officer of fixed income for Voya Investment Management, said it is good to see that more states and cities are raising their minimum wages, as are giant American employers like Walmart (WMT) and McDonald's (MCD).
But the average hourly workweek has remained relatively flat over the past few months, stuck around 34.4 hours. Toms suggests that some employers could be limiting worker hours in light of wage increases in order to keep labor costs in check.
"We'd be more encouraged if there was even more wage growth. It's needed at this part of the economic cycle," Toms said.
CNNMoney (New York) First published November 3, 2017: 1:48 PM ET
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1516
|
__label__wiki
| 0.922315
| 0.922315
|
Jim Brown’s $600,000 Settlement Against EA Could Give Precedent For Other Athletes
byBWCStaff
By Ryan Velez
NFL legend Jim Brown has recently won his case against Electronic Arts for the alleged legal use of his likeness in the Madden NFL video games. The $600,000 settlement the video game company has agreed to pay could cause a major precedent in the legal stance towards athletes and their likenesses. According to Brown’s lawyers, EA offered the settlement shortly after it filed papers to appeal the court decision.
The lawsuit began in 2013, where the 80-year-old Georgia native said that he did not allow EA to use his likeness, but the company still proceeded to do so. He added that their usage included illegal profit from his image through the use of a physically and statistically similar player on their “All Browns Team.” This act, according to Brown and his legal team, was a violation of his right of publicity.
“I took a stand for all athletes and laid a framework for future plaintiffs with my great legal team,” the former Cleveland Browns running back said in a statement regarding the final judgment. “Hopefully, this is a step forward in getting companies like Electronic Arts to recognize the value that athletes have in selling their products.”
This doesn’t mark the only time that Brown has gone after EA legally regarding their usage of his likeness. He initially filed a lawsuit against them in 2008, but the suit was tossed the following year. In this case, the presiding judge said that EA was protected under its First Amendment rights to have characters resembling celebrities. He also sued EA in federal court, but a judge dropped the case.
Robert Carey, one of Brown’s attorneys, also made a statement announcing his happiness with the court’s judgment. “Big business should think twice before it turns players’ hard-won identities and achievements into merchandise without permission or compensation,” Carey said.
This case may be one part of a larger movement regarding athletes and the usage of their likenesses in video games. In March, a group of retired NFL players were allowed to continue their own, separate suit against EA for their use of their likenesses in the Madden NFL series, reports Reuters.
Apex legends is really a great game. http://newcheat.net/apex-legends
Dr Boyce Watkins: Nick Cannon’s racial battle with NBC makes him a hero
Papa John’s Called Out By Pizza Industry Over NFL Protest Comments
Editorsgrey3
Understanding Insurance Offered By Rental Car Companies
Does Trinity College Represent A Caste System In American Education?
For Chinese Students, U.S. Universities Aren’t Worth It
Why Is Azealia Banks Threatening To Sue Wendy Williams
This Man Got 55,000 Instagram Followers With Only 6 Posts- Learn His Secrets
Lottery Winner Plans To Use $52 Million Winnings To Boost Historic Community
Director Says We Can’t Trust Hollywood To Tell Our Stories
Detroit Restaurant Faces 300% Rent Hike, Possibly Being Pushed Out
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1517
|
__label__wiki
| 0.543905
| 0.543905
|
Palace to Sison: Come home, face the music
September 06, 2019 - Friday 3:09 PM by Funny Pearl A. Gajunera
File photo of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison shaking hands with then-Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus G. Dureza in Rome on January 19, 2017. Photo by TIZIANA FABI / AFP
Malacañang on Friday urged Communist Party of the Philippines (CCP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison to return to the Philippines and “face the music” on the “Inopacan Massacre” that took the lives of hundreds of people in Leyte.
This after Manila Regional Trial Court President Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina issued a warrant of arrest for Sison and 37 other CCP members for the 1985 mass execution of those the rebels suspected of having ties with the government.
The mass grave of the victims were discovered in 2006.
According to accounts of the military and witnesses, most of the victims bore brutal marks of crushed skulls still wrapped with blindfolding cloth.
They suffered severe flesh wounds and broken bones even before they were hammered down with multiple bullet shots.
“We were informed of the issuance of a warrant of arrest by the Manila Regional Trial Court against Mr. Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), as well as 37 other members of the organization, for the mass execution of hundreds of our countrymen in Leyte, dubbed as the Inopacan Massacre,” Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said.
“Like in any other case pending before any court of law, the Office of the President respects the decision of Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina in relation to the mass purging brought about by the armed wing of the CPP, the New People’s Army (NPA), in the eighties,” he added.
Panelo said Sison and the other accused will have their day in court as “the law is no respecter of any transgressor and prosecution therefore must proceed in accordance thereof.”
“We are one with the families and loved ones of the victims in calling for justice, the warrant of arrest shall be served as directed upon us by the Judiciary,” he said.
Panelo said Sison “should unchain himself from his exile and face the music.”
“His illusive if not illusory dream of wresting political power from the present dispensation should give way to a principled and courageous stand to face trial. He is welcome to come home to avail of his constitutional right to confront his accusers and prepare for his defense,” he added.
Amadeo, Philippines | AFP | Decimated fish, scarred coffee plants and vanished tourists: the Taal volcano eruption in th ...
Senator Christopher Lawrence Go again emphasized the need to construct a permanent evacuation center in every local government unit in the country. ...
Balete, Batangas| AFP | -- The horses were still caked in grey ash as they stepped off the boat, lucky beneficiaries of a risky re ...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1525
|
__label__cc
| 0.582971
| 0.417029
|
PADDY MURPHY'S WAKE
THE PRIEST had been there earlier and the rosary was said and relatives and friends in single file were offering condolences. "Sorry for your troubles," they said one by one, bending over Maggie Murphy, the widow silent in her rocker, a foot or so from Paddy, resplendent in his casket, the two of them much closer now than they had ever been.
A silent guest of honor, Paddy now had nothing more to say, waked in aspic, if you will, in front of his gothic fireplace.
The moon was full this starless night and the hour was getting late and still the widow hadn't wept. Her eyes were swept Saharas and the mourners wanted tears. They had fields to plow come morning and they needed sleep, but the custom in County Kerry was that no one leaves a wake until the widow weeps.
Fair Maggie could have married any man in Kerry, according to her mother, who almost every day reminded her of that.
"Maggie," she would say, "You should have married Mickey. His limp was not that bad," but Maggie wouldn't listen. Instead, she married Paddy, "that pestilence out walking," as her mother often called him even on a Sunday but only after Mass.
Maggie married Paddy the day he scored the only goal the year that Kerry took the trophy back from Galway. That goal was no small thing for Ireland, Paddy would remind us all in pubs, night after night, year after year, until one of us would gag and buy him another drink.
That goal, he'd shout, was something historians in Ireland would one day note, even if they hadn't yet, and every time he'd mention it, which was almost daily, Maggie's mother would remind her daughter once again that she should have married Mickey and had a better life.
The final time her mother praised poor Mickey, a screaming match ensued, so loud it woke the rooster the very day her mother, feverish in bed, gurgled like a frog and died.
This evening, though, as the wake wore on, the mourners grew more weary waiting for the tears the widow hadn't shed. Restless in his folding chair, Mickey put his bottle down and rose to give the eulogy he had needed days to memorize.
"Folks," he said, "if all of us would holler down to Paddy now, I'm sure he'd holler back. Despite the flames and all that smoke, he'd tell us all once more that Kerry winning over Galway is all that ever mattered. We'll always have cold Paddy over there to thank for that. Ireland never had a better man. St. Patrick himself, I know, would vouch for that."
The Widow Murphy hadn't moved all evening, but after hearing Mickey speak, she began to rock with fury as she raised a purple fist, shook it to the heavens and then began to hum her favorite dirge. The mourners all joined in and hummed along until midnight struck on the mantel clock and then, as if released by God Himself, the mourners rose, one by one, from folding chairs and paraded out beneath the moon, freed by a deluge of the Widow Murphy's tears.
© Donal Mahoney 2012
Donal Mahoney has had work published in MuDJoB and various print and electronic publications in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Labels: Donal Mahoney, drink, fiction, mudjob, priest, tears, wake, widow
Gita Smith November 10, 2012 at 7:54 AM
I love that Donal told a story about an Irish wake without employing sentimentality. That's a feat in itself. There is a wonderful coiled anger in this that threatens any moment to jump out. It does, at the very end, giving the reader -- like the widow Murphy -- a release. Excellent.
Sandra Davies November 11, 2012 at 8:00 AM
'the two of them much closer now than they had ever been' That hurt, deeply - evidence of numbness which you never think will be yours ...
Sandra Davies
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1528
|
__label__cc
| 0.624349
| 0.375651
|
Transactions Essence: €0 Coin: ₡0 Tokens: 0
Administrative Forums
Thread starter Gilgamesh
The King of Heroes
₡0
Inverxe
Character Name: Gilgamesh
Character Source: OC (Continued from Omniverse)/ Fate Series
Profession: King, Consultant
Spent Essence: 2000
Base Fund: ---
Physical Tendencies:
--- Power: 60%
--- Toughness: 5%
--- Quickness: 10%
--- Skill: 25%
Personality Tendencies:
--- Aggression: 10%
--- Cunning: 85%
--- Diplomacy: 5%
---Support: 0%
Pre-Omniverse:
Gilgamesh is the first Original King of the world and ruled over Babylon for many years. He is the basis of all myths and has owned every single treasure in the world before he had died. He had undergone many trials with his best friend Enkidu, even as to retrieve the flower of immortality just to have it eaten by a snake. Gilgamesh is two-thirds God and one-third human bringing him to believe he is much better than everyone else.
Fast-foward to modern day. There are Magi that spend their entire lives preparing for The Holy Grail War. Every Ten years an Item called the Holy Grail comes down from the Heavens and will grant one wish to the person who wields it. The grail chooses seven worthy Magi to become Masters, those who own servants. These Magi then undergo certain rituals to summon the Earth's Oldest heroes, who become servants. The Magi lend the Heroes their Mana in order to sustain their bodies, while the Heroes fight for the Master's in order to get the Holy Grail. The master receives Three Command Spells that FORCE the servant to comply to whatever the Master had ordered. There are seven types of servants that participate in the Holy War: Archer, Beserker, Saber, Lancer, Rider, Caster, and Assassin. These servants have special abilities called "Noble Phantasms" that are their signature move of ultimate power. The last pair standing gets their wish granted by the Holy Grail.
Gilgamesh is summoned during The Fourth Holy Grail war by a powerful mage known as Tokiomi. Gilgamesh is known as the "Archer" class due to his Gates Of Babylon. Gilgamesh knows the Grail was once in his large inventory of Treasures and will use the wish to punish all those who had dared to rob his grave. He serves Tokiomi, reluctantly, due to Tokiomi's daring and bossy nature that clashed hardly with Gilgamesh's. Gil resented Tokiomi and found the Master of Assassin, Kirei, to be much more fun.
Gil managed to convince Kirei to kill his mentor, Tokiomi, and then form a new pact with Gil allowing him to become Gil's new master. Kirei does this and takes "control" of Gilgamesh, allowing him to do what he pleased.
Toward's the end of the war only Saber, King Arthur, who is actually a female, and Gilgamesh are alive. The Holy Grail had descended from the Heavens waiting to be held by a servant. Gilgamesh and Saber are alone in the room and Gilgamesh does something absurd. Gilgamesh proposes to Arthur and promises to give her all the pleasures she could dream of in the world. Arthur does not accept and Gilgamesh does not take that too kindly. He fires a sword at Arthur impaling her in the leg. He says, "You may answer incorrectly to your heart's content. Before you can understand the joy of devotion to me."
Saber's master then comes in and uses two command spells to order Saber to user her Noble Phantasm, a giant beam that emanates from her sword, to DESTROY the Holy Grail. While she tries to refuse, her body moves against her, forcing her to destroy the Holy Grail. It works and out from the Holy Grail pours the Sins of Mankind, which serves as a black tar that would taint and make any normal being go insane. However, Gilgamesh is able to withstand this with ease. It is then when Omni took Gilgamesh from the black tar into his world.
Omniverse History:
Gilgamesh founded a city in the middle of the Endless Dunes. Worked hard on creating a city that eventually formed the "nation" of New Babylon. Was banished by Proto-Mouse, after a siege on his city. Escaped hell after defeating many gladiators and was released back into the Omniverse by Diablo. Participated in Dante's Abyss 2018 and was killed by Deadpool. Instead of respawning, Gilgamesh was instead transported into Inverxe.
Gates of Babylon:
Damage 5 (500)
--Affects Multiple I (250)
--Ranged (250)
--Indiscriminate (-250)
Effect: Gilgamesh opens golden portals to his collection and fires an array of weaponry (swords, axes, etc.) at whatever is in his path. The swords shoot out aggressively at their targets. While, Gilgamesh can often use this to destroy a group of enemies he often does not care if friend or foe is caught in the slurry of weapons.
Total Cost: 750
Debuff 5 (500)
--Ongoing (500)
--Finite (-250)
--Activation (-250)
Effect: Gilgamesh opens various portals around the area of his target, with golden chains peaking out and readying themselves to restrain the target. After readying for about ten seconds, the chains spring forth and wrap themselves around the limbs and torso of the target, making them immobile. Stronger opponents can overcome this and are just slowed by the chains. These chains last until broken, however, once used the chains are significantly weaker for each successive use.
Golden Sword:
Effect: Gilgamesh opens a golden portal next to him and retrieves one of his many golden swords. If a sword happened to get knocked from his hand, he may open a new portal and retrieve a new sword.
Total Cost: (200)
The King's Barrier:
Protection 2 (200)
--Concentration (-100)
--Weakness (-50)
Effect: Gilgamesh summons a purple barrier around him for a few seconds, deflecting ranged attacks from hitting him. If something were to distract him, the barrier would fail and he would be susceptible to ranged attacks. This barrier does not affect melee attacks nor does it prevent characters from moving through the barrier.
Social (Leadership) Rank 5 (250)
Effect: Gilgamesh has led nations before and knows how to make speeches to crowds, instill loyalty in followers, and command large groups of people.
Social (Persuasion) Rank 2 (100)
Effect: Gilgamesh has a natural way of speaking and because of such, he has the ability to sway other. However, if you are not loyal to him, his charm quickly becomes like venom.
25 Assyrian Outfitted Followers
-Damage 1
-Protection 1
-Endurance 1
Description: Gilgamesh has shown his ability as a great fighter and leader and as such has begun to have a following. He has loaned many of his followers shields and swords from his collection to protect themselves and fight in the name of him.
Multerra Titan
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1530
|
__label__wiki
| 0.736216
| 0.736216
|
Game of Thrones – Season 8 Original Music from the HBO Series
Usually ships from our warehouse in 4-9 business days
Series: Piano Solo Songbook
11 songs from the much anticipated final season of Game of Thrones, which earned a record number of Emmy Award nominations in 2019: Arrival at Winterfell • Flight of Dragons • Game of Thrones • The Iron Throne • Jenny of Oldstones • The Last of the Starks • The Last War • The Night King • Not Today • The Rains of Castamere • Stay a Thousand Years. ©2019, 48 pages
Arrival At Winterfell (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
Flight Of Dragons (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
Game Of Thrones (Theme from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
The Iron Throne (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
Jenny Of Oldstones (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
The Last Of The Starks (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
The Last War (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
The Night King (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
Not Today (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
The Rains Of Castamere (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
Stay A Thousand Years (from the HBO Series GAME OF THRONES)
Downton Abbey - Original Music from the Television Series - Piano Solo
The Hunger Games - Music from the Motion Picture Score
John Lunn
Downton Abbey - Original Music from the Television Series - Easy Piano
Game of Thrones - Original Music from the HBO Television Series
Game of Thrones (Theme) - Piano Solo Sheet Music
More! What Else Can I Play? Grade 1
What Else Can I Play? Grade 1
Dave Black, Peter Erskine
The Musician's Lifeline - Advice for All Musicians, Student to Professional
Christine H. Barden, Gayle Kowalchyk and E. L. Lancaster
Music for Little Mozarts: Music Recital Book 1
Music for Little Mozarts: Flash Cards, Level 4
Music for Little Mozarts: Music Discovery Book 3
Music for Little Mozarts: Music Workbook 2
Christine H. Barden, Gayle Kowalchyk, E. L. Lancaster
By Frédéric Chopin / ed. Willard A. Palmer
Chopin Preludes For The Piano
Scott Joplin / ed. Maurice Hinson
Joplin: Three Piano Rags
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1532
|
__label__cc
| 0.745621
| 0.254379
|
A Fistful of Dollars – Review (Spoiler Free)
March 12, 2013 · by James Walpole · in Film Reviews · 29 Comments
The first in the Dollars Trilogy, and the one which marks the beginning of the Spaghetti Western’s extreme success; A Fistful of Dollars is a thoroughly entertaining and satisfying film. It’s actually tightly plotted, a detail that Leone’s later masterpieces abandoned somewhat. It keeps its story simple; The Man with No Name, although he acquires the temporary name of Joe here, rides into town to learn of a gang rivalry that’s tearing the place apart, he smells money and decides to work the two sides against each other in such a way that will line his pockets whilst they shoot holes in one another. There’s little else you need to know about the plot, it’s straightforward and effective, and despite its simplicity it allowed Eastwood to develop the quiet antihero which would make him a cinematic legend.
Aside from Eastwood’s character there are a lot of other highly influential elements to this film which would go on to be used throughout Leone’s Westerns, and which have also been copied, borrowed, and parodied ever since. Ennio Morricone’s score for example; although his most famous I would suggest is the one he created for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, this one too is both highly recognisable and extremely effective. Its haunting notes and exciting riffs do wonders for the film; it would have been great anyway, but there is no denying just how much the score contributes to the end result, and how it lifts the film into a whole new spectrum. Also, the extreme close ups that were often used by Leone in order to create an operatic feeling are established here, and the technique is as effective in this film as it would come to be in the future.
A Fistful of Dollars did launch the excellent trilogy, it infused many traditions with new life whilst simultaneously creating its own iconic identity, and it did so entirely under its own steam. There is a temptation I think to treat this as the first, and arguably weakest, of the three films, one which sets things up for the next two to develop into cultural landmarks – but this simply isn’t true. It was a huge success at the time of its release, becoming what was then Italy’s most successful film, whilst also doing phenomenally well elsewhere. It’s held up perfectly over time; despite now being forty nine years old it remains as exciting and visually thrilling as it was back in the sixties, as it takes Western film tradition and reenergises its spurs and guns to create something fresh and incredibly entertaining.
Tags: A Fistful of Dollars, Aldo Sambrell, Clint Eastwood, film, film review, Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne Koch, Mario Brega, Movie, review, Sergio Leone, Western
Brian · March 12, 2013 - 18:17 · Reply→
Great great movie, even though Kurosawa was pretty pissed about it.
Mr Rumsey · March 12, 2013 - 21:58 · Reply→
Yeah it’s a shame about Kurosawa and that whole issue – but as you say, it’s an awesome movie 🙂
robbinsrealm · March 12, 2013 - 18:51 · Reply→
I have nominated you for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award.
Thank you very much man!
filmhipster · March 12, 2013 - 20:56 · Reply→
Oh yes!!! Loved A Fistful of Dollars. Makes me want to watch the trilogy again, great article buddy!
Thanks man! It certainly is a great movie and a fantastic trilogy, perhaps the greatest trilogy? I would say that it’s certainly a contender.
Hmmm…if we can through High Plains Drifter in there as a fourth than I would say yes.
I kind of like it ending on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly though… but considering that is sometimes seen as a prequel we could mess the order around I suppose 🙂
Issy R. · March 12, 2013 - 21:12 · Reply→
Great film and great trilogy. Nice review.
Cheers Issy, they are great! 😀
mistylayne · March 13, 2013 - 00:32 · Reply→
Pretty sure I saw this and was bored senseless which just goes to show how much I dislike Westerns. 😉
Ah that’s a shame 😦 It’s one of the greats!
ckckred · March 13, 2013 - 02:06 · Reply→
Even though I think Yojimbo is stronger, this is a great movie and is my second favorite film of The Dollars Trilogy after The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Nice review, I now feel like watching my new blu-ray copy of the trilogy. No one made better westerns than Sergio Leone.
Thanks – I would love to own the trilogy on blu-ray! I’m still not quite sure whether I prefer this or For a Few Dollars More but I agree that The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the best of the three! Do you prefer it to Once Upon a Time in the West?
That’d be a tough choice. I think I might go with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly just because of Clint Eastwood but I love both equally.
It certainly is tough. I think that I also lean towards The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but I’m far from certain on that.
Dean_filmguidedublin · March 13, 2013 - 17:02 · Reply→
I’m a big fan of Leone’s work. Fistful is wonderfully shot and boasts fantastic scoring from Ennio Morricone, who utilizes everything from electric guitars to traditional classical instruments in his score.
With Fistful came the notion that good-guys aren’t necessarily always morally on point. “Joe” is a typical anti-hero; he has no problem with masterminding sequences that will lead to countless deaths for example – a big change from the days of John Wayne, where good-guys wearing white hats chasing bad guys in black hats and always ended up with the girl. the world’s created in Leone movies were far grittier places than the world’s established in Hollywood westerns.
This film isn’t perfect, there are some really bad day shots that were filtered to look like night, the results are less from ideal to say the least. The dialogue is quite on-the-nose too, but this film is still a great deal of fun, and as you say, was the beginning of a fantastic series of films.
Nice Review !
Yeah the bad day shots aren’t great, but there’s so much to enjoy here that I can forgive it those!
It’s an interesting transition as you say, the shift from the white hats to the muddied morality of Leone’s movie massively helped to reignite interest in the genre, arguably I think you could say that it saved it.
vinnieh · March 14, 2013 - 12:54 · Reply→
Excellent post, such an iconic film.
Cheers Vinnieh, it certainly is!
Natalie P · March 14, 2013 - 15:09 · Reply→
Interesting review 🙂 Perhaps I ought to see more Westerns?
Thanks and yes, everyone should see more Westerns – they are awesome 🙂
keith7198 · March 18, 2013 - 14:43 · Reply→
Great review! I have such a strong affection for this movie. This is another one I grew up watching mainly because it was one of my father’s favorite films. Leone’s direction is top notch and this is one of my favorite westerns of all time.
Thanks! I didn’t come to these, or in fact any westerns until my teenage years, my father loved A New Hope and so we were brought up almost largely on Star Wars and similar films 🙂
Leone’s direction really is incredible. Have you seen his other westerns?
Oh yes. I love his trilogy with Clint. But perhaps my favorite of his is “Once Upon a Time in the West”. It’s brilliant!
I recently re-watched ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ as well as ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ in order to determine my favorite and it has to be the latter. It really is a masterpiece!
alexraphael · March 5, 2015 - 21:20 · Reply→
yeah Kurosawa was mad! Film is amazing mind. Second to Dirty Harry for my fave Eastwood film.
Mr Rumsey · March 5, 2015 - 21:48 · Reply→
I think The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is my favourite but they are all contenders!
Leave a Reply to Mr Rumsey Cancel reply
← Dragon’s Loyalty Award
Kick-Ass 2 Trailer! →
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1538
|
__label__wiki
| 0.826717
| 0.826717
|
Tag Archives: geek
Mystery marketing is no substitute for good filmmaking
Last week the hype for Christopher Nolan’s third Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, moved into top gear with the launch of a clever and mysterious publicity campaign. On Thursday the 19th of May the official website became active, only to reveal nothing but a black screen and the sound of chanting. By the following morning, the most dedicated and geeky intelligent of fans, had filtered the noises through various ingenious programmes that visualise sound waves, revealing the Twitter hashtag #TheFireRises. To cut a long story short, the more people that Tweeted the hashtag, the more of an image from the film was revealed. Eventually a genius with time on their hands managed to expose the whole picture, giving the world its first glimpse of Tom Hardy’s beastly Bane.
As exciting as all this was for fans eager to learn about the sequel to The Dark Knight’s phenomenal success, such high concept viral marketing is not a new idea. Christopher Nolan in particular should know this, after previous films of his have utilised the growing trend for such campaigns. Most notably, last year’s Inception generated enormous hype with lots of vague waffle about the “architecture of the mind” doing the rounds on forums before any plot details had emerged. The official Facebook page for the film released clues to the whereabouts of Inception merchandise and tickets, sparking races across British cities for the treasure. There was also a special app for the film.
Even The Dark Knight had seemingly legitimate websites, both pro and anti Harvey Dent, calling for support in the Gotham city elections for District Attorney. But the undisputed king of mystery, minimalist marketing is Lost creator JJ Abrams. He produced 2008’s Cloverfield, which was perhaps the first project to truly embrace the public lust for speculation and a hunt for clues. It was promoted with the merest slither of information and talked up as a story that blurred the boundaries between fact and fiction, claiming to be comprised of “found” footage from real home videos. Lost too, made the most of secrets to stir debate amongst fans.
Abrams is the director of this summer’s much anticipated Super 8, which is co-produced by the tantalising team of him and Steven Spielberg, and the trailers have adopted the same old tricks which we’ve come to expect. During the flurry of Super Bowl trailers earlier this year, Super 8 remained the only real enigma amongst a pack of blockbusters, which undoubtedly made it stand out. But there are also drawbacks and limitations to such cryptic and vague promotion.
A few weeks ago a select group of journalists and critics got to see the opening 20 minutes of Super 8. And whilst many of them had positive things to say, those that have already written about their snippet of Abrams’ creation pack their articles with questions and a tone of scepticism as they look to extract the substance from the chorus of theories. Several commentators have said that the uneven blend of a heart warming buddy movie, a scary alien attack and effects heavy blockbuster, doesn’t satisfy the hype.
Without all the frustrating teasing, perhaps the writers would have been more inclined to focus on the film’s positives. How can the product ever live up to unrealistically heightened expectations? The trailers have already been ripped apart, frame by frame, for the slightest of clues. Cinemagoers with regular internet access may have heard of Super 8, but by the time of its release its barebones promotion may have left them either uninterested or so frustrated that they seek out an idiot who has leaked detailed spoilers.
Such saturation of the web certainly gets people talking and immersed by the ideas of a film. But it’s not a standalone guarantee of a box office hit. For one thing, despite its all conquering swell, the internet still does not reach everyone. Even some of those that use it may not wander into areas dedicated to film or have the time and desire to unravel marketing mysteries. Other media such as television and newspapers remain a vital tool for more instant advertising reach, rather than a slow burn.
There have also been failures that are too reliant on viral campaigns, even when those campaigns are successful. Disaster epic 2012 caused such a stir about the end of the world that NASA had to set up a special page to reassure people. But after it bombed with critics and the public, the big budget project was still a flop. Countless low budget releases think that cheap online methods will assure sufficient publicity but without a breakthrough in more traditional media, most of these languish and pass unnoticed in the cyber shadows, even when they have their merits.
The fact remains that viral marketing often only helps increase the hype for an already much anticipated film. The Dark Knight Rises will be a box office success regardless but the occasional prod from the filmmakers will cause sizzling talk to increase the takings still further. JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg are names that will attract attention because they are accomplished storytellers, not marketing magicians.
In the case of Abrams I would hope that the motivations behind his teasing details and whiffs of mystery are noble; he wants his audience as absorbed as possible by his fictional world and genuinely surprised by its twists and turns. Abrams, Spielberg, Nolan and others know that what matters in the end, after the hype, is the film itself. Get this wrong and the publicity will be a curse rather than a blessing.
Tagged #TheFireRises, 2010, 2011, 2012, 8, Aaron, Abrams, absorbed, adaptation, advertising, adverts, age, alien, analyse, app, Attorney, audience, Bane, barebones, buddy movie, campaign, cast, challenged, Christopher, City, clever, Cloverfield, comic book, commerical, concept, creative, critics, debate, Dent, director, disaster movie, dissect, District, Doctor, Eckhart, Elections, Emmerich, era, executive, facebook, features, fictional, film, filming, filmmaking, Flickering, for, forums, geek, geeky, good, gossip, Gotham, group, Harvey, hashtag, High, immersion, Inception, intelligent, interactive, internet, iPhone, is, JJ, leaks, Liam, like, location, London, marketing, Matt, media, minimalist, mobile, Moffat, motives, movies, Mrt'sblog, mystery, myth, narrative, nerd, new, news, newspapers, NO, Nolan, novel, official website, opinion, phenomenon, producer, profit, project, promotion, promotional, publicity, rant, Reeves, Review, reviews, Roland, rumour, screenplay, script, secrets, shooting, Spielberg, spoiler, spoilers, Steven, story, storytelling, studio, substitute, Super 8, superb, superbowl, team, teaser, techonology, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, traditional, trailer, treasure hunts, trend, Trim, turns, tv, twists, Twitter, untitled, viral, web, Who, World, writer
It’s 3am or a similarly ridiculous hour. The sane and the content are asleep in the warm darkness of their beds. I however ignore the tension in my forehead, the heavy strains choking my eyeballs. I sit eagerly forward, glowing in the light of my laptop, waiting. Waiting for that friend request to be confirmed, waiting for someone to comment on my attention seeking status, waiting for the boyfriend of the girl I love to slap another obscene, boastful, sexual comment triumphantly on her wall. I trawl mindlessly through the indecipherable, identical and idiotic ramblings of countless school colleagues; people I might have spoken to once or twice, but are now destined to provide endless commentary of their life’s ups and downs direct to my inbox. This is the grim everyday reality of Facebook, The Social Network.
It’s a reality that rarely rears its ugly head throughout David Fincher’s latest project, only truly doing so at the end of the film with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, masterfully played by Jesse Eisenberg, reduced to hitting refresh on a friend request, hellishly bound to his own creation. However whilst this is a glamorised tale of unnaturally razor tongued geeky geniuses that can feel artificial at times, The Social Network does not lose sight of the fact that all the boardroom drama and billions of dollars stems from the clever exploitation of darker, depressing human traits lurking beneath the surface of brilliance.
Thanks to Aaron Sorkin’s script of lightning paced, sharp and witty dialogue though, brilliance is a prominent feature of the movie. It’s ironic given the reams of pointless, idiotic dribble vomited onto Facebook each day that every other line in The Social Network is a cool summary of the times or a cutting riposte. Ironic too that the film reveals the drunken origins of Facebook as “facemash”, a crude tool for comparing the attractiveness of Harvard undergraduates, conceived as the ultimate retaliation to be being (deservedly) dumped. The brutal simplicity of this drunken prank would foreshadow the darker changes a fully evolved Facebook would impose upon our lives.
For all the grand ideas and themes raised in Sorkin’s excellent script there is also brilliance in the characterisation and storytelling; fundamentals for an enjoyable cinema experience. There are countless superb one-liners and the film opens with a quick, emotionally charged and frustrating verbal duel, culminating in Zuckerberg being labelled an arsehole. The film ties together nicely with a neat structure when he is acquitted of being an arsehole (kind of) at the end. There are bags of humour and tension to be had in the court scenes, which flashback to the Harvard days of creating “thefacebook”, which are beautifully shot and capture the frenzy as the idea spirals beyond the imaginings of its authors.
Whilst critics may agree that Sorkin’s script is the most brilliant feature of The Social Network, there are numerous other marks of quality ensuring it is being talked about as one of the films of the year. David Fincher’s direction has been singled out for producing a visually stunning production. He is also responsible for getting the best out of Sorkin’s script by having it read faster than intended at times, perfectly matching the machine-like detachment of the computer nerds’ personalities. These nerds are also brilliantly portrayed by some outstanding acting. Eisenberg seems perfectly cast as the strangely likeable, slimy architect of the whole thing, Mark Zuckerberg and Justin Timberlake has been widely praised for an assured performance as Napster founder Sean Parker. For me young British actor Andrew Garfield, star of Channel 4’s Red Riding and recently cast as the new Spiderman, was most impressive as co-founder but intellectually and morally out of his depth business student Eduardo Saverin. Garfield’s character is the audience’s way into a world of untouchable smart arses and elites and his performance is pitch perfect from the giddy highs to the panicky, incomprehensible lows. Armie Hammer provides the humour as the Winklevoss twins (his face was digitally reproduced onto that of another actor) and the film is also mesmerizingly scored at times, from the intoxicating party scenes, to moments of corporate despair and sporting drama.
All in all The Social Network is a film that for once largely lives up the cleverly marketed hype drummed up around it. It may not be entirely factually accurate but it is all the more entertaining and meaningful for telling a dramatic story with engaging characters, as opposed to slipping into documentary mode at times as Fincher’s previous work Zodiac was prone to do.
Tagged Aaron, advertising, Andrew Garfield, Armie, Benjamin Button, boardroom, change, charismatic, courtroom, creator, cutting, David, dialogue, director, duel, Eduardo, emotional, facebook, Fight Club, film, Fincher, frustrating, geek, genius, good, Hammer, Harvard, humour, hype, Jesse Eisenberg, Justin, lawyer, legal, maketting, Mark, movie, Napster, Network, one liner, origins, Parker, preview, rating, razor, Review, sad, Saverin, scathing, screenplay, script, Sean, sharp, Social, Sorkin, sue, The, Timberlake, verbal, Verdict, West, wing, Winklevoss, witty, Zodiac, Zuckerbeg
Ed must not falter as Cameron eyes comfy legacy
I have just finished watching Ed Miliband’s first speech as the new leader of the Labour party. It began with a volley of jokes, of human humour, that must have had many Labour supporters sighing with relief that they at least now had a leader who could smile and appear accessible to the public, following the stoic, grim Scott that preceded him. Indeed the strongest feature of the speech was a man with beliefs and ordinary concerns defining himself, announcing himself to the people of Britain. Here was a reasonable, genuine man the public could relate to but did he have the stature of a leader?
Yesterday elder brother David delivered a rallying cry to his party that had the media scrambling to suggest Labour had picked the wrong Miliband and that David Cameron had been right to fear the Shadow Foreign Secretary the most. Losing by the narrowest of margins, the bouncy figure once derided as Mr Bean and Banana Man looked like a leader, like a man who could be Prime Minister. In contrast Ed can sometimes look like a rabbit caught in the headlights, particularly in the acceptance speech immediately following his victory and again at times today. He can also look a soft geeky presence rather than a strong inspiring one, ready for the challenge of leadership and Opposition.
But David lost for a reason. The elder Miliband was content to ride a wave of guaranteed support to the leadership, with minimal effort. He may have honed his demeanour and conducted himself like a leader, but he did not reach out enough in the necessary ways. He was essentially lazy. He had incredibly strong support and need only had made some minor concessions to the trade unions and supporters of his brother to secure victory. He lost because he refused to break with the past of New Labour in the way that many grass roots voters wanted. He was admirably defiant about New Labour’s positive legacy but made few moves to indicate where the project went wrong and more importantly in which direction he would take it. David did not grab and harness the mood of change.
Ed, like David Cameron and Barack Obama and even Tony Blair, who emerged from almost nowhere to lead their country, did recognise the value of a clean slate, of a breath of fresh air. He recognised that the party knew it had stagnated and the electorate were no longer interested unless it refreshed its ideas, reconnected with its ideals in a new optimistic way. Ed ended his speech by declaring his Labour to be the party of optimism in contrast to Cameron’s cuts. He began his speech talking about a new generation. During his speech we learnt little more about Ed’s policy vision for the party, as he perhaps wisely kept most hands close to his chest, vague and adaptable to the demands of Opposition. However during his campaign Ed’s denouncement of Iraq, and his support for a living wage, AV and a graduate tax, were all bigger indicators of Ed’s Labour party than David was willing to offer. His brother simply didn’t offer the progressive policies that even many in the Labour old guard wanted to see championed now by a new wave of youthful renewal, equal to the challenge of Clegg and Cameron’s Con-Dem coalition.
Following Ed’s triumph though the media have blasted him and he has been labelled a puppet of the unions, “Red Ed”, out of touch with the core middle England vote. He moved quickly to counter these claims with interviews in the Sunday Telegraph and on the Andrew Marr show, saying he would fight for Britain’s “squeezed middle”. Reading the coverage of his victory I noticed that David Cameron had called Ed to congratulate him from Chequers, and warned him that his job would be a tough one. I can’t help but think Cameron would not have been so eager to call, or so superior and wise in his manner, had the more experienced and in his view more threatening elder brother won the contest. Cameron no doubt sees Ed as an easy target and may already be eyeing a second term, free of Lib Dem constraint. “Red ED” will be inexperienced and easy to sideline as an illegitimate Union toy, keen on tax rises and simply not credible on the economy. He also authored Labour’s last, losing election manifesto, and is not as new and fresh as he would make out. Cameron should easily get the better of him at PMQs for a while and any Labour poll leads will prove superficial when 2015 comes around and the coalition has secured economic recovery.
Ed must obviously be cautious that he is not unfairly painted by the Tories and that his policies do not alienate the very voters Labour must win back in the south, the voters who chose Blair in 1997. This accounts for his soothing rhetoric with regards to the middle classes. But Ed must hold his nerve and be bold too and learn the lessons of his leadership victory. He won because he presented a more dynamic vision on policy than his brother. He won with a clear progressive message. He also won because although he may not look like a leader at times he does look genuine, not a fake performer but an actual idealist, committed to what he says, reasonable and pragmatic in his approach and willing to talk about love and compassion in ways other politicians of different generations cannot. He must not tarnish the positive, honest image he is building for himself with the British people by muddling his message. He must not take fright at the newspaper headlines and give out mixed views but continue to pursue the radical, progressive and optimistic agenda that carried him through his campaign. He should not be afraid to take a distinctive stance on the deficit with a different emphasis on tax and other kinds of cuts than those proposed by the coalition, as long as it is credible. He should prove he is a man of his word and not simply a career politician by putting a green economy, green taxes and carbon emissions reductions at the heart of his party’s policy, following his role as Climate Change Secretary. He has the potential to both inspire a new youthful generation on issues of the day such as new politics and global warming and reconnect with the values of older generations on issues like family, Afghanistan and tax. The formation of his Shadow Cabinet in the coming weeks will be the first true test of Ed’s leadership qualities and also be crucial to defining his vision for the party. Whatever his brother decides to do Ed must remain proactive in challenging the establishment as he said in his speech and not budge on his message of a progressive alternative for Britain, regardless of media pressure. Voters will repay passionate consistent calls for change in the long run.
Tagged 2010, accessible, ambition, AV, Balls, brother, cabinet, Cameron, Chancellor, change, class, Clegg, Climate, Coalition, comfy, Con Dem, Conference, Conservative, contest, credible, Cuts, David, decision, deficit, easy, Ed, England, equality, family, funny, geek, government, graduate tax, headlights, Honesty, human, humour, Labour, lazy, leadership, legacy, Lib Dem, loss, love, manifesto, middle, Miliband, Mr Bean, nerve, new, newspaper, opening, Opposition, optimism, Osborne, Parliament, personal, plan, pluralism, PM, PMQs, policy, progressive, project, rabbit, radical, record, Red Ed, reduction, reform, rhetoric, scaremonger, second, shadow, socialism, speech, tabloid, taxes, term, Tory, tribute, victory, voter, youth
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1540
|
__label__cc
| 0.685565
| 0.314435
|
Streetlights: Africa
Giving Code: 133230
Region: Africa
Area: Africa
COST (USD$): 40,000
Dakar, Senegal, and Chicago, USA have much more in common today than they did a generation ago, and one likely conduit is music.
The Streetlights team and the missional creatives in Dakar have a plan to collaborate and spend time recording and producing a “sampler” of several Bible passages in Wolof, a language spoken by more than 10 million people in the region and by more than 90 percent of Senegal’s population, the overwhelming majority of whom are of another faith and do not have access to God’s word. The team also hopes to record and produce a “sampler” in French that can be used not only throughout urban hubs on the African continent where French is spoken in 26 countries but as a multimedia tool that can be used anywhere around the French-speaking world.
God’s word over hip hop tracks may have started as a dream – the heartbeat of a kid from Chicago, but it’s taking on life now, catching fire. This partnership might just set off a movement for the heart of a different city, thousands of miles away, but one for whom Christ offers his life. Our prayer is that the “beat” of His heart would transform lives and communities in cities around the world for His name’s sake, for His praise and for His glory!
Donate by Check:
In the US:
Make checks payable to General Treasurer and send them to:
Global Treasury Services
In Canada:
Make Checks payable Church of the Nazarene Canada and send them to:
Church of the Nazarene Canada
3657 Ponytrail Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L4X 1W5.
Be sure to put 133230 in the Memo area. Thanks for your donation.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1546
|
__label__wiki
| 0.630162
| 0.630162
|
Discover The Institute, Environmental Learning Center & Ecosystem
North Cascades Institute
North Cascades Environmental Learning Center
North Cascades Ecosystem
Blog Stories from the field
Sign Up Learning Adventures for all ages
Conferences and Retreats
Family and Adult
Graduate M.Ed. Students
Study Graduate M.Ed. Residency
Retreat Book your conference or gathering
Shop Apparel, gifts & souvenirs
Support Become a donor
Accomplishments & Reports
Directions & visitor info
Chuckanut Radio Hour featuring Deep River with Karl Marlantes As the days grow shorter and nights stretch longer, head into winter with new books that explore and celebrate the natural wonders of the world! Join Village Books and North Cascades Institute in welcoming award-winning writers to Fairhaven to share their latest works. From memoir to natural history, travelogue to nature poetry, regional history to environmental issues, you'll learn more about our wondrous planet through the voices of our country's most gifted authors in this series of readings. https://ncascades.org/chuckanut-radio-hour-featuring-deep-river-with-karl-marlantes https://ncascades.org/logo.png
Chuckanut Radio Hour featuring Deep River with Karl Marlantes
As the days grow shorter and nights stretch longer, head into winter with new books that explore and celebrate the natural wonders of the world! Join Village Books and North Cascades Institute in welcoming award-winning writers to Fairhaven to share their latest works. From memoir to natural history, travelogue to nature poetry, regional history to environmental issues, you'll learn more about our wondrous planet through the voices of our country's most gifted authors in this series of readings.
06:30 AM 08:30 AM Sep 24, 2019
Whatcom Community College
Karl Marlantes made his name with the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. Now with his new novel, Deep River, Marlantes applies the epic narrative sweep of Matterhorn to a family saga about Finnish immigrants to the Pacific Northwest. Marlantes draws glancing inspiration from his own family history to tell a story against the backdrop of a logging industry clashing with the radical burgeoning labor movement, World War I, and the upheavals of early twentieth century America. Layered with fascinating historical detail, and vivid evocations of the pristine beauty of the primeval forest, Deep River is an ambitious and timely exploration of the place of the individual, and of the immigrant, in an America still in the process of defining its own identity.
Karl Marlantes is the author two New York Times bestsellers: Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War and his nonfiction book What It Is Like to Go to War. He is married and has five adult children and three grandchildren. He grew-up in a small logging town on the Oregon coast and fished commercially with his grandfather as a teenager.
*Admission to Chuckanut Radio Hour events is $5.
(360) 854-2599 info@ncascades.org Contact
Careers Media
© North Cascades Institute|Privacy Policy
North Cascades Institute is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 91-1327775
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1547
|
__label__wiki
| 0.981819
| 0.981819
|
Our Vision in Action
Research & Teaching Quality
Faculties, Schools & Research Units
Global Strategy
Expert Solutions
Recruit & Develop Talent
Procuring Goods & Services
National Innovation Centre for Ageing
National Innovation Centre for Data
Global Challenges Academy
Medical Science Research Fellowships
Newcastle University in Singapore
NUMed Malaysia
Professional & Executive Development
Information for Schools & Colleges
Get Involved & Giving
Alumni Exclusives
Student homepage
Computing (NUIT)
Congregations (graduation)
Verification documents
Paying Tuition Fees
Paying Accommodation Fees
Newcastle University > Press Office > Archive
News in February 2013
How did early primordial cells evolve?
Research into bacteria without a cell wall is helping us understand how the earliest forms of life may have replicated nearly four billion years ago.
published on: 28 February 2013
Newcastle University professor wins $1m TED prize
Professor Sugata Mitra, whose research inspired the film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, has been named the 2013 TED Prize winner.
New centre to revolutionise medical technology
Newcastle University is to play a key role in a £5.7 million centre being set up to develop tailor-made joint replacements for patients.
Researchers to pinpoint genetic causes of osteoarthritis
Newcastle University scientists are to carry out further research into the genetic origins of osteoarthritis, following a major breakthrough last year.
Locust-inspired vision for car sensors
Scientists from the Newcastle and Lincoln Universities have created a computerised system which allows for an autonomous navigation of mobile robots based on the locust’s unique visual system.
Ensuring security technology doesn’t become a weapon against human rights
Europe’s growing security industry needs stricter controls to ensure its technology isn’t used as a weapon against citizens, a Newcastle University expert has warned.
A solution to sinusitis from the sea
A team of scientists and surgeons from Newcastle are developing a new nasal spray from a marine microbe to help clear chronic sinusitis.
SatNav to ease congestion in our cities
New sat-nav technology which helps drivers adjust their speed so they can pass through a series of lights on green is to be trialled in Newcastle.
Science Central opens for business
This week sees an important milestone reached for the Science Central development with the unveiling of a major campaign aimed at attracting potential investors and developers to what is one of the country’s biggest city centre regeneration projects.
Maths in the mall
It’s a shoppers’ paradise but could Europe's biggest retail centre, the Metrocentre, also be a secret weapon in improving numeracy?
published on: 8 February 2013
Poorer patients with lung cancer less likely to receive treatment than wealtheir patients
Poorer lung cancer patients in the developed world are significantly less likely to receive treatment than richer patients, researchers from Newcastle University have found.
Air pollution leads mothers to have smaller babies
A worldwide study has shown that pregnant mothers exposed to air pollution emitted by vehicles and coal power plants, are significantly more likely to have smaller babies.
Could the humble sea urchin hold the key to carbon capture?
The discovery that sea urchins use Nickel particles to harness carbon dioxide from the sea could be the key to capturing tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere.
Insights into the world of Britain’s real-life spooks
A new series of Insights public lectures and Live lunchtime concerts begins with a look at the history of Britain's real life spooks.
Success for Newcastle at Folk Music Awards
Newcastle University music lecturer Kathryn Tickell has been named Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards.
Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom,
Telephone: (0191) 208 6000 From outside the UK dial +44 191 208 6000
Email web editor
Last updated 13 December 2017 © Newcastle University
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1548
|
__label__cc
| 0.507286
| 0.492714
|
Epi 19, Interview with CSM Terry Burton, USACRC CSM
Episode #18, Caring Leaders
Epi #17, Tips for Inactivating Units
Broadening Assignments for NCOs, Epi. #16
Epi. #15, Soldier for Life: SMA Jack L. Tilley interview
Military Advice and Commentary
Military Research Consulting
Army NCO History
Home > Interview > Interview with Deputy Commandant, USASMA
Interview with Deputy Commandant, USASMA
December 9, 2014 January 17, 2018 Dan Elder
CSM Tedd Prtichard with SMA Raymond Chandler (photo courtesy US Army)
INTERVIEWEE: CSM Tedd (Joe) Pritchard, Deputy Commandant, US Sergeants Major Academy; INTERVIEWER: CSM Dan Elder, US Army, Retired
This is one in our series of interviews with noncommissioned officers from the field, as well as those in key or strategic positions who are influencing the Army and the Noncommissioned Officer Corps. This interview is with CSM Joe Prtichard, who serves as the Deputy Commandant of the US Army Sergeants Major Academy. Below are his responses to our questions:
Q1. What were the things that surprised you the most after assuming your duties as the Deputy Commandant of the US Army Sergeants Major Academy?
First of all, serving as the Deputy Commandant at the USASMA is an honor, a very humbling experience and a rewarding opportunity, in the terms of serving our Nation, the Army and in terms of developing not only personally but, in the terms of developing our future strategic enlisted leaders in our Army. Most would not know that USASMA is responsible for the analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation of 14 programs of instruction. The Sergeants Major Course (SMC) serves as a key responsibility in the delivery of the Noncommissioned officer Education System (NCOES) however, equally important is that our institution (USASMA) ensures that we train and educate all enlisted Soldiers in the professional military education (PME) process. USASMA is made up of numerous Sergeants Major and cadre consisting of contractors and civilian employees…all of whom served as enlisted men and women. What is not surprising is the level of knowledge, expertise and professionalism of our cadre…Dedicated men and women whom understand that the future is in the hands of those they train and they take responsibility very seriously. Serving as the Deputy Commandant alongside and with these great men and women on a daily basis is truly inspiring, rewarding and of great importance. USASMA is a very busy workplace that requires complete attention to detail and if there’s anything surprising, is that of the duties and responsibilities as applied to the magnitude, scope and scale of the Deputy Commandant. With that said, I would not trade it for the world…the opportunity to serve and give back to our Army and its future leaders.
Q2. Did you have prior experience in the institutional Army, and how would you rate your preparation throughout your career to allow you to be able to step in to the Deputy Commandant role?
The experience to serve in TRADOC as a drill sergeant, chief of the ADA BNCOC and the Commandant at the III Corps and Fort Hood NCO Academy provided great understanding of the processes and procedures here at USASMA and within TRADOC. While serving as a Commandant, I completed TRADOC’s senior trainer and education manager course (STEMC). STEMC provided a complete understanding of how TRADOC operates and the processes to design and develop a course from scratch. The first introduction to working with, rating and counseling civilian employees started at Fort Hood while serving as the Commandant. To better understand the civilian workforce, I attended the civilian personnel senior management course. Here at USASMA, we have several civilian employees and prior civilian employment training really placed me in an area of understanding. Also, and equally is important, is the balance between operating and generating assignments. Since 1999 I’ve served in each, one after the other with the exception of two operating assignments back to back. Serving as CSM at the BN, BDE, Commandant and nominative levels (to include the joint environment) prior to the Deputy Commandant position, greatly provided the experience and skill set required to serve as the USASMA Deputy Commandant.
Q3. What changes to the noncommissioned officer education system do you see taking place over the next 2-5 years, if any?
Change will occur – that’s inevitable and it’s good, in the sense of relevancy and that of the changing global environment we operate in. We must change to better prepare our leaders for the challenges ahead. The Army is not going out of business anytime soon as populations grow, resources diminish and economies struggle to support their people. To that end, USASMA will remain adaptive and committed providing the right skills and training to meet the challenges of an increasing uncertain and complex strategic operational environment. TRADOC and the Institute for Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development (INCOPD) is working hard to develop NCO 2020 initiatives, intent, objectives, analysis plans, and emerging trends/themes from ongoing surveys. We don’t know the outcome or outcomes yet however, we’re doing allot of work to determine the future of the NCO corps and that of enlisted leader development from ground up.
Q4. What is the most important change to happen in the Army since you first entered, and why is it important?
Q5. What bit of advice or wisdom would you share with up-and-coming NCOs on how to be successful?
Success is defined in numerous ways and is formed as an interpretation to many to include a magical way of making it to the top of the rank structure in our Army. Is it a chase for success in the terms of going after something, preparing for, choosing to do or a desire to lead successfully no matter what rank structure you currently serve and to whom you lead? I think that all too often, some think that success is being a Command Sergeant Major in the Army versus being successful at no matter what rank you serve. The bottom-line is that no matter where you are in your career, success is being the best you can be (A Leader) and caring for Soldiers and families every need. Off the soap box now – it’s important to learn and grasp every leadership opportunity and broadening assignment/special assignment to provide a wider perspective of leading. Listen to your leaders, learn from them, ask questions often as to how to be a better leader, read leadership books from the book store shelves, study Army manuals, attend NCOES as soon as possible and go to college. Success is foundational to the level of time someone places in learning the art of military leadership. It’s also defined by the Army values, warrior ethos and NCO creed. Succumb to the dedication of the profession of arms and give it 100% – live it, breath it and you will become a successful leader in our Army. The Army will recognize your talent as a successful leader.
Q6. What is one thing you want people to know about you?
I’ve given almost my entire adult life to the Army and others. When I pass away, I want to be recognized as a leader who gave it my all and tried my best to pass on the years of knowledge and expertise to others.
Q7. Who is your most admired person, and why?
No comment as this area is one in which I prefer to keep to myself.
Q8. What one or two things are top on your agenda to accomplish during your tenure as Deputy Commandant?
The Deputy Commandant position at USASMA serves as second in command as well as the Academy CSM and seemingly always has a full plate. From what may seem the simplest of tasks of working with and for hundreds of Soldiers, civilians and contractors…at the top of the agenda is maintaining the work force, communications flow, and the workforce daily tasks, IPRs, meetings, VTCs and functions. We’re working hard to improve our technology delivery methods and IT strategic plans for all levels of the NCOES. Improving operating efficiencies and saving dollars in the most effective way is definitely at the top of the agenda. As we work in an era of constrained resources and dollars, it’s important to maintain the pulse while ensuring that we deliver the best training (resident and DL) to thousands of customers each year.
Our thanks to CSM Pritchard for participating in this interview and wish him continued success. Statements here are personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of the US Army or DoD, participation in our interview sessions does not equal endorsement of any type. The NCO Guide is a news outlet of professional commentary and opinion from current and former Soldiers with the desire to share their expertise and experience and can be read at http://www.NCOGuide.net
Dan Elder
Military Programs at milMedia Group
Dan is a leadership coach, management consultant, and change agent who has mentored hundreds of leaders at all levels. A retired Command Sergeant Major with more than 26-years serving soldiers and their families, he has deployments to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq. Dan's culminating assignment was as the senior enlisted advisor of a major Army Command (USAMC) and as the Army's senior enlisted sustainer. He served on the Sergeant Major of the Army's Board of Directors and is author, editor or advisor to a number of soldier-related books and articles. Working as an independent consultant and small-business owner in Killeen TX, Dan continues to serve soldiers as a Blogger, Podcaster and Speaker. He was selected as the first enlisted Senior Fellow for the Association of the United States Army and was inducted to the US Army Sergeants Major Academy Wall of Fame, and the US Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame
Interview deputy commandant, usasma
The NCO Induction Ceremony
History: 1SG Percival G. Lowe, 1828-1908
2 thoughts on “Interview with Deputy Commandant, USASMA”
Ross, James N. CSM
Great Interview! Very good insight on USASMA and the way ahead for NCOES.
Defreese lauded Pritchard’s career and thanked his family for their support of their soldier in the Army and then turned his attention to the incoming deputy commandant.
Provide your email and we will let you know when we add new podcasts or articles.
Powerpoint Ranger
Military History Destination
Military Media Expertise
milMedia Group for your Digital Marketing needs
milMedia Group, we want to be your web and digital content provider. We create websites, produce digital and print content, manage social media campaigns, email marketing and more. We are the media company for small business, entrepreneurs, and start-ups. #digital #seo #web ... See more
How To Start A Vlog 2018 – [Launch A Successful YouTube Channel] | Vlogging Guides
It's definitely a thing now. Here's how to start a #Vlog in 2018.
https://vloggingguides.com/how-to-start-a-vlog/
By learning how to start a vlog on YouTube, and create a successful channel in 2018, you are tapping into one of the most exciting opportunities online for building an audience and earning some money.Does that mean it is easy?Definitely not. Like anything worth doing, starting a vlog is a lot of h... ... See more
We hope all of Central Texas is ready! You are invited to our free Marketing seminar on June 19. So come prepared and learn how to grow your #MarketingSkills. Contact us today to reserve your spot.
Communications Specialist Ashley Baty trying to close a virtual breaker box demoing VR trying with our partner LEAP.
May 07, 2019 Bob Dare 0
NCO Lesson: Sam, You Made the Pants Too Short!
Lesson on Leadership “Oh it is great to...
April 25, 2019 Brian Lindsey 0
NCO 2020: Understanding the Lines of Effort
NCO 2020 Strategy The NCO 2020 Strategy was...
February 16, 2019 Dan Elder 0
116-year Army Streamer Error Continues
Streamer Spelling Error I only gained a deeper...
Manuel on Neck Medal Bling
William Bravo on Neck Medal Bling
NCO Lesson: Sam, You Made the Pants Too Short! — The NCO Guide on Don’t be just a leader, be a transformational leader
Daniel J Starr on Neck Medal Bling
Patrick G Volling on Epi. #15, Soldier for Life: SMA Jack L. Tilley interview
Tony Kiburis on Bring back the Specialist Rank?
CH McCarron on What’s wrong with the Change of Responsibility Ceremony?
What's it like having an approved Defense Budget? – The NCO Guide on Increased pay is vital to recruiting and troop retention
SGM Matthew "Joe" Halstead on What’s wrong with the Change of Responsibility Ceremony?
Robert Nemoyer on The Changing Role of the Command Sergeant Major
RedState’s Water Cooler – January 14, 2018 – Open Thread – “The King, the Sergeant” – Liberty REDUX on Remembering Sergeant Elvis Aaron Presley
RedState’s Water Cooler – January 14, 2018 – Open Thread – “The King, the Sergeant” – LEXYRED on Remembering Sergeant Elvis Aaron Presley
Dave Rogers on Bring back the Specialist Rank?
Dan Elder on The Sergeant’s Book
©Copyright 2019 | milMedia Group | All Rights Reserved
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1549
|
__label__cc
| 0.535907
| 0.464093
|
David S Hage
Professor, Chemistry
EmailDHAGE1@UNL.EDU
Correction to: Analysis of glipizide binding to normal and glycated human serum albumin by high-performance affinity chromatography (Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, (2015), 407, 18, (5309-5321), 10.1007/s00216-015-8688-0)
Matsuda, R., Li, Z., Zheng, X. & Hage, D. S., Mar 7 2019, In : Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 411, 8, 1 p.
Affinity chromatography
Serum Albumin
Corrigendum to “Analysis of free drug fractions by ultrafast affinity extraction: Interactions of sulfonylurea drugs with normal or glycated human serum albumin” [J. Chromatogr. A 1371 (2014) 82–89] (Analysis of free drug fractions by ultrafast affinity extraction: Interactions of sulfonylurea drugs with normal or glycated human serum albumin (2014) 1371 (82–89), (S002196731401704X), (10.1016/j.chroma.2014.10.092))
Zheng, X., Matsuda, R. & Hage, D. S., Mar 15 2019, In : Journal of Chromatography A. 1588, 1 p.
Corrigendum to “Characterization of interaction kinetics between chiral solutes and human serum albumin by using high-performance affinity chromatography and peak profiling” (Journal of Chromatography A (2011) 1218(39) (6892–6897), (S0021967311011915), (10.1016/j.chroma.2011.08.026))
Tong, Z. & Hage, D. S., Nov 8 2019, In : Journal of Chromatography A. 1605, 460373.
Corrigendum to "Analysis of multi-site drug-protein interactions by high-performance affinity chromatography: Binding by glimepiride to normal or glycated human serum albumin" [J. Chromatogr. A 1408 (2015) 133-144]
Matsuda, R., Li, Z., Zheng, X. & Hage, D. S., Dec 4 2015, In : Journal of Chromatography A. 1423, 1 p.
glimepiride
Erratum: Current trends in the detection of peroxide-based explosives (Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry DOI: 10.1007/s00216-009-2968-5)
Burks, R. M. & Hage, D. S., Apr 1 2010, In : Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 396, 8, p. 3113-3114 2 p.
Erratum: Analysis of free drug fractions using near-infrared fluorescent labels and an ultrafast immunoextraction/displacement assay (Analytical Chemistry (2006) 78 (7547-7556))
Ohnmacht, C. M., Schiel, J. E. & Hage, D. S., Jan 1 2007, In : Analytical chemistry. 79, 1, 1 p.
Erratum: Studies of protein binding to nonpolar solutes by using zonal elution and high-performance affinity chromatography - Interactions of cis- and trans-clomiphene with human serum albumin in the presence of β-cyclodextrin (Analytical Chemistry (1998) 70 (4602-4609))
Hage, D. S. & Sengupta, A., Oct 1 2004, In : Analytical chemistry. 76, 19, 1 p.
Enclomiphene
Improved recovery of a radiolabeled peptide with an albumin-treated reversed-phase HPLC column
Hage, D. S., Taylor, R. L. & Kao, P. C., Jan 1 1992, In : Clinical Chemistry. 38, 2, p. 303-304 2 p.
Iodine Radioisotopes
Parathyroid Hormone
Use of affinity chromatography in developing acridinium ester-labeled antibodies for an immunometric assay of parathyrin
Hage, D. S., Taylor, B., Schryver, P. & Kao, P. C., Mar 26 1991, In : Clinical Chemistry. 37, 1, p. 117-118 2 p.
Succinimides
Contact David S Hage
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1551
|
__label__wiki
| 0.852024
| 0.852024
|
Buffalo's NPR News Station
Binational
Heritage Moments
Investigative Post
Reporting Projects
WBFO Arts & Culture Desk
WBFO Business & Economy Desk
WBFO Education Desk
WBFO Health & Wellness Desk
WBFO Racial Equity Project
WBFO Older Adults News Desk
WBFO Veterans News Desk
WBFO Women's News Desk
WBFO Mental Health Initiative
Blues Bash
WBFO
Classical 94.5 WNED
JazzWorks
Demolitions to begin in Buffalo's Northland Corridor
By Mike Desmond • Apr 25, 2017
Watts Architecture and Engineering
Buffalo's Planning Board on Monday removed the last barrier to starting a major piece of the city's Northland Corridor, approving a series of demolitions and renovation of 683 Northland.
WBFO's Mike Desmond reports
The site will become the job training for the entire program. Overall work will start in June, work on the building in August and completion in about a year. The entire project is expected to cost $42 million spent around Northland and East Delavan. Much of the design work came from Watts Architecture and Engineering.
"It's been two years where we're doing all the background information," said Buffalo Urban Development Corporation President Peter Cammarata. "But I think they're going to see all sorts of things, I know they are going to see all sorts of things happening in the neighborhood immediately including, as I have mentioned, the demolition of 537 East Delavan, the old Houdaille plant, the construction of the road, the redo of the road by the city and then there will be plenty of construction workers."
The city will repair a very rough street, as well as doing landscaping and planting trees. There will also be considerable work on cleaning up hazardous waste on most of the sites, reflecting the industrial past.
Cammarata said a major goal is for many of the construction workers to come from the surrounding community.
"It's an important piece," he said. "The workforce has to reflect the neighborhood that we're working on and we're dedicated to that happening and we've had a very good response as far as interest is concerned and we're working with a lot of the neighborhood groups who help build these types of relationships."
That includes a session Monday at Mount Olive Baptist Church - what was called a community workforce outreach event. Job training is focused on advanced manufacturing and electrical utility jobs.
While much of the project involves demolition of some of the old and closed industrial plants, a key element of the project is to create a hub for light manufacturing and commercial companies in the future.
Northland Corridor
buffalo planning board
Buffalo Urban Development Corporation
Northland Corridor project seen as key investment in Buffalo's East Side
By Chris Caya • Mar 9, 2017
Chris Caya/WBFO News
Work on the $60 million Northland Corridor Redevelopment Project is ramping up. The focus of the mostly-state funded project is a workforce training center.
BUDC acquires 'final key property' in East Side business park plan
By Michael Mroziak • Jun 10, 2015
Michael Mroziak, WBFO
City leaders say they've acquired the final piece of property needed for their plan to convert several blocks of Buffalo's Masten District into a new business park.
$11 million in funding announced for East Side redevelopment
By Eileen Buckley • Apr 24, 2015
WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley
Good news came to Buffalo's East Side today. Nine projects in the community will be funded with $11 million through the Better Buffalo Fund.
© 2020 WBFO
The Public and Broadcasting
Diversity & Inclusion Initiative
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1563
|
__label__wiki
| 0.941929
| 0.941929
|
Home » World News » Iran BLACKOUT: Is Twitter banned in Iran? How rebels publicise their plight online
Iran BLACKOUT: Is Twitter banned in Iran? How rebels publicise their plight online
As of 2012, around 27 percent of websites were blocked in Iran. The following year, it’s estimated that 50 percent of the top 500 most-visited webistes worldwide – the likes of YouTube, Facebook and Blogger – were censored to the Iranian people.
Is Twitter banned in Iran?
People who have been following the recent tensions in Iran closely would be forgiven if they thought Twitter was not banned in the country.
After all, Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, tweeted in English after retaliatory strikes on US airbases: “We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.”
Mr Zarif is not the only government official to use Twitter but the social media platform is in fact censored to ordinary Iranians.
Iran Attack: President vows to ‘punish’ those responsible for crash
Also on the blocked list is messaging network Telegram, an app Iranians used after Viber was censored.
After street protests in 2018, Iran banned Telegram, which had an estimated 40 million users in the country, which is roughly half Iran’s population.
Iranians use social media to speak to friends and family, keep abreast of the news and even to promote their business in spite of the government restrictions.
Internet access, speeds and bandwidth have dramatically increased in recent years in Iran and the number of Internet users grew 29 percent in 2018, which was the fifth-biggest increase in the world, according to a report by Datareportal.
The government, however, has long been wary of digital technology, recognising its economic benefits but fearing it could help fuel protests like the mass demonstrations that erupted in 2009.
Those protests were orchestrated and organised with the help of social media networks, hence the government’s vigilance towards them and subsequent banning of Twitter and Facebook.
In the 2017-18 Iranian protests, the government blocked Internet access from mobile networks and blocked access to Instagram and Telegram to try to obstruct demonstrators.
The government was even able to completely block Internet access in parts of the country.
World War 3 panic: Hunt reveals the terrifying timescale for Iran to blow up the world
Iran fury: How Ayatollah dubbed UK ‘source of misery’ in violent rant
World War 3 warning: UK summons Iran over unacceptable breach – urgent No10 statement
Trudeau FURY: Canada PM hits out at Trump and Iran after plane crash
More recently, during protests in 2019 that began after the government decided to increase fuel prices, the Internet was shut down just as it had been in 2017-18.
Ordinary Iranians are able to access blocked platforms with the help of a VPN – virtual private networks that create a secure connection to another network, often in a different country to the users.
Shahin Gobadi, a press spokesman of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran based in Paris, said: “The clerical regime is the enemy of free flow of information and free access of Iranians to uncensored information. Duplicity, denial, and deception are in the regime’s DNA.
“What is very telling is that while ordinary Iranians are banned from accessing these applications, the regime’s leaders and senior officials including Ali Khamenei, Hassan Rouhani, and Javad Zarif use these applications freely to disseminate lies and propaganda.
“These social media platforms must shut down their accounts and ensure freedom of access to the Internet by the Iranian people.”
Iran’s communications minister, Mohammad Jahromi, uses Twitter regularly, and he believes the country needs a more open approach to digital media.
Speaking to NBC News in August 2019, he said: “My very good use of Twitter indicates that I don’t believe in its use being limited or prohibited.”
His views contradicts those of the more conservative figures in Iran and the judiciary, who have pushed for censorship and limits on social media based outside the country.
President Rouhani condemned the banning of Telegram last year, describing the decision as “the direct opposite to democracy.”
In his re-election campaign two years ago, the president relied on Instagram to reach voters.
Mr Jahromi said restrictions on social media were counterproductive, undermining Iran’s political and economic interests.
He said: “We have to admit the fact that we have weakness in this field.”
Bali volcano latest: Mount Agung blows AGAIN – are flights grounded? Is it safe to travel?
Argentina election polls results: HUGE rise for populist Fernandez – Argentina SHOCKWAVES
Turkey attacks Syria map: Where is Turkey attacking the Kurds in Syria?
Michelle Obama sends Twitter into meltdown after sharing heartwarming thanksgiving photo
Tories demand Boris cuts ‘witch-hunt’ unit in NI to protect veterans from inquiries
Blackridge Strategy’s Amir Farahi responds to new documents released in websites scandal
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1564
|
__label__wiki
| 0.652975
| 0.652975
|
Hurricane María
sonnen Foundation for Energy Security installs 1st community solar microgrids
December 1, 20170919
In partnership with Pura Energía, a solar installation partner in Puerto Rico, recently donated a solar microgrid (solar + energy storage) that provides basic power for the Loma La Nina community center in Humacao.
In partnership with Pura Energía, a solar installation partner in Puerto Rico, has donated a solar microgrid (solar + energy storage) that provides basic power for the Loma La Nina community center in Humacao.
Intelligent residential energy storage company sonnen, announced the official formation of the sonnen Foundation for Energy Security, which will work with local energy partner Pura Energía to implement microgrids islandwide.
The initiative calls for installing solar-powered systems in schools, community centers and relief shelters. This mission of bringing relief to individuals and entire communities in need, including those affected by energy instability, are part of sonnen’s core principles for “achieving clean, reliable and affordable energy for all,” the company said.
The company’s global leaders, led by CEO Christoph Ostermann and SVP Blake Richetta, met with local government officials, including Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, to tour the “Energy Oasis” microgrids and discuss a future of energy resiliency for the island.
“This trip deeply impacted our entire leadership team and solidified our resolve to help the people of Puerto Rico,” said Ostermann. “Speaking with government officials, residents and our partners on the ground gave us a ‘hands on’ understanding of the magnitude of suffering that has occurred since Hurricane María.”
“We come away from this trip with as clear a vision as ever before for Puerto Rico and the rest of the world,” he said.
Given the devastation across the island and the uncertainty about power restoration timelines, these community microgrids are critical in providing much needed, short-term relief for the residents of Puerto Rico and establishing a resilient infrastructure to withstand future climate disasters.
Thus far, sonnen and Pura Energía have donated six Energy Oases, at key community sites across the island, with nine more microgrids planned for the coming weeks. Active microgrids include:
Lavanderia microgrids – sonnen and Pura Energía have installed three solar microgrids in La Perla (8kW power/16kWh capacity), Loíza (4kw/8kWh) and Morovis (8kW/16kWh) used to power community washing machines, refrigerators and some basic electrical outlets. Installed in communities whose water is contaminated by the deadly Leptospirosis bacteria, each microgrid is supporting hundreds of homes in its respective neighborhood.
Loma La Nina Mariana microgrid – Located in Humacao, one of the most devastated areas of Puerto Rico, “Proyecto Apoyo Mutuo Mariana” is a village community center that was converted into a food shelter to feed its residents. The sonnen eco16 (8kW/16kWh) works with a solar array to provide refrigeration and meal preparation for up to 500 individuals per day, in addition to clean water storage and basic electricity used to power Wi-Fi communications.
Help Me! Aguadilla microgrid – A sonnen eco8 (4kW/8kWh) storage system combined with solar panels provides lights, refrigeration, microwaves and fans for a school that provides psychological services for children with behavioral and developmental disabilities in Aguadilla. The ability to power basic necessities for the school enables it to remain open.
Maricao microgrid – Two sonnen eco8 (4kW/8kWh) systems plus solar are powering refrigerators, lights, cellular router and other power services for a shelter housing 45 residents displaced by the hurricane in an isolated mountain town that will likely be without power for many months.
“Puerto Rico is primed for solar energy as we have the sun power and our electricity is one of the most expensive things on the island,” said Christine Enid Nieves, spokesperson for Loma La Nina Mariano.
“Solar energy would have a huge impact on every Puerto Rican’s financial situation, radically shifting the quality of life in the Caribbean,” she said. “Power lines have been down since Hurricane María and grid services are not expected to be available for six to seven months or longer, making solar microgrids an essential element for relief and recovery.”
In addition to providing reliable energy for the community, the sonnen and Pura Energía microgrids offer a clean, maintenance-free and quiet alternative to the generators that are polluting the air in Puerto Rico every day, creating a public health concern and damaging the environment.
“sonnen’s vision for Puerto Rico, like the established concept of sonnenCommunity in Europe and the United States, is to incorporate both solar and battery storage into new home development, resulting in an integrated approach that truly performs as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP),” said Richetta, who heads the company’s U.S. subsidiary.
“Investing in Puerto Rico now will pave the way not only for recovery, but for long-term growth and prosperity. As a country, if we fail to invest in Puerto Rico during this time of need, the result could be disastrous,” he said.
sonnen also met with the Department of Economic Development to discuss business investments in Puerto Rico, expanding the company’s distribution channel to the island and creating jobs to aid in their economic recovery, executives confirmed.
Related tags : energyHurricane MariaPuerto Ricosolarsonnen
Womentechover launches to help change “face” of tech sector
HIMA-San Pablo re-enters MMM network, expanding health services
Hey Buddy!, I found this information for you: "sonnen Foundation for Energy Security installs 1st community solar microgrids". Here is the website link: https://newsismybusiness.com/foundation-community-microgrids/. Thank you.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1565
|
__label__wiki
| 0.992907
| 0.992907
|
This session (b84b1p3uouku9n5css0c56cmt6) started 2020-01-22 02:02:07
Lustmore
by Lapalux
— Released 6th April 2015 on Brainfeeder
Lapalux knew where and how his sound should change with a second album. As a result, Lustmore feels like a record as compulsively inspired and meticulously crafted as you’re likely to hear in 2015.
Lustmore is loosely based on the experience of hypnogogia, a transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. Listeners familiar with his 2011 debut, Nostalchic, will know that Stuart Howard’s woozy, infectious rhythms, enveloping textures and unfamiliarly famil...
Lustmore is loosely based on the experience of hypnogogia, a transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. Listeners familiar with his 2011 debut, Nostalchic, will know that Stuart Howard’s woozy, infectious rhythms, enveloping textures and unfamiliarly familiar melodies conjure that territory perfectly.
Lapalux attracted the direct attention of Brainfeeder label owner and electronic music icon Flying Lotus in 2010, and was quickly snapped up by the imprint. Acclaimed early EPs were followed by a number of remixes including Bonobo, Andreya Triana, Lianne La Havas amongst others, before his debut album Nostalchic arrived in 2011. On its release Mojo asserted that: “Lapalux has joined the ranks of contemporary electronica's finest, like FlyLo himself.” The album was a high watermark, and a statement of intent by a young producer who was pushing electronic music forward.
Lustmore sees the young producer take another stride forward. Opener "U Never Know," which features another masterful vocal turn by Andreya Triana, sets the tone for the album. “The line ‘I don’t think you’ll know’ describes the mysterious limbo like state between waking life and sleep,” Howard says.
The sleazy, yearning throb of "Puzzle (ft. Andreya Triana)" is unmistakably sexualised. “It’s a lovelessness,” Howard says, “searching for something more lustful and fleeting. It’s a very visual song for me. It’s about a sort of seedy, underground desire, like an old bar that used to have class, getting slowly seedier, to keep up with the demand for exploitation and filth. I think it sums up the whole feel and mood of the record,” Howard says. "That kind of sultry, seedy undertone and the pieces of the puzzle not fitting together properly, as if in a state of limbo where you don’t know where you are, but there’s something strangely comforting about it.” Those words could well be a credo for Lapalux's wider musical vision.
The sound palette used in making the album was carefully crafted to sound retro futuristic and otherworldly, having sounds in there that would accompany a Bladerunner, or 2001: A Space Odyssey. “Whenever I think about the album I think about the bar scene in The Shining,” Howard says. “There’s something about that strange, hallucinatory psychological madness that relates to the music, both in the making of the actual record and the way it sounds.”
Studying old film soundtracks was a hugely important process for the making of the album. “I really focused on making this album an imaginary visual experience. You can almost see these imaginary movies play in your head when you listen,” he says. “That’s something that I really started to work into my music – the idea of creating imagery and characters, storyline, and emotion.” It’s a process that has certainly worked: Lustmore is imbued with an emotional narrative that never loosens its grip on the ear.
2xLP (BF047)
CD (BFCD047)
MP3 (BFDNL047)
16-bit WAV (BFDNL047W)
Select releases to add to your bundle... ALBUMS Austin Peralta - Endless Planets (CD) — £8.00 Brandon Coleman - Resistance (2xLP) — £19.00 Brandon Coleman - Resistance (CD) — £8.00 Daedelus - The Light Brigade (CD) — £7.00 DJ Paypal - Sold Out (2x12") — £12.00 Dorian Concept - The Nature of Imitation (CD) — £8.00 Georgia Anne Muldrow - Overload (LP) — £15.00 Georgia Anne Muldrow - Overload (CD) — £8.00 Iglooghost - Neō Wax Bloom (CD) — £7.00 Jameszoo - Fool (LP) — £11.00 Jameszoo - Fool (CD) — £7.00 Jeremiah Jae - Raw Money Raps (2xLP) — £14.00 Jeremiah Jae - Raw Money Raps (CD) — £7.00 Kamasi Washington - The Epic (3xLP) — £33.00 Kamasi Washington - The Epic (3xCD) — £12.00 Kneebody & Daedelus - Kneedelus (CD) — £7.00 Lapalux - Ruinism (2xLP) — £14.00 Lapalux - Ruinism (CD) — £7.00 Lapalux - Nostalchic (CD) — £7.00 Lapalux - Lustmore (CD) — £7.00 Lapalux - Amnioverse (2xLP) — £26.00 Louis Cole - Time (2xLP) — £19.00 Louis Cole - Time (CD) — £8.00 Martyn - Ghost People (CD) — £7.00 Matthewdavid - Outmind (CD) — £5.95 Matthewdavid - In My World (LP) — £11.00 Matthewdavid - In My World (CD) — £7.00 Mono/Poly - Golden Skies (LP) — £11.00 Mono/Poly - Golden Skies (CD) — £7.00 Mr. Oizo - The Church (CD) — £7.00 Ras G - Back On The Planet (CD) — £7.00 Ross from Friends - Family Portrait (2xLP) — £19.00 Ross from Friends - Family Portrait (CD) — £8.00 Salami Rose Joe Louis - Zdenka 2080 (LP) — £15.00 Salami Rose Joe Louis - Zdenka 2080 (CD) — £8.00 Taylor McFerrin - Early Riser (LP) — £11.00 Taylor McFerrin - Early Riser (CD) — £7.00 Teebs - E s t a r a (CD) — £7.00 Teebs - Collections 01 (CD / Japan Ltd Edition CD) — £7.00 Teebs - Anicca (LP / Standard LP) — £15.00 Teebs - Anicca (CD) — £8.00 Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse (LP) — £11.00 Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse (CD) — £7.00 Thundercat - The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam (12") — £10.00 Thundercat - It Is What It Is (LP / Deluxe Picture Disc LP) — £25.00 Thundercat - It Is What It Is (LP / Deluxe Clear LP) — £22.00 Thundercat - It Is What It Is (LP / Red LP) — £16.00 Thundercat - It Is What It Is (LP / Cream LP) — £16.00 Thundercat - It Is What It Is (CD) — £8.00 Thundercat - Drunk (Boxset / 4 x Red 10” boxset) — £29.00 Thundercat - Drunk (CD) — £7.00 Thundercat - Apocalypse (CD) — £7.00 Thundercat, OG Ron C & The Chopstars - Drank (CD) — £8.00 Various Artists - Brainfeeder X (LP Boxset) — £44.00 Various Artists - Brainfeeder X (2xCD) — £12.00 Wajatta - Don’t Let Get You Down (LP) — £19.00 Wajatta - Don’t Let Get You Down (CD) — £8.00 EPS Dorian Concept - Toothbrush / Booth Thrust (12") — £8.00 Lapalux - ABOVE_BETWEEN_BELOW (Cassette) — £5.95 Martyn - Hello Darkness (12") — £8.00 Ross from Friends - Epiphany (12") — £9.00 SINGLES Thundercat - Final Fight / Bowzer’s Ballad (7" / Japanese Import) — £12.00 VIDEOS David Firth - Umbilical World (DVD) — £10.00
Bundle Up - Create your own custom bundle and get a discount off your final purchase.
U Never Know
Sum Body
Midnight Peelers
Push N' Spun
We Lost
Autumn (Tape Interlude)
Don't Mean A Thing
Play All (13)
More by Lapalux
Nostalchic
Lapalux
Amnioverse
Ruinism
ABOVE_BETWEEN_BELOW
Movement I, II & III
The End Of Industry
People Also Bought...
The Epic
Endless Planets
Austin Peralta
Neō Wax Bloom
Iglooghost
Ghost People
Aphelion EP
Lorn and Tyler Bates
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1567
|
__label__wiki
| 0.766573
| 0.766573
|
No More Kid Gloves For Bush, Baker & Co.
By Richard Brookhiser • 12/04/00 12:00am
Republicans are torpid folk, especially when it comes to politics: uncomfortable with elections, expecting the people to naturally trust solid-businessman types like ourselves. But-precisely because of our blinkered, bottom-line nature-we hate stealing. So when it finally sunk in that Team Gore was intent on stealing the election, by whatever chads necessary, the white-bread and the nearly dead came roaring out of the box like some combination of George Wallace, Al Sharpton and Maria Callas.
So George Pataki, whom no one ever mistook for Patrick Henry, carried on, in effect, about the impending fraud in Florida. So James Baker-who, when he worked for the Reagan White House, never met a Reagan policy he didn’t undermine-took such a stern line with the Florida Supreme Court. So, finally, Republicans engaged in a little street theater in Florida, causing Joseph Lieberman to wring his hands over the horror, the horror, as if Team Gore had not dispatched Jesse Jackson and Rent-a-Protest to the same streets two weeks earlier. The Senator could have quoted La Fontaine: “You nasty beast! When I attack / You have the chutzpah to fight back.” First order of business for President George W. Bush should be the in pectore appointment of Elián González as first governor of the Territory of Cuba, whenever such a post comes into existence. For it was Elián who galvanized the Cubans of Miami-Dade, and it was they who encouraged the chad massagers, locked in their secret chamber, to cease and desist.
Who will have problems with a Bush victory? Al Gore faces a terminal seize-up of the engine of his personality. We knew he admired the writings of Merleau-Ponty, but he did not expect to have so much time to devote to studying them. After Bonnie Prince Charlie lost the ’45, he took to drink and exile, and could be heard, bellowing from his box in the Florence opera house, about his dead gallant Highlanders. Will Mr. Gore, by 2004, be chewing Zoloft like peanuts and moaning at the Kennedy School of Government about brave Bill Daley? The Clintonistas will finally have to leave the White House, like field mice whose nest has been plowed, and take refuge in the office of Madame, our junior Senator. Most important perhaps, the 2000 census and the apportionment of Congressional seats based on it will be determined by actual enumeration, not sampling as Team Clinton and Team Gore hoped, so that perhaps 20 G.O.P. seats will not vanish through statistical card tricks. If you liked the re-count, you would have loved the pre-count.
Mr. Bush himself will have the most problems. The first son of a President to win the White House since John Quincy Adams, he would hold office by an equally contentious election (Adams finished second in a four-man race and was picked by the House). W. is a better politician than Q. was, and he certainly has a more attractive personality. None of it was on view in his speech to the nation Sunday night after Florida certified his victory; his talk was dry and stiff, like a lecture from Prof. Gore. Could the bitter struggle have caused a transmigration of affect?
Mandates or the lack of them vanish like dew. President Bush will have to deal with a closely divided House, and (possibly) an exactly divided Senate. These narrow divisions, like his own election, reflect an evenly divided country. Everyone was impressed by the blue and red map of counties carried by the two Presidential candidates which ran in The New York Times , showing the urbs of East and West Goreland, separated by a large tract of bush. What do these two land-and mind-masses mean? Paul Begala said the bush was where James Byrd and Matthew Shepard were killed. To which my National Review colleague John Derbyshire responded that Goreland was where Yankel Rosenbaum and Nicole Simpson were stabbed like pigs in an abattoir, by killers whom racist juries freed. Shall we stipulate, with Jeremiah, that the heart is desperately wicked everywhere? My rule of thumb for distinguishing the two nations is that the bush is anywhere that deer are killed. A dozen other differences, involving sex, money, religion and race, align with the national split on Bambi. George W. Bush boasts of his capacity to deal across partisan lines in Texas. It will be tested to the limit as President.
And then there is the world, which envies our wealth, fears our power and watches our little commotions with amusement and spite. What packages, like Russian Orthodox Christmas presents delivered according to the Julian calendar, will the new President unwrap in January? The Middle East already has popped out of its stocking. The Lieberman nomination stifled all discussion, but the Clinton-Gore administration has been pushing Israel to recklessness for years, and those efforts have borne fruit. Does China know that it may not cross the Taiwan Straits? Could we stop it if it tried? Who will Saddam fear least-the protégé of the man who let him rebuild, or the son of the man who let him live?
The extra-inning election we are still passing through is bad and shameful-a crisis, if you like. It will go down in history books with 1800, 1824, 1876 and 1960. But even leaving aside wars and panics, it is hardly a varsity-level crisis. The Rosenberg spy ring; Klan and police violence in the South during the 50’s and 60’s; the riots and murders of 1968; Watergate; the hostage crisis; Iran-contra; the Rodney King riots; Waco; Oklahoma City-all involved crimes or deaths; all were worse. Bill Clinton’s comportment in office was worse. All this is recent history. If we go back to our greatest days, we find Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr; Maria Reynolds and Sally Hemings; blackmail and blackguards. The Founders knew they would be there; some of the greatest Founders employed the shadiest blackguards. That is why they built to last. We will survive this problem; there will be others soon enough.
Filed Under: The National Observer, The White House, Al Gore, Joseph Lieberman
SEE ALSO: Just Stop Shouting And Listen to Me!
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1572
|
__label__wiki
| 0.862853
| 0.862853
|
An I-Banker Talks Straight- And Shares Some Gossip, Too
By Andrew Rosenblum • 09/18/06 12:00am
Back when he was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley, Jonathan A. Knee got performance reviews that praised his knowledge and energy, but warned that his “straightforward, no-nonsense style” could “sometimes be too blunt and rub people the wrong way.” On the evidence of his memoir, The Accidental Investment Banker, he hasn’t changed a bit.
Mr. Knee has written three different books in one, which makes for some rough edges but also for an informative, behind-the-scenes account of a secretive business. His book is at once a highly critical industry history, a memoir of a disappointing professional sojourn and the office-politics equivalent of the “nuclear option,” featuring relentlessly candid appraisals of his prominent former co-workers.
The eagerness to dish helps Mr. Knee in creating an engaging, you-are-there sense of what investment bankers actually do during those long hours at the office. Corporate finance “is, fundamentally, a sales job,” he insists, in which the banker sells strategic advice, as well as access to the bank’s resources in financing deals. When wooing prospective clients, bankers compile “pitch books,” fat tomes that are “mostly filled with pages containing concise but ambiguous bullet points (to allow for plausible deniability if the client clearly disagrees with the point you meant to make) and cheesy graphical representations.” Most potential customers hate the fluff-filled pitch books but keep taking the meetings anyway, in the hopes of discovering an original, practical idea. For Mr. Knee, the thrill of investment banking lies in providing genuinely valuable advice to a powerful corporate decision-maker.
As a model of what an investment banker should be, Mr. Knee lauds the example of Sidney Weinberg, who led Goldman Sachs from 1930 to 1969 and insisted on the “semipublic” nature of corporate governance. A banker was to consider the well-being of society, the financial markets and the client, not simply the firm’s coffers. These ethical scruples meant taking on new clients cautiously, and rejecting ventures thought to lack redeeming social value, such as gambling companies and hostile-takeover bids.
Mr. Knee argues that Weinberg’s conservatism was in fact a form of enlightened self-interest. During the Internet boom, bankers felt pressured to do as many deals as possible, irrespective of quality. Celebrity-seeking bankers behaved increasingly like lawyers, advising clients on what could be done legally rather than what should be done to achieve stable, long-term profitability. Since the tech bust occurred shortly after large commercial banks received government permission to enter the securities-underwriting business, the “pure” investment banks suddenly faced mega-capitalized new competition at a time of damaged credibility. While it’s hard to believe that resourceful executives won’t be able to find sober, independent advisors one way or another, Mr. Knee makes a persuasive case that traditional investment bankers can no longer play that role.
Concerned about ethical and structural changes in the industry, he also remains angry at how the firms treated him. After a few strong years at Goldman, Mr. Knee bumped up against what he perceived to be an anti-Semitic glass ceiling (although he concedes that the problem has improved since the company’s I.P.O. in 1999). Though the Goldman founders, and the saintly Weinberg, were Jewish (as Pat Buchanan would be quick to remind you), and though the company has had Jewish employees for years, almost all of the I.B.S.’s—the elite cadre of senior bankers that served as the sales-oriented public face of the firm—were blue-eyed, blond, male Gentiles. “Indeed, one could be forgiven for confusing a photograph from an IBS retreat in the mid-1990’s with that of a German Olympic swimming team,” Mr. Knee writes acidly.
Frustrated at Goldman, Mr. Knee made what he considered a step down in the investment-banking hierarchy to go to Morgan Stanley in 1998. He re-established himself as a big earner in publishing, only to be slowly edged out in a post-bust turf war waged by a rival banker named Chris Harland. Mr. Knee casts Mr. Harland as an inveterate survivor who managed to dance away from accountability for Morgan’s massive telecom losses.
Mr. Knee pulls no punches when recounting the jockeying and foibles of upper management, either. He depicts Pete Kiernan, one of his former Goldman bosses, as an amiable underachiever more interested in cultivating his interoffice popularity than doing the hard work of picking up the phone to solicit new business. He describes ex-Goldman C.E.O. (and current U.S. Treasury Secretary) Henry Paulson in a Palo Alto restaurant in 1999 gushing about the online grocer Webvan, which would file for bankruptcy two years later in spite of a Goldman-backed I.P.O. and $100 million in the bank’s own money. Former Morgan Stanley head Joe Perella comes off as a capable leader and brilliant rainmaker, and also as a self-absorbed egomaniac: He once insisted in the middle of a meeting that Mr. Knee follow him to the bathroom so that the senior banker could move his bowels as the two continued talking; Mr. Perella’s associate Terry Meguid then entered the stall next-door and joined the conversation. (No word on whether anyone thought to bring coffee and a fruit plate.)
Always captivating, the dishing can become gratuitous. Demonstrating that intense competition for talent during the 1990’s led to unprecedented tolerance of employee misconduct, Mr. Knee recounts the saga of a senior banker named Bob “Mike Tyson” Kitts (so nicknamed for biting the ear of an analyst during a fight). Mr. Kitts wanted to promote his mistress, Elena Drill, to an analyst position for which she was unqualified, leaving his operations chief, Lauren Bessette, torn between loyalty to her boss and to her firm (she ultimately chose the latter). In a macabre twist, both women died shortly thereafter: Bessette was killed in an airplane crash with her sister and John F. Kennedy Jr.; Drill was slain by a different boyfriend in an apparent murder-suicide. Mr. Kitts had nothing to do with these deaths, but the body count rather unfairly implies guilt by association. Then again, what better way to glamorize a memoir than by name-checking the Kennedys?
The score-settling can be purely vengeful, and will undoubtedly cost the Knee family some holiday gift baskets this year. It also makes for a book refreshingly free of mealy-mouthed deference to the powerful. Too bad, though, that Jonathan Knee’s will-to-gossip sometimes overwhelms his more subtly damning industry critique.
Andrew Rosenblum is a writer whose work has appeared in Mother Jones, Slate and Los Angeles magazine.
Filed Under: Home, Lifestyle, Book Review, Morgan Stanley, Chris Harland, Jonathan Knee, Bob Mike Tyson Kitts
SEE ALSO: Micro Celebs Unite For Marc; Winona Ryder: ‘Very Moving’
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1573
|
__label__wiki
| 0.80246
| 0.80246
|
Amy, Channel 4, 9pm., directed by Asif Kapadia 2015
a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/worst-case-scenario/”>Worst Case Scenario</a>
A documentary with only a first name tells you a lot. In marketing terms it says you should know who this person is, someone with a unique selling point. Amy Winehouse died in 2011, her memory fading, but there’s lots of images in this dramatic retelling of her life and loves, and they are not of the Princess Diana variety of burning candles and flickering flames. No less that jazz great Tony Bennett, who we see working with Amy here, said ‘she had a considerable gift’ and compared her voice favourably with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday.
This is a cut and paste job of Amy’s early life before she found fame, mostly grainy footage from hand-held cameras. We learn her father left her mum for another woman when Amy was twelve or thirteen. Prior to that she was a boisterous child, difficult to control. Afterwards, Amy did what Amy did and nobody was going to stop her. Later there is added footage and more polished and pixelated images of Amy crashing and burning in a time frame that spans thirteen years. Amy cracked the American market open like an egg. She was so well known that jokes about her disintegration were told by Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. She was an easy target for Frankie Boyle this side of the Atlantic. And even national treasure and nice boy comedians such as Graham Norton describe daily filmed doses and images of her ‘as like a mad woman’. Take away the like and you’ve captured Amy, but you couldn’t hold her. Nobody could hold her.
In one of the early clips of Amy on the Jonathan Ross Show he described her as one of us. Opinionated, working class, and that bit more gobby than most. She knew what she wanted and liked. Watch her face, and here her snort, as one interviewer tries to compare her with contemporary chart-singer Dido. There’s a certain irony in that. Dido with an extensive property portfolio is one of the richest ‘singer/songwriters’ in Britain. That could have been Amy you may think, but only if you came from planet Zarcon.
Dido is Barbie. Amy with her Ashkenazi phenotype looks like Edward Munch’s The Scream, but with long swept back hair that grows bigger and wilder as she grows smaller and her success sweeps her away. Amy writes on her body with tattoos. She boasts to the camera that she has carved her boyfriend, and later husband, Blake’s name onto her stomach with a slither of glass being used as a prop for a photo-shoot in some trendy warehouse in New York. It’s the initial break up with Blake that prompts her to write and record her second album Back to Black. Words and feelings and torn from her body and projected into something bigger, something in her voice that resonates and catches you unaware.
There are lots of users in this profile of Amy. Certainly you’ve got the press swarming around her like midges. Media frenzy doesn’t quite cover it. Phone tapping. The press systematically stalked her, seemed to know everything she did, and said, one of her friends complained. Near the end of her life Amy told a friend she’d give it all up, all the fame and fortune, just to be able to walk down the street again. Bit clichéd. But Amy was too honest for her own good. You could never, for example, imagine her investing her millions in property. She invested in heroin, crack cocaine, speed and a drug pharmacopeia. She didn’t believe in moderation. When Blake left her and went back to his first girlfriend she admitted to texting and phoning him non-stop. Loud music and drugs. You wouldn’t want to live anywhere near Amy if you wanted a quiet life. Amy won Blake back.
We see them endlessly canoodling in America. In a restaurant Blake stares at the camera and laughs and says ‘I’ve no money. Who’s paying?’ He looks behind him towards Amy and the camera follows his gaze. ‘Amy’s paying,’ he says. Amy pays for everything. Later, he explains, without any sense of irony. ‘I’m a good looking guy, I go to the gym. Look at the state of her.’
Her dad makes a lucrative career out of his daughter. In one poignant scene he berates Amy for letting her fans down by refusing to be photographed with a young couple that had asked to be photographed with her, even though she’d already stood between them and allowed them their shot of pseudo-stardom. Amy turns to her dad and says ‘if it was money you want I’d have given you it’. She’s making the point, he’d brought a film crew and sound man with him while she was meant to be on holiday recovering from drugs.
She never did recover from drugs. Blake took the rap when police busted down her door and found their stash. He went to prison. She just went and bought more drugs. Or she substituted drugs in general for alcohol. I laughed when she was taken to hospital and was something like 27 times over the legal-driving limit. Most folk I know drink sensibly and stay between five and ten times over the legal-driving limit, unless driving a mobility scooter, where thirteen or fourteen times, or being sick in a lay by, is advisable. But I guess when Amy is picking up award after award and admits ‘this is so boring without drugs’ the prognosis for abstinence is not good. Her heart was massive, but blew up. I guess that’s the nature of the beast. I liked her.
January 9, 2016 odonnelljack52
Amy WinehouseDidoFrankie BoyleGraham NortonJay Leno. The Tonight ShowJonathan RossTony Bennett
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1574
|
__label__cc
| 0.535097
| 0.464903
|
New Features for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp Announced at F8
by Kelly Newcomb May 7, 2019
Following Facebook’s annual F8 conference that took place in San Jose this week, here’s a breakdown of all the latest features that are coming to the Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp group. Most of these additions focus on shopping features, as Facebook looks to maximise…
Social Media Breakdown: Digital Marketing with Instagram
by Ella White April 25, 2019
Instagram is one of the fastest rising social media platforms. Since launching in 2010, Instagram has not only changed its look and introduced some features that were quickly imitated by its competitors (Stories and Polls to name a few), but it’s become the most-used social…
Taking back control: Instagram users may soon be able to remove followers
by Ella White August 7, 2018
Instagram is testing a way for public users to remove their followers. At the moment, the only way to control your following, and therefore who views your profile, photos, and stories, is to make your account private. But public accounts, such as brands, celebrities, and…
3 Reasons Why Crafting Unique Instagram Content Isn’t That Important
by Kelly Newcomb August 6, 2018
Everywhere I look there is content surrounding originality and reality on Instagram. From TheSlowTraveller’s fake trip to Disneyland to Multiplicity’s data visualisation map showing us that no Instagram photo is unique, it’s easy to believe there is little value in dedicating time to running an…
What’s new on Instagram and why it matters for your brand?
by Carolyn July 17, 2018
Instagram’s been ringing out the changes recently with lots of new features. But what do they mean for your brand’s social media strategy? With 800 million monthly active users (more than double that of Twitter), Instagram offers the perfect way to build brand personality and…
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1575
|
__label__wiki
| 0.653462
| 0.653462
|
Night modef
Search
Login
CMenu
Going to the Movies Love & Anarchy Edition 2018
Fiacha Harrington returns with his recommendations for this year’s Love & Anarchy (Rakkautta ja Anarkiaa), The 31st Helsinki International Film Festival.
Category: Films
Writer: Fiacha Harrington
Photos: Rakkautta Ja Anarkiaa
Love & Anarchy is the highlight of the Finnish cinema calendar, this year looks like it will be no exception.
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace, Jasper Pääkkönen. Duration: 135 minutes
Director Spike Lee is the festival’s guest of honor this year. If you have not already seen this, now is your chance to see Lee’s telling of how an African-American police detective infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1970s. The film also stars Finnish actor Jasper Pääkkönen.
Director: Anna Eriksson
Starring: Anna Eriksson, Petri Salo, Gail Ferguson, Axel Sutinen, Pietari Kaakkomäki, Asta Vieno, Ari Vieno, Paola Bärlund, Veera Siivonen, Joni Segerroos, Dulce Rodriguez-Saldivar, Melanie Rodriguez-Saldivar, Britany Rodriguez-Saldivar, Augusting de Higuera Blanca. Duration: 90 minutes
Musician Anna Eriksson started this project as a video installation but it grew to be a feature length film. Filmed by Matti Pyykö over the course of five years in Finland, Portugal and Mexico. The film aims to bend the line between reality and fantasy.
CAPERNAUM (2018)
Director: Nadine Labaki
Starring: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef, Cedra Izam, Alaa Chouchnieh, Nadine Labaki. Duration: 123 minutes
Capernaum won the jury prize at this year’s Cannes film festival. It tell the story of 12 year old Syrian refugee Zain Al Rafeea who takes his parents to court for the crime of bringing him into this world. This thought provoking film has raised much discussion wherever it’s been shown.
Director: Lars Von Trier
Starring: Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Gråbøl, Riley Keough
Duration: 155 minutes
A Love & Anarchy ‘regular’, Lars Von Trier is back with his latest offering starring Matt Dillon as a serial killer, in what is perhaps 1970s America. This dark violent film is bound to divide audience opinions as Von Trier’s films usually do.
Director: Rupert Everett
Starring: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Edwin Thomas, Emily Watson. Duration: 104 minutes
Rupert Everett makes his directorial debut. Everett stars as the Irish writer Oscar Wilde, portraying him in his later years. Having been released from prison where he served time for “gross indecency”, the writer looks back on his life and how important love is.
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Starring: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kirin Kiki, Jyo Kairi, Miyu Sasaki. Duration: 121 minutes
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest offering Shoplifters won the Palme d’Or at this year Cannes film festival. “It was one of the loveliest and emotionally enduring films in competition.” remarked Jury President, Cate Blanchett. This ia an emotional and heartfelt story of a down and out Japanese family who support themselves as petty criminals.
THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST (2018) Director: Desiree Akhavan
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, Jennifer Ehle. Duration: 91 minutes
Desiree Akhavan’s The Miseducation of Cameron Post took home the top prize at this year’s Sundance film festival. The film, though set in the early 1990s, deals with the still topical issue of gay conversion therapy. After being caught kissing a girl in the backseat of a car, the titular Cameron Post finds herself placed in God’s Promise boarding school where it is intended, through prayer and therapy, to ‘fix’ teens – because there is no such thing as homosexuality. Akhavan manages to deal with a very serious issue with a lot of dry humor in a film where you would expect there to be no funny moments.
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018)
Director: Boots Riley
Starring: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Armie Hammer, Terry Crews, Danny Glover. Duration: 111 minutes
Oakland based rapper Boots Riley – from The Coup – makes his directorial debut with Sorry To Bother You, which many have described as the most radical and wildest political satire. The film tackles everything from capitalism to racial politics and the ins-and-outs of love. The film is said to be part fantasy and part political manifesto.
YARDIE (2018)
Director: Idris Elba
Starring: Aml Ameen, Shantol Jackson, Stephen Graham, Fraser James, Everaldo Creary, Akin Gazi, Mark Rhino Smith, Naomi Ackie. Duration: 101 minutes
Another actor stepping behind the camera to direct is Idris Elba, with his debut Yardie. The film is based on the 1992 novel by Victor Headley. The movie starts on the streets of Kingston Jamaica in 1973 as we follow D (Aml Ameen) to the streets of 1980s London. The soundtrack is sprinkled with reggae gems and a score by Dickon Hinchliffe (Tindersticks).
DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) & SPIKE LEE MASTERCLASS
Starring: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Spike Lee. Duration: 240 minutes (film screening and masterclass)
This year’s festival is also arranging a special screening of Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing which will be followed by a masterclass with Lee in person.
Please note: Tickets 40 € (incl. film and masterclass), festival pass or free vouchers not valid for this event. The film starts at 2 pm (22.09 Bio Rex) and Spike Lee’s masterclass follows straight after around 4 pm. We will screen a 35 mm print of Do the Right Thing.
Please visit the Festival’s website, for a full list of all films at this year’s festival and for details on showtimes and how to purchase tickets. Love & Anarchy runs from the 20th through to the 30th of September.
Let's talk about this
Article was written by
Fiacha Harrington
Fiacha Harrington, I am freelance writer and editor living in Helsinki. My goal at One Quart magazine is to write on a broad spectru...
Join our montly news letter
Never miss a post on One Quart Magazine by subscribing to our monthly newsletter. We'll be mailing out to subscribers once a month with a round up of features. Just add your email address.
Hilla Ja Inari podcast : synti ja syyllisyys
Timeless spirit: The legacy of Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock
My Lawyer Will Call Your Lawyer: The Bridges Of Madison County (1995)
By: Nick Triani, Astrid Swan
In the latest My Lawyer Will Call Your Lawyer, Astrid Swan and Nick Triani go deep into the romance of The Bridges Of Madison County and find an enduring...... Read more
My Lawyer Will Call Your Lawyer: The Black Panthers – Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)
Astrid Swan and Nick Triani see parallels with the here and now as they review Stanley Nelson Jr.’s important Black Panthers documentary.... Read more
Going To The Movies Autumn 2017
By: Fiacha Harrington
If you’re heading to the cinema this fall, check out Fiacha Harrington’s regular round-up of recommended movies currently on show or soon to open.... Read more
The rise of the zombies… George A Romero was onto something
By: Nick Triani
In this tribute to film director George A Romero, Nick Triani makes the case for Romero's zombie cinema as not only influencing popular culture but for...... Read more
Ukraine Bans Films
By: Oksana Chelysheva
Censorship in the Ukraine is targeting a lot of Russian cinema which is being labelled as propaganda from the ‘aggressor state’. Oksana Chelysheva...... Read more
My Lawyer Will Call Your Lawyer: Singin’ In The Rain
By: Astrid Swan, Nick Triani
Since 2010 Astrid Swan and Nick Triani have written a regular movie blog, My Lawyer Will Call Your Lawyer, about the films they watch together. Now with...... Read more
Going to the Movies: Love & Anarchy Edition 2019
Fiacha Harrington picks his recommendations from Love & Anarchy 2019 - the 32nd Helsinki International Film Festival. ... Read more
My Lawyer Will Call Your Lawyer: The Big Sick (2017)
Astrid Swan and Nick Triani had a movie date and watched The Big Sick. It’s a comedy that deals with racism, relationships between two cultures, serious...... Read more
One Quart Magazine
2020 - We love you all
We use cookies on this website to make your browsing experience better. By using the site you agree to our use of cookies.
I understand and accept this.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1584
|
__label__wiki
| 0.696695
| 0.696695
|
The Commune - Review
Unintentional Horror in Midsommar and The Dead Don't Die
What’s Next for Marvel’s Women After Black Widow’s Endgame?
Best Films Never Made #39: Joss Whedon's Wonder Woman
Best Films Never Made #37: Neill Blomkamp’s Alien 5
Scene Stealers: Ben Affleck in Shakespeare in Love
Andy J Smith
A Beginner's Guide to Silent Cinema
Courtesy of: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Avengers: Age of Ultron – Review
Christopher Preston
Age of Ultron moonwalks assuredly past Second Album Syndrome, but doesn’t get to be the Avengers’ The Empire Strikes Back. It’s a barnstorming cyclone of spectacle, yet never manages to recapture how epic its first outing felt.
The sequel’s only surprise is how formulaic it is, especially considering it’s from a studio forged from a game of movie poker. Age of Ultron is safe on a Fort Knox-style level.
Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. Don’t expect anything more than Marvel-brand enjoyment, and this will be the most fun you’ll have in the cinema this summer.
Age of Ultron has gloomier veins and deeper belly laughs, but The Avengers was an event. This is a blockbuster. A good blockbuster, but the difference between the two remains.
CAST: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson
DIRECTOR: Joss Whedon
WRITER: Joss Whedon
SYNOPSIS: When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.
A preview screening of Avengers: Age of Ultron was kindly provided by Disney and Organic Publicity.
Avengers: Age of Ultron – Review was last modified: November 18th, 2015 by Christopher Preston
Avengers: Age of UltronChris EvansChris HemsworthFour Stars 2015James Spaderjoss whedonMark RuffaloMarvelRobert Downey JrScarlett Johansson
Podcaster/Writer
Co-hosts The One Room With A View Show. Splits time between Springfield, Gotham City, and London. Cried during Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3.
Knives Out – Review
The MCU Doesn’t Have the Guts to Make Heroes Unlikeable – But Spider-Man 3 Did
Men in Black: International – Review
Five Genres That Superhero Movies Should be Embracing
X-Men: Dark Phoenix – Review
X Rated: Every X-Men Film Ranked
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1585
|
__label__wiki
| 0.687272
| 0.687272
|
MIT engineers have devised a double-sided adhesive that can be used to seal tissues together.
Image: Felice Frankel, Christine Daniloff, MIT
MIT graduate student Hyunwoo Yuk displays the double-sided tissue adhesive.
Image: Tony Pulsone
Double-sided tape for tissues could replace surgical sutures
New adhesive that binds wet surfaces within seconds could be used to heal wounds or implant medical devices. Watch Video
Anne Trafton | MIT News Office
2 images for download
Access Media
Media can only be downloaded from the desktop version of this website.
Inspired by a sticky substance that spiders use to catch their prey, MIT engineers have designed a double-sided tape that can rapidly seal tissues together.
In tests in rats and pig tissues, the researchers showed that their new tape can tightly bind tissues such as the lungs and intestines within just five seconds. They hope that this tape could eventually be used in place of surgical sutures, which don’t work well in all tissues and can cause complications in some patients.
“There are over 230 million major surgeries all around the world per year, and many of them require sutures to close the wound, which can actually cause stress on the tissues and can cause infections, pain, and scars. We are proposing a fundamentally different approach to sealing tissue,” says Xuanhe Zhao, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and of civil and environmental engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study.
The double-sided tape can also be used to attach implantable medical devices to tissues, including the heart, the researchers showed. In addition, it works much faster than tissue glues, which usually take several minutes to bind tightly and can drip onto other parts of the body.
Graduate students Hyunwoo Yuk and Claudia Varela are the lead authors of the study, which appears today in Nature. Other authors are MIT graduate student Xinyu Mao, MIT assistant professor of mechanical engineering Ellen Roche, Mayo Clinic critical care physician Christoph Nabzdyk, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital pathologist Robert Padera.
Forming a tight seal between tissues is considered to be very difficult because water on the surface of the tissues interferes with adhesion. Existing tissue glues diffuse adhesive molecules through the water between two tissue surfaces to bind them together, but this process can take several minutes or even longer.
The MIT team wanted to come up with something that would work much faster. Zhao’s group had previously developed other novel adhesives, including a hydrogel superglue that provides tougher adhesion than the sticky materials that occur in nature, such as those that mussels and barnacles use to cling to ships and rocks.
To create a double-sided tape that could rapidly join two wet surfaces together, the team drew inspiration from the natural world — specifically, the sticky material that spiders use to capture their prey in wet conditions. This spider glue includes charged polysaccharides that can absorb water from the surface of an insect almost instantaneously, clearing off a small dry patch that the glue can adhere to.
To mimic this with an engineered adhesive, the researchers designed a material that first absorbs water from wet tissues and then rapidly binds two tissues together. For water absorption, they used polyacrylic acid, a very absorbent material that is used in diapers. As soon as the tape is applied, it sucks up water, allowing the polyacrylic acid to quickly form weak hydrogen bonds with both tissues.
These hydrogen bonds and other weak interactions temporarily hold the tape and tissues in place while chemical groups called NHS esters, which the researchers embedded in the polyacrylic acid, form much stronger bonds, called covalent bonds, with proteins in the tissue. This takes about five seconds.
To make their tape tough enough to last inside the body, the researchers incorporated either gelatin or chitosan (a hard polysaccharide found in insect shells). These polymers allow the adhesive to hold its shape for long periods of time. Depending on the application that the tape is being used for, the researchers can control how fast it breaks down inside the body by varying the ingredients that go into it. Gelatin tends to break down within a few days or weeks in the human body, while chitosan can last longer (a month or even up to a year).
“Combining two innovative concepts, the research team succeeded in adhering quickly and effectively to the wet and soft surface of a tissue, and in maintaining good adhesion and mechanical properties for several days without causing too much inflammatory response,” says Costantino Creton, a research director at ESPCI Paris, who was not involved in the research.
Rapid healing
This type of adhesive could have a major impact on surgeons’ ability to seal incisions and heal wounds, Yuk says. To explore possible applications for the new double-sided tape, the researchers tested it in a few different types of pig tissue, including skin, small intestine, stomach, and liver. They also performed tests in pig lungs and trachea, showing that they could rapidly repair damage to those organs.
“It’s very challenging to suture soft or fragile tissues such as the lung and trachea, but with our double-sided tape, within five seconds we can easily seal them,” Yuk says.
The tape also worked well to seal damage to the gastrointestinal tract, which could be very useful in preventing leakage that sometimes occurs following surgery. This leakage can cause sepsis and other potentially fatal complications.
“I anticipate tremendous translational potential of this elegant approach into various clinical practices, as well as basic engineering applications, in particular in situations where surgical operations, such as suturing, are not straightforward,” says Yu Shrike Zhang, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the research.
Implanting medical devices within the body is another application the MIT team is exploring. Working with Roche’s lab, the researchers showed that the tape could be used to firmly attach a small polyurethane patch to the hearts of living rats, which are about the size of a thumbnail. Normally this kind of procedure is extremely complicated and requires an experienced surgeon to perform, but the research team was able to simply stick the patch on with their tape by pressing for a few seconds, and it stayed in place for several days.
In addition to the polyurethane heart patch, the researchers found that the tape could successfully attach materials such as silicone rubber, titanium, and hydrogels to tissues.
“This provides a more elegant, more straightforward, and more universally applicable way of introducing an implantable monitor or drug delivery device, because we can adhere to many different sites without causing damage or secondary complications from puncturing tissue to affix the devices,” Yuk says.
The researchers are now working with doctors to identify additional applications for this kind of adhesive and to perform more tests in animal models.
The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. Commercialization of the work is being supported by the MIT Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation.
Topics: Research, Mechanical engineering, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES), School of Engineering, Bioinspiration, National Science Foundation (NSF), Medicine, Health sciences and technology, Deshpande Center
CBS Boston reports that MIT researchers have developed a new double-sided surgical tape inspired by the sticky substance spiders use to catch their prey. Dr. Mallika Marshall explains that the tape “absorbs water from wet tissues and binds them together in just five seconds. Then over time, the tape dissolves.”
Inspired by spiderwebs, MIT researchers have developed a new double-sided tape that could be used to suture wounds or surgical incisions within seconds, reports Jason Daley for Smithsonian. The researchers “designed a material that wicks away the moisture from tissues before rapidly creating a bond,” writes Daley. “To absorb water, they chose polyacrylic acid, an absorbent material used in disposable diapers.”
MIT researchers have developed a new double-sided tape for tissues that could one day be used to rapidly seal wounds or incision sites after surgery, reports the BBC. The new adhesive was “inspired by the way spiders exude ‘glue’ to catch their prey in the rain.”
Paper: "Dry double-sided tape for adhesion of wet tissues and devices"
Xuanhe Zhao
Hyunwoo Yuk
Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
Paper-folding art inspires better bandages
New gel coatings may lead to better catheters and condoms
Tough new hydrogel hybrid doesn’t dry out
Hydrogel superglue is 90 percent water
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1596
|
__label__cc
| 0.646516
| 0.353484
|
skeme September 25, 2017
I maybe showing my extreme Sci-Fi geekness with this one but that’s what we do here at Nostalgia King, is indulge in those things we love and one thing that I’ve always enjoyed were episodes of Star Trek, beginning with the original series which made it’s debut in 1966. Multiple series and movies throughout the years, ups and downs of either liking or not like each, yet I’m still fan and will most likely continue to be one until the end of the time. But the new series Star Trek Discovery is something different, it’s special in it’s own way and brings something different to the table which I think was much needed in a series that has always been groundbreaking in racial diversity.
Unlike previous series, Discover features two strong female lead characters in the Captain and first officers positions which is something that has never happened before. One of our favorite actresses, Michelle Yeoh who starred in quite a few Kung Fu dons the captains role in a stern way with Sonequa Martin-Green as first officer. Creator Gene Roddenberry has always had a way of placing characters and the standards continue with both a Malaysian and African American females being the face of the series. The other unique thing about the series is that it finally focuses on one of the greatest enemies of all time, the Klingon! For years I’d hope that a series could be based around the Federation and Klingon Empire and it finally has happened.
Not to get too romantic about the series, check the trailer for yourself and give it a shot if you’re looking for new fall viewings to add to your regular shows that you binge on.
Gene RoddenberryKlingonMichelle YeohSci-FiSonequa Martin-GreenStar Trek Discovery
Inspiration Sci-Fi, Gucci and Beyond
skeme July 25, 2017
November 2019 – The Future Is Now (Blade Runner)
Coming Soon: Stranger Things 2
Nicola Spiromarino – Senza Titolo
Stranger Things Arcade Video Promo – Level Up
Pratt & Moody - Lost Lost Lost $50.00
Run-D.M.C. – My Adidas / Peter Piper $25.00
Blacula Japanese Poster $150.00
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1599
|
__label__cc
| 0.565853
| 0.434147
|
Shortlist ({{ wishlist.item_count }})
Email Shortlist
5 & 6 Letter names
Classic & Traditional names
Clever & Corporate names
Cutting-edge & Digital names
Dynamic & Positive names
Quirky & Creative names
Stylish & Elegant names
Technical & Logical names
Premium domain names list
Media & Social Media
Software & Tech
Browse all domain names
About Novanym
What makes a great brand name?
Buying a name from Novanym
How do I find a name with Novanym?
About domain transfers
About the logos
What type of names will I find on Novanym?
About trademarks and registered names
What's so great about a .com domain?
Guide to brandable domains
Guide to domains
Trademarking your business name - 11 key facts
Everything you need to know about renewing your domain name
Everything you need to know about expired domain names
Why .com is the best domain extension for SEO
How to master promoting your website online
Guide to branding for start-ups
Landchester.com
Landchester: valuable branding real estate
On one level, Landchester is a straightforward business name that follows the format of a traditional place name (like Manchester, Winchester, Rochester, etc). But for a company in the land, realty and property development sectors, the name takes on another meaning; referring to land and its investment potential. Either way, this is a wonderfully evocative name that provides firm foundations for building a brand.
Choose your logo design Logo option 1 Logo option 2 Logo option 3 No logo required
Logo option 1 Logo option 2 Logo option 3 No logo required
Buy this name
The Landchester.com domain name
Complete ownership of the Landchester.com domain name. This means you can use the domain as your website address, and for email addresses (for example: hello@Landchester.com). Instructions for transferring the domain will be provided.
One of the three logo designs shown
Your chosen logo will be supplied in a Logo Pack which includes digital files in a range of formats and sizes.
Logo design copyright
We will supply a logo copyright certificate, which transfers ownership of the copyright from Novanym to you.
Domain transfer support
Transferring a domain can seem confusing, but don’t worry – we’re available to help you through the transfer process.
After your purchase, Novanym unlocks the domain and prepares it for transfer
We email you domain transfer instructions and your unique Authorisation Code
We email you a secure download link for your Logo Pack
The name and logos are removed from the Novanym website and Google search results
About the domain transfer
Novanym owns all the domains on our website, and we don't sell on behalf of third parties. So, as soon as you buy a domain name from us, it belongs to you. But there’s a short process involved in moving it from our domain name registrar to yours. This process is called a ‘domain transfer’.
If you don’t already have one, you will need an account with a Domain Name Registrar, like Godaddy, Namecheap, Network Solutions, FastDomain, etc.
You can then request to ‘Transfer-in’ your new domain to your account.
When transferring-in your new domain, you’ll be asked to enter an ‘Authoristation Code’ (sometimes called an ‘EPP’) , which we will have emailed to you after you made your purchase.
Domain transfers are usually completed within hours, but can very occasionally take a few days.
Once the domain name is in your account, it is yours to keep forever - as long as you pay a small annual ‘renewal fee’ (typically around US$15) to your domain registrar. There are no ongoing charges from Novanym.
Your chosen domain name registrar may make a small charge for the transfer (typically around US$15), but this usually includes your first year’s annual fee.
Read more about domain transfers >
The domain transfer process can seem a little technical, but don’t worry - we’re always available to help. Have a question about domain transfers? Drop us a line >
Why Novanym?
We’re branding specialists, with decades of naming experience.
We sell many 100s of names every year, to customers all over the world.
Novanym owns all of the domains shown on our website - we’re not a marketplace selling on behalf of third parties.
We’re branding led: our names are first and foremost great business names - but they're made even better because they come with a perfect .com domain.
Our collection of names is carefully curated, with a consistently high quality.
We offer a choice of logo designs.
It’s a discreet service: your purchase is confidential. All names are removed from our website after purchase, and the link to Novanym will soon disappear from Google search results. We will never publicise any sale.
What's so great about the .com domain?
The .com domain is the only domain that really matters.
A .com is the world’s default domain, but it’s not just easy to remember; it’s also a valuable business asset as it adds credibility and brand power. (Across the world there are thousands of businesses called Amazon, but there’s only one Amazon.com.)
The fact that the .com domain is still available to purchase is a good indication that there are no significant businesses using the name; any serious company would have already registered the .com domain.
And owning the .com domain protects your brand name. No serious business is going to adopt your business name in the future if the .com is not available to own.
You could consider registering your name as a trademark. But trademarks only confer protection in a specific country or region, in a specific business sector - so even this would not guarantee that a name is unique. To many businesses, a .com domain is better than a trademark registration.
You could choose a business name and use another domain, like your local country domain. But would you really be happy that another business, that's possibly larger and more visible online, could be using the same name with a .com domain?
This is why contemporary businesses see an exact match .com domain as a must-have business asset.
What can I do with the domain?
Once you have transferred-in your new domain name to your domain name registrar, you can:
Link the domain name to your website (or even temporarily to a holding page while you develop your site)
Set up email addresses using your domain name, for example hello@Landchester.com, yourname@Landchester.com
But you can do all this whenever you’re ready - once you own the domain, and it’s held in your domain name registrar account, you have all the time in the world to start using it.
What about the logos?
All logos are designed in-house by Novanym, and we therefore own the copyright of every logo design. This is why you’ll see a copyright ‘watermark’ on our logos. When you purchase a name and logo from Novanym, we will transfer the copyright to you (and we’ll remove the watermark, of course!)
After you purchase a name, we will send you a comprehensive digital Logo Pack, which includes:
JPG format logos in three sizes, for general use in documents and presentations
PNG format logos in three sizes - these files are transparent, and typically used on websites
EPS and AI files - used by printers, sign makers and designers
Copyright transfer certificate - this confirms the transfer of the logo design copyright from Novanym to you.
The EPS and AI files are fully editable, so you or your designer can make changes - to colour or proportions, for example.
The logo is yours forever. You can use it however and wherever you want, with no restrictions or ongoing fees
You can choose not to have a logo (and the purchase price will automatically reduce to reflect this).
If you can’t decide which logo design you prefer, don’t worry. Just select one option now and, if you change your mind, email us within 30 days of your purchase, and we’ll supply your preferred logo option at no extra cost.
The logo designs you don’t choose will be removed from our website and never used.
Read more about the logos >
Is the name totally unique?
Our names are invented by us and are designed to be distinctive, evocative and memorable.
However, it’s a very big world, so it’s very rare for any name to be totally unique. Even if a name is unique today, there’s nothing stopping someone else, somewhere in the world, using the same name next week or next year (by coincidence or by copying). Even global multinationals with huge legal resources can’t guarantee that their names are totally unique.
If the name you are considering buying is used elsewhere, you will need to decide if this is relevant to you. The existence of a one-person party planning business in India with the same name is probably not relevant to a software business in the US.
However, what is totally, 100% unique is the .com domain - if you buy the name from Novanym, you will be the only business in the world that can use the name with the .com domain.
It's the .com that makes your name great. It's the only thing in the world of naming that can ever be totally unique.
Are Novanym names trademarked?
No. It's not possible for us, or anyone else, to 'pre-register' names or logos as trademarks. This is because trademarks can only be registered by the owners of existing businesses, in specific countries or regions, and in relation to specific goods or services.
Therefore you will only be able to apply for trademark registration once you have purchased the domain name from us
Because our names are invented, they are more likely to be accepted for trademark registration than generic, descriptive business names.
It’s also worth noting that for most businesses, trademarking a business name is a fairly expensive and time-consuming luxury. It’s not always required.
Read more about trademarks here >
Trademarks: Key Facts >
What about the registration of my company name?
Novanym sells trading names and domain names – not registered company names.
You will need to formally register the name you have purchased from Novanym as a legal business name with your national or state authorities, in order to file records and accounts and pay taxes.
Formal registered business names are often supplemented by a descriptive word (e.g. Example Management Limited, instead of Example Limited). But the brand name, or trading name, is still the single word name, Example. (And the domain is Example.com). In the UK, McDonalds Restaurants Limited is the full registered name for McDonalds; but McDonalds is their brand name, and McDonalds.com is their domain name.
Trademark, registered name, copyright, brand - what's the difference?
A trademark is a recognisable design or word which identifies a product or service of a particular business. So registering your business name as a trademark gives you exclusive rights to the use of your name, and can prevent anyone else from using it. Trademarks can only be registered by the business owner and cover specific countries and specific products or services - nobody can register a trademark in advance, so the names on Novanym’s website are not registered as trademarks.
Every business has a legal obligation to formally register their business name with a national or state authority. This registration allows you to trade legally, issue invoices ...and pay taxes. A registered name is often different from a ‘trading’ name or brand name. For example, in the UK, there are over 250 companies registered with variants of the name 'Amazon’. The online retail giant itself is registered as 'Amazon.com U.K. Limited', not 'Amazon Limited'. Similarly, McDonalds Restaurants Limited is the full registered name for McDonalds; but McDonalds is their brand name, and McDonalds.com is their domain name. When you have chosen your name, you will have to register it with the relevant authority.
Copyright is a legal right that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights to determine whether, and under what conditions, this original work may be used by others. It is a form of intellectual property (IP) that is granted without the need for formal registration. Copyright protects the original expression of ideas - like logo designs - not names. All of the logos on the Novanym website are protected by copyright. When you buy a logo from Novanym, we transfer the copyright to you.
A brand name is simply the name by which your business is known. Brand names are non-generic names that help to distinguish a company or products from competitors. They are a key component of branding - a set of marketing and communication methods that aim to create a lasting impression in the minds of customers. Novanym creates names that have qualities that make brand names effective - they are distinctive, memorable and engaging and have great brand potential. This is why the domains we sell are known as ‘brandable domains’.
Essentially, a domain name is the address for a location on the internet (a website). A domain name can be any combination of letters and numbers, but must be registered before you can use it. Every domain name is unique - no two websites can have the same domain name - so they have become an important element of branding. Just like a commercial real estate address, your internet address says a lot about your business. Although there are many different types of domain endings (like .net, .io or even .ninja), Novanym names come with a .com domain - the world’s default domain.
Is my purchase confidential?
Yes. We never publicise the sale of a name. When you buy a name from Novanym, we immediately remove it from our website. We also issue a 'no-index' request to Google, which removes the relevant page of our website, and logo images, from search results.
The address details you provide are confidential and are not associated with your domain. You can choose the address information linked to your domain ownership - and privacy settings - later.
As soon as the domain transfer is complete, Novanym's details are removed from the global 'Who-Is' database of domain name ownership.
If you have a question that we haven’t covered, send us an email to hello@novanym.com
Any other questions? Just ask!
Browse more name styles or sectors
Classic and Traditional names
Find your cool business name today
Gardening business names
The world's best brandable domains™
Browse all names
How to find a name with Novanym
Try our Company Name Generator
Catchy business names list
Receive updates when we add new names:
All content and logos Copyright © 2020 Novanym
Left Continue browsing
Thanks for getting in touch. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can - usually within a few hours.
If you have a question about buying Landchester.com, let us know:
Logo misuse reporting form
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We'll get back to you as soon as we have looked into this.
If you have seen a logo you'd like to report to us, please complete the form below:
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1602
|
__label__cc
| 0.55183
| 0.44817
|
What Should Rent Controls Actually Do? by Gordon Maloney
Graeme Maclean/Flickr
What Should Rent Controls Actually Do?
by Gordon Maloney
@gordonmaloney
Estimated read time: 3mins
There is a broad consensus – not just on the left, but across the population – that rent controls are a good idea. And it’s no surprise: people can see the housing crisis unfolding around them, and they understand the market is simply not able to deliver affordable, high-quality housing.
Rent controls don’t have to be radical, or even that progressive. That’s why they’re common across Europe, and even right-wing governments like Germany’s have been at ease with strengthening them.
But they should be radical. And so should the campaigns we build for them. Here are four key points about the kind of rent controls we should fight for, and how it is we should fight for them.
1. They need to work.
Obviously, right? But this is important. As we’ve seen in Scotland, once landlords lose the argument on rent controls, they’ll try instead to sabotage them by making them unworkable and useless. This means we need to get our head around the details – proposals for which have just been published by Living Rent, Scotland’s Tenants’ Union.
Crucially, the implementation of rent controls needs to be easy, and not bogged down by bureaucracy. They can’t be riddled with loopholes and exemptions. They need to benefit all tenants, and force up the quality of housing.
Moreover, rent controls need to do more than just make rent increases ‘predictable’. For them to really help tenants, the goal has to be affordability. Rents are already too high, and we need to start by bringing them down. This means they also have to be a part of a package of improvements in tenants’ rights – greater protections from eviction, and greater penalties for landlords who flout the law.
2. They need to shift the balance of power.
But rent controls can’t just be about making housing a bit cheaper and a bit better. For decades, tenants have suffered not just sky-high rents and slum-like conditions, but also the indignity of a housing model that takes the landlord’s side at almost every opportunity. This means it’s too easy for landlords to abuse tenants both legally and illegally.
Tenants know what picking a fight with their landlord can mean: deposit deductions, rent hikes, harassment and intimidation, and illegal evictions. It’s for this reason the explosion in tenant activism across the UK over the last few years is all the more remarkable: people are doing it in the face of landlords who think they’re untouchable – and act like it.
There’s no substitute for strong and active tenants’ unions, but even with them rent controls are an opportunity to shift the balance of power. If done right, they could turn the whole housing system upside down. Rent controls would be a tool to fight back – and we sure have a fight on our hands.
3. We can’t be afraid of the sector shrinking.
Mention rent controls and landlords will shriek and wail about how much of a disaster they’ll be. They tell us they’ll mean landlords selling up and leaving the sector. All the evidence suggests that’s nonsense – and that landlords are making more than enough money to absorb the cost of smaller rental incomes. But at some point, when we make landlordism unviable as a business model, then they will start leaving. And we should welcome that.
The number of people renting privately – and the number of landlords – has exploded since Margaret Thatcher deregulated the sector in the 1980s. It’s clearly been a disaster, but it’s worth interrogating why it’s happened. Landlords paint a picture of people freely choosing to rent from a range of options, all of which are equally available to them. This is bullshit. The sector has grown for three reasons: wages have collapsed and house prices have gone through the roof, meaning nobody can afford to buy anymore. Social housing has also been decimated – both through right-to-buy and massive demolition projects. And buy-to-let mortgages have grown in a way unparalleled elsewhere in Europe.
The growth in the private rented sector has been devastating, and if rent controls meant it started to shrink, then that’s a good thing.
4. We can’t be distracted by the ‘supply’ argument.
You’ve heard it before: the only problem with housing is that there’s not enough, and we just need to build more. Rent controls would stop that from happening, so they’d be bad for tenants. There’s a reason the supply argument is pushed so hard by developers and landlords – it’s an opportunity for them to make huge amounts of money. They love the supply argument because it ignores all the questions of power, control and regulation. They know if we simply build more flats, without changing any of the patterns of ownership or usage, it will mean a huge windfall for them.
We shouldn’t necessarily oppose new builds, but it’s far from the silver bullet it’s made out to be. And more than anything else, it would be extremely expensive and slow – and tenants need answers now. Rent controls are a solution that would cost nothing (and, in fact, could save the public purse tens of millions) and, crucially, could be implemented near-enough overnight.
With the private rented sector growing at such an astronomical rate, it’s hard to imagine stronger housing regulations not coming in across the UK. But will these be ineffective, halfway measures that curb only the most extreme excesses of high rents? Or will they be the transformative policies tenants so desperately need, turning the tide on 40 years of Thatcherism in housing, and giving tenants and tenants’ unions the tools to organise and fight back? It’s up to us to decide.
Published 25th February 2019
Housing Is F**ked
Do you ever get the feeling that life just isn’t as fair as it used to be? Here’s 3 ways in which the UK housing sector is completely and utterly f**ked.
GE2019: Labour Offers a ‘Housing Revolution’ for Generation Rent
Labour's manifesto is promising a "housing revolution", including the most ambitious house-building programme in decades and action on bogus 'affordable' rents. Housing activist Jamie Sims says it's a lifeline to Generation Rent - who could prove a major political force in this election.
6 Reasons We Need to #EndSection21
Private tenants used to be able to stay in their homes for as long as they were paying the rent. But since the introduction of section 21 under the 1988 Housing Act, landlords have had the power to evict tenants with just two months’ notice without giving them a reason. Here are six reasons section 21 needs to be abolished.
How Greater Manchester Became the Capital of Housing Action in the UK
Known for its massive homeless population, Greater Manchester has become an icon of the UK housing crisis. But with a housing action movement gathering pace and capitalising on devolution, the city has become the heart of the resistance.
3 Reasons We Need Tenants Unions
Almost a quarter of UK households will pay rent privately by the end of 2021, and currently there are 3m private renters in London alone. Precarious workers are beginning to rack up victories against their employers. Isn't it time for the precariously housed to take on the landlords?
Housing: Crisis and Inequality
On #NovaraFM, James Butler is joined by Dawn Foster and Danny Dorling to discuss the housing crisis in contemporary Britain.
3 Ways You Can Build Corbynism From Below
In the event of winning the next election, a Corbyn-led government will face attempts to bring it in line from the establishment and the capitalist class. We won't have the money or institutions to stop them at the top - the only way to win will be from below.
May’s Narrow Horizons on Housing Fail to Look Reality in the Face
Theresa May is talking about slightly cheaper mortgage deposits at a time when many of us are struggling to afford rental deposits. Instead of throwing money at Help to Buy, we need a radical vision for solving the housing crisis.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1603
|
__label__cc
| 0.637197
| 0.362803
|
the original female dandy
Luisa, Marquise Casati Stampa di Soncino (1881 – 1957) was an eccentric Italian heiress, muse, and patroness of the arts in early 20th century Europe.
“A celebrity and femme fatale, the marchesa’s famous eccentricities dominated and delighted European society for nearly three decades. She astonished society by parading with a pair of leashed cheetahs and wearing live snakes as jewellery. During a stay at the Paris Ritz, one of her boa constrictors escaped, causing much consternation among other guests and staff.
In 1910 Casati took up residence at the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on Grand Canal in Venice (now the home of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection). Her soirées there would become legendary. Casati collected a menagerie of exotic animals, and patronized fashion designers such as Fortuny and Poiret. Nude servants gilded in gold leaf attended her. Bizarre wax mannequins sat as guests at her dining table, some of them even rumoured to contain the ashes of past lovers.
wax mannequin found here
She was tall and thin, with a pale, almost cadaverous face. Her huge green eyes were flanked by false eyelashes, slathered with black kohl, and she regularly used belladonna eyedrops to dilate her pupils. It is said that she once wore a freshly-killed chicken as a stole, and that on a separate occasion, she had her driver kill a chicken and pour the blood down her long white arms so that it dried in a pattern which pleased her.
blood spatter cushion found here
In 1896 she was one of the wealthiest women in Europe but by 1930, Casati had amassed a personal debt of $25 million. She fled to London, where she lived in comparative poverty and was rumoured to be seen rummaging in bins searching for feathers to decorate her hair. She died at her last residence, 32 Beaufort Gardens in Knightsbridge, on 1 June 1957, aged 76.
Casati was buried wearing not only her black and leopardskin finery but a pair of false eyelashes as well. She also shared her coffin with a stuffed pekinese dog.
Taxidermied Pekingese found here
on October 19, 2011 at 7:10 am Comments (53)
Tags: blood, eccentric, feathers, history, nude servants, snake
The URI to TrackBack this entry is: https://nursemyra.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/the-original-female-dandy/trackback/
On October 19, 2011 at 7:54 am Syncopated Eyeball said:
Oh, I like that Dexter cushion.
On October 19, 2011 at 7:56 am nursemyra said:
On October 19, 2011 at 7:57 am Affer said:
All Pekinese dogs should be stuffed…..ideally at birth.
On October 19, 2011 at 11:14 am nursemyra said:
Affer!!
On October 19, 2011 at 9:43 pm daisyfae said:
i love dogs, but absolutely agree that the only good Pekinese is a stuffed one!
On October 19, 2011 at 9:58 pm John Erickson said:
I have a lot of stuffed huskies (toys, not formerly real) who would argue with you, saying THAT isn’t even a useful condition for them……
On October 20, 2011 at 8:06 pm nursemyra said:
why do you have a collection of stuffed huskies John?
Why not? 😀 It just kinda happened. I had a couple, named Attu and Kiska after the two Aleutian Islands invaded during World War 2, and somehow, I just kept buying ones I’d stumble across. I ran out of island names a long time ago, and some even came named. (You can NOT change a stuffy’s name if they come with one. It confuses and depresses them.) I even have a foursome of Husqvarna collectibles. (They’re a small-gas-engine power-tool manufacturer, primarily of chainsaws, and use a Husky for their mascot.)
Aren’t you sorry you asked now? 😉
Nope 🙂
On October 20, 2011 at 11:51 pm dinahmow said:
Well, since designer breeding has rendered them pretty much stuffed-up they may just die out.
On October 19, 2011 at 8:38 am Scarlet said:
Lady Gaga, eat your heart out…
On October 19, 2011 at 6:16 pm melbo said:
On October 19, 2011 at 8:48 am Cindy said:
And she’s been reincarnated as Lady Gaga …
I’ve missed your daily dose of the bizarre, Myra. Glad to be back.
… and again!
On October 19, 2011 at 9:46 am Carl D'Agostino said:
Every time I read one of these , my own insanity and that of close friends seems so insignificant. Thank you.
aren’t we all at least a tiny bit insane at times?
On October 19, 2011 at 10:01 am Daddy Papersurfer said:
My goodness, how on earth did she get through that much dosh? Has the TG been fibbing to me about the cost of make-up?
Yes make up is extremely expensive. Use it wisely.
On October 19, 2011 at 11:04 am coyote said:
What is with Palazzo Venier dei Leoni denizens getting buried with micro mutts? Peggy Guggenheim is planted in the joint’s garden, beside fourteen of her, ummm, favourite ex-Lhasa Apsos…
Ooh what a great link
I might’ve asked for finders’ fees if it weren’t public domain, already. ma’am. Peggy G. would blend right into the Gimcrack’s exclusive client list…
On October 19, 2011 at 11:05 am The Unbearable Banishment said:
I thought that Alice Cooper was the first person to use snakes as a fashion statement. The older I get, the more I realize that nothing is original.
I know what you mean. When I was in the ER with my son the other night I was surrounded by medical staff with red, pink, violet, green and blue streaks in their hair. It was almost like a uniform
On October 19, 2011 at 11:50 am Elisabeth Stewart said:
I’ve sat with some wax mannequins at dinner tables in my time…boring…
How does one amass a $25 million debt??!! Even if I started now, don’t think I could manage it – I lack the expensive eccentricities.
Even back then the big banks lent money indiscriminately
On October 19, 2011 at 11:52 am King Willy said:
My boa de-constricting has been known to cause a bit of pandemonium from time to time… A shame the Queen was too fatigued to attend the reptile park the other week, what fun we had!
Another fun post NM
Oh my Lord….. *thud*
On October 19, 2011 at 12:38 pm Nota Bene said:
Charming lady, obviously a patron of the RSPCA
Perhaps that’s where all her money went…..
On October 19, 2011 at 1:17 pm archiearchive FCD said:
I am in awe of anyone who can rack up a debt of $25 million! Nude servants apparently don’t come cheap!
I suppose it gets easier after the first million
On October 19, 2011 at 1:33 pm allismartypants said:
I would have loved to attend one of her parties! I think I know next year’s Halloween costume.
What’s this years?
On October 19, 2011 at 2:59 pm lululabonne said:
Would appreciate any tips on how to keep the snake jewelery on – mine keep slipping off.
I’ve been missing you too Nursey. xx
They have to be long enough for a slip knot 😉
I was actually thinking a wax dinner guest would be perfect. I’m not one for small talk and we would probably get along quite well.
On October 19, 2011 at 7:24 pm jams o donnell said:
Madam will you keep your jewellery under control. It’s just eaten my poodle….
On October 19, 2011 at 8:20 pm Nick said:
I always include a few wax mannequins at my dinner parties. They’re so much better behaved, don’t eat too much and never make a fuss about a few cheetahs, boa constrictors and stuffed pekinese dogs.
Live snakes are rich eccentricity, but dead snakes are redneck boots. Fascinating.
And knowing some of the rednecks around here, the wax mannequins would be MUCH more entertaining. And neat, even if they do melt occasionally and drop ash. Better than cigarette butts!
On October 20, 2011 at 2:32 am robinaltman said:
I’d like to know how she wasted all her money. Was she like Nicolas Cage, buying islands and castles and expensive crap? Probably.
On October 20, 2011 at 5:51 am Laura said:
How do you wear a dead chicken as a stole? It doesn’t seem like something that would wrap very well. Plus, it would probably fall off.
She must have had very narrow shoulders
On October 20, 2011 at 12:52 pm writerdood said:
I’ve gotta get that pillow.
Stand in line
On October 20, 2011 at 6:55 pm zmkc said:
I never feel properly dressed when we go out in the evening, but perhaps that chicken blood idea will make all the difference. All I need is a sharp knife, an Australorp and someone willing to hold it and I shall be the belle of Canberra at last. Shall I send photographs or are you happy to just skim through the Canberra Times social pages until you find me?
Send photos!!!!
On October 20, 2011 at 7:58 pm bschooled said:
$25 million in 1930 would be like, a gajillion dollars today! Apparently nude servants were pricey even back then.
On October 20, 2011 at 10:08 pm bluebee said:
That Nicolas Cage is a strange one – he asked LM Presley to call him ‘Daddy’ – eww.
I hope your son has recovered from pneumonia, Nursemyra
He’s starting to get better now, though it’s rather a slow road to recovery. Thanks for your concern.
On October 21, 2011 at 1:29 am Nicole said:
First picture is wonderful! The wax one is more creepy than wonderful. 🙂
Yes I like the first photo too
On October 21, 2011 at 2:51 am Binky said:
I imagine she wasn’t the most beloved resident at the Paris Ritz, with her escaped snakes and all.
On October 21, 2011 at 10:01 am Jaya said:
How bizarre…all this fascination with animals and parts of them. She sounds unwell.
Leave a Reply to coyote Cancel reply
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1606
|
__label__wiki
| 0.715547
| 0.715547
|
Derek Walcott’s Poetics of Naming and Epistemologies of Place in Omeros
Janet Graham, University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa
In this paper, I argue that Derek Walcott settles his quarrel with the colonial narrative of Caribbean history by complicating naming practices reliant upon Judeo-Christian origin myths and through poetic and narrative disruption and invention in Omeros. Employing Édouard Glissant’s theory of relationality and the Kanaka Maoli (native Hawaiian) concept of Wahi Pana (storied place), I show how Walcott decolonizes epistemologies of place in his epic.
Below I outline my reading of Derek Walcott’s Omeros as a relational critique of colonial representations of the Caribbean and the “New World” that recovers non-territorial and layered naming practices and alternative epistemologies of place. Derek Walcott locates the potential for poetic disruption of the colonial historical practices of naming through his deconstruction of the myths of origin implicated in the concept of Adamic man, but also by including multiple names for the island including “Iounalao” or the Aruac word meaning, “Where the iguana is found” (Walcott 4) and “St. Lucia,” (Walcott 23) the name on contemporary maps. Throughout the poem these names compete with references to the “horned” island (Walcott 40), a name that refers to the island’s shape. However, none of these names for the island achieve dominance. By referring to multiple names for the island and destabilizing the naming of people and animals on the island, he opens up the possibility of engaging alternative epistemologies of place, each of which entails different understandings of history, to create alternative naming practices and construct counter-narratives to the historical record written by empire. His use of relationality as theorized by Édouard Glissant connects victims of colonial erasures through the rhizomatic rootedness of the Atlantic triangular slave trade. When Walcott narrates the story of place for the island of his birth, he locates the absent presence of those lost through the multiple genocides of first inhabitants and Africans who died on slave ships and points particularly to the loss of the Aruac language and the lost connections of African slaves to their languages and homes through the violence of colonialism and slavery. Claiming the possibilities of rhizomatic rootedness, I invoke Wahi Pana or the storied place, a concept used by Kanaka Maoli (native Hawaiians), as discussed by Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua to call attention to Walcott’s project of constructing decolonized narratives of his home island. According to Hawaiian epistemology, storied places are sacred sites with power derived from the events chronicled there. Therefore, the concept of the storied place allows for the precise identification and connection to place independent of arbitrary colonial naming.
To conclude my discussion of Derek Walcott’s epic, I braid his critique of colonial narratives with his decolonizing naming practices in my analysis of the praise song that functions as the climax in the final book of Omeros. Walcott sings a relational praise song honoring the island by describing it as a storied place through a layering of its histories and names along with stories that celebrate the life lived on and through the land by all of its inhabitants. Taken as a whole, the song follows the arc of the poem through conflicts over naming, disruptions to colonial and Adamic naming through poetic intervention, and narration of histories and presences that have been buried, lost, or forgotten. I argue that Walcott decolonizes the representation of his birthplace by narrating a relational story of the island, connecting it to the histories of genocides and colonialism but also the experience of living on the island and inhabiting its many names and stories.
Caribbean Literature and Film: Global Visions
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1607
|
__label__wiki
| 0.777165
| 0.777165
|
Andreas Rasche
Professor of Business in Society
Solbjerg Plads 3
Frederiksberg C, DK - 2000
‘A Necessary Supplement’ – What the United Nations Global Compact Is and Is Not
Business and Society, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 511-537, 2009
UN Global Compact, corporate social responsibility, civil regulation, stakeholder theory
Discourse Ethics and Social Accountability - The Ethics of SA 8000
Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 187-216, 2007
Number of pages: 54 Posted: 03 Aug 2010 Last Revised: 15 Jul 2014
Dirk Ulrich Gilbert and Andreas Rasche
University of Hamburg and Copenhagen Business School
corporate responsibility, discourse ethics, Habermas, SA8000, ethical supply chain management
Accountability in a Global Economy: The Emergence of International Accountability Standards
Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 21, No.1, pp. 23-44
Number of pages: 29 Posted: 15 Nov 2010 Last Revised: 18 May 2013
Dirk Ulrich Gilbert, Andreas Rasche and Sandra Waddock
University of Hamburg, Copenhagen Business School and Boston College - Carroll School of Management
The Dynamics of Standardisation: Three Perspectives on Standards in Organisation Studies
Organization Studies, Vol. 33, No. 5-6, pp. 613-633
Nils Brunsson, Andreas Rasche and David Seidl
affiliation not provided to SSRN, Copenhagen Business School and University of Zurich - Department of Business Administration (IBW)
standards, standardization, regulation, dynamics of standards
From Stakeholder Management to Stakeholder Accountability: Applying Habermasian Discourse Ethics to Accountability Research
Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 65, No. 3, pp. 251-67, 2006
Number of pages: 37 Posted: 05 Aug 2010 Last Revised: 09 Oct 2014
Andreas Rasche and Daniel E. Esser
Copenhagen Business School and American University - School of International Service
accountability standards, discourse ethics, Habermas, organizational accountability, stakeholder management, stakeholder dialogue
Jürgen Habermas and Organization Studies – Contributions and Future Prospects
Rasche, A./Scherer A.G. (2014): Jürgen Habermas and Organization Studies: Contributions and Future Prospects, in: Adler, P./du Gay, P./Morgan, G./Reed, M. (Eds.) Oxford Handbook of Sociology, Social Theory, and Organization Studies. Oxford et al.: Oxford University Press, pp. 158-181.
Number of pages: 35 Posted: 14 Nov 2014
Andreas Rasche and Andreas Georg Scherer
Copenhagen Business School and University of Zurich - IBW Department of Business Administration
Habermas, discourse ethics, deliberative democracy, business ethics, organisation studies, epistemology
The Limits of Corporate Responsibility Standards
Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 280-291, 2010
corporate social responsibility, Derrida, SA 8000, deconstruction, global governance
The Principles for Responsible Management Education – Where Do We Go from Here?
ASSESSING BUSINESS ETHICS EDUCATION, D. Fisher, D. Swanson, eds., pp. 13-28, Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing
Sandra Waddock, Andreas Rasche, Patricia H. Werhane and Gregory Unruh
Boston College - Carroll School of Management, Copenhagen Business School, University of Virginia - Darden School of Business and Independent
PRME, ethics education, management education
Global Policies and Local Practice: Loose and Tight Couplings in Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives
Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 679-708
multi-stakeholder initiatives, corporate social responsibility, global governance, loose coupling, network theory, globalization
Corporate Responsibility Standards
CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY AND BUSINESS ETHICS, pp. 263-284, M. Painter-Morland, R. Ten Bos, eds., Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press
corporate social responsibility, sustainability, Derrida, global reporting Initiative, SA 8000, global compact
Epistemological Alternatives for Researching Strategy as Practice: Building and Dwelling Worldviews
D. Golsorkhi, D. Seidl, L. Rouleau, E. Vaara, eds., The Cambridge Handbook of Strategy as Practice, Cambridge University Press, pp. 34-46, 2010
Robert Chia and Andreas Rasche
University of Strathclyde and Copenhagen Business School
strategy as practice, strategy process, strategic management, epistemology
Big Data as Governmentality – Digital Traces, Algorithms, and the Reconfiguration of Data in International Development
Humanistic Management Network, Research Paper Series No. 42/15
Number of pages: 43 Posted: 02 Dec 2015 Last Revised: 18 Dec 2015
Mikkel Flyverbom and Andreas Rasche
Copenhagen Business School and Copenhagen Business School
big data, international development, governmentality, algorithms, knowledge production
Institutionalizing Global Governance – The Role of the United Nations Global Compact
Andreas Rasche and Dirk Ulrich Gilbert
Copenhagen Business School and University of Hamburg
United Nations Global Compact, public-private partnerships, soft law, corporate social responsibility, global governance
Cross-Disciplinary Ethics Education in MBA Programs: Rhetoric or Reality?
Academy of Management Learning and Education, 2013)
Andreas Rasche, Dirk Ulrich Gilbert and Ingo Schedel
Copenhagen Business School, University of Hamburg and affiliation not provided to SSRN
management education, MBA, ethics education, decoupling
The United Nations Global Compact: Retrospect and Prospect
Business & Society, Vol.52(1), pp. 6-30.
Number of pages: 36 Posted: 15 Jul 2013 Last Revised: 16 Jul 2013
Andreas Rasche, Sandra Waddock and Malcolm McIntosh
Copenhagen Business School, Boston College - Carroll School of Management and Griffith University
United Nations Global Compact, UN-business relations, global governance, public-private partnerships, globalization, transnational civil society
Corporate Sustainability Management and Environmental Ethics
Number of pages: 43 Posted: 18 Apr 2017
Douglas Schuler, Andreas Rasche, Dror Etzion and Lisa Newton
Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, Copenhagen Business School, McGill University and Fairfield University
sustainability, corporate sustainability, ethics, environmental ethics
Managing for Political Corporate Social Responsibility – New Challenges and Directions for PCSR 2.0
Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 53 (2016) No. 3, 273-298
Andreas Georg Scherer, Andreas Rasche, Guido Palazzo and Andre Spicer
University of Zurich - IBW Department of Business Administration, Copenhagen Business School, University of Lausanne and City University London - Sir John Cass Business School
business and society, corporate political activity, CSR, globalization, governance
Towards a Model to Compare and Analyze Accountability Standards: The Case of the UN Global Compact
Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, Vol. 16, No.4, pp. 192-205, 2008
Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Accountability, Accountability Standards, UN Global Compact, Legitimacy, Stakeholder Dialogue
Global Sustainability Governance and the UN Global Compact: A Rejoinder to Critics
Rasche, A./Waddock, S. (2014): Global Sustainability Governance and the UN Global Compact: A Rejoinder to Critics, in: Journal of Business Ethics, 122 (2), pp. 209-216.
Number of pages: 22 Posted: 01 Mar 2014 Last Revised: 13 Nov 2014
Andreas Rasche and Sandra Waddock
Copenhagen Business School and Boston College - Carroll School of Management
United Nations Global Compact, business regulation, corporate sustainability and responsibility, public-private partnerships, soft law
Collaborative Governance 2.0
Corporate Governance, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 500-511, 2010
corporate responsibility standards, collaborative governance, multi-stakeholder initiatives, regulation
The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) - A 'Call for Action' for German Universities
STAND UND PERSPEKTIVEN DER UNTERNEHMENS - UND WIRTSCHAFTSETHISCHEN AUSBILDUNG IN DEUTSCH-LAND, Haase, M., Mirkovic, S., Schumann, O.J., eds., Hampp: Mering, 2011
Opportunities and Problems of Standardized Ethics Initiatives: A Stakeholder Theory Perspective
Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 82, No. 3, pp. 755-773, 2008
Number of pages: 19 Posted: 20 Nov 2010 Last Revised: 19 Oct 2014
Standardized Ethics Initiatives, UN Global Compact, SA 8000, Stakeholder Theory
Managing for Compliance and Integrity in Practice
BUSINESS ETHICS AS PRACTICE, pp. 107-127, S. Clegg, et al., eds., Northhampton: Edward Elgar, 2007
compliance, integrity, corporate responsibility standards, SA8000
The Corporation as a Political Actor – European and North American Perspectives
Rasche, A. (2015). The Corporation as a Political Actor: European and North American Perspectives, European Management Journal, 33(1): 4-8.
Voluntary Standards as Enablers and Impediments to Sustainable Consumption
standards, labels, sustainable consumption, ISO 26000, soft law
Researching Strategy Practices - A Genealogical Social Theory Perspective
Organization Studies, Vol. 30, No. 7, pp. 713-734, 2009
Andreas Rasche and Robert Chia
Copenhagen Business School and University of Strathclyde
strategy practices, practice theory, strategy theory, strategists, ethnography
A Luhmannian Perspective on Strategy: Strategy as Paradox and Meta-Communication
Critical Perspectives on Accounting, Forthcoming
Andreas Rasche and David Seidl
Copenhagen Business School and University of Zurich - Department of Business Administration (IBW)
strategic management, strategy, Luhmann, systems theory, paradox
Decoupling Responsible Management Education: Why Business Schools May Not Walk Their Talk
Journal of Management Inquiry, Vol. 24, No. 3, DOI 10.1177/1056492614567315, Forthcoming, Humanistic Management Network, Research Paper Series No. 04/15
responsible management education, corporate social responsibility, Principles for Responsible Management Edcuation
Big Data As Governmentality in International Development: Digital Traces, Algorithms, and Altered Visibilities
Flyverbom, M./Rasche, A./Madsen, A.K. (2017): Big Data as Governmentality: Digital Traces, Algorithms, and the Reconfiguration of Data for International Development. Information Society, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 35-42.
Mikkel Flyverbom, Anders Madsen and Andreas Rasche
Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen Business School and Copenhagen Business School
big data, sustainable development, governance, statistics, visualisation
As If it Were Relevant - A Social Systems Perspective on the Relation between Theory and Practice
Journal of Management Inquiry, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 243-255, 2009
Andreas Rasche and Michael Behnam
Copenhagen Business School and Suffolk University
Research Relevance, Systems Theory, Fictions, Science and Practice
Discipline as Institutional Maintenance: The Case of Business School Rankings
Rasche, A./Hommel, U./Cornuel, E. (2014): Discipline as Institutional Maintenance: The Case of Business School Rankings, in: Pettigrew, A./Cornuel, E./Hommel, U. (Ed.) The Institutional Development of Business Schools. Oxford et al.: Oxford University Press, pp. 196-220.
Andreas Rasche, Ulrich Hommel and Eric Cornuel
Copenhagen Business School, EBS Business School and HEC Paris - Strategy & Business Policy
business school rankings, institutional theory, Foucault, disciplinary control
‘Are Strategists from Mars and Ethicists from Venus?’ – Strategizing as Ethical Reflection
Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 84, No. 1, 2009
Michael Behnam and Andreas Rasche
Suffolk University and Copenhagen Business School
Strategy Process, Ethical Reflection, Stakeholder, Moral Agency, Strategy-Ethics-Link
Complete and Partial Organizing for Corporate Social Responsibility.
Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 115, No. 4, 2013
Andreas Rasche, Frank G. A. de Bakker and Jeremy Moon
Copenhagen Business School, VU University Amsterdam - Organization Science and Nottingham University Business School (NUBS)
Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, organization theory, partial organization, partnerships
Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives on Sustainability: A Cross-Disciplinary Review and Research Agenda for Business Ethics
Business Ethics Quarterly, Forthcoming
Frank G. A. de Bakker, Andreas Rasche and Stefano Ponte
VU University Amsterdam - Organization Science, Copenhagen Business School and Copenhagen Business School
Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs), Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, Legitimacy, Business Ethics, Management Studies
Institutionalizing Global Governance: The Role of the United Nations Global Compact
Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol. 21, No. 1, 2012
File name: beer1642.pdf
What Drives Ethics Education in Business Schools? Studying Influences on Ethics in the MBA Curriculum
in: Nill, Alexander (Ed.): Handbook on Ethics and Marketing, Edward Elgar, pp. 284-301, 2015
Managing for Political Corporate Social Responsibility: New Challenges and Directions for PCSR 2.0
Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 53, Issue 3, pp. 273-298, 2016
Andreas Georg Scherer, Andreas Rasche, Guido Palazzo and André Spicer
University of Zurich, Copenhagen Business School, University of Lausanne and City University London - Sir John Cass Business School
File name: JOMS.pdf
Size: 0K
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1609
|
__label__cc
| 0.616415
| 0.383585
|
You are looking at 1-20 of 9,848 items for:
virus x Pathology x Infectious Diseases x Medicine and Health x Clinical Medicine x clear all
Page123 ...
Program code written to replicate by attaching copies of itself to other objects within the system, and normally also having a detrimental effect. This may range from generation of...
M. Estée Török, Fiona J. Cooke and Ed Moran.
in Oxford Handbook of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
December 2016; p ublished online November 2016 .
Chapter. Subjects: Infectious Diseases; Medical Microbiology and Virology. 38671 words.
This chapter provides an overview of viruses, starting with the basics of virology, before moving on to a systematic overview of each virus, covering important aspects of epidemiology,...
Hepatitis viruses (excluding hepatitis C virus)
N.V. Naoumov.
in Oxford Textbook of Medicine
Chapter. Subjects: Medical Microbiology and Virology; Infectious Diseases. 4915 words.
The group of hepatitis viruses includes five unrelated human viruses (A to E), which differ in their genome organization, biology, and epidemiology, while being united by their...
Epstein–Barr virus
M.A. Epstein and A.B. Rickinson.
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus with a linear double-stranded DNA genome that is carried asymptomatically by most people. Symptomless primary infection is usual in...
Viruses and cancer
R.A. Weiss.
Viruses are important in cancer for three main reasons: (1) As a cause of cancer—about 15% of the worldwide cancer burden is due to viruses: retroviruses can activate cellular...
Respiratory tract viruses
Malik Peiris.
Viral respiratory infections, including rhinovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza viruses, and influenza viruses, are a...
Newly discovered viruses
H.C. Hughes.
Although humans are affected by an enormous range of microorganisms, almost all newly discovered emerging pathogens are viruses that are often zoonotic or vector-borne. These emerging...
Influenza B Virus Encephalitis
Jonathan A. McCullers, Sergio Facchini, P. Joan Chesney and Robert G. Webster.
in Clinical Infectious Diseases
April 1999; p ublished online April 1999 .
Journal Article. Subjects: Infectious Diseases; Immunology; Public Health and Epidemiology; Microbiology. 0 words.
Acute encephalitis and postinfectious encephalopathy have been reported infrequently in association with influenza A and B virus infections. We report herein a case of a 6-year-old girl...
Dual Respiratory Virus Infections
Ashley L. Drews, Robert L. Atmar, W. Paul Glezen, Barbara D. Baxter, Pedro A. Piedra and Stephen B. Greenberg.
December 1997; p ublished online December 1997 .
We retrospectively reviewed eight prospective epidemiological studies conducted between 1991 and 1995 for dual respiratory virus infection (DRVI) to determine the frequency, associated...
Virus infections causing diarrhoea and vomiting
Philip Dormitzer and Ulrich Desselberger.
May 2010; p ublished online August 2014 .
Acute gastroenteritis is frequently caused by rotaviruses, human caliciviruses (noroviruses, sapoviruses), astroviruses and enteric adenoviruses (group F): these cause much disease...
Nipah and Hendra virus encephalitides
C.T. Tan.
Nipah and Hendra are two related viruses of the Paramyxoviridae family that have their reservoir in large Pteropus fruit bats. Human disease manifests most often as acute encephalitis,...
Gastroenteritis is frequently caused by rotaviruses, enteric adenoviruses (group F), human caliciviruses (noroviruses, sapoviruses), and astroviruses: these cause much disease worldwide and...
Herpesviruses (excluding Epstein–Barr virus)
J.G.P. Sissons.
Chapter. Subjects: Medical Microbiology and Virology; Infectious Diseases. 16511 words.
Eight human herpesviruses, all with a linear double-stranded DNA genome and divided into alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subfamilies on the basis of genomic and biological properties, share...
Reciprocal Interactions Between Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Infections
Hervé Zylberberg and Stanislas Pol.
November 1996; p ublished online November 1996 .
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) share the same routes of transmission, which explains the high rate of HCV and HIV coinfection (∽9%). HIV/HCV...
GB Virus C/Hepatitis G Virus Infection in Southern China
Rong-Rong Wu, Masashi Mizokami, Kun Cao, Tatsunori Nakano, Xian-Min Ge, Su-Seng Wang, Etsuro Orito, Ken-ichi Ohba, Motokazu Mukaide, Kazumasa Hikiji, Johnson Y. N. Lau and Shiro Iino.
in The Journal of Infectious Diseases
The prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) infection among intravenous drug users (IVDUs), patients with liver diseases, and blood donors in Nanning, southern China was...
Hepatitis C Virus/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection: Clinical Management Issues
Michael A. Poles, Douglas T. Dieterich and Kenneth H. Mayer.
July 2000; p ublished online July 2000 .
Journal Article. Subjects: Infectious Diseases; Immunology; Public Health and Epidemiology; Microbiology. 6312 words.
The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has extended the healthy lifespan of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); deaths among people with AIDS...
Incident Hepatitis C Virus in Women with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
M. Augenbraun, J. J. Goedert, D. Thomas, J. Feldman, E. C. Seaberg, A. L. French, E. Robison, M. Nowicki and N. Terrault.
Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are frequently coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Acute HCV infection is often asymptomatic and poorly...
BK Virus: A Clinical Review
Mark D. Reploeg, Gregory A. Storch and David B. Clifford.
We present a review of the clinically oriented literature about BK virus, a relative of JC virus, which is the etiologic agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The...
Sapporo Virus: History and Recent Findings
Shunzo Chiba, Shuji Nakata, Kazuko Numata-Kinoshita and Shinjiro Honma.
Morphologically distinct caliciviruses of human origin were first found in stools of children with gastroenteritis in 1976. Sapporo virus, or human calicivirus Sapporo, with typical surface...
Thermal Stability of Hepatitis E Virus
Suzanne U. Emerson, Vidya A. Arankalle and Robert H. Purcell.
The thermal stability of virulent hepatitis E virus (HEV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) was compared. Fecal suspensions of virus were heated to temperatures between 45°C and 70°C, and...
Severity of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Is Related to Virus Strain
Edward E. Walsh, Kenneth M. McConnochie, Christine E. Long and Caroline B. Hall.
The relationship between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) strain and disease severity was assessed in 265 hospitalized infants over a 3-year period (1988–1991). A severity index of...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1619
|
__label__cc
| 0.721112
| 0.278888
|
pgtipsonfilms
A blog for film viewers who enjoy reading fair and critical analysis
Tag Archives: ty simpkins
Review – Iron Man III (12a) [2013]
Star Rating 2.5/5
Shane Black – Lethal Weapon I-IV, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Doc Savage
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder, Iron Man I & II, The Avengers Assemble I, The Judge
Gwyneth Paltrow – Shakespeare In Love, Contagion, 33 Días
Don Cheadle – Hotel Rwanda, Crash, Flight, Captain America III
Guy Pearce – The King’s Speech, Prometheus, Hateship, Loveship
Rebecca Hall – The Prestige, Dorian Gray, Transcendence
Ben Kingsley – Ghandi, The Dictator, Exodus: Gods And King
Ty Simpkins – Revolutionary Road, The Next Three Days, Insidious I & II
Brian Tyler – Battle: Los Angeles, The Expendables I & II, Now You See Me
In The Avengers Assemble, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) showed his true colours by stating that he is a “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.” Indeed, one who has read the Marvel comic-books, or seen Iron Man I & II and The Avengers Assemble, or all of them, knows that Stark thinks highly of himself. But from the trailer of Iron Man III, it appeared that one would see the vulnerable side of Tony Stark for a change. Is this the case?
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) up at night, working on his numerous projects which he occupies himself with, since he cannot sleep.
Iron Man III begins with a flashback to New Year’s Eve 1999/2000 when Tony Stark, with scientists Maya (Rebecca Hall) and Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), rejects an offer to invest in Extremis, an organisation that deals with experimental treatment to regenerate human limbs that have been severed.
Thirteen/fourteen years later, Stark is having nightmares about the alien invasion that occurred the previous year in The Avengers Assemble. He is suffering from insomnia and anxiety, whilst trying to love Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Yet, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is wreaking havoc upon America with a string of terrorist attacks, using advanced weapons. Soon, he destroys Stark’s house, many of his Iron Man suits, and effectively sends Stark into the wilderness. Stark must find a way back and stop the Mandarin from unleashing more chaos, or else America will fall.
Iron Man III revolves round Tony Stark, and his quick, funny/brash responses. On the periphery, there is a plot (of some sort), some Transformers-style action scenes, plenty of explosions and fire-power, as well as sophisticated special effects in abundance. The problem is that audiences have seen all of these already, and it is starting to get very tedious.
At 133-minutes, Iron Man III is a long film that disappointingly doesn’t add anything new to the series. Worse, after 30 minutes the plausibility of the storyline ceases to exist, and it lazily goes from one plot contrivance to the next. If that doesn’t illustrate Shane Black’s contempt for the audience, the last scene renders all but the first 30 minutes of the movie as a waste of time. Couldn’t Black have just cut out all of the excess baggage and got straight to the chase? (Or, alternatively, forged a plot that actually works?)
The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), looking and preaching much like Osama Bin Laden, in a broadcast threatening to destory America if the country does not change its ways.
Iron Man III also suggests that the franchise is starting to suffer from the issues that are synonymous with other series, like Pirates of the Caribbean, Die Hard, and Fast and the Furious: notably, going on too long, laziness, repetitiveness, and going back in time to make (semi-)viable storylines. The very fact that Iron Man III starts by going back in time should set alarm bells ringing in one’s mind. If the franchise has not bothered until now to mention important things that the key character has done, why should viewers believe that they are significant?
With the exceptions of young Ty Simpkins, who is cute and amusing, and Ben Kingsley, who is brilliant as the terrifying (Osama Bin Laden-like) Mandarin, the rest of the cast could not be more two-dimensional if they tried. Robert Downey Jr. plays the same energetic, narcissistic character (himself) as he did in Iron Man I & II (not to mention in The Avengers Assemble, Sherlock Holmes I & II, and Due Date). Yes, Stark is smart, sharp and impertinent, and Downey Jr. does this well (as we know he can). But, in Iron Man III, Downey Jr. was meant to display his character suffering from insomnia and panic attacks. One is hard-pressed to find an instance of Stark genuinely looking like he was suffering from such problems, which is poor on Downey Jr.’s behalf. It is a shame, too, because one might have seen Downey Jr. actually challenging himself for a change.
Gwyneth Paltrow, playing as Stark’s secretary, is little more than a one-dimensional, pointless blonde doll. Despite loving a man who loves himself more than he loves her (or anyone else for that matter), it is difficult to empathise with Pepper as she is so bland.
Stark in a broken Iron Man suit and in the winter wilderness of Tennessee. How will he ever get back if he is to save the country he has sworn to protect?
Rebecca Hall’s performance suffers from similar problems as Maya’s character is not especially interesting, nor well defined, and her importance to the plot is dubious at best. Don Cheadle plays decently enough in his simple role as Stark’s (patient) understudy. Guy Pearce once again plays another egotistical, two-dimensional individual (he’s making a habit of this following his roles in The Count of Monte Cristo, The King’s Speech and Justice). At least, though, the cosmetic department did a fantastic job on him. In the first scene, Pearce is unrecognisable, which is a great contrast to Stark failing to even have bags under his eyes when (supposedly) suffering from major sleep deprivation. Would it have been so hard to have put eye shadow under Downey Jr.’s eyes?
Over-all, Iron Man III is much the same as the previous two Iron Man films. It follows Tony Stark being Tony Stark; Stark flies and fights in his Iron Man costume; and there are special effects galore that one’s seen before. The movie tries to show us some of Stark’s weaknesses, but fails miserably at this and the attempts at doing so are feeble. Moreover, the laziness of the entire production suggests that the franchise is drained of ideas and lost for care.
PG’s Tips
Posted in Action, Comic Book based, Thriller
Tagged ben kingsley, broken, comic book, don cheadle, film, guy pearce, gwyneth paltrow, Iron Man, iron man 3, Marvel, movie, rebecca hall, review, robert downey jr, superhero, tennessee, the mandarin, ty simpkins, winter wilderness
Follow pgtipsonfilms on WordPress.com
Latest pgtipsonfilms review
Review – It: Part One (15) [2017] October 10, 2017 pgtipsonfilms
Reviews to Come Soon
Review – It: Part One (15) [2017]
Review – Dunkirk (12a) [2017]
Review – It Comes At Night (15) [2017]
Review – Churchill (PG) [2017]
Review – My Cousin Rachel (12a) [2017]
One gets a true experience of what it was like to be at Dunkirk in #Dunkirk, pgtipsonfilms.com/2017/09/03/rev… 2 years ago
#Christophernolan has shown himself again to be a genius film-maker with #Dunkirk, pgtipsonfilms.com/2017/09/03/rev… 2 years ago
Follow @pgtipsonfilms
Film Archives
Review - The Martian (12a) [2015]
Action Ancient & Historical Animation Based on a Theatre Production Based on Real Events biopic Book based Children Comedy Comic Book based disaster documentary Drama erotic thriller Fantasy Horror Indie Medical Thriller operatic Political Psychological Thriller Romantic Comedy Science Fiction Shakespeare Silent Thriller TV series based Uncategorized war Western
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1624
|
__label__cc
| 0.745255
| 0.254745
|
Brian H. Eichner, MD
Campus mail: 10211 Alm St, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27617
Email address: brian.eichner@duke.edu
Medical Director, Duke Pediatric Diagnostic Clinic
Care of medically complex patients
Resident mentorship
Student mentorship
Care of Spanish-speaking families
Pediatrics Residency, Pediatrics, Duke University, 2006 - 2009
M.D., State University of New York at Buffalo, 2006
Selected Grants and Awards
A Community-based Assessment of Skin Care, Allergies and Eczema (CASCADE)
Immune function in children exposed to organophosphate flame retardants
VTEU Task C Option 1 Protocol 14-0079.B1C1.0028
VTEU Task B Base Protocol 14-0079.B1C1.0028
Saleh, Ezzeldin, Brian Eichner, Douglas W. Clark, Martha E. Gagliano, James M. Troutman, Lynn Harrington, Monica McNeal, and Dennis Clements. “Open-Label Pilot Study to Compare the Safety and Immunogenicity of Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine (RV5) Administered on an Early Alternative Dosing Schedule with Those of RV5 Administered on the Recommended Standard Schedule..” J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 7, no. 1 (February 19, 2018): 82–85. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpids/pix005.
Libster, Romina, Monica McNeal, Emmanuel B. Walter, Andi L. Shane, Patricia Winokur, Gretchen Cress, Andrea A. Berry, et al. “Safety and Immunogenicity of Sequential Rotavirus Vaccine Schedules..” Pediatrics 137, no. 2 (February 2016). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-2603.
Adeli, Mehdi Mohammad G., Brian H. Eichner, Courtney Thornburg, and Larry Williams. “Persistent antibody depletion after rituximab in three children with autoimmune cytopenias..” Pediatr Hematol Oncol 26, no. 8 (November 2009): 566–72. https://doi.org/10.3109/08880010903271697.
Woods, Suzanne, and Carolyn Avery. “High Value Care Pediatric Curriculum.” Mededportal Publications, n.d. https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10146.
Learn how to manage online faculty profiles and keep information up-to-date.
See checklist
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1630
|
__label__cc
| 0.528315
| 0.471685
|
Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities
Myths About Gender and Race
Minorities in Engineering, Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, and Women in Engineering
22.1061.1 - 22.1061.9
Amy E. Slaton Drexel University
Amy E. Slaton is an Associate Professor of history at Drexel University and a visiting associate professor at Haverford College. She received her Ph.D. in the History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania and has written on the history of standards and instrumentation in materials science, engineering and the building trades. Her most recent book , Race, Rigor, and Selectivity in U.S. Engineering: The History of an Occupational Color Line (Harvard University Press, 2010), traces American ideas about race and technical aptitude since 1940. Current projects include the blog STEMequity.com, and a study, with sociologist Mary Ebeling, of economic equity in nanotechnology training and employment. She is also writing on distributions of blame between workers and materials for failures in contemporary building technologies, as economies of scale and automation continue their long incursion on the labor of commercial construction.
Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural InequitiesIn ongoing attempts to correct minority underrepresentation in the engineering disciplines,educational researchers, cognitive psychologists, and scholars in related fields have since the1980s developed many studies centered on the notion of student self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986;Concannon and Barrow, 2009; Ponton et al, 2001). These studies seek to measure the degree towhich minority or otherwise marginalized students experience a sense of confidence or feelingthat they are able to counter "barrier conditions." Those conditions might include discriminationor other challenging social and intellectual situations encountered in college. While such studiesare certainly preferable to a denial of differences between minority and majority experience, theyintentionally or otherwise support the notion that it is marginalized persons, not institutions andmajority conduct, that require change. They are "person-centered" rather than "situation-centered," to use the terms coined by reform-minded community psychologists (Rendon, Jalomo,and Nora, 2000).While the idea of self-efficacy has in a few cases been used by researchers to delineate thesituational difficulties encountered by marginalized populations, it is far more often used tomeasure and prescribe individual conduct. These studies commonly center on detecting whichclassroom or social behaviors on the parts of individual students seem to accompany significantself-efficacy. In this respect, researchers' focus on self-efficacy, however well intentioned,carries the potential to deter structural reform. Socio-cultural conditions (such as endemicracism, sexism or ageism), and the institutional practices that embody those inequities (such asmajority-focused pedagogical theory, or biased treatment of minority students by instructors andadministrators) remain invisible to the researchers and those who deploy their findings. What ismore, community psychologists have shown that person-centered inquiries focused onindividuals' self-efficacy routinely conflate subjects' sense of self-empowerment and theattainment of real social power or influence (Riger, 1993). Studies of this kind thus falselyconclude that where self-efficacy is detected, the problem of minority marginality has beensolved. What is more, older assimilationist ideologies, like those expressed in educationalinterventions of the 1960s and 1970s that sought to suppress minority students' ethnic self-awareness and sense of racial or gender collectivity, find new life through such conflations. Thispaper considers the potential of self-efficacy as a reformist tool in minority engineeringeducation, and the risks of its uncritical application.ReferencesBandura, A. 1986. Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman and Company, NewYork, NY.Concannon, James P. and Lloyd H. Barrow. 2009. "A Cross-Sectional Study of EngineeringStudents' Self-Efficacy by Gender, Ethnicity, Year and Transfer Status." Journal of Science,Education and Technology v. 18, n. 2: 163-172.Ponton, Michael K., Julie Horine Edmister, Lawrence S. Ukeiley, and John M. Seiner. 2001."Understanding the Role of Self-Efficacy in Engineering Education." Journal of EngineeringEducation April 2001: 247-251.Rendon, Laura I., Romero E. Jalomo, and Amaury Nora. 2000. "Theoretical Considerations inteh Study of Minority Student Retention in Higher Education, " in John M. Braxton, Reworkingthe Student Departure Puzzle. Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville, TN: 127-156.Riger, Stephanie. 1993. "What's Wrong with Empowerment?" American Journal of CommunityPsychology v. 21, n. 3: 279-292
Slaton, A. E. (2011, June), Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. https://peer.asee.org/18811
Slaton, A. E. (2011, June), Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. https://peer.asee.org/18811
Slaton, A. E. (2011, June), \emph{Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities}
Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Vancouver, BC.
Amy E. Slaton. "Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities". 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC, 2011, June. ASEE Conferences, 2011. https://peer.asee.org/18811 Internet. 19 Jan, 2020
Amy E. Slaton.
"Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities".
\emph{2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Vancouver, BC, 2011, June}.
author = "Amy E. Slaton"
title = "Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities"
address = "Vancouver, BC"
AB - Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural InequitiesIn ongoing attempts to correct minority underrepresentation in the engineering disciplines,educational researchers, cognitive psychologists, and scholars in related fields have since the1980s developed many studies centered on the notion of student self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986;Concannon and Barrow, 2009; Ponton et al, 2001). These studies seek to measure the degree towhich minority or otherwise marginalized students experience a sense of confidence or feelingthat they are able to counter "barrier conditions." Those conditions might include discriminationor other challenging social and intellectual situations encountered in college. While such studiesare certainly preferable to a denial of differences between minority and majority experience, theyintentionally or otherwise support the notion that it is marginalized persons, not institutions andmajority conduct, that require change. They are "person-centered" rather than "situation-centered," to use the terms coined by reform-minded community psychologists (Rendon, Jalomo,and Nora, 2000).While the idea of self-efficacy has in a few cases been used by researchers to delineate thesituational difficulties encountered by marginalized populations, it is far more often used tomeasure and prescribe individual conduct. These studies commonly center on detecting whichclassroom or social behaviors on the parts of individual students seem to accompany significantself-efficacy. In this respect, researchers' focus on self-efficacy, however well intentioned,carries the potential to deter structural reform. Socio-cultural conditions (such as endemicracism, sexism or ageism), and the institutional practices that embody those inequities (such asmajority-focused pedagogical theory, or biased treatment of minority students by instructors andadministrators) remain invisible to the researchers and those who deploy their findings. What ismore, community psychologists have shown that person-centered inquiries focused onindividuals' self-efficacy routinely conflate subjects' sense of self-empowerment and theattainment of real social power or influence (Riger, 1993). Studies of this kind thus falselyconclude that where self-efficacy is detected, the problem of minority marginality has beensolved. What is more, older assimilationist ideologies, like those expressed in educationalinterventions of the 1960s and 1970s that sought to suppress minority students' ethnic self-awareness and sense of racial or gender collectivity, find new life through such conflations. Thispaper considers the potential of self-efficacy as a reformist tool in minority engineeringeducation, and the risks of its uncritical application.ReferencesBandura, A. 1986. Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman and Company, NewYork, NY.Concannon, James P. and Lloyd H. Barrow. 2009. "A Cross-Sectional Study of EngineeringStudents' Self-Efficacy by Gender, Ethnicity, Year and Transfer Status." Journal of Science,Education and Technology v. 18, n. 2: 163-172.Ponton, Michael K., Julie Horine Edmister, Lawrence S. Ukeiley, and John M. Seiner. 2001."Understanding the Role of Self-Efficacy in Engineering Education." Journal of EngineeringEducation April 2001: 247-251.Rendon, Laura I., Romero E. Jalomo, and Amaury Nora. 2000. "Theoretical Considerations inteh Study of Minority Student Retention in Higher Education, " in John M. Braxton, Reworkingthe Student Departure Puzzle. Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville, TN: 127-156.Riger, Stephanie. 1993. "What's Wrong with Empowerment?" American Journal of CommunityPsychology v. 21, n. 3: 279-292
AU - Amy E. Slaton
CY - Vancouver, BC
TI - Metrics of Marginality: How Studies of Minority Self-Efficacy Hide Structural Inequities
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1631
|
__label__wiki
| 0.742273
| 0.742273
|
Richard Legro, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
A Vision for Improving the Assessment and Management of PCOS through International Collaboration
Teede, H. J., Legro, R. & Norman, R. J., Jan 1 2018, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 36, 1, p. 3-4 2 p.
Data sharing requirements: perspectives from three authors
Barnhart, K. T., Legro, R. S. & Scott, R. T., Jan 2018, In : Fertility and sterility. 109, 1, p. 44-47 4 p.
Gerald JHarkins, MD, MPT, FACOG
Legro, R., Jan 1 2018, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 36, 2, 1 p.
The International Guideline in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Legro, R., Jan 1 2018, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 36, 1, p. 1-2 2 p.
Hot Topics Issue
Legro, R. S., Jul 1 2017, In : Seminars in reproductive medicine. 35, 4, 1 p.
Iris LRomero, MD, MS
Legro, R., Sep 1 2017, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 35, 5, 1 p.
James HSegars, MD and Ayman Al-Hendy, MD, PhD
Legro, R., Nov 1 2017, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 35, 6, p. 469-470 2 p.
Clarisa R. Gracia, MD, MSCE
Lessons from Genome Wide Association Studies
Legro, R., Jul 1 2016, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 34, 4, 1 p.
Lifestyle in Reproductive Medicine
Legro, R., Mar 1 2016, In : Seminars in reproductive medicine. 34, 2, p. 63-64 2 p.
Global women's health: Challenges and opportunities
In defense of publishing baseline data from clinical trials
Legro, R., Jan 1 2015, In : Fertility and sterility. 103, 4, p. 902-903 2 p.
Female Fertility Agents
Clomiphene
Inflammatory Factors in Reproductive Medicine
Innovations in reproductive endocrinology: A tribute to Bruce Carr, MD
Bulun, S. E. & Legro, R., May 4 2015, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 33, 3, 1 p.
21st Century History
Joy in moment of revelation: A cure for burn-out
Legro, R. S., Jan 1 2015, In : Fertility and sterility. 104, 6, p. 1372-1373 2 p.
Professional Burnout
Practices in in vitro fertilization
Legro, R. S., Mar 1 2015, In : Seminars in reproductive medicine. 33, 2, 1 p.
Fertilization in Vitro
Effects and mechanisms of complementary and alternative medicine during the reproductive process
Wu, X., Ng, E. H. Y., Stener-Victorin, E. & Legro, R., Jan 1 2014, In : Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2014, 698921.
Women's health initiative
Legro, R. S., Nov 2014, In : Seminars in reproductive medicine. 32, 6, 1 p.
Introduction to the guest editor: Marcelle Cedars, MD
Legro, R., Oct 16 2013, In : Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 31, 6, 1 p.
A good meta-analysis is hard to find
Legro, R. & Kunselman, A., Jan 1 2012, In : Fertility and sterility. 97, 5, p. 1048-1049 2 p.
Assisted Reproductive Techniques
Quo vadis randomized controlled trials in infertility?
Legro, R., Dec 1 2012, In : Fertility and sterility. 98, 6, p. 1350-1351 2 p.
Metformin during pregnancy in polycystic ovary syndrome: Another vitamin bites the dust
Legro, R. S., Dec 2010, In : Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 95, 12, p. 5199-5202 4 p.
Heirarchical Clustering and beyond in PCOS Endometrium: Brave new world
Legro, R. S. & McAllister, J. M., Apr 2009, In : Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 94, 4, p. 1084-1085 2 p.
Endometrium
Impact of metformin, oral contraceptives, and lifestyle modification on polycystic ovary syndrome in obese adolescent women: Do we need a new drug?
Legro, R. S., Nov 2008, In : Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 93, 11, p. 4218-4220 3 p.
Individualizing infertility therapy with pharmacogenomics: Vanity or vanguard?
Legro, R., Nov 11 2008, In : Pharmacogenomics. 9, 9, p. 1179-1181 3 p.
New directions in polycystic ovary syndrome
Legro, R. S., Jan 1 2008, In : Seminars in reproductive medicine. 26, 1, p. 3-4 2 p.
Giudice, L. C., Legro, R. S. & Azziz, R., Jun 1 2006, In : Best Practice and Research: Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 20, 2, p. vii-viii
Alterations in androgen conjugate levels in women and men with alopecia
Legro, RS. S., Carmina, E., Stanczyk, FZ. Z., Gentzschein, E. & Lobo, RA. A., Dec 1 1995, In : ACOG Current Journal Review. 8, 2, p. 23-24 2 p.
Contact Richard Legro, MD
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1635
|
__label__cc
| 0.51358
| 0.48642
|
The 10 Greatest Pictures in NBA History
by Hordak August 16, 2019 August 16, 2019
Magic Johnson’s Baby Sky Hook Vs. The Boston Celtics- It doesn’t get better than this one. Six NBA hall of famers in one photo. Celtics Vs. Lakers NBA Finals. Magic Vs. Bird. McHale Vs. Worthy. Jabbar Vs. Parrish. Boston Vs. Los Angeles. The Old Boston Garden Vs. The Forum. The 80s. Hollywood Vs. The Bean. Rodeo Drive Vs. Causeway Street. Magic decided to go with a new move he developed that season and channel his inner Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The Celtics have three defenders on him and still couldn’t stop it.
Allen Iverson Crossover Vs. Michael Jordan- The greatest crossover of all time meets the greatest player of all time. Not just the greatest player of all time, but one of the greatest defensive players of all-time as well. Someone who has never had his ankles broken. This time, the crossover won.
Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 Point Game- A feat that will most likely never happen again. The next closest by another player, Kobe Bryant was still 19 points short. The closest by any player of the last 10 years was still 30 points short. Someone would need to catch fire from three point and not cool off for an entire 48 minutes. Chamberlain will hold this record forever.
Bill Russell’s 11 Championship Rings- The greatest winner of all time in professional teams sports. He won so much, that he can’t even fit all of his championship rings in one photo.
Vince Carter’s Dunk Over Fredrick Weiss- The greatest dunk of all-time in one image. KG’s face says it all. He knew it was the greatest dunk ever as it was happening in real time.
Air Jordan Logo- No one knew that this single picture would change EVERYTHING. This image changed fashion, sneakers, advertising, the NBA, the city of Chicago, Michael Jordan’s career, the future of Converse, the future of Adidas, the future of Reebok and the lives of million of basketball players growing up. This image helped Nike rake in billions and billions of dollars. MJ got pretty rich, too.
Lebron James Block On Andre Igoudala- There are a lot of great professional moments in Lebron’ career, but of all the stats and major plays, this one is THE one in his career. Cleveland needed a HUGE defensive play down the stretch in the finals, and there couldn’t have been a more deflating play. Lebron chased Igoudala all the way down the court and performed one of his famous chase-down blocks. This time though he didn’t swat the ball to another state, he pinned the ball on the backboard, retained possession and that play was key in helping Cleveland win its first NBA title and first city championship in more than 50 years.
Michael Jordan “Crying Face” From His 2009 Hall Of Fame Enshrinement- The internet is still undefeated. During his 2009 Hall Of Fame acceptance speech, Jordan broke down crying while thanking Scottie Pippen and his former Chicago Bulls teammates. It wasn’t an instant hit on social media as things happen today. It did take a year or two, but this face has now become the universal image for sadness online. This single image has been photoshopped millions of times since.
Dr. James Naismith with The First Ball and Hoop- The modern origins of hoops….a doctor, a closed wooden basket and something that looks like a dark volleyball. Naismith’s idea was for the local Massachusetts college boys to have an activity during the cold winter months. Today, players make more than 40 million dollars a year, are initial investors in the major upcoming companies in Silicone Valley, date supermodels from around the world, have tens of million followers on social media and are tracked every single second of every game.
Michael Jordan’s Shot Vs. The Utah Jazz (1998 NBA Finals)- The greatest player of all-time shooting the greatest shot of all-time. Just look at the faces of every Utah Jazz fan in that photo, they knew where the ball was going to end up. Without knowing what the outcome was, you can tell whether or not MJ made that shot just from his form and trajectory of the ball. The basketball gods could not have created a better ending.
Air JordanBest NBA Pictures EverBill RussellGreatest NBA PicturesLarry BirdLebron JamesMagic JohnsonMichael JordanMichael Jordan Crying MemeMichael Jordan Last ShotNBANikeVince CarterVince Carter Olympic Dunk
5 Unreleased Hip Hop Books We Still Want To Read
10 Things You Didn’t Know About The 2001 Lakers
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1638
|
__label__wiki
| 0.788579
| 0.788579
|
If Michael Vick Gets a Job, Boycott the NFL
By Julia Szabo 2009-08-05T03:07:24
So Michael Vick is well on his way to NFL reinstatement -- if, that is, he can find a team to call home.
Is it fair that Vick is free to stretch out and play without a bothersome leg bracelet cramping his style, while so many dogs -- themselves natural, talented athletes who live to play -- have been robbed of their lives by his hand?
Many of these magnificent pit bulls are available for adoption, several have managed to find the loving new homes they deserve. Two of them, Leo and Hector, now do volunteer work as therapy dogs, visiting hospital patients to spread cheer. Leo does dog's work in California; Hector's home base is Minnesota. But the 22 canine survivors of Vick's Bad Newz Kennels that were sent to Utah's Best Friends Animal Society for rehabilitation wear the physical and psychological scars of Vick's abuse. One of them, Georgia, has no teeth in her pretty head because Vick arranged for some lousy veterinarian to pull them. We don't know that Dr. Mengele's name, so he or she is still at large and practicing. How reassuring.
Two years ago, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely, he said Vick must show remorse before he would consider reinstating him. Vick sure snowed him. "I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others,"Goodell wrote in his recent letter to Vick. "I am prepared to offer you that opportunity."
While I would love to believe it's possible for a convicted felon -- even one who laughingly boasted about drowning, electrocuting, and fatally body-slamming the dogs in his care when they didn't perform -- to miraculously evolve overnight into an animal-loving role model, please forgive my skepticism.
Animal lovers all over the country are outraged by Vick's reversal of fortune. Witness the emergence of anti-Vick websites and Facebook groups such as "Boycott every sponsor of the NFL until Michael Vick is gone!"
Committing crimes against animals is no less grave than committing crimes against people. It's an assault on humanity and it should not be rewarded with any vote of confidence, especially one from the NFL. Why is animal abuse so easy for some people to forgive, when compelling evidence shows that those who harm animals are very likely to also inflict harm on children?
Look at Michael Vick's mug. Is that really the face of remorse? You can laugh at PETA all you want; I often do because the organization is all for banning pit bulls and supports the entirely un-American efforts of legislators to enforce breed-specific legislation that would make pits illegal to own as pets. However, PETA did something that made me want to cheer: the group withdrew its offer to do an anti-dogfighting TV spot with Vick, stating that his behavior fit the established profile for anti-social personality disorder (APD).
https://pjmedia.com/blog/if-vick-gets-a-job-boycott-the-nfl/
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1642
|
__label__cc
| 0.585979
| 0.414021
|
The Plastocene
Nature (Version 2.0)
About the Plastocene
The Synthetic Age Book
Listen up….
Posted on May 22, 2018 by Christopher James Preston
The Ethics of Hijacking a (Rhino) Uterus
Researchers at the San Diego zoo were celebrating last week after one of their beloved southern white rhinos was determined to be carrying a rhino fetus. This rhino became pregnant after male white rhino sperm was injected into her uterus at just the moment that all the stars in the rhino universe aligned.
Artificial insemination with rhinos is hard. Calculating the estrus cycle of female rhinos is tricky enough. Add to that the sheer distance of the ovaries and uterus from where the artificial inseminator can enter the rhino’s body. In addition, as is often the case with very large mammals, rhinos are just not very prolific breeders. You need a little bit of guesswork and more than a little luck for fertilization to occur.
Two months after the successful procedure, the embryo visible on the ultrasound is still only an inch long. The normal gestation period for southern white rhinos of sixteen to eighteen months means that there will be plenty of room for nervousness in the weeks and months ahead. For now, rhino lovers around the world are keeping their fingers crossed.
Southern white rhino populations have recovered somewhat in the last century after their near extinction at the turn of the last century. Today there are thought to be around 20,000 of them worldwide and, while the population is still categorized as “near threatened,” their numbers are currently increasing.
You might wonder, then, why the first successful artificial insemination would be considered such an important milestone. Southern white rhinos appear quite capable of getting “horny”* with each other even without human technicians waving their catheters and syringes in the vicinity of the rhino’s sensitive parts. (*The “horny” pun, I have learned, is obligatory in stories about rhino breeding).
The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, lies in the fact that the southern white rhino has the potential to be particularly useful to humanity. We want to borrow them for our purposes, or at least borrow their wombs.
Having failed to protect the last northern white rhinos from extinction, some scientists desperately want to make amends. Southern white rhinos, it is hoped, might serve as surrogate parents for a lab-generated embryos that could bring back their “functionally extinct” northern cousins.
Only two northern white rhinos still exist on the whole planet. Both of these are female. All northern white males are now dead, with Sudan, the last of his tribe, finally succumbing to old age the Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Kenya in March of this year.
Sperm from twelve northern white rhinos is waiting in freezers at San Diego’s Frozen Zoo for the opportunity to be defrosted and used in some variation of a resurrection project.
In one version of this endeavor, eggs would be extracted from the two remaining females and fertilized in a lab by the stored sperm. If things go well, the fertilized eggs would be implanted into southern white rhino females who would serve as stand-in mothers for the sixteen or more months that it takes to produce a baby rhino.
Such a feat would make the recent success with artificial insemination look like child’s play. On top of the mysteries of the estrus cycle and the low success of embryo implantation, simple geometry multiplies the challenges. Gathering the ova from the females, successfully fertilizing them, and then implanting them back into the uterus requires considerable ingenuity. It is also desperately invasive.
In the film, The Last Rhino, amid excruciating scenes of the scientists at work with a sedated female, it is pointed out that the five foot long probe used to withdraw eggs is inserted into the rhino’s anus (rather than vagina) due to the difficulties presented by the rhino’s anatomy. Success at this in vitro version of a fertility treatment is thought to be at least 15 years off.
This is why the procedure is being practiced in the relatively more numerous white rhinos first. These animals are experimental subjects for a technique that would not benefit them so much as their northern relatives. There is little point dipping into the finite stores of precious northern white rhino sperm if we are unsure of whether the experimental technique will actually work.
These pragmatic considerations bring into focus the complicated moral calculus at play in highly technological attempts to save – or even bring back from the dead – species that are imperiled (or already extinct).
On the one hand there are the countless millennia of evolutionary wisdom embedded in a species’ genome whose loss would be an unquestionable tragedy. An environmental philosopher named Holmes Rolston, III has called human-caused extinction “superkilling.” The end of a species represents a different order of bereavement from the end of an individual animal. If it were possible to prevent – or even undo – such a loss there would be ample moral motivation to explore this path.
On the other hand, one wonders whether the exploitation of one species to serve the interests of another doesn’t raise its own set of moral concerns. The website at the San Diego zoo declares that its staff “work closely with the rhinos, building positive relationships so the rhinos participate voluntarily in procedures like artificial insemination and ongoing monitoring of pregnancies.”
While one can only be extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication of those who commit their lives to the preservation of endangered species, the idea that southern white rhinos voluntarily submit to artificial insemination stretches credulity. Consent to invasive technological experiments is not that easy for rhinos to give.
Even though many large mammals appear to be much more warm-spirited and altruistic across species lines than the members of Homo sapiens that have imperiled them, some might balk at the methods under consideration. Viewed in a certain way, borrowing one species’ womb for the benefit of another can look like a form of “uterine hijacking.”
There also appears to be a risk that the ethical lens is being focused in the wrong place. The moral calculus should consider that it is the human inability to keep rhinos safe in their natural habitat that is the direct cause of southern white rhino uteri now needing to be borrowed.
As will increasingly be the case in the synthetic age, there is a distinct danger that the drama of an exciting technology might be used to obscure both an ongoing conservation failure (northern white rhinos) and a self-serving manipulation of another species (southern white rhinos).
I don’t offer an answer to this difficult conundrum. I’m pulled in both directions. The best we might hope for is that the discussion is informed, nuanced, and inclusive.
Ethics, as Aristotle suggested, is never a precise subject.
Rhino image by Paul Hudson (through Flickr)
Test tubes by University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (through Flickr)
Categoriestechnology Tagsanthropocene, biotechnology, ethics, nature, wildlife
Previous PostPrevious Get Ready for a ‘Wild’ Anthropocene
Next PostNext Climate Engineering and the Sustainable Development Goals: The Tangled Web of the Anthropocene
Albert Borgmann
cloud brightening
de-extinction
Gene Drives
passenger pigeon
Plastocene
Synthetic Age
tragedy of the commons
Christopher J. Preston is at various times a professor of philosophy, a commercial fisherman, a gardener, an author, and a student of powerful emerging technologies. The most inflated title he ever possessed was Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the Ethics of the Anthropocene.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1646
|
__label__cc
| 0.6514
| 0.3486
|
Fila gives Banksy a run for his money
I was late to the party when the world-renowned ‘graff-art-i’ father Banksy first hit the scene. But, when I did, I went through the same stages we all did. From ‘is that legal?’ and ‘who is he?’ to ‘what’s he trying to teach us’ and ‘I wish he’d give my house a makeover’, love him or hate him, he’s making statements and hard cash.
So, it’s no surprise that people trying to get in on the action. Remember the masterpiece that was removed from a shop wall in North London? The point is, we’re used to people trying to remove Banksy’s to sell them on. And we know that brands, like Lego, will shamelessly piggyback off his success by making mock-ups. (For those of you new to Prime Time, I love to hate Lego. It’s stepped to its game in recent months and I just can’t keep up). But, we’re not necessarily used to brands adding to an existing piece of his artwork – cue Fila.
To me, Fila is an old school brand. Quite literally, the last time I wore a pair of its kicks was at school. So, I’ve already conjured up an idea that this vigilante brand has nothing to lose by slicing pairs of its trainers in half and strategically placing them at the foot of Banksy’s across London (as if to worship his approach).
But the story doesn’t end there. Here comes the science. Advertising agency GREYGermany used Google Ad Words to lead consumers, searching for answers to what this sporting statement actually meant, to shoe retailer Deichmann.
Nice touch, but I would’ve much preferred a link through to an ‘undercover’ (i.e. subtly branded Fila site) that encourages people to upload their Instagram pictures of the stunt for the chance to win a free pair of trainers.
The key is to convert your audience from interested consumers into brand ambassadors – and get them to tell you the next stage of the story. Who will they influence next? What do they want to see from the brand? What content do they need to share with their friends?
I just don’t believe a shoe shop can offer this because have to work twice as hard to a) assure people they’re involved in Fila’s PR stunt and b) keep people interested in the brand, rather than pushing them to buy.
But, I won’t be too hard on the Fila. It’s a great quick-win for the brand and, judging by the agency’s YouTube video, it has set the path open for others to hijack street art to create a new movement. But, I won’t get too excited until I hear that Banksy’s requested some more shoes for his next piece.
What do you think – is Fila running in the right direction?
Fila gives Banksy a run for his money.
Tags: advertising, agency, ambassadors, art, auction, audience, authentic, Banksy, brand, buy, capital, cash, competition, consumer, content, creative, Deichmann, fake, FILA, foot, free, friends, Google, Graffiti, Grey Germany, guerrilla, hijack, influence, Instagram, Lego, link, London, makeover, marketing, movement, pair, photos, pictures, piece, PR, Prime Time, purchase, quick win, sale, School, science, share, shoe, shop, slice, statement, story, street, stunt, subtle, trainers, video, vigilante, wall, website, win, words, YouTube
Categories Brands, Events, Marketing, PR, Top news
Taco Bell calls on fans for mystery competition
Does anyone else think brand promotions have become a bit stale? I don’t need another pen, loyalty cards get lost and I delete discount emails without a second thought. But, I wouldn’t turn my back on a free phone. Thanks Taco Bell.
To celebrate the restaurant chain’s move into the breakfast market next week, Taco Bell has sent fans free phones (Samsung to be precise.It gets around doesn’t it?) that include instructions for consumers to take part in missions to win prizes. In fact, the missions are so secretive there’s little information on how it works.
What I do know is that social media is a key trigger for the campaign. Upon accepting the mission – by turning the device on – they’re asked to submit their Twitter and Instagram handles and post images for the chance to win anything from a branded air freshener and pajamas to gift cards and a trip to the Pacific. But I’d be no good at this competition. My phone is always on silent – but Taco Bell’s phones were sent to fans with a note stating that it could ring at any time – so it should be kept with them at all times, even while they sleep.
Fans should be made aware that it pays to think outside of the box. Points are awarded based on each photo’s creativity, originality, whether it links with the promotion theme and the Taco Bell brand.
This is a brilliant campaign because it transforms fans into ambassadors, driving them to promote the breakfast offering in a fresh way, generating content while reaching millions of potential customers. It’s so good it should be its PR mission statement.
The phones went live yesterday so the fun has only just begun. We’re bound to see lots of photos stamped with the #breakfastphone hashtag over the next week when the breakfast offer launches next Thursday in the US.
What do you think? Is Taco Bell too
hungry to make its morning menu work?
Tags: air freshener, ambassadors, America, box, brand, breakfast, brunch, campaign, chain, consumer, content, creative, customer, device, dinner, discount, email, fan, food, free, generate, gift card, hashtag, image, information, Instagram, instruction, launch, loyalty card, lunch, marketing, million, mission, mission statement, newsletter, original, pajama, pen, phone, photo, picture, pj, points, potential, PR, prize, promotion, Restaurant, ringtone, Samsung, Secret, silent, sleep, social media, stale, stamp, submit, supper, taco bell, theme, token, trigger, Twitter, undercover, US, voucher, win, work
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1648
|
__label__wiki
| 0.559758
| 0.559758
|
How Antipsychotic Medication May Save Lives
By Ronald Pies, MD
Pages: 1 2All
One way anti-psychiatry groups trivialize psychosis and marginalize psychiatry is by emphasizing the adverse effects of antipsychotic medications while denying or minimizing their benefits.1
To be sure, the well-recognized metabolic, neurological and cardiovascular risks associated with many antipsychotic medications must be taken very seriously.
Moreover, antipsychotics (APs) are often used when they are not needed; eg, for the treatment of anxiety disorders2; for “agitation” in nursing home patients; and for “acting out” in adolescent populations. (I spent many years as a psychopharmacology consultant trying to get doctors to reduce their over-reliance on antipsychotics.)
On the other hand, there is convincing evidence that in patients with chronic schizophrenia, APs play a crucial role in maintaining remission, averting relapse, improving quality of life, and—importantly—reducing overall mortality.3-5
But even many psychiatrists may not realize that APs reduce the risk of suicide in patients with schizophrenia.
To back up a bit: an estimated 20% to 40% of those with schizophrenia attempt6—and 5% complete—suicide7—a risk at least 10 times that of the general public. Suicides are concentrated early in the illness course and are associated with a number of risk factors, ie:
“Risk factors with a strong association with later suicide included being young, male, and with a high level of education. Illness-related risk factors were important predictors, with number of prior suicide attempts, depressive symptoms, active hallucinations and delusions, and the presence of insight all having a strong evidential basis. A family history of suicide and co-morbid substance misuse were also positively associated with later suicide. The only consistent protective factor for suicide was delivery of and adherence to effective treatment.”8 [italics added].
This last point, of course, is crucial. Indeed, the authors, Hor and Taylor, add that,
“…efforts at prevention should. . .focus on optimizing adherence to medication, and possible earlier use of clozapine, as the only antipsychotic medication with demonstrated efficacy. . . for the management of suicidality in schizophrenia.”8
Indeed, the first FDA-approved medication with an anti-suicide indication was clozapine for schizophrenia. The regulatory approval in 2003 was largely based on the International Suicide Prevention Trial (InterSePT), a randomized trial that compared clozapine with olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder who were at high risk for suicide. 9
Suicidal behavior (measured by suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and rescue interventions) was significantly decreased in patients treated with clozapine, which is associated with a substantially lower risk of suicide than any other antipsychotic.10
But while clozapine provides the best evidence of anti-suicidal properties in schizophrenia, there is accumulating evidence that antipsychotic medication in general is associated with decreased risk of suicide in this population.
For example, Tiihonen and colleagues11 performed an observational study of antipsychotic treatment in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (N= 2230, average length of follow-up =3.6 years). Excess mortality was seen mostly in patients not taking antipsychotic drugs, for whom the risk of suicide was high. There were 26 suicides in patients not taking antipsychotics compared with 1 in patients taking medication (adjusted relative risk 37.4).11
Consistent with these data, Herings and Erkins12 studied drug refill patterns in patients believed to have schizophrenia. They found a 4-fold increased risk for attempting suicide among patients who interrupted their use of olanzapine or risperidone for at least 30 days.
Recently, Tiihonen and associates13 carried out a large observational study (N=21,492) of patients with schizophrenia. The study found that antipsychotic use was associated with substantially lower overall mortality and very significantly reduced rates of completed suicide across the entire dosage range (low to moderate to high) when compared with no antipsychotic drug use (10% of the entire sample). Maximum anti-suicide benefit was seen with the higher antipsychotic doses.
Analysis of this study by Dr Bernard Carroll shows that for the group with no antipsychotic exposure, the suicide rate was 183 per 100,000 person years. In the medium-plus-high dosage AP groups, the combined rate fell to 129 suicides per 100,000 person years—roughly a 30% reduction from the no-medication group (B. Carroll MD, personal communication, 3/27/16).
Moreover, if we make the reasonable assumption that patients receiving the highest doses of AP were probably the most severely impaired—and thus, at highest risk for suicide—these findings are all the more impressive.
Of course, in non-randomized, observational studies, there is always the potential for “selection bias” and/or “reversed causality.” For example, it is possible that patients who become suicidal—for whatever reason—stop taking their antipsychotic, rather than becoming suicidal because they stopped the medication. However, the apparent dose-response seen in the Tiihonen et al data—ie, suicide rates declined as medication dose increased—plausibly suggests that medication was actually bringing down suicide rates.14
Multi-modal treatment
It would be incorrect to infer from this brief review that the optimal treatment of schizophrenia is simply a matter of giving patients antipsychotic medication.
Persons with schizophrenia have lives beyond their symptoms. They often require and benefit from a range of adjunctive psychosocial services, including assertive community treatment, supported employment, cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based services, skills training, psychosocial interventions for alcohol and substance use disorders, and psychosocial interventions for weight management.15
But there is little question that, for patients suffering the chronic, debilitating symptoms of schizophrenia, antipsychotic medication is a critical component of treatment—and may literally be life-saving.
Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Drs Barney Carroll and Jari Tiihonen for their helpful assistance with this piece.
Pies R. Trivializing the suffering of psychosis. Psychiatric Times. December 22, 2014. http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/schizophrenia/trivializing-suffering-psychosis
Pies R. Should psychiatrists use atypical antipsychotics to treat nonpsychotic anxiety? Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009;6(6):29-37.
Pies R. Long-term antipsychotic treatment: effective and often necessary, with caveats. Psychiatric Times. February 22, 2016.
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/blogs/long-term-antipsychotic-treatment-effective-and-often-necessary-caveats/page/0/3
Leucht S, Tardy M, Komossa K, et al. Maintenance treatment with antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 May 16;5:CD008016. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22592725.
Ran MS, Weng X, Chan CL, et al. Different outcomes of never-treated and treated patients with schizophrenia: 14-year follow-up study in rural China. Br J Psychiatry. 2015;207:495–500. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26382951.
Schizophrenia and suicide.WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/schizophrenia-and-suicide
Palmer BA, Pankratz VS, Bostwick JM. The lifetime risk of suicide in schizophrenia: a reexamination. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62:247-253. http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=208392&resultclick=1
Hor K, Taylor M. Suicide and schizophrenia: a systematic review of rates and risk factors. J Psychopharmacol. 2010;24(Suppl 4):81–90. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2951591/
Meltzer HY, Alphs L, Green AI, et al. International Suicide Prevention Trial Study Group. Clozapine treatment for suicidality in schizophrenia: International Suicide Prevention Trial (InterSePT) [published correction appears in Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60:735]. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60:82-91.
10.Tiihonen J, Lönnqvist J, Wahlbeck K, et al. 11-year follow-up of mortality in patients with schizophrenia:a population-based cohort study (FIN11 study) Lancet. 2009;374:620–627.
11.Tiihonen J, Wahlbeck K, Lönnqvist J, et al. Effectiveness of antipsychotic treatments in a nationwide cohort of patients in community care after first hospitalisation due to schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: observational follow-up study. BMJ. 2006;333(7561):224.
Herings RM, Erkens JA. Increased suicide attempt rate among patients interrupting use of atypical antipsychotics. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2003;12:423-424.
Tiihonen J, Mittendorfer-Rutz E, Torniainen M, et al. Mortality and cumulative exposure to antipsychotics, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines in patients with schizophrenia: an observational follow-up study. Am J Psychiatry. 2015;Dec 7.
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15050618?journalCode=ajp
Hill AB. The Environment and Disease: Association or Causation? Proc R Soc Med. 1965;58:295-300.
Dixon LB, Dickerson F, Bellack AS, et al. Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT). The 2009 schizophrenia PORT psychosocial treatment recommendations and summary statements. Schizophr Bull. 2010;36:48-70.
Esben Klinker/Bigstock
This article originally appeared in:
It is reprinted here with permission.
Ronald Pies, MD
Ronald Pies, MD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Lecturer on Bioethics & Humanities at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY; and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston. His latest book is entitled, Don't Worry -- Nothing Will Turn Out All Right!: The Optipessimist's Guide to the Fulfilled Life. He is also the author of the essay collection, Psychiatry on the Edge (Nova Publishing); as well as the novel, The Director of Minor Tragedies (iUniverse) and the poetry chapbook, The Myeloma Year. He is a regular contributor to Psych Central.
Pies, R. (2016). How Antipsychotic Medication May Save Lives. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 22, 2020, from https://pro.psychcentral.com/how-antipsychotic-medication-may-save-lives/
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 6 May 2016
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1650
|
__label__wiki
| 0.911338
| 0.911338
|
Garett Bolles Justin Simmons Shaq Lawson Tim Patrick Brandon Allen DaeSean Hamilton Josey Jewell Von Miller Brett Rypien Colby Wadman Shelby Harris Ja'Wuan James Casey Kreiter Joe Flacco Vic Fangio Duke Dawson Drew Lock Sports NFL football Professional football Football Athlete injuries Athlete health
Denver Broncos Los Angeles Chargers Buffalo Bills
QB conundrum confronts Broncos coach Vic Fangio
By ARNIE STAPLETON - Nov. 25, 2019 05:11 PM EST
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) pulls down Denver Broncos quarterback Brandon Allen (2) into the end zone for a sack during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Munson)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Vic Fangio said Monday “all options are on the table” regarding rookie Drew Lock.
He could get his first start Sunday.
He could be Brandon Allen's backup.
He could be the third quarterback.
He could be in street clothes again.
"We're just going to make that decision here in the next few days," said Fangio, who has until Dec. 3 to activate the second-round draft pick off IR or banish him from practicing again until next year.
Lock, who bruised his thumb in the preseason, returned to practice two weeks ago as one of Denver's two players they designated for a return. The other was Tim Patrick, who provided the Broncos (3-8) with this season's theme when he finished talking about their latest loss Sunday, then turned and told fellow receiver DaeSean Hamilton, "I'm so sick of losing, bro."
So is a restless fan base, which, with one more loss will witness a third consecutive losing season in Denver for the first time since the team posted 10 consecutive sub-.500 records between 1963 and '72.
The quarterback who might be the healthiest and readiest isn't Allen or Lock but undrafted rookie Brett Rypien.
Promoted to the active roster as Allen's backup when Joe Flacco (neck) went on IR at midseason, Rypien has practiced all year, unlike Lock.
Unlike Allen, he didn't get plastered by Buffalo pass rusher Shaq Lawson in Denver's 20-3 loss Sunday.
Allen's helmet bounced off the ground but he stayed in the game, after which he dismissed any notion it affected him even though he was 3-for-4 for 48 yards before the pounding and 7-for-21 for 34 yards, four sacks and an interception post-pummeling.
“I've taken a few big hits," Allen said. "Obviously you get your bell rung a little bit and then you just get right back to it."
Fangio said trainers checked on Allen when he came to the sideline, where "everything checked out fine. The official didn't deem it necessary to — you know how they have the ability to remove a guy from a game. So, he was fine. I spoke to him at halftime about something, nothing to do with his health, but about the game and he was fine with me."
After beating Cleveland for his NFL debut, Allen has lost at Minnesota despite a 20-point halftime lead and at Buffalo, where the Broncos' 134 yards of total offense were the worst in the NFL in 26 years.
Allen has completed just 46% of his passes (39 for 84) with three TDs, as many interceptions and nine sacks.
To earn the starting nod against the Chargers (4-7) this weekend, Fangio said Lock would have to show that “he's OK, physically, which he is, and he's prepared mentally and emotionally."
Fangio said he also would need to see if right tackle Ja'Wuan James (knee) is emotionally ready to return to the field with confidence before he plays again.
And just how does he determine if a player is emotionally ready?
"Just by talking to him, watching him practice," Fangio said.
Fangio said he wasn't sure when he'd name his starting quarterback, suggesting he wouldn't be bound by the typical Wednesday deadline to determine a rotation for his QBs.
Let’s talk about the long snapper. Casey Kreiter is bidding for a Pro Bowl return with 97 snaps handled, zero unplayable deliveries,
WHAT NEEDS HELP
The wheezing offense that posted the lowest yards per play (2.9) and fewest net passing yards (49) since 1992.
STOCK UP
Justin Simmons, whose 10th career interception is fourth-most in team history for a safety in his first four years.
STOCK DOWN
Broken record, but LT Garett Bolles’ NFL-high 14th flag gives him 43 penalties in 43 games, including 34 holds.
Fangio said he thought Von Miller's right knee injury was minor: "He came in for treatment today and is getting some tests. But he's fine at this point.” CB Duke Dawson (head); ILB Josey Jewell (ankle); and DE Shelby Harris (ankle) also got nicked in the game.
KEY NUMBER
13 — yards that Colby Wadman's shanked punt traveled in the fourth quarter.
Determining who will be under center next weekend, then finding a way to protect him.
Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1651
|
__label__wiki
| 0.977927
| 0.977927
|
Candidates say parents have big role to play
Kellog — Oct 30th, 1995
* Two candidates with a strong interest in
education but little
experience in the public school system are vying for separate director's seats on the North Kitsap School District board.
By Jason Kellogg
Behzad Mostofi, who is running unopposed for North Kitsap School Board's district two seat, and Ricki Lee Brooks, who is trying to oust longtime school board member Jean Wasson from the district four seat, are both candidates who say they have an interest in resisting the influence of national teachers unions and increasing parents' roles in their children's education.
Both say they are overwhelmed by the politics involved with running for the school board.
Mostofi's and Brooks' detractors say they are concerned with the candidates' lack of experience and involvement in the public school system. But both men proclaim strong involvement in their children's public school educations.
Brooks, 39, a missionary pastor who teaches one of his sons at home while the other attends Poulsbo Junior High, said the whole family should be involved in a child's education.
"My slogan is family values," he said. "I'm for traditional families with moms and dads, apple pie, Baby Ruth candy bars, God, country, red, white and blue. All of that."
Brooks said he wants to make sure national educational trends don't filter into the local school system.
"It's no secret that success at public schools isn't very high," he noted. Brooks said he thinks a lot of this failure rests on the shoulders of national education think tanks and programs, not on local teachers.
He said he believes parents should have a choice in their children's education, and wouldn't rule out a voucher system to pay for students attending private school if it didn't increase the federal government's power over local school systems.
"I suppose (my opponents) think I'm some crazy Christian who is going to run rampant through the school system," Brooks said. "But there's no reason for that rationale. I would never, ever force my beliefs on others."
Mostofi, a self-employed builder who said he turned down a well-paying job to be with his three kids, agrees with Brooks' stance on the separation between school and religion, as well as a localized form of the school voucher system.
But the manner in which his race for North Kitsap School Board became an unopposed bid has at least one person concerned.
Mostofi was slated to run against district two incumbent Wally Kippola, until Kippola backed out just before the deadline for retracting his bid. The last minute retraction allows Mostofi to win the seat unopposed because his opponents didn't have time to find a challenger for Mostofi, said Jane Ritley, a resident of the school district.
"I feel voters have been denied a choice on who will serve in that position," Ritley said.
However, Kippola said he was impressed by Mostofi's views and his political contacts.
"I didn't feel I was making much progress," Kippola said. "After I talked with Mostofi, I felt he could do a better job."
Kippola declined to comment on Ritley's allegations that he withdrew his name at the last minute to allow Mostofi to run unopposed.
Mostofi said he had nothing to do with Kippola's decision to bow out of the race.
"I didn't decide to run myself until a half hour before the deadline," Mostofi said.
Plans for a last-minute write-in candidate to oppose Mostofi are a long-shot, Ritley said. But Mostofi plans to run a full-fledged campaign.
Write-in Hoover gives voters choices
* A write-in candidate in North Kitsap's school board race says the quality of schools will decline if her opponent is elected. By Elena Castaeda Sun Staff Helen Hoover filed as a write-in candidate for the North Kitsap School Board Tuesday in a ... [Read More...]
Mostofi needed foe, direction Editor: I am happy that Jean Wasson and Keith Beebe will be on the North Kitsap School Board. I also want to thank the many people who encouraged me, supported me and voted for me in my week-long write-in ... [Read More...]
NORTH KITSAP SCHOOL BOARD: Mostofi loses to Hoover
* Candidates say dirty politics play a role in two races. Retired teacher Helen Hoover handily defeated incumbent Behzad Mostofi for a seat on the North Kitsap school board Tuesday, taking 65 percent of the vote. Catherine Ahl was the apparent winner over Mick Sheldon, ... [Read More...]
With only one seat contested, NK candidates talk about growth
NUTGRAPH: Growth and restructuring are key issues in a low-key North Kitsap school board race. By Adele Berlinski Sun Staff The North Kitsap school board election will be a kinder, gentler race this fall. Only one of the three incumbent candidates faces competition. ... [Read More...]
School Board: North Kitsap: Rookies Mostofi, Beebe joinWasson
By Devona Wells Special to The Sun Jean Wasson defeated Ricki Lee Brooks to keep her seat on the North Kitsap School Board. And newcomer Behzad Mostofi defeated write-in candidate Helen Hoover. Wasson has served on the board for 12 years and emphasized Tuesday ... [Read More...]
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1653
|
__label__wiki
| 0.88942
| 0.88942
|
Sun |
— Feb 25th, 1998
Kitsap County
John S. "Stanley" Lund, 55, of Suquamish, Feb. 23, at home.
Wilfred H. Stone, 85, of Bremerton, Feb. 23, at Oyster Bay Care Center.
Terrence L. McGannon, 73, of Bremerton, Feb. 24, at Naval Hospital.
Perry E. Polk, 65, of Bremerton, Feb. 24, at home.
Weldon Richardson, Jr., 86, of Bremerton, Feb. 24, at Harrison Memorial Hospital.
Betty J. Toews, 73, of Port Townsend, Feb. 23, at home.
Deborah L. Reed, 41, of Port Townsend, Feb. 24, at Jefferson General Hospital.
At Harrison Memorial Hospital
To Carol and Timothy Kennedy, Poulsbo, a daughter, Feb. 19.
To Leah and Jody Aaro, Bremerton, a son, Feb. 20.
To Lillian and Ronald England, Poulsbo, a son, Feb. 20.
To Treena and Shawn Stanley, Poulsbo, a son, Feb. 20.
To Tanya Thomas, Bremerton, a daughter, Feb. 20.
To Hollie and Richard Anderson, Poulsbo, a son, Feb. 20.
To Imelda and Michael Mansfield, Bremerton, a daughter, Feb. 20.
To Rosa Maria Castle and Stephen James, Bremerton, a son, Feb. 21.
To Anne and William Kimball, Poulsbo, a daughter, Feb. 21.
To April Shaw and Morgan McNeill, Bremerton, a daughter, Feb. 21.
To Nancy Zamberlin and Scott Charlton, Port Townsend, a son, Feb. 21.
To Tonya and Nathan Priddie, Silverdale, a son, Feb. 21.
To Diana and David Dye, Bremerton, a daughter, Feb. 22.
To Patricia and Michael Durham, Bremerton, a son, Feb. 22.
To Keisha L. Griffin, Bremerton, a son, Feb. 22.
To Angela M. Griffin, Bremerton, a daughter, Feb. 22.
To Kelly and Salvador Pineda, Bremerton, a daughter, Feb. 22.
At Naval Hospital Bremerton
To Rebecca and David Michalski, Gig Harbor, a daughter, Feb. 23.
At Tacoma General Hospital
To Jenny Hokenson, Gig Harbor, a daughter, Feb. 19
To Wendy and Edward Carpenter, III, Port Orchard, a son, Feb. 20.
To Stephanie and Jeffery Koepke, Gig Harbor, a son, Feb. 20.
To Susan and Ronald Fox, Gig Harbor, a daughter, Feb. 21.
Dan Edward Fitch, Jr., 19, and Amy Elizabeth Brand, 19, both of Silverdale.
Dion Antwynn Smith, 19, of Bremerton, and Lashawn Marie Jackson, 24, of New York City.
James Raymond Levey, 55, of Poulsbo, and Mary Evelyn Hankins, 55, of Tracyton.
David Maurice Barney, 34, and Christine Louise Brady, 38, both of Port Orchard.
Jeremy Jordan McCann, 24, and Nicole Lea Kramer, 25, both of Poulsbo.
Christopher Robert Thebeau, 21, and Jennifer Renee Farr, 18, both of Port Orchard.
Gary McConnell Ashcraft, 49, and Ava Ann Kennedy, 49, both of Bremerton.
Zak 'J' Dunham, 25, and Alicia Rae Greenwalt, 34, both of Bremerton.
David James Gold, 30, and Kimberly Anne Fort, 27, both of Bremerton.
Jeffrey Dimandal Alonzo, 23, and Wendy Michelle Herbstritt, 19, both of Olalla.
Walter Charles Helsel, 26, and Erin Michelle Collins, 23, both of Silverdale.
Jason Kris Jones, 24, and Trisha Anne Salisbury, 20, both of Bremerton.
Sam Pendergraft, Jr., 19, of the Navy, and Jennifer Nicole Trego, 18, of Port Orchard.
Nathan D. Day, 20, and Heidi N. Williams, 18, both of Port Orchard.
Robin M. Beebe, 24, and Lothlorien F. Kleinsorge, 21, both of Bremerton.
Mar 2nd, 1994
At Harrison Memorial Hospital To Jennifer Young, Poulsbo, a son, Feb. 21. To Suzanne and Michael Gurley, Silverdale, a son, Feb. 22. To Linda and Robert Weeks, Gig Harbor, a daughter, Feb. 23. To Lorna and Mark Smith, Silverdale, a son, Feb. 23. To Marie and Gary ... [Read More...]
community MILESTONES
DEATHS Kitsap County Elizabeth D. Warren, 87, of Poulsbo, Feb. 15, at home. Harold R. Haskins, 56, of Manchester, Feb. 15, at Harrison Memorial Hospital. Earle Schindler, 74, of Bremerton, Feb. 15, at Harrison Memorial Hospital. John E. Bickhart, 51, of Bremerton, Feb. 16, at home. Margaret E. Kuenzli, 86, of Silverdale, ... [Read More...]
BIRTHS At Harrison Memorial Hospital To Cristie D. Chaney, Bremerton, a daughter, May 30. To Holly and Cory Claymon, Bremerton, a daughter, June 1. To Adria Heffelmire, Bremerton, a daughter, June 1. To Nichole M. Hughes, Port Orchard, a son, June 1. To Cheryl and Edwin Knowles, ... [Read More...]
DEATHS Kitsap County Bertha Singer, 89, of Port Orchard, Feb. 24, at home. George F. Patrick Sr., 81, of Bremerton, Feb. 24, at Harrison Memorial Hospital. Delores Capps, 80, of Port Orchard, Feb. 25, at home. Anna E. Ackaert, 81, of Port Orchard, Feb. 25, at Harrison Memorial Hospital. Helen N. ... [Read More...]
BIRTHS At Harrison Memorial Hospital To Stacy and Michael Dale, Silverdale, a son, Feb. 21. To Leigh Kirby and Rolland Williams Jr., Poulsbo, a daughter, Feb. 21. To Dawn and Matthew Blackmore, Suquamish, a son, Feb. 22. To Jeanne and Garren Bell, Port Orchard, a daughter, ... [Read More...]
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1654
|
__label__cc
| 0.694359
| 0.305641
|
OnePlus Coupons & Promos | January 2020
Free priority shipping as a gift to subscribe to the newsletter
Subscribe to OnePlus newsletter to receive a free priority smartphone delivery as a gift.
All orders in OnePlus over $100 with free shipping
Order a smartphone or accessories from $100 and save on delivery of purchases!
The new model OnePlus 6T with 16+20 MP dual camera just from $549
Buy a new flagship smartphone with incredible performance speed and a powerful camera for the price from $549.
Discounts up to 15% on OnePlus branded headphones
Feel the incredible sound quality of OnePlus headphones and save up to 15% of their price.
Stylish OnePlus accessories in bundles with savings of up to 15%
Buy a bundle of accessories and save up to 15% of their prices separately.
Show coupon AVY
Up to off 50% on vape devices and e-cigarettes
Go to F2deal special offers section to save up to 50% on purchases!
Show coupon WXC
Show coupon FZX
TOP Coupons and Deals OnePlus
Promo Code Up to 10% off on any order for students WYO***
Discount Free priority shipping as a gift to subscribe to the newsletter XJA***
Discount All orders in OnePlus over $100 with free shipping ODS***
Discount The new model OnePlus 6T with 16+20 MP dual camera just from $549 PJO***
Discount Discounts up to 15% on OnePlus branded headphones WAX***
Powerful Flagship Smartphones for the Price of Budget Gadgets in the OnePlus Online Store
OnePlus.com — is the official online store of the eponymous Chinese manufacturer of smartphones and other electronics. The company was founded in 2013 by Pete Lau, the former vice-president of Oppo. He left Oppo in November 2013, and in December of that same year, OnePlus was born.
Although Lau called his project a startup, he did not make 100% of his own efforts — Oppo was involved in the creation of OnePlus, which now belongs to OP (and both companies belong to the huge BBK corporation). Then in early 2014, it was announced the start of cooperation of OnePlus and the company Cyanogen Inc., the developer of the same custom firmware.
Pete Lau initially stated his desire to create the perfect smartphone, so immediately after launching his own website, an enterprising Chinese opened a forum there and asked ordinary consumers to express their suggestions by participating in the creation of a new gadget.
The announcement of the company’s debut smartphone — OnePlus One — took place on April 23, 2014. Due to its affordable price with OnePlus voucher in combination with top equipment, the model, and the entire brand as a whole, was nicknamed the flagship killer.
What official products can be bought in the online store with OnePlus promo code
In the OnePlus online store you can purchase all the current models of smartphones and branded accessories for them. OnePlus gadgets are famous for the perfect combination of price and quality. Buying OnePlus smartphone, you get the latest technological solutions at a very affordable price, and if you have OnePlus coupon code, you can save even more on the purchase.
The range of online store consists of:
Smartphones — in this section you can purchase OnePlus 3, 3T, 5, 5T and the latest 6 and 6T models at the best prices. The price for new 6T model with dual 16+20 MP camera is from $549 but you can save up to 10% applying OnePlus promo code while placing an order.
Cases & Protection — this section contains everything you need to protect your phone from mechanical damage. Branded cases and protective glasses OnePlus will keep your phone in perfect condition for a long time.
Power & Cables — chargers, including those for the car, as well as cables for connecting a smartphone to a computer.
Audio — large selection of headphones with excellent sound quality. The new wireless model OnePlus Bullets can be bought with a 15% savings with OnePlus code.
Bundles — there are sold sets of accessories that cost significantly less than when they are purchased separately.
Gear — in this section, all fans of the brand can buy backpacks, bags, caps and other products with the company’s logo.
Protection Plan — offers anti-virus software and extended warranty for smartphones.
How to use OnePlus voucher and other ways to save on purchases
OnePlus official online store provides an opportunity for customers to save money when buying any of their products. To do this, you need to enter a promo code when placing an order in a special field and the discount will be deducted from the amount of your check.
Also, this online store offers favorable conditions for the purchase of smartphones and accessories for students. You need to confirm that you are a student at the moment and then you will receive a special OnelPlus discount code for students. It allows you to save 5% on the purchase of any smartphone and 10% on the purchase of accessories.
Do not forget about the opportunity to save money on the delivery of purchases. At OnePlus there is such an opportunity. In order to get OnePlus free shipping, you need to place an order from $100. Free delivery is valid throughout the United States.
www.oneplus.com
OnePlus company is not for nothing called the killer of flagships, because the smartphones of this manufacturer offer the latest technology and powerful hardware of top gadgets at the price of budget variants. Enter OnePlus promo code and order OnePlus smartphones and accessories in the official online store at the best price.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1659
|
__label__wiki
| 0.510625
| 0.510625
|
← The Hostility of the Press
A Veteran’s Open Letter to the President →
Like a Cyclone Through a Wheatfield
A lot of people in D.C. are waking to the realization that Donald Trump means what he says. He is making good on his promises at a dizzying rate. No time for speeches or useless puffery. He’s all business and it’s already making some skeptics tired trying to keep up.
Trump Expected To Sign Executive Orders On Immigration Regarding Islamic Countries!
Trump’s orders were expected to involve restricting access to the United States for refugees and some visa holders from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, said the aides and experts, who asked not to be identified.
Congress Reintroduces Bill That Gives Governors the Option to Reject Refugees
Under the State Refugee Security Act of 2017, the federal government must give states at least 21 days’ notice that they plan to resettle a refugee there. If a governor maintains that the government has failed to prove the refugee presents no security threat, they can refuse to accept him or her.
Trump on Keystone: ‘We’ll See If We Can Get That Pipeline Built’–With USA-Made Pipe
Continuing his “America first” blitz on Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed five executive orders dealing with oil pipelines, the pipe itself, and “regulatory burdens” he plans to lift.
GOP Senators Unveil Patient Freedom Act to Replace Obamacare
“We need comprehensive legislation,” Collins continued. “It’s still a work in progress. … But if we don’t start putting specific legislation on the table that can be debated, refined, amended and enacted, then we will fail the American people.”
Trump expected to sign order funding border wall
White House officials told The New York Times that Trump was planning to sign an executive order directing federal funds toward the wall.
Days Into Trump Admin, Corrupt Employees Are Already Being Fired At The VA
Days into Donald Trump’s administration, heads are finally beginning to roll at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Two notoriously corrupt employees in Puerto Rico were fired this week, indicating that more may be on the way.
One is the hospital’s CEO, DeWayne Hamlin, who offered an employee $305,000 to quit after she played a role in exposing his drug arrest.
“Mr. DeWayne Hamlin was removed from federal service effective January 20, 2017,” the VA said. Jan. 20 was Inauguration Day.
Trump: ‘We Are Bringing Manufacturing Back to the United States Big League’
Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States was a cornerstone of Trump’s campaign. On Monday, the president signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, another facet of his pro-worker campaign promises.
U.S. House votes to permanently ban taxpayer funding of abortion
The No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act (HR 7), introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ, makes permanent the so-called Hyde Amendment permanent. Thus far the amendment, which prohibits federal money from being used to fund abortions through Medicaid, has been subject to annual renewal.
The Charlotte Lozier Institute estimates the Hyde Amendment has saved over two million lives since it was enacted in 1976.
White House suggests it won’t appease Democrats on Court nominee
THE DEMOCRATS WILL COME TO REGRET FORMER SENATE SCUMBAG HARRY REID PULLING THE NUCLEAR OPTION ON ALL JUDGES SHORT OF THE SUPREME COURT. McCONNEL HAS INDICATED HE MAY DO IT IF THE DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO ACT LIKE SPOILED CHILDREN.
President Trump will not capitulate to Democratic lawmakers who have threatened to block his nominee to the Supreme Court if the individual is not “mainstream” enough, the White House indicated today
Democrats And Republicans Unite To Rescind Last-Minute Obama Order Seeking Federal Election Takeover
All 50 state secretaries of state are urging the Trump administration to rescind a last-minute Department of Homeland Security directive calling state election systems “critical infrastructure.”
Many state officials fear this is the first step toward a federal takeover of state-run elections, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.
E-Verify Use May Soon Be Required Of All Employers
THIS WOULD BE YUGE
Every employer in America may soon have to use E-Verify to check the legal status of their employees.
Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced a bill Tuesday requiring all employers to use the now-voluntary, internet-based E-Verify system to certify employee immigration status and terminate anyone who fails the test.
WH Spox to Breitbart’s Spiering: We’ll Have ‘Heavy Administration Presence’ at the March for Life
Tuesday at the White House press briefing when Breitbart’s Charlie Spiering asked press secretary Sean Spicer about the Trump administration’s plans for Friday’s March for Life, Spicer said, “Obviously we’re going to have heavy administration presence there.”
Trump Orders EPA To Take Down Global Warming Web-Page
“If the website goes dark, years of work we have done on climate change will disappear,” the staffer told Reuters Tuesday. The staffer was not authorized to speak to the media and claimed EPA employees were scrambling to save data on the website.
Trump calls Egypt’s President, stressing U.S. support
THE ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST KNOWS TRUMP IS NOT THE PATHETIC PHONY THAT OBAMA WAS
Trump told El-Sisi his administration is committed to maintaining the US’s annual military aid to Egypt.
El-Sisi stressed to Trump Egypt’s commitment in the fight against terrorism despite economic burdens the country faced in the past three years.
Meanwhile, Trump reiterated to the Egyptian president his appreciation for the difficulties Egypt endured in the fight against terrorism, and commended El-Sisi on the country’s economic reform program.
The two presidents affirmed their belief in the strategic nature of the relationship between Cairo and Washington.
Egypt annually receives $1.3 billion in military aid from the United States.
Trump State Department Freezes Obama’s $221 Million Parting Gift To The Palestinians
The Trump administration has frozen Obama’s parting gift to the the Palestinians.
Former US President Barack Obama, in his waning hours, quietly released $221 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which Congress had been blocking.
The Trump administration announced it is freezing the move.
Filed under Abortion, Climate, Democrats, Donald Trump, Egypt, EPA, Immigration, Islam, Keystone Pipeline, Obamacare, Republicans, Supreme Court, U.S. Congress, VA
8 responses to “Like a Cyclone Through a Wheatfield”
Defense Secretary Mattis’ first message to the troops tells you everything you need to know about his leadership style
Mattis, a retired Marine general revered by his troops, probably made a good first impression among the roughly three million men and women who make up the active duty, reserve, and civilian force. That’s due to the notable language he used in his first sentence (emphasis added):
“It’s good to be back and I’m grateful to serve alongside you as Secretary of Defense.”
As many who served under him can attest, Mattis has always been a humble warrior who led Marines from the front — not from an air conditioned bunker. And the language that he used — serve alongside you, as opposed to lead, or manage you — shows that Mattis will likely bring his beloved leadership style of the Marines with him into the civilian post.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/defense-secretary-mattis-first-message-183425901.html
Legendary Actress Mary Tyler Moore Dies at 80
Mary Tyler Moore, who played TV’s first sexy housewife and then a single, career woman who could turn the world on with her smile and toss her hat in the air like no other, died on Wednesday. She was 80.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/legendary-actress-mary-tyler-moore-dies-at-80/ar-AAmeSkH?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=UE12DHP
Trump Vows to Send in Feds if Chicago Doesn’t Address Crime Epidemic
Good. Democrats should be on the defensive.
I FEAR TRUMP MAY HAVE GONE A BRIDGE TOO FAR.
CHICAGO HAS BEEN A PIT OF CORRUPTION UNDER DEMOCRAT RULE FOR ALMOST A CENTURY.MOST OF THE HOMICIDES ARE THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GANG MEMBERS KILLING EACH OTHER.THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP IT SINCE THEY PLACE NO VALUE ON LIFE.NOT THEIRS AND CERTAINLY NOT YOURS.
His first week in office and President Donald Trump is already showing leadership in addressing the travesty of our inner-city crime epidemic. On Tuesday evening Trump threatened to “send in the Feds” if Chicago doesn’t “fix the horrible ‘carnage'” occurring on its streets.
http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/trump-vows-send-feds-if-chicago-doesnt-address-crime-epidemic
Diamond and Silk message to Madonna
Fabulous compilation, Pete. SO MUCH WIN!!
I couldn’t help thinking as I read through all these good things Barack Obama did NOT do that the pu**y hat was an appropriate symbol for Obama lovers. Cuz he was one.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1664
|
__label__wiki
| 0.896692
| 0.896692
|
'Alaskan Bush People': Everything We Know About the New Season
By Anna Rumer - August 20, 2018 06:30 pm EDT
The Alaskan Bush People are coming back Sunday, and this season they're a long way from Browntown.
In Season 8 of the Discovery reality series, the family will be shown making some major adjustments as they make their new permanent home in Washington.
Following matriarch Ami Brown's miracle cancer-free diagnosis, the family will be trying to get back to their "bush" way of living while building a new homestead for themselves and adjusting to life in the contiguous United States.
It's been months since viewers last saw the Brown family on their screens, and with limited social media updates, it may be time for a refresher on where we last left the Alaskan Bush People family. Here's what you need to know heading into Sunday's season premiere.
Slide 1 of 8Where we left off
(Photo: Discovery)
When we last saw the Brown family in Season 7, they were going through a pretty tough time dealing with Ami's dire cancer diagnosis while also adjusting to life in Southern California, where she was receiving treatment.
Deciding to make their new home in nearby Colorado, at least temporarily, patriarch Billy loaded his family into an RV to take everyone across state lines into the wilderness environment they had missed.
Slide 2 of 8Ami's Cancer Diagnosis
First given less than a 3 percent chance of living, Ami shocked fans in January when it was announced that she was officially "cancer-free" and living in remission.
The lung cancer that had spread throughout her body will always be a concern for the Browns, and Ami will continue to undergo regular exams to keep track of her health, but it was a major relief for friends and family to know that she would be able to leave behind her life in the hospital and rejoin her family.
Slide 3 of 8Leaving behind Browntown
After Ami's cancer was discovered to be in remission, the family packed up for a new life in Washington — a long way from Southern California and Colorado, but definitely different than their lives in Alaska.
The Browns are happy to be back in the wilderness, however.
“We never thought we’d be able to find a property like this outside of Alaska,” Bear told PEOPLE prior to the season premiere. “It’s so great to have some good stuff coming our way. Things are starting to look up finally.”
Added Gabe: “It’s just nice to wake up in the morning and feel happy, which for a long time I don’t think any of us did.”
Slide 4 of 8New Challenges
The family is still adjusting to leaving Browntown behind for good and establishing a new homestead in Washington, however.
“I can hardly stand the heat,” Bear told PEOPLE. “And then to have to constantly watch the ground for snakes – that’s a big adjustment from Alaska.”
And while there aren't the large bears in the area that inspired the Brown son's nickname, Billy said the family was "pretty tickled" to find two "itty bitty" bears during their time in Washington.
“We’ve got mountain lions here! How cool is that?!” Billy added of the area's fauna. “It feels like home again because we have to watch our backs.”
Slide 5 of 8Ami's Journey
(Photo: Facebook / Alaskan Bush People)
Ami may be out of the woods (figuratively, of course) when it comes to her health, but the battle with cancer left her weakened, she admitted to PEOPLE.
“To be out of the city and in the mountains is a blessing in itself and being given second chance is great,” Ami said, admitting she feels “better than I have in a lot of years, but I still don’t have all my strength back yet.”
She added that even a short trip to a nearby meadow left her shaking recently.
“It kind of wore me out,” she said. “I hadn’t done that much physical stuff in quite a while. Billy said he could feel my legs shaking.”
“It scared me to death,” added Billy. “She’d been doing so good – it was almost like back to normal and then I just had to hold her walking up the hill and I could feel her knees shaking like crazy. We just have to remember to take it easy and it’s never going to be like it was, but it’s getting almost there.”
Slide 6 of 8Bam Bam's Boat
After distancing himself from his family in Season 6 after falling in love with one of the former producers of the reality series, Allison Kagan, Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown has found a new passion — restoring a "luxury yacht."
In November, he revealed on Facebook that he and Kagan had moved to South Carolina to restore a 100-foot-long barge called The Osprey.
"Alli searched and found the old ferry just before she was going to be sold for scrap! We have been gutting and renovating her ever since. It’s been a blast…Alli has great artistic vision and huge plans for the renovation," he wrote on Facebook at the time.
Slide 7 of 8Noah's Wedding
(Photo: Facebook / Noah Brown)
There have also been some recent Bush People nuptials that might make the season.
Despite his ongoing tension with his family, Noah Brown wed his now-wife Rhain earlier this week, with his family reportedly in attendance.
“We are so excited to start our new life together as husband and wife and we look forward to building new memories as our own family,” the couple told PEOPLE. “God bless everyone for all of the love and support.”
Slide 8 of 8How to Watch
Season 8 of the Discovery reality series will return Sunday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. ET, then air in the same timeslot during subsequent weeks.
For fans unable to watch it live, the episodes will stream online at Discovery's website following the initial air date.
Farrah Abraham Says She's 'Scared' to Use Her Vagina Following Rejuvenation Procedure, Calls It 'a Reborn Virgin Situation'
Kylie Jenner's Revealing Photo With Daughter Stormi Has Fans Singing Her Praises
'Counting On' Alum Derick Dillard Uses Old Tweet to Slam TLC Over Promo 'Forced' on Wife Jill Duggar
'Dancing With the Stars' Alum Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich Went on 'Couples Retreat' a Month Before Marital Troubles
'Dog the Bounty Hunter': Lyssa Chapman Retweets Supportive Message Amid Explosive Twitter Rant About Father Duane
'90 Day Fiance' Star Geoffrey Paschel Facing Kidnapping, Assault Charges After Alleged Abuse of Ex Girlfriend
'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Duane Chapman Claims He's 'Broke,' May Lose Home Following Wife Beth's Death
'Jeopardy!' GOAT Tournament: Ken Jennings Almost Didn't Return for All-Star Showdown
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1666
|
__label__cc
| 0.539223
| 0.460777
|
October 26, 2015 October 26, 2015 Zac Piesse
2015/16 Season Projections`
Q1. Who is your tip for MVP?
Zac: Anthony Davis. I can’t see anyone being able to stop this absolute beast. On Davis’ back alone, I can see New Orleans making the playoffs in the West. Apparently he has developed a three point shot too?!
Sam: Anthony Davis. Has gradually improved every season in the NBA and this year will be no different. Missed 14 games last season and if he can play close to the 82 regular season matches then Davis will become the seasons best player. Under new coach Alvin Gentry, Davis will shine and allow him to boost his points average. It will be tightest race in years however with the return of Durant and George along with last years candidates Lebron, Harden, Westbrook and winner Steph Curry. Expect LeBron to preserve at times throughout the regular season and the contract dramas in OKC to affect KD/Westbrook’s chances. Also watch for Boogie Cousins to be a top 5 candidate
JJ: James Harden. He wants it the most. Lebron and Curry will be there abouts, but Harden is locked in on wanting to win the MVP.
Q2. Who will win the East?
Zac: Chicago Bulls. The Bulls arguably have one of the best rosters in the league, it is just the case of whether or not they can stay injury free. A lot rests on the backcourt of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. The Bulls bench is also something a lot of teams are envious of, with Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic and also sophomore Doug “McBuckets”, the team has a lot to like.
Jack: Cleveland Cavaliers. The east is incredibly weak, and with only one or two teams being able to compete with them, King James alone should get them over the line.
Sam: Cleveland Cavaliers. Hurting from last year’s Finals loss to the Warriors, LeBron and the Cavs will seek redemption this season. With injuries to Love and Irving in the playoffs the Cavaliers bravely pushed the near unstoppable Warriors to a game 6 with Delly, JR and Shumpert. This season if they can maintain continuity with injuries the Cavaliers will return to the Finals once again and give the King a chance to give Cleveland a title they so desperately crave.
Q3. Who will win the West?
Zac: Golden State Warriors. Last year’s champs should top the West once again. They have unbelievable depth, and have so many different players to rely on, in the unlucky event that reining MVP Steph Curry won’t be firing.
JJ: Golden State Warriors. Who could you see topping the Warriors? Let’s be serious….
Sam: San Antonio Spurs. This prediction may be a little biased but there is plenty of reason to suggest that this franchise can once again return to the Finals. The addition of Lamarcus Aldridge from Portland will bolster the Spurs in the post whilst taking the load off the aging Tim Duncan. LA will take time to adjust to the Spurs system but expect to see them hit their stride at the turn of the new year. Along with this the improvement from Kawhi Leonard and the experience + depth of the squad.
Q4. Rookie of the Year?
Zac: Jahlil Okafor. The big centre out of Duke University is set for a stellar rookie season after impressing in pre-season. He can shoot midrange, and is decent in the paint, only thing lacking from his game is rebounding. He is also playing for 76ers…..
Jj: Karl-Anthony Towns. The number one pick of this year’s draft is a top prospect. He’s good on both ends of the floor, and has an incredibly high ceiling.
Sam: Jahlil Okafor. Ready made NBA player with all the moves and will be the main attraction in the 76ers offense, meaning immediate opportunity to shine. Expect big things also from Emmanuel Muiday and Karl Anthony Towns but Okafor seems the most likely to adjust to the big time hence why I believe he will be the ROY.
Q5. Who will be the biggest movers in either conference?
Zac: Orlando Magic. The Magic have a young, talented, and exciting roster. With rising talent such as Elfred Payton, Tobias Harris, and Victor Oladipo, they will play a fast paced game with plenty of dunks and three point shooting.
JJ: Indiana Pacers. Paul George is back and fit, and Monta Ellis was a good signing to give them further scoring.
Sam: Dragic, Wade, Deng, Bosh and Whiteside didn’t play one minute of basketball together last season and that alone will launch the Heat back into the playoffs. The return of Bosh is massive and expect Goran Dragic to thrive and push for an All Star appearance. Whiteside was much improved last season and the addition of rookie Justise Winslow off the bench will improve the Heat’s defence. I reckon they will be a major threat to the Cavaliers Finals chance and will be the biggest improvers in the East.
Q6. Who will be a first time all star?
Zac: Andre Drummond. The 6’11’ rebounding beast provides the Detroit Pistons with inside scoring, and a defensive presence like no other. Drummond averaged 13 boards a game last year, and with Greg Monroe leaving, it’ll allow him to come into his own even further.
JJ: Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins runs the Timberwolves offense, it may be hard for him to reach the Allstar team given the West is so stacked, but he is an excitement machine.
Sam: Kawhi Leonard. The reigning defensive player of the year will take another giant leap forward this season and make his first all star game. Has worked on his offensive capabilities and will be a major factor in the Spur’s title bid. Other players that could make their first appearance include Goran Dragic, Andrew Wiggins and Bradley Beal.
Q7. Who will be NBA Champs?
Zac: San Antonio Spurs. How could you go past them? They have the experience of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobilli, whilst having the talent of LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Lennard. It’s hard to go past this roster that has unbelievable depth.
JJ: Cleveland Cavaliers. If their starting five stays relatively healthy, the Cavs will be heard to beat. They also have King James!
Sam: Cleveland Cavaliers. Finally a championship in Cleveland!, they should quite easily navigate through the East and if they are all healthy should atone for last year’s loss. Before injuries the big 3 seemed to be starting to gel well so expect that to continue. The Tristan Thompson drama shouldn’t hurt them too much but losing him for good may affect them defensively and under the rim.
Published by Zac Piesse
View all posts by Zac Piesse
Previous Will Dwayne Wade leave South Beach?
Next Can the Pacers pace themselves?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1669
|
__label__wiki
| 0.648334
| 0.648334
|
Hitting the Greens: Why Cannabis and Golf Go Hand in Hand
Sunday October 6, 2019
By Nicholas Demski
Golf is one of America’s favorite pastimes, but did you know that a lot of casual players (and even pros) like to indulge in cannabis while playing? Yes, hitting the greens on the greens is far more common than some may realize, especially at the amateur level and among younger players. Last year, B.C. Golf performed a survey examining golfers' attitudes towards cannabis.
Among players under 35, a staggering 78% indicated that they are at least somewhat comfortable with the idea of cannabis consumption on the golf course.
However, only 27% of players over 55 are happy to share the course with cannabis consumers. Overall, one in seven golfers said they planned to hit the course after hitting the weed, but those numbers were heavily skewed by the age distribution of golfers. Among players under 35, fully half said they planned to smoke cannabis while golfing. One golf course in Ontario, Canada, has decided to cash in. Golf club Rolling Greens, formerly Lombard Glen, this year became the world’s first cannabis-themed golf course. The concept is possible following Canada’s 2018 legalization of recreational cannabis. As a private members’ club, the course is not subject to restrictions on public cannabis consumption. This leaves the club free to cash in by allowing golfers to indulge while playing a round of golf. For those who prefer a less technical form of the relaxed sport, the course also offers disc golf, mini-golf, and fairground rides.
Cannabis and Professional Golf, A Risky Business
While more and more amateur golfers are enjoying a cannabis-enhanced round of golf, professionals are a little cagier about their consumption. Pro golf is big money, and cannabis is still prohibited by the US Anti-Doping Agency, meaning players risk their careers by using cannabis. Punishments include disqualification, surrendering of prize money, fines of up to $500,000 and suspensions ranging from one year to a lifetime ban from the sport.
One noted pro golfer, Robert Garrigus, has already fallen foul of golf’s THC ban. Garrigus, who owns a legal cannabis farm in Washington State, was banned for three months after testing positive for THC.
The pro says that he wasn’t trying to obtain an unfair advantage, which is what bans should be used for, and used medical cannabis legally under Washington law.
Although Robert Garriugus used medical cannabis legally, he was banned for three months after testing positive for THC. photo credit
“I wasn’t trying to degrade the PGA Tour in any way, my fellow professionals in any way,” he told the Golf Channel, “I don’t cheat the game.” Garrigus has stopped using medical cannabis after his experience, but remains a staunch advocate for professional golfers’ to be allowed to medicate. The pro is pushing the PGA tour to remove cannabis from its banned substances list.
Professional Golfers and CBD
THC remains strictly prohibited on the professional golf course, but a number of professional golfers are embracing its non-psychoactive relation, CBD. Twice-crowned Masters Tournament champion, Bubba Watson, says that CBD helps to keep him playing at the top level in spite of his advancing years. The pro, who turned 40 this year, has a partnership with cbdMD and sports the company’s logo on his visor when playing.
He told CNN Sport that CBD consumption is about living his best life. “I see Phil Mickelson winning at 48, so I've got at least eight more years of having a shot of winning some tournaments. So for me, it was about how I create longevity in the game of golf and spending time with my kids running around. CBD was easily a fit for me.”
Bubba Watson credits using CBD to helping him play at the top level in spite of his advancing years. photo credit
cbdMD isn’t the only company to actively target professional golfers. A growing list of players have either admitted using CBD or have sponsorship deals with CBD companies. These include three-time PGA-tour winner Scott McCarron.
Golf Pros as CBD Brand Ambassadors?
Following a round at the 2018 Boca Raton Invitational, McCarron found a bottle of CBD oil from Functional Remedies EndoSport waiting for him at his locker. After his own research and following conversations with other pros, McCarron knew that CBD could help him.
"I went and tried it about two weeks later when I went home. I measure my sleep with a device called WHOOP," McCarron said. "That's a sleep and strain device. Major League Baseball, NFL and Olympic athletes use the device. For the first time in about two years that I'd been wearing the device, I was taking the CBD oil, started on Monday and had sleep in the green, which is fantastic sleep, for seven days straight the first time I took this CBD oil at night to help me sleep."
McCarron’s positive experience led him to sign a deal with Functional Remedies to become their brand ambassador.
“Functional Remedies EndoSport hemp oil helps my mind stay focused and my body recover, so I can always play my best,” McCarron said in a statement. Functional Remedies’ products are available at 125 golf shops nationwide and the company employs a team of 12 sales reps to push their products to the amateur and pro golf market. According to ESPN, the company now has 50 PGA Tour players using their CBD products. Steve Patterson, the company’s director of sales, notes that players appreciate the products’ lack of THC.
CBD Safe for Golfers, but PGA Tour Advises Caution
While pro golfers are now permitted to consume CBD to help with their aches and pains, the PGA Tour advises caution. Tour Senior Vice President of Tournament Administration, Andy Levinson told ESPN:
"There's very, very little FDA regulation over the supplement industry as a whole, so if a player wants to take any supplements, whether it's CBD, or a multivitamin, or a protein powder, they need to understand that there is risk associated with that regardless of the manufacturer, because there is very little FDA regulation over the industry.” "There is no guarantee that what is on the label is actually contained in the product."
The tour’s warnings were echoed by a spokesperson for the US Anti-Doping Agency, who told Reuters that “it is very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a pure CBD extract or oil from the cannabis plant. Anyone who buys a CBD oil, extract, or other CBD product should assume that it is a mixture of CBD and other cannabinoids.” While cannabis is seeing greater acceptance at all levels of the game, pro golfers would be wise to follow USADA and PGA Tour advice. The grass is greener for amateurs, however, and we’ll undoubtedly see more clubs following the model of Rolling Greens and allowing players to spark up on the fairway.
Have you ever consumed cannabis before or during a round of golf? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Nicholas Demski
As a former global educator, Nicholas uses his B.S. in biology to leverage his understanding of cannabinoid science into meaningful content for readers. For several years, Nicholas has written for several blogs, including Green Flower, and provided copywriting services for CBD and cannabis companies worldwide. He's also a Staff Writer for Terpenes and Testing Magazine, CBD Health and Wellness Magazine, and Extraction Magazine.
While Nicholas is a medical cannabis patient in Michigan, he has traveled from Spain to Colombia to Cambodia to see what cannabis is like around the world. He uses his background in science, world experience, and unique writing style to help people learn more about cannabis and cannabinoids at www.TheCannabiologist.com and on Instagram @Cannabiologist. You can also connect with Nicholas on his LinkedIn profile.
How to Write a Resume for Cannabis Industry Employment
Moon Rocks: How to Smoke Them and How They're Made
Easy Ways to Add THC to Food At Home
Should You Trust Your Budtender?
Black Friday (Green Friday) Cannabis Deals and Other Holiday Coupons
Can Police Officers Consume Cannabis in Canada?
FIGR
Figr is a vertically integrate...
Boston Hempire
At Boston Hempire we source th...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1670
|
__label__cc
| 0.715833
| 0.284167
|
Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range
K. Wang, K.P. O'Donnell, B. Hourahine, R.W. Martin, I.M. Watson, K. Lorenz, E. Alves
Institute Of Photonics
Scottish Universities Physics Alliance
Photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) spectra of Eu-implanted AlxGa1-xN are obtained across the whole alloy composition range. The dominant D-5(0)-F-7(2) emission band broadens and then narrows as x increases from 0 to 1 while the peak shifts monotonically. This behavior is surprisingly similar to the broadening of excitons in a semiconductor alloy caused by composition fluctuations [E. F. Schubert et al., Phys. Rev. B 30, 813 (1984). PLE spectra reveal a steplike AlxGa1-xN band-edge absorption and two "subgap" bands X-1,X-2:X-1 peaks at 3.26 eV in GaN and shifts linearly to 3.54 eV in AlN. For x > 0.6, X-2 emerges approximately 1 eV higher in energy than X-1 and shifts in a similar way. We propose that X-1,X-2 involve creation of core-excitonic complexes of Eu emitting centers.
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206
LDS 751
rare-earth ions
iii-v semiconductors
tm-doped alxga1-xn
implanted gan
optical-properties
Wang, K., O'Donnell, K. P., Hourahine, B., Martin, R. W., Watson, I. M., Lorenz, K., & Alves, E. (2009). Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range. Physical Review B, 80(12), [125206 ]. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206
Wang, K. ; O'Donnell, K.P. ; Hourahine, B. ; Martin, R.W. ; Watson, I.M. ; Lorenz, K. ; Alves, E. / Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range. In: Physical Review B. 2009 ; Vol. 80, No. 12.
@article{319b899005c348ff8188d975fb1e7a92,
title = "Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range",
abstract = "Photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) spectra of Eu-implanted AlxGa1-xN are obtained across the whole alloy composition range. The dominant D-5(0)-F-7(2) emission band broadens and then narrows as x increases from 0 to 1 while the peak shifts monotonically. This behavior is surprisingly similar to the broadening of excitons in a semiconductor alloy caused by composition fluctuations [E. F. Schubert et al., Phys. Rev. B 30, 813 (1984). PLE spectra reveal a steplike AlxGa1-xN band-edge absorption and two {"}subgap{"} bands X-1,X-2:X-1 peaks at 3.26 eV in GaN and shifts linearly to 3.54 eV in AlN. For x > 0.6, X-2 emerges approximately 1 eV higher in energy than X-1 and shifts in a similar way. We propose that X-1,X-2 involve creation of core-excitonic complexes of Eu emitting centers.",
keywords = "rare-earth ions, iii-v semiconductors, tm-doped alxga1-xn, implanted gan, optical-properties, temperature, aln, photoluminescence, intensities, excitation",
author = "K. Wang and K.P. O'Donnell and B. Hourahine and R.W. Martin and I.M. Watson and K. Lorenz and E. Alves",
doi = "10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206",
journal = "Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics",
Wang, K, O'Donnell, KP, Hourahine, B, Martin, RW, Watson, IM, Lorenz, K & Alves, E 2009, 'Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range', Physical Review B, vol. 80, no. 12, 125206 . https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206
Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range. / Wang, K.; O'Donnell, K.P.; Hourahine, B.; Martin, R.W.; Watson, I.M.; Lorenz, K.; Alves, E.
In: Physical Review B, Vol. 80, No. 12, 125206 , 09.2009.
T1 - Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range
AU - Wang, K.
AU - O'Donnell, K.P.
AU - Hourahine, B.
AU - Martin, R.W.
AU - Watson, I.M.
AU - Lorenz, K.
AU - Alves, E.
N2 - Photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) spectra of Eu-implanted AlxGa1-xN are obtained across the whole alloy composition range. The dominant D-5(0)-F-7(2) emission band broadens and then narrows as x increases from 0 to 1 while the peak shifts monotonically. This behavior is surprisingly similar to the broadening of excitons in a semiconductor alloy caused by composition fluctuations [E. F. Schubert et al., Phys. Rev. B 30, 813 (1984). PLE spectra reveal a steplike AlxGa1-xN band-edge absorption and two "subgap" bands X-1,X-2:X-1 peaks at 3.26 eV in GaN and shifts linearly to 3.54 eV in AlN. For x > 0.6, X-2 emerges approximately 1 eV higher in energy than X-1 and shifts in a similar way. We propose that X-1,X-2 involve creation of core-excitonic complexes of Eu emitting centers.
AB - Photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) spectra of Eu-implanted AlxGa1-xN are obtained across the whole alloy composition range. The dominant D-5(0)-F-7(2) emission band broadens and then narrows as x increases from 0 to 1 while the peak shifts monotonically. This behavior is surprisingly similar to the broadening of excitons in a semiconductor alloy caused by composition fluctuations [E. F. Schubert et al., Phys. Rev. B 30, 813 (1984). PLE spectra reveal a steplike AlxGa1-xN band-edge absorption and two "subgap" bands X-1,X-2:X-1 peaks at 3.26 eV in GaN and shifts linearly to 3.54 eV in AlN. For x > 0.6, X-2 emerges approximately 1 eV higher in energy than X-1 and shifts in a similar way. We propose that X-1,X-2 involve creation of core-excitonic complexes of Eu emitting centers.
KW - rare-earth ions
KW - iii-v semiconductors
KW - tm-doped alxga1-xn
KW - implanted gan
KW - optical-properties
KW - aln
KW - photoluminescence
KW - intensities
KW - excitation
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206
JO - Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
JF - Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Wang K, O'Donnell KP, Hourahine B, Martin RW, Watson IM, Lorenz K et al. Luminescence of Eu ions in AlxGa1-xN across the entire alloy composition range. Physical Review B. 2009 Sep;80(12). 125206 . https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.125206
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1681
|
__label__cc
| 0.684915
| 0.315085
|
Au sujet de l’auteur et ce blogue
Billets en FRANÇAIS
INDEX (all posts / tous les billets)
Learn French & French Related Posts
Political & Society Related Posts
Quebec Culture Blog
Bridging the Two Solitudes through everything —————————————————– There's little else like it on the web!
Home » Posts tagged 'manchettes'
Tag Archives: manchettes
A different website which throws a different light on things: Antagonist.net … (#288)
June 17, 2015 10:48 pm / Leave a comment
… Or if anything, it makes you think twice.
www.antagoniste.net
This is a French language blog with hundreds and hundreds of posts which comments on everything happening in Québec… especially politics, but in many other societal spheres as well. It is written by “David”.
A word of warning: Antagonist.net is an opinion-maker website and should not be taken as 100% objective. But hey – what blogger’s website out there is strictly objective.
Although many (most?) of its posts are right of centre and Federalist, many of its posts could also be considered centre (and sometimes even difficult to place). There are also a good deal of posts which those on the left, as well as sovereignists would concede make sense.
In this light, there could be a little bit of something and food for thought for everyone (Left, Centre, Right, Federalist, Sovereignist).
There are lots of charts and graphics. Who doesn’t like charts and graphics?
And unlike me… they keep posts short and simple (something I can probably learn from 😉 ).
Just to give an example of what I mean, and using some of its recent posts as examples:
Today there was a post on sexual crime statistics,
Yesterday there was a post listing the top 5 news stories in Québec, and the top 5 news stories in Canada as a whole.
A few weeks ago (21 May 2015), PKP declared that Québec would be the 17th richest countries in the world, richer than Sweden and Germany, if it were to secede from Canada (Québec’s news organizations went to town with PKP’s statement and reported it with grande pompe). Yet Antagoniste.net provided us statistics to show that if Canada were to break up and Québec were to secede, Québec would be far behind the 17th position, with $10,000 less purchasing power per person than Germany or Sweden. Oooops!!! Oh, and there are pretty (and revealing charts) to go along with it.
Have a look. Despite sometimes being “Antagonistic” (take such posts with a grain of salt), it is nonetheless quite interesting.
Paul Arcand (#176)
February 10, 2015 8:45 am / Leave a comment
Paul Arcand is one of Québec’s best known opinion-maker talk-show radio hosts, and is best known in the Montréal area (where his daily radio show is broadcast). However, unlike many other Québec opinion makers, he rarely aligns himself with controversial subjects, and he keeps his show relevant to what the vast majority of people can relate to. It is one of the reasons why he is so popular, and in this sense, he is associated with being a man of the common people.
He has been on the radio for 35 years. Paul Arcand would be the first person many people in Québec would think of when their thoughts turn to Québec talk radio (simply by virtue that the region in which he is broadcast contains over half of Québec’s population).
To give you an idea of his popularity, this past week, the internet in Québec was abuzz regarding Paul Arcand “losing it” on the radio when he heard his name being used (not very flatteringly) in a radio advertisement for a product. (If you’re learning French, “losing it” or “freaking out” can be referred to as “péter une coche”). In short, Arcand did not give his consent for his name to be used in the advertisement. Needless to say, he did not take too kindly to the idea of his own station played such an advertisement, and he let his station have it on air.
It became one of the most viewed news stories of the week in Québec, which attests to his popularity with the public (this would not have been a story had someone less popular made a deal of a similar issue). Like I mentioned earlier, probably the reason why he is so popular is because his approach to topics, and the way he presents them resonates so well with the public (as does any popular radio host).
He hosts the morning show, “Puisqu’il faut se lever” (Since you have to get up) on 98,5 FM Montréal. It should therefore come as no surprise that he is the voice who many people in Montréal listen to while getting ready for work or during their morning commute.
98,5 FM’s official website is: http://www.985fm.ca/
You can listen to 98,5 FM at the above link.
Paul Arcand’s morning radio show can be listed to as an online re-broadcast at http://www.985fm.ca/em/puisqu-il-faut-se-lever-391.html
If you’re learning French, perhaps try listening to Arcand’s shows online for a week or two. See if it helps with your comprehension skills. The language he uses is at an average speed, but it not overly filled with Joual or slang. This might be a good way to ease yourself from “news reporter” French, towards more “street informal” French. In addition, the topics he discusses and how he discusses them are relevant and should also be of interest to the average Anglophone Canadian.
If you find you listen to 98,5 FM on a regular basis, they have a downloadable app which works quite as well (it covers all the Cogeco FM network radio stations – a grouping of various talk show radio stations in different cities of Québec).
Enjoy the programs!
The Duo “Coderre – Lebeaume” (#175)
February 9, 2015 8:31 am / Leave a comment
A new travelling road-show has taken to the stage over the past couple of months, and the fans are loving it. However, they have not yet hired a band or back-up singers.
During the winter, we have been witness to the rise of a different type of media sensation in Québec, quite different from anything we’ve seen in Québec or Canada – at least during my time. The mayors of two major cities, Montréal and Québec City have entered into what can only be described as a political marriage (for lack of a better term) – and they’ve taken it on the road. But what is more significant, this hand-in-hand “best friend” relationship has turned them into celebrities of a completely different type; almost with rock-star status.
Denis Coderre (Montréal’s mayor) and Régis Lebeaume are together so often in the news, at events, and as a part of each other’s city’s respective initiatives that I’m left wondering if they’re spending more time travelling between each other’s cities than they are in their own cities (Québec City and Montréal are a three hour drive apart, after all).
We have three levels of government (Federal, Provincial and Municipal), but in Québec, this duo has seemingly forged a relationship which appears to be operating as a fourth level or province unto itself (take your pick), that of the “Montréal-Québec City” government (singular). The two mayors are speaking as one voice, even on issues that don’t concern each other’s cities, to maximize attention to issues and to get what they want from the federal and the provincial governments. As a duo, they have become a sort of “Captain Municipality”, standing up for issues important to smaller communities which do not necessarily have the populations behind them to bring their issues to the forefront.
It’s almost as if Coderre and Lebaume are now operating as their own city council, giving each other the nod before either embarks on any individual project, and this new approach to municipal politics is making waves. The public cannot get enough of it and both Coderre and Lebeaume have been appearing on television and radio talk shows together, non-stop, for weeks on end.
Any time politicians gang up together to get what they want from another level of government, you would expect there to be verbal clashes and fighting. But what I find fascinating is that they’re not confrontational towards either the Federal government (Ottawa) nor towards the provincial government (Québec), and the higher level of governments are not being confrontational towards this duo neither. Instead, all levels are meeting together, almost as chummy friends, to talk about issues. What’s more, they’re all meeting as if they were “equal-level” partners – and we’re not hearing many of the condescending tones towards the city level which we often hear from the provincial governments (or federal government).
There are probably a few reasons why this Coderre-Lebeaume approach has not degenerated into conflict.
One is that the mayors bring “population numbers” with them to the tables. It is in the interest of higher level governments to meet on friendly ground with the mayors (it would be political suicide, especially in a federal election year, to peeve off such large base populations).
The second reason likely stems from both Coderre’s and Lebeaume’s personal backgrounds. Coderre is a career politician (30+ years in the Federal government), and Lebeaume was a successful businessman. Both have the experience and knowledge to know that things do not change overnight. In this sense, they are patient and seemingly quite understanding of financial constraints and political nuances when talking to their provincial and federal counterparts. They’re making demands, but they’re also giving higher levels of government a lot of slack in light of current economics. Likewise, their federal and provincial counterparts are affording this mayoral duo due respect and consideration in return (these “new” dynamics are truly fascinating to watch – and not just from my point of view, but from that of Québec at large – the media coverage of it speaks for itself).
Another reason likely has something to do with this duo’s personalities. I get the impression both mayors want to approach matters with a win-win approach (regardless if you agree or not with their stances on issues). Both are very personable people, with populist personalities, and they are very media savvy. They love to laugh and make jokes on camera, and common people can’t get enough of them.
Perhaps the feature of this duo which the public finds the most attractive is that they seem to be above petty ideological politics – something which the public in Québec is not used to seeing in many other politicians. In the case of the Coderre-Lebeaume couple, it’s almost a case of “opposites attract”. Denis Coderre is very federalist (as I stated above, he was a federal Liberal MP and minister in Ottawa for decades, fighting hard for Canada, including during the 1995 referendum). Régis Lebeaume has traditionally supported sovereignty. But in their roles as mayors, they’ve been able to do something very few other politicians in Québec have ever been able to do… they put these ideological differences behind them, rolling up their sleeves, calling others players to the tables, working with them, and addressing matters head-on.
Montréal went through a rough patch of mayoral scandals and controversies the past few years (a water-metre scandal, one mayor resigned because of corruption in city bureaucracy, and another mayor was arrested for corruption). Québec City’s population was also polarized by a prior divisive mayor. The rise of Denis Coderre and Régis Lebeaume came as a breath of fresh air to many – even for those who may not agree with their policies.
This duo’s ratings continue to be sky-high. Even those who perhaps are not so hot on their individual policies find this duo has a certain star appeal.
If I can draw a parallel, Calgary’s mayor, Naheed Nenshi, recently won the “world’s best mayor” award. Upon receiving the award, he was asked if it posed problems that he is a progressive mayor in a conservative city (Nenshi could very easily be a Liberal, and perhaps even NDP whereas his city’s electorate is quite conservative. Yet Calgary loves him). Nenshi responded “I reject these terms – ‘progressive’ and ‘conservative’. I think they are meaningless to the vast majority of people, who just want good government at a decent price. As the former Governor of Washington and Senator, Dan Evans, wrote in 2002, “There are no Republican schools or Democrat highways, no liberal salmon or conservative parks.” I really believe that this kind of categorization alienates people and keeps them from participating in the political process.”
In the case of the Coderre-Lebeaume duo, their relationship seems to be based on the same principles. In their roles as Québec politicians, this duo is a rare breed which seems to have rejected the terms ‘federalist’ and ‘sovereignist’. Rather, they are taking on the issues, one-by-one, with the attitude that city issues are neither federalist, nor sovereignist, neither Liberal, Conservative, nor Péquiste. In return, higher governments have repaid them in kind for their “depolitization” of municipal politics (which works well for both the provincial Liberals, and federal Conservatives). Higher levels of governments have repaid by not “playing politics” with city governments.
One could ask themselves how much of the media hype around this duo is owing to their electric and populist personalities. It is obvious that they are a good match on that front (these two probably wouldn’t be dancing if their personalities didn’t matcH). I get the impression the public can’t get enough of this duo owing to the fact that it is simply rare to see politicians working so well together on so many levels, and even more rare to see politicians laughing and joking as a duo as they go about their jobs (hand-in-hand).
Something unexpected just happened in the last couple of days… the Coderre-Lebeaume duo may be opening up their relationship. When they were in Toronto for the annual Canadian mayor’s conference this last week, Coderre had one-on-one indepth discussions with Toronto’s mayor, John Tory (one of their meetings lasted two hours). Tory’s personality is not far off from either Coderre’s or Lebeaume’s and Toronto and Montréal pledged they are going to start to work together. Is the Québec duo positioning itself for a menage-à-trois?.
A few days ago, Calgary’s mayor, Naheed Nenshi, travelled to Québec City and had meetings with Régis Lebeaume. Perhaps the relationship has the potential to become even kinkier than a ménage-à-trois (politically speaking, of course). After all, Toronto’s John Tory, and Calgary’s Naheed Nenshi also both speak French (and French is the language of love, n’est ce pas? Oh la la!). Regardless, this kinkier political twist and turn is just pure speculation on my part (only a political infidelity divorce filing or love child time will tell)… But in the meantime, we’re going to see more and more of this political couple – and it is rapidly changing the face of Québec politics.
Perhaps they’ll soon hire that band I mentioned, along with back-up singers for their travelling road show to go with all the rest 😉 .
Oil Pipelines in Québec – A Hot-Button issue (#123)
December 19, 2014 11:49 am / Leave a comment
This post will be on the very hot-button issue of oil pipelines in Québec. The pipeline company, TransCanada, is planning to upgrade existing cross-Canada pipelines, and build extensions. It will pipe Canadian domestic “oil-sands” oil to Eastern Canadian refineries for the very first time in history (currently, Eastern Canadian refineries refine imported foreign oil or oil brought in from Western Canada by train).
Here’s a map I made which gives a general overview of the plans (click to enlarge)
Unless you watch or listen to the media in French, people in predominantly Anglophone provinces seldom hear the actual conversations going on between Québécois themselves (it’s kind of an unfortunate reality, but then again, provincially-specific topics in Canada are rarely discussed anywhere but in their own respective provinces, regardless if they are in English or French).
I was driving from Québec City to Montréal earlier this week and listening to a Québec City radio station when I overheard an interesting discussion between two rather influential public figures. It was a discussion of opposing views on the whole issue of oil pipelines being laid across Québec. I thought I’d translate a portion of the conversation and share it with you to give a little bit of insight of how people in Québec are viewing the issues. The next Federal election is slated for end October 2015 (unless for some reason it’s called soon after the March budget – which looks less and less likely), and this conversation embodies how the issue is being discussed in the run-up to the election.
Carl Monette is a radio program host on Radio-X, Québec City – Eastern Québec’s most listened to radio station.
Bernard Drainville is a contender for the leadership of the Parti Québécois. He is a former PQ cabinet minister, and used to be a well-known reporter for Radio-Canada.
The following is a translation (from French) of a small part of their much larger conversation on Radio-X. This particular segment relates directly to oil piplelines.
—————————- ————————–
DRAINVILLE: [In a conversation about sovereignty, Drainville says…] If we cannot hold a referendum in the first mandate [if we can win the next election], then we need to take the time during that mandate to show to the electorate that we’re able to [achieve sovereignty]. We need to give the economic numbers, we need to present economic and financial forecasts. We need to demonstrate that it will be a good thing. Look what’s happening with the [TransCanada] pipeline [which they want to build across Québec]. [Liberal Québec Premier] Couillard tells us we have to accept a pipeline which moves 1.1 million barrels of oil a day, on our soil, solely in exchange for a [$9 billion federal] equalization cheque. For me, forget the equalization cheque – because just look at the price tag which will come with it for us: It’s going to be a 100 year pipeline, it can actually last 100 years if it’s well maintained. So then [within that period], who’s going to pay if it bursts? Who? Who’s going to pay if it bursts [sometime in the next 100 years]? (note: I’m assuming he means that TransCanada, the company, may not exist in say 40 or 80 years, just as companies which existed 50 years ago don’t exist today).
MONETTE: So then, are we better to then just continue importing our gas from Texas, already refined, on our St. Lawrence River? You want it to be done this way rather than bringing it in from here at home, refine it here at home, and using it here at home? That’s what I understand you to be saying.
(note: Eastern Canada imports oil primarily from North Africa, Venezuela, and somewhat from the US. This is because there are no pipelines from Western Canada. Whereas Western Canada’s gasoline is mostly from domestic sources, Eastern Canadian gasoline is primarily imported from other countries).
DRAINVILLE: Come on, we don’t refine anything here at home. The TransCanada pipeline…
MONETTE: So then we don’t do anything? We do absolutely nothing? The money that Canada will make from the pipeline, it’s going to come back to us. It’s also our money too you know.
DRAINVILLE: The TransCanada pipeline, it’s used to transport oil across our territory [Québec], which is not refined here. [The pipline’s] only function is [to move the oil from West to East], to export the oil.
MONETTE: Yes, but that money, who do you think it goes to? Canadians get it.
DRAINVILLE: (Pause, & puffing noise)
MONETTE: We get it back in taxes! Would you rather pay for oil from Texas, and bring it in by boat on our St. Lawrence, than bring it in by pipeline? I don’t understand you.
DRAINVILLE: My objective is to reduce our dependence on oil. You know, our oil comes in from elsewhere, regardless if it comes from Alberta, Newfoundland, or Saudi Arabia – it all comes from elsewhere. It’s about time that we replace…
MONETTE: Why not bring it in from here at home? It’s always better to bring it in from our own country than from another, or a Mid-East country, or the United States?
DRAINVILLE: What’s the interest in allowing a pipeline which brings us hardly any major advantages?
MONETTE: It’s the most secure form of oil transportation that exists. It’s coming across our territory [Québec] regardless. So we’re better to take it in this manner for the time being [by pipeline], and once we develop other resources, then we’ll take those other sources. But for the time being, I know it sucks, but my car doesn’t run on water.
DRAINVILLE: Well, once we get to that point, the pipeline, we’re going to be stuck with it for 100 years. I’m not one for that. I think there are ways we can develop… Yes, I think you’re right, we have to make a transition. Of course we’re going to continue to use oil for a certain period of time…
MONETTE: We don’t have a choice. Look around you. About 95% of anything you see if made from oil. We don’t have a choice. I don’t want to buy my oil from the United States, or from the Middle-East. We have it here, so why don’t we use it in our own country?
DRAINVILLE: No, not with the [environmental] price that’s to be paid for it. Not with the risks that come with it. It’s not right what you’re proposing. The oil sands, the dirtiest form that exists.
MONETTE: When it comes to oil, there is no such thing as dirtier or less dirty, or half-dirty… Can we just agree on this? I don’t want boats coming here from Texas with oil that has already be refined.
DRAINVILLE: I’m going to tell you something… If you run a pipe under my property, but I’m the one who assumes all the risks, if an accident does ever occur, then I’m the one who’s on the hook for cleaning it up. Can you think of a reason why I should say that’s ok?
MONETTE: Ok… we have the (Québec) Ministry of Natural Resources who have already announced that the risks are going to be assumed by the pipeline companies. It was all covered in the media last week.
DRAINVILLE: Oh, come on… look at how you believe that sort of thing!
MONETTE: Yes. Well, it’s better than listening to the Parti Québécois when they say we’ll be living a rainbow dream with separation and that will make us rich.
DRAINVILLE: We saw how much the “beautiful assurances” did for us when we saw what happened in Lac-Mégantique. (Note: A train, moving oil from North Dakota to Maine, transited Québec two years ago, derailed, exploded, killed about 40 people, and basically blew an entire town off the face of the map – it was an awful tragedy, and emotions have been running sky-high ever since). Frankly, in Lac-Mégantique, Transport Canada didn’t do its job – Specifically Transport Canada. We saw the risks involved when you transit oil through our territory. Don’t you think it’s possible to draw some lessons from that experience? Don’t you think we can create a goal of reducing our dependence on oil? Are we not able to resist jumping on board in such projects, such as those of TransCanada which do nothing but make us run enormous risks for marginal benefits?
MONETTE: Oh, come on. No way, No way. It will be billions of dollars in taxes which will go into Federal coffers from this.
DRAINVILLE: Yah, there you go (sarcastic tone), right, the Federal government is going to put the money in “their” pockets.
MONETTE: Well, they’re giving us right now $9 billion dollars [in equalization payments], so I’m not jumping on the line you’re feeding me, you know. We’re never going to agree on this.
DRAINVILLE: No, on this we’re not going to agree on, but there will be other things we can agree on.
MONETTE: Yes.
The two concluded their conversation on other topics. After hanging up, Monette had the following to say…
MONETTE: Bernard Drainville is someone for whom I still have respect, even if I agree with almost none of his stances, except for the Charter of Values. He’s come to the studio for past live interviews. We always have good discussions, but then we always finish in a pile of crap (tout le temps dans la marde). It’s not complicated – it usually goes like this… we start out never agreeing, our conversations go slowly up-hill, it turns an a not-so-great direction, but at least we finished on a good note.
As you can see, pipelines are very hot-button issues in Québec, with many people at odds on how to view them. I’m doing my best to write this post in as an objective manner as possible (I do have long-standing views on oil pipelines myself, but I don’t consider my views to be extreme, one way or the other. I consider them to be balanced, but in this post, I won’t discuss my own specific views in order to maintain a more neutral tone).
I can tell you, from my own personal experience in discussing this issue with friends in different regions of Québec, the whole issue of pipelines can become very emotional. There can be a strong principle & ideological based divide between people who believe pipelines are mostly an environmental matter versus those who believe they are mostly an economic matter. Adding to this complex mix, some people believe the issues should be managed strictly on a principle and ideological-based platform, and others believe the issues should be managed strictly on a practical, quick results, and a day-to-day reality basis. Regardless of your views on oil pipelines, more than in any other province in Canada, it would be in Québec where you would be likely to get into a very heated and emotional discussion on this issue (of course there are exceptions in every province, but I’m presenting this post in very general terms).
Probably only a few major issues will play into how Québécois will vote in the next Federal election (perhaps 4 or 5 major issues). One of the main issues will be the issue of laying oil pipelines within Québec.
In order to understand the issues, it’s important to mention that environmental and natural resource issues are usually “provincial” jurisdiction – but they constitutionally become federal jurisdiction when it enters the realm of cross-border domestic pipelines or cross-border international pollution – and thus because the pipelines will be crossing various provincial borders, the matter has become federal jurisdiction. It thus becomes an issue for the federal vote. That being said, Federal parties are more than aware that it would be political suicide to not include their provincial counterparts in the discussion, and at the very minimum, give weight to what provincial governments have to say (even if it’s not provincial jurisdiction). Much like BC and Ontario, Québec’s provincial government has said it will not give their (symbolic) consent to the TransCanada pipeline project unless certain environmental and safety conditions are met (Québec and Ontario drafted a list). Despite the province not having jurisdiction to impose such conditions, it would be political suicide for the Federal government to ignore such conditions – and thus the Feds are agreeing to accept provincially outlined conditions.
People in Western Canada are generally used to dealing with pipeline issues. Generally speaking (and yes, I’m overgeneralizing here):
we see strong support for pipelines in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba,
little support for them in BC (particularly in urban regions where the majority of the population resides, and especially when discussing pipelines in environmentally sensitive areas),
very mixed signals towards them in Ontario (Ontario is a funny case – some regions are ok with them, yet other regions and people are quite skeptical or anti-pipeline)
Pro-pipeline and luke-warm support in Atlantic Canada (yet NB is quite anti-fracking, which is interesting because other pro-pipeline regions across North America are often OK with fracking),
A very mixed bag in Québec, but overall, a negative view towards pipelines being laid in the province. But there seems to be a lot of soul-searching on the issue in Québec at the moment.
I say there’s a mixed bag in Québec because of the Montréal / Québec City political and economic divide. Québec is often a Tale of Two Provinces (a concept very poorly understood in the rest of Canada). It’s a split between two major population zones; the East (Greater Québec City, and to some extent Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean / Beauce), and the West (Greater Montréal and to some extent other adjacent regions).
To give you an idea just how differently these two regions think, view issues and vote, you need to look no further than today’s Crop-La Presse poll on Québec City’s voting intentions :
In Québec City region, with 37% of intended votes, the Federal Conservatives would win the majority of the vote if an election were held today. They would also likely pick up additional seats. The 2nd place goes to the NPD (31%), the Federal Liberals are 3rd place (they get 21%), and the Bloc Québécois is 4th place with 11%
The poll didn’t give Montréal (West Québec) voting intentions, but it did give Québec’s overall voting intentions as a whole. The Liberals and in 1st place (37%), the NDP 2nd place (30%), the Bloc Québécois has 3rd place (17%) and the Conservative are 4th place (13%). That 13% presumably is entirely concentrated in the Québec City and adjacent regions.
These latter numbers are for Québec as a whole, but Montréal votes much heavier for the NDP than other reasons. In Montréal, I would not be surprised if the NDP has 1st place, the Liberals 2nd, if the Bloc is 3rd, and the Conservatives have almost zero (the exact opposite from Québec City and Eastern Québec). These are what recent past polls have shown at any rate.
Montréal, and surrounding regions (which has the bulk of Québec’s population) are generally against pipelines – and you see this reflected with almost zero Conservative support in the Montréal region. There is a strong anti-pipeline activist movement in the region and in Montréwood media. People in the region often take a harder environmental line based on principle. Yes, I know there are nuances, but this is a general overview.
Québec City and surrounding regions (the 2nd most populous region of Québec) are not as hostile towards to the idea of pipelines, and you’ll note that the Conservatives are leading in this region. There is a major refinery in the Québec City metro region (Lévis), and people in the region are used to seeing (with their own eyes) petroleum ocean tankers going down the St. Lawrence, past downtown Québec, and docking at the oil terminal port in Lévis (when I was in Québec City this week, I stood on the banks of the St. Lawrence and watched as a couple foreign oil tanker steamed passed me – it was interesting to watch them dock at the refineries – and even more interesting to know that this very oil, be it from Africa or Venezuela, could very likely end up in my car’s tank in Toronto in a few weeks time). Also, overall political tendencies in the Greater Québec City region can be very different from those in Montréal.
If we look back to the radio conversation, both sides said things which are valid, and there are many other things both sides could have used in their respective arguments. As you could see, the conversation was generally discussed on an environmental vs. economic scale. Some of the facts which both Drainville and Monette gave were not correct, and some of the facts both gave were correct but incomplete. But the points which were incorrect were not major inaccuracies.
Drainville could have mentioned additional argument points, such as:
the high CO2 emissions and waste water created from the oil-sand extraction process (in Alberta)
issues regarding water and solid waste resulting from the oil-sand extraction process (in Alberta)
the need to inject polluting and diluting chemicals directly into the heavy oil within the pipelines in order to make the oil viscous enough to be transported – and the problems of what to do with all these chemicals after the oil reaches its destination
the emissions which will come from the Suncor, Lévis and Irving refineries in Québec and New Brunswick once a heavier oil is refined in these three refineries (imported oil, currently being refined in here is much lighter and doesn’t require as much upgrading).
Even after refining and consuming the pipelines’ oil, there will be an excess of oil (about 1/3 of all the oil piped in the pipeline) which can be exported from Québec ports to other countries of the world. To date, proposed locations for new export terminal ports have been in environmentally sensitive areas, such as Cacouna, Québec – a place where noise-sensitive Beluga whales (an endangered species) mate and rear their young. (Note, two weeks ago, both TransCanada pipelines, the Québec government and the Federal government all agreed Cacouna is not an acceptable place to locate an export port – and they’re now searching for a new location)
With more pipelines come more oil extraction, and there is a question as to whether “per-ton of oil” reductions in pollution can outpace “per-ton increases” in oil extraction.
The potential damage to the environment (in Alberta and Québec, through potential pipe leaks, oil tanker accidents, and general emissions), while waiting for better environmental results to come about, could be severe.
Monnette could have mentioned things such as:
Alberta’s provincial government carbon market imposes financial penalties on oil companies which pollute above a certain bar. The penalties are paid on a per-ton of pollution basis, and monies garnered are automatically placed in an environmental technology development fund. Companies have therefore been actively developing ways to reduce their pollution per ton of oil extracted, and every year there are better results per barrel of oil. If results continue in this same direction for another 30 years, there could be very promising results which will satisfy a much larger part of Québec’s concerns.
Alberta’s government has been investing massively in developing new environmental pollution control technologies, and has been making substantial progress.
The Québec Provincial government and BAPE (A Québec Ministry of Environment public consultation mechanism) have imposed newly developed, strict environmental and safety conditions on the Federal government. They minimize risks of accidents on any portion of the pipeline and oil transport process.
Both the Suncor oil refinery in Montréal’s East End, and the Jean-Gaulin refinery in Lévis (Québec City) will, for the first time ever, be refining domestic oil. In order to refine the heavier oil-sands oil, they will require major upgrades with the latest and most modern environmental technology available (more modern than almost any other refinery in the world). Thus, their pollution controls will be among the strictest available anywhere in the world (better than they currently are), and they will directly create hundreds of direct jobs in Québec, and thousands of indirect jobs.
Oil tanker ships are already doing daily runs on the St-Lawrence (Québec City residents see them every day, but Montréal residents don’t see them owing to the location of docking locations). The situation wouldn’t change from today’s current situation, except for the direction the tankers will take. In addition, all levels of government and private industry are looking for a much safer and environmentally friendly location for an additional export port (after Cacouna’s rejection).
There will no longer be any need to transport oil by train across Québec (which is much more dangerous than through pipelines).
Pipelines already cross under the St. Lawrence River and all across Québec (even underneath various parts of Montréal City itself), so in this respect, there would be nothing different from what is already being proposed, and nobody has complained before. The new pipeline would be even more modern and safer than existing pipelines.
Current oil tankers bringing in foreign oil on the St. Lawrence are often from developing countries, and their safety designs are not as good as those proposed for the new tankers which will take Canadian oil from Québec ports to foreign markers (thicker hulls, newer technology, etc.).
There are many other arguments both Drainville and Monette could have made, apart from the ones I mentioned above. But some arguments become quite complex and technical (while still remaining quite significant). They’re not generally arguments made on a fast-paced radio program or around a kitchen table.
Regardless, Premier Couillard’s nix (a complete ban) earlier this week on any shale gas extraction within Québec was directly related to the public’s lack of appetite for running various environmental risks. That in itself shows just how touchy a matter energy and the environment can be in many parts of Québec – regardless of what arguments and counter-arguments are presented.
But what really makes things complex is that there is a large part of Québec (the Québec City and surrounding regions) which would be for the pipelines, whereas another large part of Québec (Montréal and surrounding regions) is very much anti-pipelines. There’s a lot of internal debate in Québec, and heavy-weight public personalities, on both sides of the issues, are making very vocal arguments in the media – television, radio, and newspapers (often anti-pipeline voices are heard much louder simply by nature the Québec’s media base being physically located in Montréal).
It will be very interesting to see how things pan out over the next year. I personally predict that the pipeline will be built, a much less sensitive location will be found for the new export port, but that the Federal Conservatives and Liberals will both continue to pay a political price in the Montréal region (whereas they’ll continue to fare quite well in the Québec City region) — status quo if you will. The provincial Liberal government’s own public opinion ratings (and the CAQ which is allied with the government on this issue), as well as those of the opposition PQ may also see similar political consequences shift in théier favour or against them based on a Montréal / Québec City split.
That’s my prediction, but time will tell. As usual, things will remain quite interesting.
No way, le Figaro (#76)
November 4, 2014 1:37 am / Leave a comment
A word of caution: Subjects discussed here are rapidly evolving, and certain matters quickly become outdated. Refer to the addendums at the bottom for the most updated information.
French President, François Hollande, is on a state visit to Canada. Because of the strong business relations being forged between Alberta and France, he chose to visit Alberta as his first stop to Canada, Ottawa as his second stop, and Québec as his third. This was a break from tradition which sees French Presidents or Prime Ministers generally visit Ottawa first and Québec second (or sometimes the other way around if the trip to Québec is viewed as a private visit). This trip to Alberta was not to be considered a snub to Québec. There are simply important business matters developing between various provinces and France, and President Hollande made note during his trip that he viewed the economic activities of Alberta as being vital to France and Québec alike.
Hollande decided to give Alberta a nod of confidence, and Canada a nod of confidence, including Québec. For Albertans, it was a humbling gesture — the people of Alberta were very honoured and grateful (media coverage within Alberta was extensive — I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so much local coverage granted to any other visited head of state to Alberta, including those of US Presidents… that in itself should speak volumes). This gesture will go a long way to building Alberta’s feelings of interest and affection towards France, and towards all of our cousins in La Francophonie in general.
Then Le Figaro, a major national newspaper in France, in one fell swoop, came out with a thunder stealing article, and gave Alberta a few hard kicks to the gut. Quote:
Le camouflet de Stephen Harper à François Hollande: À la veille de la venue du président de la République français au Canada, le gouvernement dirigé par Stephen Harper a décidé de rebaptiser le pont Champlain, à Montréal, en pont Maurice-Richard, du nom d’un joueur de hockey populaire. Le Français Samuel de Champlain, fondateur de Québec en 1608, passe à la trappe, alors même que François Hollande a choisi de se rendre dans la très francophobe Alberta. Un symbole fort.
Ok, Le Figaro… you had your word. I’ll now have mine...
Quand vous nous appelez “la très francophobe Alberta”, précisément de qui et de quoi parlez-vous ?
Si vous parlez d’un peuple ou d’un gouvernement dans son ensemble (ce que vous me laissiez croire), en êtes-vous au courant que le gouvernement de l’Alberta investit, chaque année, de plus en plus d’argent dans l’édification de nouvelles écoles francophones et d’immersion, y compris leur soutien croissant dans l’éducation du français en général? Il le fait non seulement de nécessité pour les francophones de la province, mais également comme démarche afin de rendre les anglophones plus bilingues – qui d’ailleurs, a pour effet de faire en sorte que l’Alberta puisse s’intégrer davantage dans la francophonie à la fois pancanadienne, à la fois globale. Et ce, sans toutefois parler de son investissement dans le rendement des services en français
Au niveau individuel, en êtes-vous au courant qu’en ce moment, le nombre d’élèves en Alberta qui suivent des cours de français est l’équivalent de la population totale de toute la ville de Montpellier en France? Saviez-vous que la demande des parents d’inscrire leurs enfants dans les cours d’immersion est si accrue qu’il existe maintenant des listes d’attente en raison d’une manque de professeurs? (Note aux lecteurs et lectrices de France: si vous êtes professeur et vous êtes à la recherche d’emploi, Alberta en a besoin de vous. Salaire de première année 40,000 € (55,000$CAD), salaire de cinquième année 55,000 € (75,000$CAD), avec prestations pour professeurs aussi bonnes en Alberta qu’en France – et ils/elles seront aceuilli(e)s à bras ouverts).
J’imagine, à moins que j’ai tort, que vous ne parliez pas de moi, ni de ma famille, ni de mes voisins, ni de ma ville, ni de mes amis – qui, pour la plupart, résident dans les régions rurales de l’Alberta. De plus, je n’ai jamais vu de la francophobie ni à Edmonton, ni à Calgary (nos deux villes les plus grandes). C’est d’ailleurs étrange, n’est-ce pas, que mes amis francophones qui habitent un peu partout en Alberta ne m’en ont jamais parlé d’avoir été victimes de la francophobie.
Alors, compte tenu de ce que je viens de décrire, je présume que vous ne parliez ni des deux grandes villes de l’Alberta, ni des régions rurales de l’Alberta, ni du gouvernement de l’Alberta. Alors, veillez m’excuser si je demeure un peu bafoué.
Je continue me casser la tête… Il doit y avoir de la logique quelque part dans votre article. Peut-être devrais-je me diriger un peu vers le sud de la province pour trouver la réponse? Malgré tout, c’est le sud de l’Alberta qui est “censé” être la région la plus conservatrice Mais à ma grande surprise, c’est en effet cette région-là qui reçoit le plus haut niveau d’immigration en Alberta… y compris des français de France! La ville de Calgary (toujours dans le sud, et dont le maire est musulman pratiquant), a un taux de minorités visibles de 30% à 35%, un chiffre qui ne cesse d’accroître en raison de l’immigration internationale (encore, veuillez me corrigez si j’ai tort, mais je croyais qui les immigrants ont tendance d’aller où ils croient que la discrimination n’existe pas et où ils peuvent trouver l’esprit le plus ouvert).
Et bien, je pense peut-être enfin savoir de quoi vous en parlez… Je ne peux croire que j’aie raté le coche à ce point. Vous devez sans doute être en train de parler de Sun News TV, basé à Calgary… Ce poste de télévision qui sert d’exemple d’une idéologie qui cherche, avec difficulté, à trouver des fidèles — et qui est tant considéré par les médias au Québec comme l’incarnation du Québec-Bashing. Ce poste, oui, on le connaît tous. Mais avec mois de 1% des cotes de téléspectateurs (oui, moins de 1%… c’est ça ce qu’on dit, le chiffre cité dans les médias)… je ne vois guère comment ce poste pourrait représenter l’Alberta en quelque forme que ce soit. Peut-être est-il dû au fait qu’il n’est qu’un poste de chroniqueurs à l’extrème bout d’une échelle, plutôt qu’un poste de vraies informations et d’actualités (même la CRTC en a dit autant, refusant de l’accorder une désignation catégorie “A”). Apparemment, ce poste a subi des pertes annuelles de l’ordre de 10 à 20 $ millions. Alors, tout le monde — même en Alberta — reste perplexe face au fait qu’il puisse demeurer toujours en ondes. Les chiffres exactes restent à vérifier (si vous avez les chiffres exactes, genez-vous pas de me les faire parvenir — car j’ai même lu quelque part que leur cotes pourraient être aussi bas que 0,2%). Moi, je ne trouve rien d’étonnant dans ces chiffres car je rencontre très très peu de gens, soit en Alberta, soit en C-B, soit en Saskatchewan, qui sont des fidèles de Sun News TV.
Alors, on se demande quel genre de propriétaire de chaîne de télévision pourrait tolérer une telle perte sur son bilan. N’est-ce sans doute une personne qui aurait perdu toute vue de la réalité? Autrement quel genre de personne serait incliné vider ses poches, année après année, pour garder un tel poste en vie ? Avec des pertes annuelles de 20$ millions par an, des cotes d’écoute de moins de 1%, et sur la surface du moins, un poste qui ne sert que de semer, par exprès, le désaccord entre le Québec et la Canada anglais, quel genre de personne ayant du bons sens pourrait vouloir garder un tel poste en vie? (N’oubliez jamais que ce sont les reporteurs de Sun News TV qui se font pointer du doigt le plus souvent lorsque les médias au Québec cherchent des exemples du Québec-Bashing de la part du reste du Canada — souvent par les chaînes Québecor de TVA et LCN, mais également par certaines émissions-débat / d’interview télévisées très populaires de Télé-Québec, Radio-Canada et certains chroniquers de journeaux). Sous n’importe quelle autre prétexte, un poste de télévision comme Sun News TV aurait déjà fait faillite il y a très longtemps.
Mais un instant! Le propriétaire de Sun News TV, n’est-il pas Pierre Karl Péladeau? (Le propriétaire de Québecor lui-même). C’est bizarre, car je croyais qu’il avait déjà vendu ses actions de Sun News Media. Mais non… au deuxième coup d’œil, il a seulement vendu ses actions dans la presse écrite de Sun News hors Québec… Et depuis qu’il est devenu député à la scène du Parti Québécois, il semble avoir décidé, mettant à disposition une bonté innée, garder Sun News TV en vie… et il faut se poser la question, pourquoi? Il va sans dire que ce mélange du monde des politiques, des ambitions personnelles pour la souveraineté, et des affaires dans l’industrie des médias est très dangereux, très très dangereux — et un conflit d’intérêt obscène. Cette fois, non seulement les Québécois sont bernés par ces tactiques, mais les Albertains se voient utilisés dans ce jeu dangereux, et presque personne au Québec ne leur donne la voix juste pour contrer ce stratgème – un stratagème pour faire que les Québécois nous haïssent.
M. Péladeau est un homme très intelligent, un homme d’affaires très astucieux qui sait comment utiliser son empire médiatique et ses investissements pour atteindre ses buts ultimes. Mème si ses stratagèmes qui ne sont pas annoncés prima-facie, et même si ses actions de Québecor sont mises en fiducie sans droit de regard, le fait qu’il y a une compagnie médiatique associée à son nom avec des investissement qui s’en écoulent toujours (dont il doit surement avoir un droit de décision, tout comme il l’aurait eu dans la décision de garder Sun News TV en vie) aurait toujours de répercussions politiques. C’est souvent le “pouvoir discret” (“soft power” comme on dit en anglais) qui compte plus que le “hard power”.
Alors, quelle serait la prochaine étape? L’Achat des Ramparts de Québec comme étape additionnelle envers le repatriement d’une équipe LNH? C’est sur que ça va arriver car les affaires de la planification de l’amphitéatre de Québec, du gouvernement Marois, de Québecor et des contrats qui l’entourent était trops entremêlées pour en croire autrement. Mais comment reconcilier l’apparence (et la forte probabilité) que le tout aurait pu être planifié pour servir comme outil pour gagner les coeurs et âmes dans une région où il en a besoin de gagner le plus de votes possibles?
Je n’ai rien contre le fait que M. Péladeau s’engage dans la politique, à titre d’individuel et même à titre d’homme d’affaires. Le débat publique des idéologies devrait faire son chemin, et tout le monde y a droit. Mais il y a un problème lorsqu’on est homme d’affaire et ses placements puissent influencer les “sentiments” des gens. Ce sont les sentiments qui mènent aux votes — et à ce niveau les règles du jeu ne sont plus équitables (face à une telle situation, quel autre politicien, peu importe leur affiliation politique, pourrait vraiement livrer concurrence?).
Le “pouvoir discret”, ça parle fort.
Peut-être c’est dans ces histoires où vous trouverez votre vrai scoop.
Monsieur ou madame l’éditeur ou l’éditrice au Figaro, on ne vit plus dans l’époque de la visite du Général de Gaulle. On est en 2014. Peut-être c’est le temps de revisiter ce que vous en savez de la situation actuelle en Alberta. Peut-être c’est le temps de différencier l’époque de la visite de M. Hollande de celle du Général de Gaulle.
M. Hollande semble en avoir pris conscience. Peut-être c’est également à votre tour.
Sorry folks, but Alberta bashing is so not cool!
2014-12-14, ADDENDUM:
There are new developments in this saga (see below), and so I think it’s appropriate to translate the above so add coherency. The translation is as follows…
Summarized paragraph of Le Figaro’s article:
On the eve of the visit of the President of the French Republic to Canada, the government of Steven Harper has decided to rename the Champlain Bridge, in Montréal, the Maurice-Richard Bridge, after a popular hockey player. The French explorer, Samuel de Champlain, founder of Québec in 1608, was tossed aside, just at the same time that François Hollande decided to visit the very francophobic Alberta; quite a message that sends.
My response to that:
When you call us the “very francophobic Alberta”, exactly who and what are you talking about?
If you’re talking about a people or a government in its entirety (which you’re leading me to believe), are you aware that the government of Alberta is investing, year-after-year, more and more money in the building of new Francophone and French immersion schools, as well as an overall support for French education in general? It is doing this not only out of necessity for the province’s Francophones, but also to help Anglophones become more bilingual – which has the effect of also allowing Alberta to integrate further into Canada’s and the world’s French fabric. And this is not to mention the additional services in French that the Alberta government now provides.
On an individual level, are you aware that at this very moment there are more students in Alberta who are studying French than the number of individuals who make up the entire population of the city of Montpellier in France? Are you aware that the parental demand for French immersion placement outnumbers the number of places available, resulting in waiting lists due to a lack of a teacher shortage? (Note to readers in France: If you are a teacher and you’re looking for a job, Alberta needs you. First year salary, $55,000, fifth year salary $75,000, with a benefits package just as good in Alberta as it is in France – and you can expect to be welcomed with open arms!).
Unless I’m wrong, I can only guess that you’re not talking about me, nor my family, nor my neighbours, town, or friends – who, for the most part, reside in rural regions of Alberta. Whats more, I have never witnessed Francophobia or Francophobic Acts in Edmonton or Calgary, our two largest cities. So isn’t it strange that my Francophone friends in Alberta, who live a little bit of everywhere in the province, have never ever mentioned being the victims of Francophobia?
In light of what I’ve just described, I can only assume you were not referring to our largest cities, nor our rural regions, nor the government of Alberta. So excuse me if I’m left a little perplexed.
I’m still racking my brains over this one… I mean, I’m sure there has to be some logic somewhere in your argument. Maybe I should look to regions a little further South in Alberta to find the answer. After all, it’s the South which is “supposed to be” the most conservative. But… to my huge surprise, it’s actually the Southern parts of Alberta which have the highest rates of immigration in Alberta… including French immigrants from France! The city of Calgary, in the South (and which has a practicing Muslim mayor) has a visible minority rate of 30% to 35%, a number which continues to climb. So excuse me again if I’m wrong, but don’t immigrants tend to go where they believe discrimination does not exist, or at least where they feel people have the most open minds?
Oh, but wait a second… I think I finally might know what you’re talking about… I can’t believe this one went past me. You most certainly must be talking about Sun News TV, based in Calgary. Yes, this is the television station which upholds an ideology which is still looking for people to hook on to – but which is having such a difficult time finding those people. It’s also the television station which is considered by Québec’s media to be the incarnation of Québec bashing itself. This station, yes, we all know it. But with no better success than attracting less than 1% of television viewership (yes, less than 1% … that’s what they say, it’s the number cited in the media)… I can’t possibly see how this station is representative of Alberta in any form of substance. Perhaps all of this is due to it being nothing more than a station of columnist opinion-makers at the extreme end of a scale, rather than a true news station (even the CRTC said as much when they refused to grant it category “A” status). Apparently this station has been suffering annual losses of around $20 million. Thus, everyone — even in Alberta — remains a bit baffled that it can manage to stay on air. The exact numbers need to be verified (if you have them, please don’t be shy and let me know — because I’ve even read that their share of market viewership may even be as low as 0.2%). Personally, I don’t find anything shocking in such numbers because I know of very very few people in Alberta, BC, or Saskatchewan who actually watch Sun News TV. I watch it from time to time, but only to find out what absurdities they’re talking about, not because I agree with them — and I think that’s the case for the other few who also might tune into it once or twice a month.
So… It begs the question: What kind of an TV station owner could ever tolerate such a loss on their balance sheet? It could only be someone who has lost touch of all sense of reality. Otherwise, what person would be inclined to empty their pockets, year after year, to keep such a station alive? With annual losses approaching $20 million, viewership numbers of less than 1%, and on the surface at least, a station which appears to have a main goal of causing division between Québec and English Canada, what type of person in their right sense would ever want to keep such a station alive? (Never forget that its the reporters of Sun News TV who are on the receiving end of fingers pointing at them when Québec media looks for examples of Québec Bashing on the part of the rest of Canada… and it’s often Québecor’s TVA, LCN and debating / opinion-maker interview programs on Télé-Québec, Radio-Canada, and certain newspaper columnists who do the finger pointing).
In any other context, a station like Sun News TV would have gone bankrupt a long time ago.
But wait a second! The owner of Sun News TV, isn’t he Pierre Karl Péladeau? (The owner of Québecor himself). That’s strange – I thought he already sold his shares in Sun News Media. But no! On second glance, he only sold his shares in the written press outside Québec. Since he became a Member of the National Assembly within the Parti Québécois, he seems to have decided, in all his goodness, to keep Sun News TV alive and well…. And now the question begs to be answered: WHY?
It goes without saying that this mix of politics, personal ambitions for sovereignty, and media business is very dangerous — and an obscene conflict of interest. This time, not only have Québécois had the wool pulled over their eyes, but now even Albertans are being used as pons in this dangerous game — and almost nobody in Québec is giving them a fair voice to counter this strategy — one which is to make Québec hate us.
Mr. Péladeau is a very intelligent man, a very acute business man who knows how to use his media empire and investments to attain his ultimate goals. Even if his strategies are not announced prima facie, and even if his shares are placed in a blind trust, the fact that there continues to be a company associated with his name – with all the repercussions which stem from such a company’s investments (for which he surely has a right of decision, such as keeping Sun News TV alive) — makes it so that there will always be political repercussions. It’s often soft power which counts more than hard power.
So, what will be the next step? The purchase of the Québec Ramparts hockey team? After all, this would go a long way to promote ticket sales with which to attract an NHL hockey franchise back to Québec City. I can’t see how such a purchase will not go through. After all, look at what has happened with the contracts and laws surrounding the construction of the new Québec coliseum, the Marois-lead PQ, Québecor’s involvement, and how it has all been interconnected. In such a scenario, it’s difficult to reconcile the appearance (and strong possibility) of a conflict of interest, in the sense that it was all pre-planned as a tool with which to win hearts and minds (and thus votes) in a region where PKP and the PQ needs to win them the most (that being Québec City).
I have nothing against Mr. Péladeau becoming a politician, as an individual or as a businessman. The public debate of ideologies and the future of Québec needs to run its course – and everyone has a right to their ideologies. But the problem arises when a businessman’s ownership in massive conglomerates can influence the “emotions” of people. It’s always emotions which lead to votes – and in this sense the game is no longer equal (in the face of such a situation, what other politician, regardless of their political adherance, even those in the PQ, can actually compete against this?).
“Soft power” speaks loud.
Perhaps it’s in this story that you’ll find your real scoop.
Mr. or Mrs. Editor at Le Figaro, we no longer live in the period of Général de Gaulle. We live in 2014. Perhaps it’s time to revisit what you know about Alberta. Perhaps it’s time to differentiate between the eras of Mr. Hollande’s visit, and that of Général de Gaulle.
President Hollande seems to have realized it. Pehaps it’s now your turn.
Guess who I just found out bought Les Ramparts de Québec a couple of days ago! Tonight’s hometown first match under new ownership: PKP/Québecor vs. Les Olympiques de Gatineau.
And to Louise Beaudoin, Pierre Curzi and Lisette Lapointe… things seem a lot clearer now, and you three must have seen this coming. Now I can understand how difficult your decision must have been in 2011 to leave the PQ. It appears now that you three acted with extreme integrity when confronted with la loi 204 — My level of respect for all three of you just went up 100 points.
The next few months are going to be interesting.
Write about that, Le Figaro.
ADDENDUM 2014-12-14:
A couple of days ago, Patrick Bellerose (a published commentator) wrote an article in the Québec (French) addition of The Huffington Post.
In his article, he draws many of the same inferences I am with respect to the appearance of PKP making strategic business investments attain votes and his political goals – leading to the eventual independence of Québec through the winning over a population which is currently not hot on the idea.
However, what I find extremely interesting about Bellerose’s article is that he found a completely different business deal, but with the same kind of end-goal as those I mentioned. Combine Bellerose’s inferences with those of mine, and it seems we’re seeing a very dangerous pattern beginning to develop.
We’re now way beyond the realm of soft-power vote-buying for something like the re-paving of a highway or the location of a government office in a riding. Rather – we’re now entering the realm of the future of a Canada, and its 35 million+ inhabitants. The stakes are high, and the game being played on PKP’s end has the appearance of being a dirty strategy. This is worrisome because there are no other politicians who can compete against PKP’s personal money being used in this way to secure votes, hearts & minds.
Here is the link to Bellerose’s article: http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/12/11/vision-globale-achetee-pour-aider-la-campagne-de-pkp-_n_6310470.html
In a nutshell, what he is saying is the following…
PKP is a member of the National Assembly (MNA) representing the relatively rural provincial riding of St-Jérôme. Mirabel International Airport (Montréal’s former main international airport), which has been closed for years to commercial passenger traffic, is physically situated close to where the majority of the St-Jérôme riding’s population lives. Following the closure of passenger traffic, Mirabel’s passenger terminal has been in a state of limbo, but has found new life as a backdrop for movies (if you watch Hollywood movies which contain airport scenes, you may sometimes notice that they’re filmed in Mirabel terminal — it’s the only major large-scale terminal of its type which is not being used in North America, making it perfect for movie sets).
The Québec film company, Vision Globale, is responsible for filming movies around Mirabel (it includes Mel’s studios). In June, after PKP became an MNA, he proposed to purchase Vision Globale. TVA Group (owned by Québecor, which is owned by PKP) recently just concluded the purchase, for $118 million. Prior to the purchase, PKP, in his capacity of a sitting MNA, attended a government committee meeting in which he urged government support for the purchase because it would keep Mel’s Studio ownership within Québec (PKP’s company was the only Québec bidder – so by default, it would see PKP become the owner of it). Making this proposition in committee was a blatant conflict of interest. The government’s ethic’s commissioner investigated it and agreed as such – but concluded it was an unintentional error on the part of PKP. Fine, ok, no problem. That’s conflict of interest #1 in this affair, but I can let it slide.
But there’s now another conflict of interest (conflict of interest #2), which is more serious, and this one shouldn’t be allowed to slide…
The purchase of Vision Globale (& Mel’s Studios) for sure will secure jobs for PKP’s riding, and will help to ensure his popular support in his riding. That’s the real conflict of interest (not the fact that he brought it up in government committee). But what’s worse is that it Bellerose alleges PKP made the purchase at a significant financial loss (Vision Globale is losing money, and minority shareholders in TVA Group say Vision Globale should not have been worth $118 million). Allegedly, this has greatly upset minority shareholders in TVA Group, because they never would have approved the deal. However, because they were only minority shareholders (PKP has the majority of shares), they had no say. Adding insult to injury, Bellerose presents evidentiary statements which claim that, as part of the deal, PKP’s company issued a slew of additional shares as part of the deal, which further diluted any say existing TVA Group minority shareholders would have had.
Bellerose states that minority shareholders are now proposing that any further moves in this affair be put to a shareholder’s vote, presumably so that true shareholder sentiment and views can be made public. Bellerose says that TVA Group says these accusations or inferences are groundless.
My thoughts now?… The Radio-Canada investigative reporting program “Enquête” (similar to W5 or The Fifth Estate) did an amazing job of piecing together small indicators and chunks of apparent wrong-doings in a former scandal (unrelated to PKP), and using them to uncover one giant corruption scandal involving municipal governments and the construction industry (road resurfacing, bridge construction, etc.). It was the biggest government scandal in Québec’s history.
There seems to be the makings of a pattern in this new story too, which piece-by-piece are leading to a bigger picture. It’s perhaps time that something like Enquête takes this one on too. If there’s nothing there, fine. But if there is… we need to know. Too much is at stake (the future of a country is bigger than the future of the resurfacing of a road).
FURTHER ADDENDUMS, END 2014:
PKP, in his role as a “politician”, speaks out in the National Assembly to limit Netflick’s potential harm to Québec culture, and seeks restrictions on Netflick… and who will that directly help? PKP’s own company, Québecor and TVA. Hmmm… conflict of interest?
The CEM (a department of Université Laval) was requested by Premier Couillard to investigate PKP’s conflict of interest allegations. The CEM refuses to investigate, citing the situation is too politically sensitive and charged for them to become involved: http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/12/18/le-cem-refuse-detudier-le-cas-de-pkp_n_6348758.html
PKP gives less-that-stellar performance when faced with hard economic Questions by Gérard Fillion. Normally this would be big news (PKP is Mr. Québec Business Tycoon) but Argent doesn’t mention even two words about his economic viewpoints or performance in economic interviews … it appears PKP is still their boss and will return one day. Info regarding the interview can be viewed HERE.
ADDENDUM 2015-02-09
Another clear example of the influence of PKP’s media empire and its conflict of interest with PKP’s political life. A few days ago PKP was at a major music festival (attended by another PQ candidate, Alexandre Cloutier, mayors, other officials, and large crowds of fans). During the concert, an Anglophone band was playing a song and PKP shouted out “En français!” as they were singing in English – enough to throw the band off, not knowing how to react. Seriously?!? What kind of place with Québec be should he come to power. Neither Pauline Marois, nor Bernard Landry would have done this. Quite possibly, even Mario Beaulieu (known as the most nationalist of all sovereignty leaders) likely would not have done this either. This was covered and carried by all the media, in detail, over a few days, including all the television stations, except (drum roll)… TVA. Yup… I’ve been waiting for a week, watching everyone else talk about it over and over… but am still waiting for TVA to say something. I guess they “never heard of it”.
Radio-Canada’s coverage can be viewed by clicking HERE.
La Press’ coverage can be viewed by clicking HERE.
(Yes, his newspapers did carry it… but only because they’re stacked with opinion-makers like nothing else): Journal de Montréal’s can be viewed by clicking HERE.
Sun News TV is closing tomorrow morning… the reason: nobody is watching it (only 8000 people at any one time), and annual costs of $16 – $18 million per year. The other reason: It looks like PKP really really wants to avoid being forced to sell his company Québecor for conflict of interest. It remains to be seen what happens next. Nonetheless, if you read the above, you will notice that sometimes the crystal ball is right (another article for you, Le Figaro).
I will say this — and I’m very categorical in this statement — : I did NOT want SunNews to shut down with the aim of stifling their manner of disseminating information, or the dissemination of their ideologies. What I AM happy about is that many of their ideologies did not resonate with Anglophone Canadians – to the extent that they were not financially viable. I am a full supporter of free speech — loud and clear speech of all ideologies, from all directions. It just happened that Anglophone Canada did not like what they were saying. That, my friends, is the crux of what I am happy about (not the fact that they were shut down for the sake of being shut down). And like I said earlier in this post… Write about that, Le Figaro! (and while you’re at it, send a copy of your article by express mail to PKP’s constituency office, you know, for good measure, “en français SPV”!).
Billet au Huff-Post Québec: Le jeu de la loyauté http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/louis-michel-gratton/le-jeu-de-la-loyaute_b_6707782.html – Ça va de soi. L’Entête: Depuis que PKP s’est lancé en politique, il m’est impossible d’écouter les nouvelles de LCN ou encore de lire un article du Journal de Montréal, sans me demander si les journalistes sont en mesure de faire abstraction de l’idée que leur « ancien patron » reviendra un jour en affaires. Louis Michel Gratton)
Here’s yet another one with a familiar ring to it. Last week PKP was taking questions at a press conference. National assembly rules do not state that reporters are only allowed one question each. Other politicans do, and always have, taken follow-up questions from the same reporter. But PKP changed the rules at his press conferences; one reporter, one question. Even if others have a problem with that (and many do) I have absolutely no problem with that. He can run his show any way he wants. After all, at election time voters will ultimately decide if they do or do not like how he runs the show.
But here’s the beef… Québec’s non Québecor carried this news like a wildfire takes to a mountainside. It was one of the top headlines and most trending new stories in Québec last week. But funny how TVA didn’t seem to know about it. Not a peep. There’s another one for you to write about, Le Figaro.
Is official without being official… Drainville withdrew from the leadership course and endorsed PKP. He’s now the defacto head of the PQ. He now has three years to realign the PQ to try to convince voters to endorse sovereignty. To do so he will likely re-centre the party. This will isolate and turn off the more left-wing elements in the party, but he will do so in the hope that he will pick up new centre and right-of-centre supporters to off-set the losses from the left.
The question now will be if he will consider the next provincial election a “referendum election” (ie: to hell with a referendum, and just go straight to sovereignty if the electors elect him after being forewarned).
Round 1:
Yesterday Dominic Maurais of Radio-X interviewed Vincent Marissal, a well-known newspaper columnist. Marissal wrote a column in which he touched upon a massive star-studded rally Snyder is trying to put together for the crowining of PKP as head of the PQ.
Marissal states that he has inside info that Snyder is wielding her influence as one of Québec’s best connected media and cultural personalities to call in favours from many in the artistic world her owe her one (singers, artists, TV personalities, etc.). She is trying to get 101 personalities to appear in a massive show to support PKP on May 8th.
Marissal asserts that this has left many artists uncomfortable, but many owe her for past favours. It is a conundrum for many artists. In addition, many fear being damage to their careers if they refuse to Snyder’s call, and subsequently find themselves locked out of Québecor’s (TVA, and by extension Productions J) media sphere (which controls 40% of Québec’s media).
Later on the same interview show, Pierre Céré, one of those running for the head of the PQ, insinuated that Vincent Marissal’s assessment is not necessarily wrote. He stated that it worries him, That is big news – and it is going over the head of most people.
To add to all of this, the purported rally is to take place in Québec City’s new Ampithéatre ($90 million hockey & multi-purpose stadium) owned by Vidéotron, which is owned by Québecor, and thus owned by PKP. It may take the defacto form of a giant “Thank-you PKP” festival (after all, Québec City die-hard hockey fan residents have been desperate for the construction of a new stadium with which to try to attract the Nordiques back to the city). The rally’s goals would thus be to win the hearts and minds in the Québec City region, and turn them to PKP, AKA Jesus — all in a region where PKP and the PQ desperately need votes.
If people were only aware…
My thoughts: An extremely dangerous situation, if it’s true. What single other politician (provincial or federal) can compete with such Snyder-PKP tactics. Whether it works or not will be whether people manage to see through it.
(there y’are, Le Figaro!, have at ‘er!!)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1685
|
__label__cc
| 0.708561
| 0.291439
|
quotefancy Create Yours
Friedrich Nietzsche Quotes
“Become who you are.”
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
“There are two different types of people in the world, those who want to know, and those who want to believe.”
“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
“The higher we soar the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly.”
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”
“Every deep thinker is more afraid of being understood than of being misunderstood.”
“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”
“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”
“I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible.”
“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”
“The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die. As well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be mind.”
“All I need is a sheet of paper and something to write with, and then I can turn the world upside down.”
“The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything.”
“He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.”
“In heaven, all the interesting people are missing.”
“I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses.”
“When we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago.”
“All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.”
“That which is done out of love is always beyond good and evil.”
“In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.”
“It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.”
“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.”
“Man is the cruelest animal.”
“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”
“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.”
“The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.”
“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.”
“What does your conscience say? — 'You should become the person you are'.”
“The author must keep his mouth shut when his work starts to speak.”
“Perhaps I know best why it is man alone who laughs; he alone suffers so deeply that he had to invent laughter.”
“The visionary lies to himself, the liar only to others.”
“One repays a teacher badly if one always remains nothing but a pupil.”
“We have art in order not to die of the truth.”
“That which does not kill me, makes me stronger.”
“Art is the proper task of life. ”
“Live dangerously.”
“There are no facts, only interpretations.”
“Ah, women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent.”
“We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.”
“Amor Fati – “Love Your Fate”, which is in fact your life.”
“One ought to hold on to one's heart; for if one lets it go, one soon loses control of the head too.”
“God is dead, God remains dead, and we have killed him.”
“Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings – always darker, emptier and simpler.”
“A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.”
“And once you are awake, you shall remain awake eternally.”
54 WALLPAPERS 288909 POINTS
100 WALLPAPERS 153454 POINTS
John Lennon Quotes
LIFE LOVE PEACE
441 WALLPAPERS 32515 POINTS
50 WALLPAPERS 31522 POINTS
Seneca Quotes
LIFE LOVE PHILOSOPHY
Bob Marley Quotes
Mother Teresa Quotes
Lao Tzu Quotes
LIFE WRITING LOVE
Eckhart Tolle Quotes
LIFE LOVE SRESS
Confucius Quotes
EDUCATION LIFE LOVE
LIFE LOVE DESTINY
Save image...
Copy quote text
Get Inspired. Get Motivated.
We're on a mission of turning inspiring quotes into beautiful wallpapers. Start your week with a motivational kick. Don't miss out on our next weekly batch.
Join 48,000+ other people and subscribe to Quotefancy Weekly Digest.
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe any time.
hello@quotefancy.com
© 2020 Quotefancy. All rights reserved.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1690
|
__label__wiki
| 0.56562
| 0.56562
|
Tag: erika chiba
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei – 11
Mahouka rebounds from a dull episode by being—Shocking Truth—not dull, as the Nine Schools Competition (NSC) finally kicks off and we actually get to see some of the competitive events. Mahouka hums along with its trademark show-and-tell method, in which we’re shown the action of an event in progress while being given play-by-play and analysis from the spectators.
When executed with a proper balance, as I thought it was this week, the method works well in providing simultaneous education (about the show’s rich magical universe) and entertainment. There’s also a creative, diverse mix of magical sports: Battle Board, Speed Shooting, Crowd Ball, and Ice Pillars Break; all of which First High girls Watanabe, Saegusa, and Chiyoda, respectively, straight-up dominate.
Interspersed between the official events are an equally diverse array of nice character beats between Tatsuya and several characters, starting with a kind of pep talk to Mikihiko, small talk with Honoka, an informal powwow with his military superiors, Miyuki visiting his hotel room late at night (for an innocent purpose), the whole gang hanging out in his room (which felt very high-school-y), and the most intimate encounter he’s had yet with Saegusa, who seems to be pressing her attack.
These were all good beats, but I think I liked that last one best. There’s nothing silly or awkward about Tatsuya and Saegusa’s rapport, and like many anime characters of her status, Saegusa seems to be attracted to the fact Tatsuya isn’t intimidated by her and doesn’t put her on a pedestal. She says it feels like having a little brother, but that’s also perhaps what she’s looking for in a boyfriend; something like an equal.
This episode didn’t solve the problem of how only a handful of the vast ocean of characters seem talented enough to be at the NSC, though it did reinforce the power of the ones who were, nor did it start the impending rivalry between Tatsuya and the Third High kid. In fact, the other school kids were only ever on the losing side of things here. All the success this week suggests First High will face some actual adversity soon, whether from the actions of the No-Head Dragons, or the fact the fellas haven’t been pulling their weight.
First High can still win the tournament despite the lads’ slacking, but they’ll have to win the majority of the remaining events, and depend on an exemplary performance from their rookies. This may also herald Tatsuya’s entry in the tournament as a competitor and not just a tech. Finally, his fellow Tech Izumin certainly had an ominous vibe about her, didn’t she? I wonder if she’ll also be a source of future trouble at the NSC.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags chiyoda kanon, erika chiba, flirting, ice pillars, izumin, kitayama shizuku, mitsui honoka, nine schools competition, patriarch, saegusa mayumi, saijou leonhart, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, speed shooting, The Irregular at Magic High School, yoshida mikihiko
A good episode hides its weaknesses or turns them into strengths, but this week was middling because it laid bare its weaknesses without any real effort to mitigate them. One of those is a weakness common among school-based shows, magical or not: character bloat.
Only two characters from one of the other eight schools even get any lines, which is strange, considering this would have been the time to introduce the competition in a relaxed setting. But that was kind a relief, as First High brought nearly every named character along. There are already too many characters fighting for time.
I actually liked how Erika & Co. were forced by their families to take odd jobs so they could attend and observe; for one thing, it allowed Erika to get the best conversation in with Tatsuya, in which she notes how his coldness can be a comfort. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she likes the guy.
I also like Miyuki finally saying categorically she doesn’t see her blood brother as a potential love interest—we just don’t like how she’s surrounded by sundry extraneous characters in an tacked-on onsen scene. There’s nothing wrong with slice-of-life or idle banter, but it tends to sap the urgency of an episode that should be trying to build it up.
Miyuki did get to be a badass in contributing to stopping the errant SUV from hitting the bus, but the reactions of some of the students highlighted another weakness: most of the students outside the core group don’t give off anything resembling an air of competency, as if they need people like Tatsuya around to save their skins again and again, because they’re useless.
Perhaps we’re being harsh, as they’re still just kids, but this is supposed to be an elite school, and I only feel that eliteness from a handful of students, many of them weeds. The Patriarch Kudou Retsu seemed to read my mind when he employed low-level magic on a large scale that only five of the hundreds of students assembled saw through.
The bus incident and the thieves Miki encounters are both indications the very type of enemy Kudou warned about is indeed crashing what’s supposed to be a friendly interscholastic competition. As with the Blanche incident, students alone won’t be enough to thwart them; it will take those with both the ability and intent to do what is necessary.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 7 Jun 2014 Sun, 8 Jun 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags banquet, buses, course two, erika chiba, irregular, kitayama shizuku, mibu sayaka, mitsui honoka, nine schools competition, patriarch, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, The Irregular at Magic High School, yoshida mikihiko, yotsuba4 Comments on Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei – 10
This show can be forgiven for its talkiness not just because it often backs it up with awesome action (albeit not much this week), but because of its confidence; its steadfast belief there’s no such thing as too much talk. I noticed a bit of a pattern in this episode of Mahouka: one of seemingly innocuous encounters and discussions escalating into more serious situations.
Those escalations propel the story and boost our comprehension of relationships and positions. At the end of last week’s episode, Miyuki came down to show her brother her cute outfit, but it turned into much more than that, as Tatsuya showed her he’d cracked the flying magic and let her demonstrated. This week’s first scene has the siblings at FLT, where the research teams in the trenches hold Tatsuya in high esteem and regard him with awe, much like Miyuki does.
Then the siblings just happen to cross paths with their father and the family butler, neither of whom even bother acknowledging Tatsuya’s presence, as if he’s no better than pond scum. Naturally, Miyuki takes exception to their conduct, and we’re off to the races, with Tatsuya essentially having to calm her from freezing the whole zip code. Tatsuya deals with loathing and worship the same way: levelheadedly.
This week also marks the return of Mizuki, who hasn’t had much to do the past few episodes. She’s just standing around when she senses something strange, which turns out to be Mikihiko practicing with ancient spirits. Her presence throws him off enough to momentarily lose control, but Tatsuya appears and protects Mizuki with his awesomeness. We learn just how valuable some factions find those eyes of hers—and the lengths to which some would go to obtain them.
After an awkward launch ceremony, a fairly routine bus trip seems to be underway, with all the requisite mundane high school banter (apparently President Saegusa wants Tatsuya to notice her, Shizuka and Honoka tell Miyuki how awesome they think Tatusya is, etc.). But then all hell breaks loose when a truck explodes in the path of the buses, and several students spring into action at once (too many chefs?). This Nine Schools Competition is so intense, even getting there is a treacherous ordeal!
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sun, 1 Jun 2014 Sun, 1 Jun 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags buses, course two, erika chiba, FLT, irregular, kirihara takeaki, kitayama shizuku, mibu sayaka, mitsui honoka, nine schools competition, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, The Irregular at Magic High School, yoshida mikihiko, yotsuba
*Note: I realize the couple on the left is Gilgamesh and Saber from Fate, but if you squint, they kinda look like anime Jaime (Janime?) and Cersei…no? Well, Google Image Search seemed to think so…
“There are no men like me. Only me.” Sorry to open with a Jaime Lannister quote of all things, but there are often times when the very close Shiba siblings remind me of Jaime and Cersei in better times, only without the overt incest. Not only that, Jaime’s quote could also be used to describe Tatsuya: in his present world, there are no men like him…only him.
First he became the first Weed in the disciplinary committee, and made an instant and substantial impact, foiling a terrorist plot. In this heavily process-oriented episode, the Magic High equivalent of an interscholastic sports festival approaches, and he becomes the first weed and first first year voted onto First High’s technical staff. His process in coding Kirihara’s CAD irks his skeptics, but they can’t deny he did some extremely advanced work.
Tatsuya’s unique indispensability extends beyond school, to his duties as a “special officer” in some secret military unit in which he operates, as well as a contributor to the family business (FLT). In short, there may be no men like him, but he himself is many men to many people, and very few others aside from his sister, know about these other Tatsuyas.
So badass is Tatsuya, he spends the waning hours of the night not watching anime (or HBO), but working in the clinical basement of the mansion he and Miyuki share on a flying magic problem that stumped teams of scientists elsewhere in the world. When Miyuki pops in to show off an adorable outfit she’ll be wearing for the games, the show casually reveals he’s floating, having made a breakthrough. Even his leisure is work.
The Nine Schools Competition will expand the world we know about further, threatening his sui generis nature. One thing about Jaime’s “no men like me” quote is the fact it’s not quite correct: plenty of other men have risen fast, fight well, slain their kings and loved their sisters a bit too much. And as the end of last week’s episode gave us a glimpse of the lad who appears as Tatsuya’s mirror image in the OP (above), it would appear there are men like Tatsuya too!
P.S.: I fully support Erika’s staunch decision to wear bloomers for athletics.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 24 May 2014 Sun, 1 Jun 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags blanche, CAD, erika chiba, irregular, jaime lannister, juumonji katsuto, kirihara takeaki, leo, mibu sayaka, nine schools competition, rival, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, silver taurus, terrorists, The Irregular at Magic High School, third high, tsukasa hajime, uniqueness1 Comment on Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei – 08
The seven-episode “Enrollment” arc comes to an end on a high note, providing another nice balance of high-level action and character work that felt earned approached genuine poignancy a couple of times. The episode bursts out of the gate by having the Humvee carrying the assault team barrel straight through the front gate of Blanche’s Japan HQ.
Aside from a couple of quiet moments where Tatsuya counts the soldiers in the next room, the action doesn’t let up, and when the episode ticks past the ten minute mark, Blance’s hapless leader’s arm is lopped off by Kirihara, avenging Mibu. Erika and Leo don’t even have to do anything in the raid; it goes off without a hitch.
This was never about whether they’d defeat Tsukasa Hajime and his team of disposable soldiers; we knew going in from the composition of the party that they were going to make it look easy. What was in doubt was whether they’d still make it entertaining, and they succeeded. Tatsuya and Miyuki let no opportunity for a devastatingly bad-ass remark pass them by. For a moment I almost felt bad for Blanche, as the Shibas sounded far more dangerous and diabolical.
Another reason to make this such an easy fight was to demonstrate that Tatsuya isn’t just Miyuki’s brother, he’s her physical and emotional protector. All the arrogance and aloofness he’s displayed is explained by the simple fact there’s no reason for him to even be in high school if he doesn’t want to be; he’s already learned everything the school can teach him, and far more. But he does want to be there, by Miyuki’s side.
While it was a little neat and tidy for Sayaka and Tsukasa’s bro to be let off the hook due to hypnosis, we’re glad the arc stuck with Sayaka through her physical and more importantly, her emotional recuperation. She gets kudos from me for being so open and earnest about her feelings for Tatsuya and Kirihara, and how she came to see the latter as the better fit, as she fears she’d never catch up to the former.
Miyuki, meanwhile, is committed to staying right beside her brother, as long as he will allow her to—matching her steps to his is a cute way of showing this—even if he blasts into the heavens at light speed. But Tatsuya tells her he’s not here just to fulfill his duty, but because school could be his last opportunity to live a normal life with her, before his responsibilities preclude any pretense of normalcy.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sun, 18 May 2014 Sun, 18 May 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags blanche, bodyguard, counterattack, enrollment, erika chiba, headquarters, humvee, juumonji katsuto, kendo club, kirihara takeaki, mibu sayaka, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, terrorists, The Irregular at Magic High School, tsukasa hajime, unrequited love
Now this is more like it! If last week was slow and talky, even by Mahouka standards, the payoff it set the stage for here made it mostly worth it. Yes, this show still veers more towards “tell” than “show”, but the we got a lot more “show” this week that made the “tell” more palatable, as Tatsuya, Miyuki, Erika, and Leo work as a team to fight off the terrorists, infiltrate the library, and utterly foil their plot.
About that plot: Mibu joined the cause and agreed to assist in it because she thought they were making a stand against magic discrimination. But in the end, she was merely being used by Blanche, which only wanted the magical secrets the library contained. Even her personal sense of long-suffering oppression was a delusion based on a misunderstanding: she believed Watanabe had snubbed her, but refusing to spar with her was meant as a compliment to her sword skills.
This episode gave everyone in the core group something to do (except Mizuki), showing off their unique skills while they’re at it, and proving that Tatsuya isn’t the only one by far getting a short shrift because of their Course 2 status. Miyuki uses her magic for something other than punishing her brother for once, and Erika has a nice heated swordfight with Mibu. Mibu’s good—good enough to make Erika “play for keeps”—but she’s not good enough for that form of Erika, a “daughter of Shiba”.
With Mibu on the mend in the infirmary and the misunderstanding with Watanabe cleared up, there’s nothing left but for Mibu to have a good cry in Tatsuya’s arms. She knows she was wrong, owns up to it, and is encouraged to move forward, knowing know she was always her own worst enemy. But that’s not all we get: Tatsuya proposes a counterattack against Blanche. Miyuki, Erika, and Leo are going with, along with Juumonji and Kirihara. It’s a strong-looking group, and I look forward to watching them in action once again.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 10 May 2014 Sun, 11 May 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags anti-magic, blanche, blooms, counterattack, course 2, disciplinary committee, discrimination, erika chiba, juumonji katsuto, kendo, kendo club, kirihara takeaki, mibu sayaka, morisaki shun, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, terrorists, The Irregular at Magic High School, watanabe mari, weeds
I may be a bit buzzed from a rehearsal dinner earlier this evening, but damn, that was one talky episode! I know this series runs 26 episodes, but I feel like episodes like this aren’t the best way of going about setting up conflicts.
Mibu’s anti-discrimination faction finally makes their move, and Tatsuya’s relationship with Mibu pays dividends, as negotiations supersede violence, but the forum itself is a snooze-fest, with President Saegusa doing the lion’s share of the debating. There’s a lot of talking about stuff and not much of anything else.
Even Hana-Kana can’t do much with the material she’s given, and all of the characters fall victim to the plot—a Course 2 uprising aided by Blanche and its associated groups. The school erupts into chaos quite suddenly, but we’re too bored by all the discussion to be that affected by it.
I’m frankly rearing for some action after all this blabbing, something this episode frankly didn’t provide. I’m not saying every episode has to be a full-scale magic battle, but throw me a bone here. With the Shiba siblings headed towards the action, it looks like the next episode might wet my whistle.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 3 May 2014 Sun, 4 May 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags anti-magic, blanche, blooms, course 2, disciplinary committee, discrimination, erika chiba, kendo club, mibu sayaka, morisaki shun, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, terrorists, The Irregular at Magic High School, watanabe mari, weeds1 Comment on Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei – 05
Tatsuya’s actions in the Kendo Club fracas have already earned him a reputation within the school, and when he meets with Mibu Sayaka, rumors swirl about the two. But Tatsuya is far more interested in other rumors, such as those surrounding an element at Magic High being influenced by Blanche, an anti-magic terrorist organization.
When Mibu clarifies that she wants him to join the coalition of anti-magic clubs being organized, it’s as if he’s being courted by the other side. While Tatsuya himself is a victim of the systemic discrimination that led to the the Blooms and Weeds (which not doubt mirrors a similar rift in society outside school), he remains noncommittal, but will be watching Mibu’s actions closely…as others seem to be observing him (that doctor’s visit was pretty foreboding).
Tatsuya’s immersal into all this thick political soup started with his breaking up of the Kendo club brawl without the use of magic, or at least a type of magic generally used. This has been a pretty talky show from the start, but aside from one brief scene of a failed accosting, Tatsuya essentially walks from room to room having discussions the whole episode.
As a result, the episode on the whole, while attempting to build up intrigue, comes off as a bit of a chore: divulging all this info is necessary for later payoffs, but nothing particularly interesting happened here. During some of these scenes Miyuki demonstrates her fierce loyalty to and affection for her brother, as well as her intense jealousy at the mere mention of him getting friendly with another female, which sets off her “Ice Mode.”
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 26 Apr 2014 Sun, 27 Apr 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags anti-magic, blanche, blooms, course 2, disciplinary committee, discrimination, erika chiba, kendo club, mibu sayaka, morisaki shun, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, terrorists, The Irregular at Magic High School, watanabe mari, weeds2 Comments on Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei – 04
After being swiftly, decisively taken down a couple of pegs by the first-year Course 2 student, all Hattori can do is apologize to Miyuki and walk out quietly, but not before remarking that the tests that determine who’s a bloom and who’s a weed don’t relfect Tatsuya’s skills. In fact, those tests have a tremendous blind spot, where Tatsuya lives and thrives.
The analysis of the fight between the witnesses assembled got into fairly technical territory, but everyone was impressed enough—and the terms were intuitive enough—to conclude that Tatsuya uses magic like no one else they’ve seen, combining it with Kokonoe’s intensive ninjutsu training. As everyone marvels at the ingenuity and resourcefulness, Miyuki merely smiles with pride; she already knows what he’s capable of. (Later, she can’t help but show herself off to Tatsuya, and his auto-heal gambit is a neat twist on the Jealous-Sis Attack.)
After this week, the rest of the school will know too, very soon. Watanabe admits she’s grown weary of the rift between blooms and weeds (and the terms themselves), and sees Tatsuya not possessing the ideal skillset and disposition valuable disciplinary officer, but as a living, breathing, ass-kicking symbol of the fallacy of the current status quo. She puts him to work immediately, patrolling the maelstrom that is club recruitment week.
Tatsuya takes to his new duties like a duck to water, wasting no time swooping in to save Erika from a grabby mob. She inadvertantly rewards him with a peek at her cleavage, but forgives him when he accompanies her to the kendo club. She decries the sport as dull and staged; he posits that they can’t be anything else since true martial arts battles consist of two people killing each other.
And that right there is Tatsuya in a nutshell. The blooms perform flashy “exhibitions geared for publicity” that dazzle bystanders and earn them top marks, fancy badges, and the superiority kick that comes with them. Meanwhile, Tatsuya quietly, calmly works in the shadows, assessing; not showing anyone his hand until it’s too late for them, as it is for the kendo members who try to impede Tatsuya’s duties.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 Sat, 19 Apr 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags blooms, course 2, disciplinary committee, discrimination, erika chiba, hattori hanzou, kendo, morisaki shun, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, simulated battle, The Irregular at Magic High School, watanabe mari, weeds
Vice President Hattori is neither grateful nor impressed with Tatsuya’s neat little bit of diplomacy, but Tatsuya earned the gratitude of two other Blooms, as well as the attention of Disciplinary Committee Chairman Watanabe Mari. By the end of this episode, both the positive and negative ramifications would play in his favor.
When President Saegusa Mayumi offers Miyuki a spot on the student council, its another opportunity for Miyuki to demonstrate her fierce and unwavering loyalty to her brother by begging them to somehow bring him aboard too. But they can’t, because he’s a Course 2 student. That’s when Mari comes in, offering him a position on the disciplinary committee. When he hears of this, Hattori bristles, believing a lowly weed would be in over his head.
One thing I’m enjoying about how consistently the characters’ traits are portrayed; whether it’s Tatsuya’s calmness, Miyuki’s loyalty, Saegusa’s amity, Mari’s open-mindedness…or Hattori’s haughty assholishness. He’s the kind of snobbish creep you love to hate, and while he’s outnumbered this week, he still brings the hate strong and fast, spitting on weeds like Course 2 and glibly accusing Miyuki of nepotism.
Miyuki knows aspects of her bro neither we nor Hattori know, that the established practical tests couldn’t detect (hence his low scores), and which Mari caught a tantalizing glimpse of. So if Miyuki says he’ll win against anyone, she may well be speaking the truth, unclouded by affection. This is confirmed when Hattori is soundly beaten in a simulated battle.
Hattori may be a powerful magician capable of acing the same practical tests where Tatsuya struggled, but in an actual fight, he put himself at a disadvantage by assuming Tatsuya would simply go down exactly as he envisioned in his head, ignorant to his skills. Now Tatsuya will be the first weed with the power to discipline blooms. The times are changing, but I don’t see Hattori and his ilk blithely falling in line.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags blooms, course 2, disciplinary committee, duel, erika chiba, first high school, hattori hanzou, ishida kana, prejudice, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, simulated battle, student council, The Irregular at Magic High School, watanabe mari, weeds
It’s 2095, the world map has been redrawn and three billion people died in WWIII, and yes, people are still classist dicks to each other! Hooray! At the National Magic University Affiliated First High School—a suspiciously fancy and hoity-toity facility considering the world blew the shit up not too long ago—administrators decided to split the classes into elite “blooms” and lowly “weeds”, giving the former fancier insignia to go along with their inflated sense of superiority.
It seems like a pretty silly idea as opposed to, oh I don’t know, just having separate schools for the two courses…but whaevs. Brideing the Blooms and the Weeds are the Shiba siblings Tatsuya and Miyuki, who are often mistaken for twins because they’re so close—both in age and intimacy. Seriously, no Oreimo-style tsundereness on display here; Miyuki is super-caring, affectionate, dutiful sister who greatly admires her big bro and doesn’t like it when he’s slighted by family or enrolled as a reserve. They may be too close, but if Tetsuya minds, he doesn’t let on. Their quasi-romantic behavior is played up for mild laughter throughout.
I’m not going to lie: not a whole lot happened this week aside from the show laying out the world’s history, introducing the cast, demonstrating how magic works (it’s a man-made technology here) and setting up future alliances and conflicts. But I also can’t really pick out any glaring flaws; the execution was very polished, with even wide shots of masses of students fully drawn and colored. Ishida Kana did a great job with Aquarion Evol’s female characters, and I’m digging his character designs and classy uniforms here as well, esp. the way the girls’ skirts bear different patterns based on their magical focus.
There’s also a nice low-key futuristic quality to Iwasaki Taku’s subtle score. I see promise in Miyuki being torn betweeen the two classes, the triangle between Tatsuya, Miyuki, and perhaps Shibata, as well as the playful aggression between Erika and Leo. And Tatsuya’s way of equitably diffusing the fight at the end with his analytical adeptness shows he’s not just a punch-and-kick kinda protagonist. Oh, and hey, nobody’s trying to assassinate anyone!
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 5 Apr 2014 Sat, 5 Apr 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Spring 2014Tags blooms, erika chiba, first high school, ishida kana, saegusa mayumi, shiba miyuki, shiba tatsuya, shibata mizuki, The Irregular at Magic High School, war of the classes, weeds, wwiii5 Comments on Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei – 01
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1692
|
__label__wiki
| 0.657661
| 0.657661
|
Tag: tomoe
Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 12 (Fin)
Kami-Haji wastes no time piling on the adorableness in its final episode. Lil’ Nanami is button cute, just the kind of person you want to hold and squeeze and protect for all time. But we learn along with Tomoe that that cuteness is tempered by a steely resolve to look out for herself and be wary of men; advice given by her mother, who herself could not escape a life of bad luck with a crappy excuse for a man. We also learn that the women in her family only ever bear more women, all of them beautiful.
Tomoe is positively transfixed by this educational foray into Nanami’s past, and even though Mizuki tries on numerous occasions to nudge him to put an end to it, Tomoe watches on, even as things go from bad (Nanami’s mother dying, as expected) to worse (Nanami living with her awful dad, who does nothing but goof off and burn their house down). The things that happen to Nanami are almost comically cruel, but for all the slapstick mixed in with the narrative, the episode never makes light of her plight.
It also makes it clear these are the experiences that made Nanami the young woman she is today, and that something great and beautiful can come out of all that suffering and hardship. With that, Mizuki again confronts the lil’ Nanami to try to coax her back to the present, and again, she flees from Mizuki, who if we’re honest doesn’t have the most trustworthy aura about him.
Tomoe is different, though. Even though he’s a man, Nanami seems to trust him implicitly. Is it the connection she has with him in the present shining through here, or the connection between her family lineage and the god who granted them beauty at a heavy yet bearable and character-building cost?
Tomoe isn’t just a fan of lil’ Nanami because she’s adorable. He also likes the fact that everything she desires is clear to him here in her flashback world, as things she concentrates more on appear with more detail and in greater focus. Seeing everything she wants to clearly, and having the power to grant it all, Tomoe’s devotion for her grows. Here, when asked if he truly loves her and is someone she can count on, he can answer directly: yes he does.
Heck, he even proposes marriage, and she accepts…but when the grown Nanami wakes up, she’s seemingly forgotten everything about her dream, which deflates Tomoe quite a bit, because he thought he’d actually made progress.
He laments the fact that the happy-go-lucky yet delicate girl he was able to confess to so easily was lost in the twelve years since, especially when she’s able to single-handedly convince the zodiac sheep to allow the new year god to shear him. Then Nanami surprises Tomoe again and makes him rethink everything when the Year God furnishes her with a photo of her mother.
Now, that wouldn’t seem such an impactful gift, but considering her mother died when Nanami was very young and all photos of her were lost in the fire (a heartbreaking fact), it means multitudes for Nanami to finally see her face clearly. And in doing so, Tomoe sees that neither Lil’ Nanami nor her mother really vanished; they’re still within Nanami.
Back at the Shrine, Nanami is back to work on her talismans, and Tomoe is back to work denigrating their poor quality, earning her defiant scowls. But when relaxing after a long day ushering in the new year for worshippers and the like, Nanami settles down for some tea and TV with her shrine family, whom she’s been with now for a year.
When she steps outside, the falling snow reminds her of what a shadowy figure once said to her in a half-forgotten memory of the past (which we know to have just happened at the Torii gates), in which Tomoe tells her younger self she won’t always be alone and wary, but be “the lady and mistress of a household more rowdy than she could wish for.”
And so it’s come to pass. She has a family, without having resorted to marriage she’d sworn off. And yet, when asked again, Nanami adds the qualified “probably” to that swearing-off, opening the door for Tomoe, if he wishes to walk through it.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Wed, 1 Apr 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags childhood, earth god, familiar, flashback, hardship, illness, izumo, kamisama kiss, luck, mamoru, marriage, mikage, misfortune, mizuki, momozono nanami, mothers, powers, proposal, rescue, romance, taboo, tomoe, torii gate, trials, true love, year god, yokai, yukiji3 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 12 (Fin)
Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 11
“Dang it Mom, I’m working on my science project!”
Kami-Haji is really in the zone in its home stretch, such that it can abruptly change gears from the Tengu arc to Kirihito without breaking a sweat. Mind you, I was a little skeptical of the choice of gear—there’s only two eps left; get back to Nanami and Tomoe!—I decided to be patient and see where the show was going with this. It was a good decision, and my patience was rewarded handsomely.
Having built a new portal to the Netherworld…in his house (probably not the best idea), Kirihito—or I should say Akura-oh—prepares to dive back in to look for his body. What’s interesting is the means with which he does so: by using the bracelet he made from Nanami’s hair (quite a bit of it…yikes!) to keep his human body intact while down there. That’s right, Mr. Big Bad can’t do a thing without Nanami’s (indirect) help, and he knows it.
The Netherworld is just as dark and dreary and unpleasant as it was last time, but it doesn’t take long for Akura to find his body. Just a slight niggle: it’s on top of a volcano, in an eternal cycle of being simultaneously burnt and regenerating.
Yatori tagged along as is ridiculous 90% of the time, but we see why he came when he gets serious and stops Kirihito from doing something reckless. His hair bracelet will be of little use; what he needs is the ability to quell the volcano’s fire…and the best thing for that is fox fire; specifically Tomoe’s.
So, okay, Kirihito will be paying Tomoe (and by extension Nanami) soon. Is there really time for that? Never mind; Kirihito’s side of this episode comes to a beautiful end: once Yatori gets him back to the mundane world, the portal starts leaking poison from the Netherworld. At first Kirihito/Akura is unconcerned, even after one of his shikigami turns to dust; he slaved over that portal and he’ll be damned if he’s going to seal it.
But then he remembers he’s in Kirihito’s house, and his mother is at his door with a late night snack. And he seals that portal right up. It’s an incredible feat for someone so nasty and self-concerned, but Akura-oh clearly inherited more than just Kirihito’s body.
Embedded in Kirihito’s side of the story is a cutaway to Tomoe, the guy who betrayed him by falling for a human woman and thinking he could be a human himself, who is in that moment making hamburger steak for his human/god master, because it’s her favorite.
First of all, BAAAAAAAAW. Secondly, Kirihito may poo-poo Tomoe’s love and devotion for a human (first Yukiji, now Nanami), but he kinda loses his philosophical ground when he puts the safety of his host body’s mother before his own.
Like Kirihito sealing the portal later, Tomoe suddenly feels guilty removes the shiitake mushrooms he meant to sneak into the mix after Nanami expresses excitement about him making her favorite dish. DOUBLE BAAAAAAW.
The second half begins with Nanami watching a wedding on TV, and brings up the fact she’s agreed to host Himemiko’s wedding when it happens. Mizuki and Tomoe briefly misunderstood her phrasing to mean she was getting married, to which she responds “I’m not getting married. Ever.” And she says it with a creepy face that suffers no debate.
Her stance is harsh, but understandable, considering she comes from a broken home, and the marriage she’s most familiar with—that of her parents—obviously didn’t end well.
How apropos then, that when Nanami tags alone with Tomoe and Mizuki to visit the Year God, she ends up revisiting those rough years, even transforming into her twelve-year-younger self.
One wonders why in the world Nanami would ever think looking back on her past twelve years would “sound fun”, but call it curiousity and awe at her surroundings, combined with her special brand of hard-headed recklessness Tomoe both loves and hates about her.
And while I maintain Tengu Nanami remains The Best, Lil’ Nanami is no slouch in the adorableness department!
Tomoe and Mizuki fail to catch Lil’ Nanami (who lands a fantastic jump-kick on the latter, believing him a kidnapper), but they’re able to bear witness to her experiences at this age, from being given a chocolate bar by her deadbeat dad just before he runs off for good, to her mother being hounded by debtors.
It’s a lot for a little kid to take in, but even at her young age, she becomes overcome by shame at enjoying a luxurious chocolate bar as her mother struggles to scrape by. (Mind you, it’s her Dad’s fault, not hers).
Even in the face of such hardships, the moment Nanami’s mom notices her daughter, her face brightens and she embraces her treasure, as if to assure her that everything will be all right. I had no idea Nanami’s mother was so kind, decent, and loving. Fortunately for us, Nanami took after her mother in that regard.
So the question is, what happened to make Nanami family-less and homeless? Tomoe learns this after getting a good look (and possibly feeling the aura of) Nanami’s mother: she’s very ill, and doesn’t have long to live. Her mom didn’t run off like her dad…she died.
Being a little kid, Nanami has no knowledge of her mother’s impending death. And as we know, once she’s gone there’s no one else to take her in, until she comes upon the earth god shrine. But Tomoe tells Mizuki not to interfere; he wants to see a bit more. After all, he’s witnessing a side of the woman he loves he’s never seen before. Maybe seeing that side will finally give him the courage to tell her of his love. Here’s hoping.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Tue, 24 Mar 2015 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags childhood, earth god, familiar, flashback, hardship, illness, izumo, kamisama kiss, kurama shinjirou, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, mothers, powers, rescue, romance, seduction, taboo, tomoe, torii gate, true love, yatori, year god, yokai, yukiji2 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 11
This episode features the unlikely but increasingly tolerable pairing of Nanami and a somewhat humbled (and therefore more reasonable) Brother Jiro, as they search for the Sojobo’s soul. He’s still stern and no nonsense, but he doesn’t prevent Nanami from following him down into a secret cavern.
Jiro even tells her this was where Shinjuro got into trouble with a thunderbolt beast, and where Suiro lost his ability to fly by rescuing him. But when Jiro drops into a deeper chasm, even when lightning shoots up, nay, because it does, Nanami goes in after Jiro, not because she doesn’t trust him, but because he had the bearing of a man going to his death.
The beast rears its head for Nanami first, and while she’s able to fire off a barrier against evil, it counterattacks with a massive lightning strike. It’s in this moment Jiro finally understands why Suiro saved Shinjuro and regrets nothing: the despair of losing his ability to fly was small compared to the despair of losing someone he loves.
Before Suiro knew it, he was moving to save Shinjuro. And before Jiro knows it, he’s moving to save Nanami, whom he admits he’s fallen for, and can’t bear to watch die.
I love how over-the-top Shinjuro’s reaction to learning the soul is hidden in the same place where he was traumitized, but he quickly composes himself, knowing that not only is he a far stronger tengu now, in part because of that experience, but he’s also not alone: Tomoe is with him and Nanami is further in.
Tomoe dispatches the “kitten” with his superior fox fire, but he isn’t able to bask in the light of Nanami’s gratitude for saving her as he usually does. Nanami is too concerned with Jiro, who is badly injured and loses consciousness.
In a really nice icebreaker, the defeated thunderbolt beast, suddenly not so fearsome-looking anymore, coughs up the Sojobo’s soul like a hairball. Kamisama Kiss has always been great at tempering or punctuating its more serious scenes with lighter fare. Unlike, say, Violin girl, its slapstick never ruins the mood, but rather keeps it in check.
Nanami’s continued concern for Jiro irks Tomoe, because he doesn’t like the idea of Nanami, whom he likes, worrying about another man. Still, he’s able to comfort her by assuring her Jiro will happily bear whatever consequences he must, because he got to save Nanami. He speaks form his own extensive experience: saving Nanami is always worth it.
Kamisama Kiss puts on a romantic comedy/drama clinic this week, perfectly balancing Nanami’s joy and relief when Jiro comes to (thanks to her peach pills) with the embarrassment of walking in on a nude Jiro being bathed by Suiro.
Tomoe initially playfully teases Nanami, but as usual goes a little bit farther than he should due to his own frustration of holding in his true feelings for the lass. When he tells her it makes no difference to him whether she goes back home with him or stays with Jiro to get to know him better, it clearly wounds Nanami, who contrary to Tomoe’s jealous suspicions, hasn’t simply flipped her love switch from Tomoe to Jiro.
Still, Jiro did manage to do one thing Tomoe hasn’t been able to yet: clearly confess his feelings for Nanami. So at the cherry blossom tree viewing/Sojobo & Jiro recovery party (that’s a mouthful), Nanami is receptive to Jiro’s own attempts at courtship, which aren’t bad for someone who’s never laid eyes on a woman before.
The beauty of the restored cherry tree makes for about as romantic a locale as one could hope for, but as much charm and respect Jiro has for Nanami, when she tells him how precious the peach pills she used to save him are, and how she wants Tomoe to have them if anything ever happens to her, it becomes clearer to him that he’s barking up the wrong tree.
Consider: when he flew her up into the tree, in a moment of fear Nanami called out for Tomoe. Also, when she has too many high-proof sake-filled steamed buns and gets wasted, she repeats his name again and again. With the walls of sobriety down, she also lowers her toughing-it-out mask. The only one she wants is Tomoe, and she’s far more happy being carried on his warm comfortable back than being in the middle of a cherry tree with Jiro.
She even unabashedly lets off an “I love you”, not her first nor her last directed at Tomoe. And perhaps knowing she’s passed out and won’t hear it, he says he loves her too out loud. It’s a small step, but he knows it’s a necessary one.
As Shinjuro tells him, it’s precisely because human lives are so short, that if you have to say something, you’d better say it before it’s too late. Tomoe has technically said what he needs to say, but this time doesn’t count. Can he do it when Nanami is conscious? We’ll see.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 16 Mar 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags badass, barrier, botanmaru, butterfly, celebration, cherry blossoms, chosen, confession, contract, destiny, disguise, disguises, drunk, earth god, evil, familiar, izumo, jiro, kamisama kiss, kurama shinjirou, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, powers, rescue, romance, seduction, sparkling, taboo, tengu, tomoe, true love, yatori, yokai
I had a feeling this “heist” episode was going to be a good one, but I wasn’t prepared for how much ass it kicked, much of it courtesy of our heroine Nanami. It’s quite simply one of her finest hours. It’s all because she has to be herself, which means tapping into her stores of morality, decency, and emptahy along with her increasingly potent divine powers.
But first of all, I just want to reiterate that Tengu Nanami just made my year. He/She is so friggin’ cute she makes Botanmaru look like a pile of puke! The spiral glasses are a particularly nice touch. But along with that cuteness comes great strength.
But anyway, the reason Nanami is able to steal the show is that the (somewhat) carefully orchestrated operation doesn’t go according to plan. Kurama had hoped to get Jiro drunk on mundane world medicinal alcohol, but the bull has formidable tolerance.
Tomoe, furious that Jiro hurt Nanami, tries to work his magic, posing as a slightly sultrier Nanami to throw Jiro off his game (helped at least a little by the booze). It works for a time; at least long enough for Nanami to find the Sojobo.
Kurama and Tomoe are undone when Tomoe breaks character and brings up Nanami, the maiden Jiro met, and even threatens violence. Kurama stops his “familiar”, but Jiro imprisons them both in a strong, anti-yokai barrier prison. With these two out of commission, it’s Nanami’s game to lose.
She doesn’t lose. The plan fails mostly because she and the others weren’t aware of the existence of a yokai under Jiro’s employ (Yatori), or the fact the Sojobo has been petrified as a result of his soul being extracted.
Nanami, in top heroine goddess form, doesn’t cower in fear before the bombastic Jiro. In fact, when he smacks Botanmaru, she gives him a stern scolding, one he probably hasn’t heard in a long time, if ever, and sorely needed. He blames Botanmaru for being weak, but Nanami points out Jiro hasn’t been running this mountain himself, all alone. Even the strongest have people they rely on.
Jiro doesn’t know how this litle whelp of a tengu knows about such stuff, because he doesn’t know he’s talking to a human land god. When Nanami brings up Sojobo’s soul extraction, Yatori butts in a shoos Jiro away. In case you were wondering, yes, this guy is up to no good, and is simply using Jiro to secure an army for Akura-oh.
But Yatori is just as clueless about this tengu lad as Jiro, and when he threatens to off him and Botanmaru, the wig and gloves come off and Nanami enters Full Bad-Ass Mode, a mode she remains in for the duration of the episode.
With Mamoru by her side, she casts a barrier against evil that easily dispatches Yatori. One could say he’s dealt with too easily, but this has never been a show about long, drawn-out physical battles, but rather battles of wits, timing, and ideals. In any case, it’s awesome to see Nanami wield such power so comfortably and confidently, and we know why: the people she loves and cares are counting on her, and she won’t let them down.
Even in disguise, her words prove just as powerful a weapon against the big dumb mean bear that is Jiro, within whom lies a precocious but insecure boy desperate to earn the Sojobo’s approval.
When he isn’t watching where he’s going he bumps into the three adorable little tengu we met last week, who all expect to be reprimanded severely for getting in his way. But Nanami’s words echo through his head, and suddenly picking on a bunch of little kids seems stupid. Good for him. Better for Nanami!
Jiro’s sudden crisis of the heart also means his hold on his “encampment” is tawdry at best, and Nanami takes advantage. Ignoring Yatori’s pleas to keep him around since he’s the only one who knows where the Sojobo’s soul is stashed, she decides to simply cancel out all of the barriers in the compound with one big barrier against evil, and find the soul herself.
As she “tears” through the place, she scares the bejesus out of various tengu who’ve never laid eyes on a woman before, and even leaves a gleaming golden trail in her wake. Once her barrier is cast, the whole place starts to sparkle. When Tomoe and Kurama’s prison fades away in the golden light, Tomoe knows exactly what’s up: his Nanami is demonstrating precisely why she’s worth falling for.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 9 Mar 2015 Tue, 10 Mar 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags badass, barrier, botanmaru, butterfly, chosen, contract, destiny, disguise, disguises, earth god, evil, familiar, izumo, jiro, kamisama kiss, kurama shinjirou, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, powers, romance, seduction, sparkling, taboo, tengu, tomoe, true love, yatori, yokai1 Comment on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 09
The tables are turned on the human Nanami early this week as for once she is the one being regarded as a rare and strange supernatural creature, a “celestial nymph,” by Jiro. He’s not the gentlest soul to her, either, roughly grabbing her arm and threatening to break it before Mamoru, true to his name manages to spring her.
Scared, trembling, and sporting a sore arm, the sight of the far gentler Tomoe is enough to make Nanami collapse into his bosom ing joyful relief. This is the side of Nanami that makes Tomoe want to protect her with everything he’s got. And I’m sure Nanami would always prefer for Tomoe to be waiting with open arms whenever she gets into such a state.
After being treated roughly and then gently, Suiro continues to talk to Nanami while facing Tomoe, as if her countenance is too awful to look upon. When she forces the issue, he admits he’s simply not used to interacting with women, especially, as he says, “beautiful maidens.”
After glimpsing his impossibly gorgeous face, Nanami has to wonder if he’s just being nice. Don’t get me wrong, Nanami is super-cute, and I wouldn’t call her plain, but it’s clear her’s is a more normal, casual beauty compared to all these magazine cover bishounen.
Suiro, perhaps the most classically feminine of the characters in the room, has always mothered Shinjuro, and now that he’s back it’s as if nothing has changed: he still sees him as a little kid with mussed hair who can be placated with apples and promises “it will all work out.” Only Kurama isn’t a kid, and isn’t buying it. Nothing will work out this time unless he acts.
When Kurama storms out to cool his head, Suiro asks Nanami and Tomoe not just to leave themselves after giving the peach pills to give to Kurama’s sire, but to take Kurama with them as well. He can tell that Kurama left a lot behind in the mundane world to come to the mountain, and he shouldn’t be expected to abandon the life he’s lived for seventeen years.
Nanami’s response is simple: she and Tomoe aren’t leaving until Kurama says he wants to go. They both find Kurama surveying Jiro’s heavily-fortified compound, and Kurama comes to the same conclusion Tomoe does: he can’t do this alone. Nanami volunteers to help in anyway they can, because she’s not just someone who runs scared into the arms of others. She’s both vulnerable and strong; scared and brave; all seemingly contradictory traits that perplex Tomoe so.
Kurama doesn’t even have to ask Nanami, but he does anyway as a courtesy; not an easy thing at all for him to do, considering he prefers to shoulder all the burdens himself. What’s so funny is the cliff they’re on is so windy, Nanami doesn’t quite hear him ask for her help, and Kurama is too bashful to ask again. Thankfully, Tomoe heard.
Meanwhile, within compound they intend to infiltrate tomorrow, it’s plain to Yatori—and us—that Nanami has had an effect on Jiro. You could say he’s been enchanted; his heart and mind are in disarray. His instincts made him act forcefully to a potential threat in the nymph, yet he cannot deny her presence in his mind has been all but constant ever since their meeting. You can call it puppy love, but no doubt he sees it as a weakness, one he’ll hide from his subordinates at all costs, even as he continues to cull young tengu who aren’t strong enough to pass muster.
This episode is immediately made better by frikking having Tomoe in it, saying more than one line; although a few of his lines are obviously defensive barbs loosed against the girl he’s fallen for flustering him simply by existing. As fate would have it, they share a bedroom that night.
Nothing really happens, despite what these images might suggest, but when coming back from the bathroom, Nanami accidentally curls up in Tomoe’s bed, and while initially freaked out, Tomoe is surprised to find himself embracing her, right up until she comes to. It’s all very “romawkward”, as one would expect from two people still on the very fringes of a romantic relationship, and still not comfortable openly talking about it or even acknowledging the mutual attraction exists.
That morning, we see the plan that will get them into the compound: Kurama will pose as the land god Nanami really is, Tomoe will pose as his familiar instead of Nanami’s, and Nanami will pose as an apprentice tengu, which introduces us to Nanami Tengu Drag, which might be the most adorable thing I’ve seen all Winter.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 2 Mar 2015 Tue, 3 Mar 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags akura-oh, botanmaru, butterfly, chosen, contract, destiny, disguises, earth god, familiar, himemiko, izumo, jiro, kamisama kiss, kiss, kota, kurama shinjirou, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, mori kirihito, netherworld, otohiko, romance, taboo, tengu, tomoe, true love, yatori, yokai4 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 08
Botanmaru’s wretched state (he passes out from the mundane world “poison” and has welts from lashings) convinces Kurama to return to his home mountain from whence he descended seventeen years ago, when he wasn’t much bigger than lil’ Botan. I like how he admits he’s far more into the mundane world scene because of all the cute girls.
One of those cute girls insists on tagging along in case she can support Kurama. Nanami constantly referring to her damn white talismans is a nice little running gag, but it’s also a more serious sign that she’s no longer one to sit on the sidelines as friends—or even mere acquaintances—face challenges. And fixing the problem on the tengu mountain is definitely a challenge.
Kurama didn’t just hesitate to return because there are no women on the mountain. When he says he’s a failure, he means it; and not only did he flee the mountain, but he fled after his beloved brother Suiro, who was the fastest tengu on the mountain, saved him from a cruel trial, costing his mentor his wings, which, for a tengu, are everything. The one who put Kurama thorugh that trial is now poised to succeed the dying leader.
The mountain is also covered in thick, nasty misasma in which evil spirits lurk, one of which exploits Kurama’s weakness and takes Suiro’s form. At first I was like “Okay, this guy is kind of lame for spouting all this exposition like this” but it turns out he was an imposter. The real Suiro is much kinder, though notably cold to Nanami, sending her on a trek to the outhouse.
The somewhat mannerless Yatori has slinked his way into Jiro’s court, which is troublesome, since we know Yatori aims to hand this mountain over to Akura-oh. As friendly as he’s being with Jiro, this guy is no ally. Jiro, all puffed-up and tough; the yang to Suiro’s yin, doesn’t see Yatori as a threat, which could prove fatal as the crisis on the mountain worsens.
The change of setting would be refreshing if it weren’t essentially a bunch of thick green-gray fog and dead trees. The mountain is a very dreary place right now, though Nanami is hopeful she can bring some light and joy, if only to a few wary fledglings, one of whom had his orphaned boar piglet slaughtered by Jiro while cradling it in his arms.
Jiro is all about tough love and strength; he has no time for the weak or sentimental. But it’s not at all certain Jiro is the right one to ascend to leadership—especially with Yatori hanging off of him.
Jiro is built up throughout the episode as a bit of an ass, but these are dire times and he has cause to put up a hard line. So when he spots Nanami under the cherry blossom tree she temporarily restored and seems to be instantly smitten (and why not; Nanami is a cutey), it’s clear this guy isn’t your normal villain/usurper. But while I realize this is the introduction to a more tengu-focused story arc, I was still miffed by Tomoe’s exceedinly scant presence.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 23 Feb 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags akura-oh, botanmaru, butterfly, chosen, contract, destiny, earth god, familiar, himemiko, izumo, kamisama kiss, kiss, kota, kurama shinjirou, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, mori kirihito, netherworld, otohiko, romance, taboo, tengu, tomoe, true love, yatori, yokai
Following the Divine Assembly, this week’s Kami-Haji is a bit of a disjointed grab bag, with some parts superior (in terms of my interest in them) to others. I’ll get right to my favorite part: the aftermath of Nanami’s talk with Mikage. Despite Mikage’s blessing, without knowing explicitly why Mikage wants Tomoe to “choose” her so badly (beyond wanting him to be free of him), Nanami remains hesitant in her courtship of Tomoe, especially when Lord Okuninushi recommends against it.
Nanami even travels home separately from Tomoe in order to give her situation more thought, but thankfully, she gets another viewpoint, and one she should give more weight than Okuninushi, who as far as we know hasn’t ever truly loved a human. That other viewpoint comes from Himemiko. It only takes one look at Nanami to sense her uncertainty, and wastes no time setting her straight.
Nanami thinks she’s being reckless and foolish to cultivate a romance with Tomoe because she knows she’ll die long before him, and thus knows she could break his heart when that day arrives. She’s doubly concerned with the fact this would be the second time in Tomoe’s existence that he’s survived a human lover. But I, like Himemiko, think Nanami has it all backwards.
It’ll do Nanami no good to conceal her love the rest of her days, or settle for someone she doesn’t love. Rather, she should treasure what time she has in the living world with Tomoe, expressing her true and unfiltered feelings, not letting those years go to waste and lead to regret. Himemiko speaks from experience: the pain of one day losing her human love Kota will pale in comparison to the regret she’d have in her heart had she never pursued him.
As great as Himemiko and Nanami’s day of shopping and love talk is, it doesn’t quite fill a whole episode, which is a good thing, as I preferred the montage (during which a lovely arrangement of the first season’s opening theme plays) to a more heavily-padded shopping scenes. Still, that means the balance of the episode must be filled, and in this case, it’s filled with less compelling stuff.
Kirihito/Akura-oh’s quest to restore himself has promise, but the introduction of Yatori is sudden and shrug-worthy. Sure, I dig Yatori’s Sia Wig and crazy green eyes, and the fact he’s aware Kirihito is really Akura-oh (and Kirihito believes him to be a fool, which he isn’t), makes for an interesting dynamic. But nothing happens yet; Yatori only promises to raise a force and begin a campaign against the tengu mountain of Kurama in Akura-oh’s name. Kirihito’s just, like…“um, thanks?”
The mention of Kurama calls to mind Nanami’s crow-tengu classmate and sometime-ally Kurama, who just happens to be having a concert that Ami invites Nanami to (Tomoe outright refuses). She then accidentally steps on a little tengu named Botanmaru who just happens to be looking for a fellow tengu who came down from the mountain seventeen years ago.
Botanmaru is specifically after this tengu because he doesn’t believe the commonly-held opinion among his peers that leaving the mountain made him a failure. He also looks up to him as an inspiration, because both of them are late-bloomers (Botan still can’t fly) and hopes he’ll be able to offer some advice.
To Nanami’s surprise, the one Botanmaru seeks is Kurama. With her extra ticket, she takes Botanmaru to his concert, where he’s in Full Fallen Angel Idol Mode, and not anywhere any guy, particularly Tomoe, wants to be. The episode concludes without the two tengu meeting yet, but it seems the next main storyline will be about this, and I suspect Tomoe will object to Nanami intervening in tengu affairs, for no other reason than it means having to hang out with Kurama.
Nanami’s observation at the end that Kurama never actually plays the acoustic guitar he breaks out on stage for his “ballad”—it was just a prop—is a funny way to close.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 16 Feb 2015 Mon, 16 Feb 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags akura-oh, botanmaru, butterfly, chosen, contract, destiny, earth god, familiar, himemiko, izumo, kamisama kiss, kiss, kota, kurama shinjirou, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, mori kirihito, netherworld, otohiko, romance, taboo, tengu, tomoe, true love, yatori, yokai5 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 06
Nanami and Tomoe weren’t actualy apart that long these last two episodes, but as Nanami remarks, the netherworld had a way of skewing time, making it seem like far more than four days of separation, for her as well as me. Now Tomoe is a yokai again, and in prison. Is it Nanami’s turn to save him?
Well…he asks for space, insisting it’s his decision whether to become her familiar again. And in his yokai form, he’s a bit of a short fuse, so Nanami gives him that space and tries to focus on work as Tomoe sulks in the dark. But in fine dysfunctional courtship form, both of them can think of nothing but the other, as if they had cast spells on one another.
Mizuki tells Tomoe his feelings for Nanami won’t go away just because he’s no longer contracted with her. So what does Tomoe do? Break into her room at night and contract with her, with the customary kiss, and boom, just like that, the Tomoe Yokai Experiment is resolved.
The fact that a contract or lack of same had no effect on his feelings for her has a profound effect on Tomoe. It occurs to him he has fallen for her, but he can’t help but express that fall by yelling, scolding, bullying, and teasing. Matters aren’t helped by the fact that Nanami reiterates her love for him, but knows he’s not interested in her in that way at all. If he wasn’t, things would be much easier.
Just when you think he’s realized he’s gone too far and comforts her, he follows it up by trying to strip her! In any case, this is a classic case of someone reflexively taking their romantic frustration out on the very object of their affection.
Tomoe doesn’t like himself in this state anymore than Nanami does. But once the Divine Assembly officially concludes with a big divine party, Tomoe is able to be civil and even debonair as her escort. Then Nanami chases a familiar butterfly that leads her to Mikage.
Nanami’s duties at the diving assembly, which she was performing in Mikage’s stead, involved distributing strings of destiny to and fro with the other gods, deciding who will be matched with whom in the mundane world. What Nanami didn’t know is that a similar string connects her and Tomoe; a pairing facilitated explicitly by Mikage himself.
He knows Tomoe better than anyone else in any dimension. And so Mikage knows—and it has been confirmed time and again to us by Tomoe’s behavior towards Nanami—that Tomoe believes humans to frail and fleeting in their existence to devote his full soul to. He had done so once before with Yukiji, who passed away while he lingered. Human and yokai relationships are taboo because of the vast difference in lifespans.
Mikage brought Nanami to Tomoe to teach him that humans aren’t weak. Nanami was cast away by her family and gone through innumerable hardships, but never gives up, never hesitates to help others, and never fails to flash a big adorable smile when Tomoe is around…and not acting like a dick.
Mikage’s aim was to “rekindle Tomoe’s bond with humanity”, by choosing Nanami, taboo be damned. But while Nanami and Tomoe have yet to figure out how such a thing will work, but the fact he came back to and contracted with her unbidden by anything other than his love for her, proves there’s is no shortage of sparks at the heart of that kindling.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 9 Feb 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags butterfly, chosen, contract, destiny, divine assembly, earth god, familiar, izumo, kamisama kiss, kiss, loneliness, mamoru, mikage, mizuki, momozono nanami, netherworld, otohiko, romance, tanukis, tomoe, war god, yokai, yukiji2 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 05
Nanami is given a warm welcome in the Netherworld (and a tray of food she can’t eat if she wants to leave), but her host Lady Izunami makes it clear as crystal that she’s not taking the human back with her; he’s already dead. Nanami’s response: thems may be the rules, but she won’t accept them. She’s going to do everything she can to get out of here with Kirihito. To that end, she eats the food, making her an official resident with free roam.
It’s yet another selfless act by the benevolent Nanami, but the fact remains she knows not who (or what) it is she’s sticking her neck out to save. That’s what makes Nanami such a promising god: she doesn’t care who or what he is; she’s going to save him, and that’s that.
As she searches for him, Kirihito finds himself back in a darkness similar to the kind he found himself in for centuries after the gods cast him into it, after he had probably made such a nuisance of himself that he gave them no choice (what with all the murdering). We learn how he got his human body: the real Kirihito offered it to him in exchange for delivering a message to his mother.
In spite of himself (he only agrees on a whim), Akura-oh is so floored by being back in the living world of light and warmth, he holds up his end of the bargain, apologizing on Kirihito’s behalf. Not surprisingly, Kirihito’s mom, who has no reason to suspect the boy in the hospital bed is anything other than her son, doesn’t give it a second thought. All that matters to her is that he’s okay.
Unfortunately, Kirihito’s ‘goodness’ doesn’t end up rubbing off on Akura-oh, who spends his time working tirelessly at the very limits of what a human is capable of doing to get his old form back, including gaining shikigami. But now he’s back in the darkness, right on the edge of panic…when Nanami suddenly opens the door to the cell where he’s being held.
Turns out Nanami is on a confidence streak, and her talismans are proving useful not only in finding Kirihito, but the Netherworld’s exit as well, which is good, because Izunami sends her cat familiar after them. Unfortunately, the War God has sealed that exit. Fortunately, Tomoe has learned that Nanami is lost in the netherworld, and has come to rescue her.
And rescue her he does, but not before Kotetsu hits him with the shrine’s lucky mallet, turning him back into a yokai so he can overpower the war god (which he’d have never been able to do had he remained a familiar). On the one side, I’m a little bummed, Nanami couldn’t save herself here, but on the other, she did put her life on the line to save Kirihito—more than once. She did good. Along with Kirihito waking up in the hospital (a recurring scene this Winter), Nanami and Tomoe’s reunion is a heart-lifting moment.
That leaves Kirihito, whom Nanami hadn’t really thought much of beyond being a human in need of her help, but whom Tomoe immediately knows is not a human, but something else in a dead human’s body. Kirihito realizes pretty early his old fox friend Tomoe is Nanami’s familiar, and even gets to lay eyes on him before passing out. I wonder how long he’ll keep his true identity from Tomoe, who is now a yokai again.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 2 Feb 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags akura-oh, divine assembly, earth god, familiar, high school girl, hospital, izumo, kamisama kiss, kirihito, loneliness, lucky mallet, mamoru, mizuki, momozono nanami, netherworld, on the run, otohiko, talismans, tanukis, tomoe, war god, yokai
Nanami arrives at the Divine Assembly and actually stands her ground against the War God, who then threatens to kill her, until the host, bishonen Lord Okuninushi, intervenes, and sets Nanami on her next adventure immediately.
That’s right, just when we thought we were going to get into the nitty-gritty of divine politics (or at least partying), Nanami is sent off on a mission no other god has the nose for. Nanami seems to get that Okuninushi is almost looking down on her by offering this job, but she accepts it anyway, in exchange for his assistance in locating Mikage. I guess she’s learning the politics after all!
The job involves clearing out the yokai who take advantage of the mass god absence to stir up trouble around Yomotsu Hirasaka, the entrance to the Netherworld. Kirihito (the wan lad Nanami met in the park) happens to be there, strong-arming some lesser yokai small fry into doing his bidding, when he’s shoved into the entrance, which is bad, since humans start to decay as soon as they near the gate, let along pass through it.
Nanami, believing him a victim of the yokai, plunges in and saves him, reasonably confident that she’ll survive since she’s a human god…but really having no idea what will happen. But that’s Nanami: quick to risk her life for a stranger.
Meanwhile, Tomoe is utterly depresed and lonely with Nanami gone, and decides to drown his sorrows in sake at the local tanuki brothel. That’s right, I said tanuki brothel. Where else would a fox go to get into a little straaange?
Just one casual rumor by one of the girls sets a Dark Tomoe backstory into motion, as their madam once apprenticed at another brothel where Tomoe and his traveling companion Akura-oh once paid a visit.
Akura-oh arrived first…and then slaughtered everyone there. The madam, only a child, managed to escape outside, where Tomoe found her and deigned to let her go. It was an act of kindness she never forgot…even though it was six centuries ago.
To repay him for that kindness, the girl (named Mizutama) who would become the madam often kept Tomoe company, including the two decades between Mikage leaving and Nanami appearing. What Mizutama is, then, is the woman where Tomoe sought comfort and companionship in between masters.
It’s sudden trips off the main road like this that really add a vibrancy and warmth to this world, warmth Tomoe also found with Mikage, Mizutama, and now Nanami.
The fact that a Nanami recalls him to the shrine in a dream turns out to be merely Kotetsu in Nanami cosplay, and the school P.A. announcement-like (complete with chime!) letter from Nanami tug Tomoe roughly back into the here and now.
Back in the Netherworld, it takes a full sixty seconds before Nanami’s about to eat a dumpling offered by yokai that would keep her from ever leaving. Fortunately for her Kirihito knows the ways of this place…though she can’t fathom how, considering he’s a human who shouldn’t even be alive here.
The shots above show the pure variety of ways Nanami is drawn depending on the situation. I must say I’ve really missed her expressiveness and spunk.
Of course, I’ve also kinda figured out that Kirihito is really Akura-oh in a human body. I don’t think it was meant to be hard to figure out, as among other similarities, both are voiced by Suwabe Junichi. But while I know Nanami can take care of herself in a pinch, I would still feel much better when she’s out of that creepy Netherworld and no longer along with this sketchy guy!
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 Tue, 27 Jan 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags akura-oh, brothel, divine assembly, earth god, high school girl, izumo, kamisama kiss, kirihito, loneliness, mamoru, mizuki, momozono nanami, netherworld, otohiko, prostitutes, sake, talismans, tanukis, tomoe, yokai1 Comment on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 03
Preparations for and the start of Nanami’s trip to Izumo for the Divine Assembly provide plenty of fodder for comedy and intrigue alike, kicking me back into that “Oh yeah, that’s why I liked this show so much!” gear that I wasn’t in last week.
Like Tomoe pretending it’s a chore to help Nanami with her necklace, yet jealously defending the duty when Mamoru takes human form (“grade school size” as Nanami cheerfully puts it) and offers to do it for her. Or Tomoe and Mizuki bickering to the point Nanami gets smacked in the head with some random wooden box.
She leaves the two to play a game of shogi (a game neither has ever played) to determine who will accompany her to Izumo as she runs errands with Mamoru. She’s jumped by a host of former gods who warn her not to go, but she stands her ground. When a human male in the park gets injured, she uses Mamoru to dispatch the baddies, but the dude is more annoyed at her than anything else, then tries to steal a kiss, forcing Nanami into swift retreat.
That dude turns out to be more than just a random guy, but a god in human form who is scheming to leave it so he can once again rule the world (or something). Someone to watch out for later, to be sure.
That dude turns out to be more than just a random guy, but a god in human form who is scheming to leave it so he can once again rule the world (or something). Back home, Tomoe beats Mizuki, but Nanami picks Mizuki to go with her anyway, fearful that if the other gods pick on him or her, things could turn ugly.
Tomoe must pose as Nanami while she’s gone, and while her classmates are fooled he’s her, they feel his nasty aura, one of the details I forgot from last season, but now that my memory has been jogged, I remember how much I liked that fact. Body-swaps done right, are the best.
Of course, we don’t see much of that at all, because the focus here is Nanami. Mizuki promptly drops her on the way to the Grand Shrine, and she wakes up without Mamoru or her bag in front of a huge procession of gods.
The only one who even speaks directly to her is the war god, but when she can’t impress him, he zooms off with the others, warning her not to speak to him, or anyone else. It’s hardly a warm welcome for lil’ Nanami, but to her credit she sounds super-serious when explaining her gift for white talismans.
With Mizuki stuck at the gate with a by-the-book guardsrabbit, Nanami is alone, and soon gets lost in the strange space between the world of the living and the divine. Even her guiding flame goes out, she seems on the edge of panic, but a glowing butterfly god leads her the right way.
That’s not all he does: Nanami was unable to give the war god a straight answer about her special skill, but the butterfly guy knows what it is: among all the myriad gods, she’s the only one who can see and feel with the eyes and heart of a human. That makes her just as special and valuable as all of them, and it’s something she should carry with pride.
Buoyed by those kinds words of the nameless butterfly, Nanami enters the assembly hall with her head held high and with big, pretty brown eyes unclouded. Her reception is cool, save the assembly’s host, who “chooses” her on the spot. Nanami wondered what kind of god lived in such a grand shrine; it’s looking like he’s some kind of casanova.
While last week was pleasant and charming enough, it didn’t really enchant me; this episode remedied that by stripping Nanami of her protection and plunging her deeper than ever into the surreal realm of the divine, while reinforcing her worth and right to stand among them. Intolerant gods underestimate this high school girl at their peril!
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags divine assembly, earth god, high school girl, izumo, kamisama kiss, kirihito, lost, mamoru, miasma, momozono nanami, monkey, nekota ami, otohiko, shikigami, shogi, suenagaku mizuki, talismans, tomoe, yokai2 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 02
Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 01 (First Impressions)
It’s been two years and eight seasons since I last glanced at KamiHaji, so I for one was glad for the quick refresher at the beginning. In fact, much of the rest of the episode that followed felt a bit like the show knew we needed to be eased back into things, and so revisited a common pattern from the first season.
Tomoe is overprotective; Nanami rebels, gets in over her head, and has to be rescued a couple of times; and then she finds a new wellspring of power (a baby monkey shikigami she names Mamoru) and rescues both Tomoe and the day. Sure, it’s not the most original formula, but it’s one this show has executed entertainingly, to the tune of an 8.08 average rating here and an 8.09 MAL score its first go-round. It’s a really charming, feel-good kind of show, and can be very funny when it wants to.
Nanami says “Don’t come inside me!” to the yokai. Was that meant to be a double entendre, or is that just my dirty mind?
The question is, can that formula be sustained for an entire second season, and is KamiHaji 2 something I want to review in a Winter season that’s far lighter than Fall but features a lot of promising non-sequels? Looking back on my first season reviews, I didn’t express any particular burning desire for a second.
It’s too early to tell. This is my first taste of Winter 2015, and it was very much a re-introductory episode that part of me appreciated but at which another part simply shrugged. Perhaps the goings-on at the Divine Assembly in Izumo next week will help me form a stronger opinion one way or t’other.
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Mon, 5 Jan 2015 Thu, 8 Jan 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Kamisama Hajimemashita 2, Winter 2015Tags baby monkey, divine assembly, earth god, high school girl, kamisama kiss, mamoru, miasma, momozono nanami, nekota ami, otohiko, shikigami, talismans, tomoe, yokai2 Comments on Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 – 01 (First Impressions)
Kamisama Hajimemashita – 13 (Fin)
Tomoe sends his fox flames to scour the town for Nanami, but she’s wearing a concealing talisman. When she hears two girls excited about the upcoming shrine festival, she races back to the shrine. By then, the seals around a box are dissolved by Otohiko’s miasma, unleashing the even larger, more powerful misasma of the Earth Spider, defeated by Mikage centuries ago. With a little help from Mikage himself, she uses a Kagura dance to re-defeat the spider, and the shrine is restored to pristine condition. Humans and spirits alike amass at the night festival to watch Nanami’s Kagura dance. After it’s over, Tomoe praises her and “contracts with” (kisses) her, this time from the heart.
Last week we wondered why Nanami totally ran away so suddenly, but then we realized she’s still very young and prone to rash not always rational action. Tomoe also could have been a little more tactful in telling her to sit tight, so she wouldn’t feel useless. Fortunately, she snaps out of it before the earth spider totally levels the shrine. And as it turns out, there’s a lot more power within Nanami than anyone imagined. Everyone except Mikage, of course, who chose her (and left the spider in the box behind) for just this situation. Is the shrine and its grounds fully restored a bit too easily? Sure, but these are supernatural forces at work, so we’ll give it a pass.
What’s important is that Nanami came through in the clutch. Her Kagura standoff with the Spider shows that she’s willing and able to face and battle threats to the shrine rather than cower and let others save her (though she still trips). The festival is a nice way to end, with cameos by all the other deities, spirits, and classmates whose lives she’s touched. And in the end, Nanami gets what she’s always wanted from Tomoe: a nice long kiss that expresses his love for her, not just his obedience. Her deadbeat dad may have abandoned her, but in doing so, Nanami was able to find a purpose and a home that are truly her own.
Rating: 9 (Superior)
Author rabujoistaffPosted on Mon, 31 Dec 2012 Mon, 31 Dec 2012 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2012, Kamisama HajimemashitaTags earth deity, earth spider, himemiko, kagura dance, kurama, love, miasma, momozono nanami, otohiko, shrine, tomoe, wind deity
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1693
|
__label__wiki
| 0.59263
| 0.59263
|
http://media.blubrry.com/radioopensource/p/www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/ia801507.us.archive.org/21/items/161006OSPODCASTCyberWars/161006-OS-PODCAST-CyberWars.mp3
"Once that weapon is out of the box, it can't be put back in."
The Cyber
Can a secret still be a secret if everybody knows about it?
Top brass US intelligence officials, including former NSA director General Michael Hayden, seem to think so. “Stuxnet, no comment!” echoes like a mantra throughout the beginning of Zero Days, Alex Gibney’s latest documentary, airing on Showtime November 19th. Unfortunately for the higher-ups at NSA, the secret’s out and pandora’s cyber box has been thrown wide open.
Co-designed by NSA and Mossad to wreak havoc on Iranian centrifuges back in the mid 2000’s, the Stuxnet virus, “the Stradivarius of malware,” has ushered in a whole new world, one in which physical objects in the real world can be turned into targets for sophisticated cyber weapons.
Nations around the world have rules of war IRL—treaties and red lines for nuclear and chemical weapons—but what are the rules of engagement online? Al-Qaeda whistleblower and all-around intelligence guru, Richard Clarke, tells us about the critical need for a new Geneva Convention for cyber warfare.
The Internet began with beautiful dreams of free-flowing information, of unfettered access to all the world’s information, of technology making the world a better place. But behind all the promises and wonders lay hidden vulnerabilities. Now with each hack, each breach, each leak—all spawning thousands of news stories around the world—we’re all being forced to confront the other side of paradise.
This hour, it’s digitally assured destruction, with Walter Isaacson, Richard Clarke, Alex Gibney, Jeremy Allaire, Sara M. Watson and Jonathan Zittrain.
Timeline: Weaponizing the Web
1952: The National Security Administration (NSA) is founded secretly by the Truman administration to surveil communications and provide intelligence to governments.
1952: Israel’s intelligence corps Unit 8200 founded.
1989: Tim Berners-Lee conceives of the internet at CERN.
2007-10: The US and Israel sabotage Iran’s uranium enrinchment facilities at Natanz with Stuxnet, malware coded by the NSA in conjunction with Unit 8200. It’s the first time a cyber attack affects real-world infrastructure. (Reuters)
2009: United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) created under the Obama administration as the “offensive” outgrowth of the “defensive” NSA. (Washington Post)
2010 Iran creates their own cyber command organization, قرارگاه دفاع سایبری (The Cyber Defense Command).
2012: Iran’s Cyber Defense Command releases a virus that erases three-quarters of the files at Aramco, Saudi’s national oil company. (New York Times)
2013: Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald leak NSA documents, revealing the scope of the U.S. executive branch’s global surveillance powers. (The Guardian)
2015: Obama administration releases official cyber policy. (The White House)
2016: Justice Department indicts seven Iranian hackers for breaking into major US banks and attempting to shut down a dam in NY. (Bloomberg)
2016: Alex Gibney documentary reveals large-scale offensive cyber program, Nitro Zeus. (New York Times)
Extended interviews
Alex Gibney
Director of Zero Days, a new documentary about the Stuxnet computer virus that airs on Showtime November 19th
CEO of the Aspen Institute and biographer of Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein
Professor of International Law at Harvard Law School and co-founder of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society
Former National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection and Counter-terrorism for the United States
CEO and founder of the digital currency company Circle and Chairman of the Board of Brightcove
Sara Marie Watson
is a Research Fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and affiliate with the Berkman Center for Internet and Society
Iran: Another War Dance?
Click to Listen to the Show (24 MB MP3) The photographer’s caption: “Just in case some news magazine ever comes searching Flickr for stock images illustrating Middle East unrest.” [Stewf...
Marathon Moral: End the Drone War
Graves of some of the 12 children killed this month by a CIA airstrike in Kunar Province in Eastern Afghanistan. Meer Afzal’s photo for the European Pressphoto Agency appeared in...
March 7, 2007 Israel vs. Iran in 2007
March 20, 2014 Putin, Ukraine and Reading the Russians
May 10, 2011 Juan Cole: Through the Fog of the Arab Spring
February 1, 2011 Shiva Balaghi: Egypt in the Spotlight; the US on the Spot
November 8, 2013 Stephen Kinzer on the Dulles Brothers
April 21, 2015 Can China Lead?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1694
|
__label__wiki
| 0.612716
| 0.612716
|
Space Dandy – 09
Posted by Guardian Enzo on March 3, 2014 March 5, 2014 First Impressions / SPACE☆DANDY
Home First Impressions Space Dandy – 09
Nourin – 08
Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta – 09
「植物だって生きてるじゃんよ」 (Shokubutsu Datte Ikiteru jan yo)
“Plants Are Living Things, Too, Baby”
That was an amazing trip, in many senses of the word.
It would seem that Space Dandy has ventured so far and wide across the stylistic map that it should have offered something for just about anybody by now – and if your tastes happen to be of an eclectic nature, then so much the better. My suspicion is that just as Episode 5 was the most mainstream and went on to be the most well-liked, this week’s effort will end up being the most divisive. It offers little in terms of comedy and conventional narrative – it’s more or less an extended surrealist doodle. But boy, did it ever work for me.
More so than with just about any series in recent years, it’s crucial to read the credits if you want to know what to expect from an upcoming episode. The director this week is Choi Eun-Young, who’s two things very rare among anime directors – a woman and of Korean descent. More crucially she’s a disciple of Kaiba and Tatami Galaxy director Yuasa Masaaki – whose singular vision tends to be pretty divisive itself – and that aesthetic is all over this episode. I sometimes struggled with Yuasa’s perspective growing tiresome over the course of an entire series, but Choi-sensei’s vision is a spectacular success for this episode (which was written by Watanbe himself, as was the premiere).
In short, I loved pretty much everything about this episode. I have to start not with the visuals, but with the music, which seamlessly blends with those visuals and bathes the entire ep in a bouncy, bizarre and oddly hypnotic rhythm. We’ve come to expect incredible visuals from Space Dandy but these were some of the best – a fabulous riot of colors and irregular shapes constantly in motion in a kind of native dance of the plants. This is psychedelia in a way we rarely see it in anime – if you’ve watched Kaiba (or played LocoRoco) you have some sense of what to expect, but the look of this episode was even more distinctive and spectacular.
It’s fitting that the speech of the sentient plants via Dandy’s wrist translator is halting and deliberate, because that’s exactly how the story is laid out. We have the gang traveling to planet Planta in search of Code D, a rare alien Meow has read about in “Space Adventurer Magazine”. Some kind of force field prevents the Aloha Oe from landing, but happily QT has modded the transporter so that it’s now lightning-fast – unhappily at the expense of accuracy, as it deposits Meow and Dandy in mid-air (and some distance apart). One painful landing later, each comes into contact with one of the two sentient plant species on the planet – Dandy the advanced Vegims, and Meow the tribal Movies – and that’s where the real story begins.
The last time this happened (Episode 6) we got a very straightforward comedy that was an homage to 70’s science-fiction but this is handled in completely the opposite way – there’s nothing broad or conventional about it. What’s happening to Meow (the “foie gras treatment”) is immediately obvious, but most of the focus is on Dandy. He’s collected by scientist Dr. H (the great Mugihito), who’s never seen a human (or any non plant or microbe) and initially mistakes Dandy for a strange plant. We also meet his daughter 033H (Tomoko Kaneda, who does great things with very few words), who’s a surprisingly cutting twist on this particular moe trope.
Dr. H is kind and welcoming to Dandy once he’s been identified, and he too seeks to know more of the mysterious Code D – which emits a hormone that causes plants to expand to even more preposterous size. What he doesn’t realize is that it’s also Code D’s presence (it turns out to have been a meteorite) that gave the plants of Planta their sentience – and when Dandy and 033H (I’m not clear on why her father allowed her to come) go on a magnificently surrealistic journey to find and retrieve Code D, the result is the end of sentience on Planta. Dr. H is sanguine as his evolution reverses itself – “This is not an ending, but a new beginning.” For Meow, it seems, this all happens just in the nick of time – and once again all of the main trio escape the chop (and in an ep where the transporter was used, too).
Any time you try and describe an unconventional story that’s mostly told in image and sound using words on a screen, you’re going to lose most of its essence – and none of the above does justice to the experience of watching this episode with an open mind. I keep falling back on the same words – hypnotic, surreal, psychedelic – and it ends up working quite well on an emotional level too. The entire episode is a triumph of imagination and a ringing endorsement of Watanabe-sensei’s approach of allowing his staff almost total creative freedom in crafting their individual episodes. It’s one of the best episodes in this series, and one of the best of the season.
Guardian Enzo
I love travel, but I either have time and no money or money and no time. I live in Japan, and I love almost (but not) everything about it. I started writing when I was about 5, though, and I've never been able to stop. Random Curiosity was the first anime blog I regularly visited, and helped inspire my blog Lost in America. Lost in Anime: Anime Planet Profile: Twitter:
View all posts by Guardian Enzo →
This episode makes me wanna be a carnivore.
Cybersteel
March 3, 2014 at 5:17 am 6 years ago
It seems Watanabe wants to showcase a ton of the best animation directors he knows from the best of anime all around, as well as composers as he did for his past shows! It makes me sad that the average American viewer likely doesn’t even know who most of these people are.
Such a trippy ep.
Also, seems like next ep. will has Meow in the focus, yeah.
(I’m a cat person.)
Me too – looking forward to that one.
I agree that this was definitely one of the best episodes of the series so far. It was a beautiful journey through a truly alien world, using the few characters it had perfectly, and which left you feeling melancholy at the end. Gah, it was over too fast. Hell, I wouldn’t mind an entire feature-length film of this world and its wonders. It’s these kind of episodes that lift Space Dandy to the top of the season.
I hope next episode will be good too. Meow’s planet, eh? That could make for an interesting story.
Dvalinn
This episode was a complete acid trip. In a totally cool way of course.
LaughingMan
Space Dandy, the only anime that makes you feel for the plight of plants.
March 3, 2014 at 10:28 am 6 years ago
I have no idea what on Earth I watched…
P Ko
It’s hard to describe in words just how amazing this episode was.
I especially enjoyed the music that played the moment Dandy arrived on the planet. It was very Metroid-like, and it really gave you a feeling of how bizarre that world is.
I usually dislike this kind of trippy episode as they often go into long and superficial conversation without making much sense, but this one definitely was a home run for me.
It was a pretty simple yet giving a powerful and strange feeling of sadness and hope.
Moburo
March 3, 2014 at 2:57 pm 6 years ago
I haven’t caught up on Hunter x Hunter, so this was my favourite anime episode of the year so far. I know that everyone keeps making comparisons to Kaiba, but I actually kept thinking of Samurai Jack when I was watching it. If anyone’s ever seen it, it reminded me of the episode where Jack travels through the dragon’s body, and the one where he chases the rabbit that steals his sandals.
Also, favourite joke of the episode: “This is NeeNee. She is plant entertainment industry.” *Dandy just stares*
All I kept thinking about when I saw the vivid plant imagery was Botanicula
Aggron
Felt like I was back in the 70’s again…
Man it was like watching Kaiba all over again. Loved it.
sealouse
I must say I felt quite high while watching this episode.
I hope Stilts doesn’t you know…
This episode was just as surreal as anything done by Studio Shaft, if not more so.
March 3, 2014 at 10:01 pm 6 years ago
I keep thinking about all the haters prior to Space Dandy’s premiere hating on the show, hating on the boobies, and refusing to give the show a chance without having seen a single episode. I think of those people now, and I laugh at their stupidity and myopia, because good lord is this show GOOD. It’s doing so many damn interesting things, and this episode is one of them. What a TRIP this episode was! I never know what’s going to show up week after week and I LOVE IT. BEST ANIME OF THE WINTER SO FAR.
orkinlort
Isn’t it odd how Toonami advertised the pervy fanservice into our FACES before its premiere, and now we’re at Episode 9 and there has been barely any since the first 4 episodes!? 😀 Never judge.
Dandy was making this stoned face.
kabayongtao
Probably one of the best anime episodes I’ve ever seen. Space Dandy is becoming such a fascinating adventure from Bebop and Champloo. Whereas those two series were fairly grounded in the extents of their universes, Space Dandy has no limits. I’m really curious to see whether or not there will even be a two or three part body of episodes. I know the Gogol empire is looming in the background, but at the moment I don’t see their existence as having the same moral weight that the Syndicate did in Bebop.
Anyways, as GE said, this episode can’t be articulated with words very well. Simply watch it and experience.
this is turning out to be one of those animes u just keep on your gi-normous tera tera hard drive as an “anime exhibition piece” perhaps something for the uninitiated…call it an intro into anime………………..but without expanding on this let me just say that when i watched this ep I was THOROUGHLY HIGH and it made so much sense….
BROOKLYN otaku
There’s trapar next ep!
I will just say three things:
– it was trippy (in the best way possible)
– there was fanservice (plantservice?)
– there was an orgy.
I’ll left the last two for you to identify. ;3
An episode full of wonder, inspired by Fantastic Planet by Laloux and Topor. Brilliant!
March 11, 2014 at 1:22 am 6 years ago
I was wondering…What if a cute girl would enter that planet and…oh oh..
i was think about something like this
https://randomc.net/image/Genei%20wo%20Kakeru%20Taiyou/Genei%20wo%20Kakeru%20Taiyou%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2025.jpg
Err…Ooops!
Namaewoinai
April 7, 2014 at 6:53 am 6 years ago
I hate this show. The only redeeming quality is the art.
Leave a Reply to Aggron Cancel reply
Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na! – 03: I still can't believe this is a show. Also that short animation they're making reminds me of something Trigger would… Jan 21, 18:07
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1697
|
__label__cc
| 0.680523
| 0.319477
|
Wageningen University
Websitehttps://www.wur.nl/nl/Onderzoek-Resultaten/Leerstoelgroepen.htm, https://www.wur.nl/en/Research-Results/Chair-groups.htm
Researchers (637)
1522 Abstract
1026 internal PhD, WU
599 Book editing
540 Book review
330 Comment/Letter to the editor
175 Web publication/site
127 Inaugural speech
127 external PhD, WU
121 Pamphlet
54 internal PhD, other
45 promoter, other
Scaling readiness: Concepts, practices, and implementation
Sartas, M., van Schagen, B., Velasco, C., Thiele, G., Proietti, C. & Leeuwis, C., 2020, Lima: International Potato Center, 217 p. (Working paper).
Research output: Working paper › Professional
An average consumer concept of bits and pieces - Empirical evidence on the Court of Justice of the European Union’s concept of the average consumer in the UCPD
Schebesta, H. & Purnhagen, K., 4 Apr 2019, Wageningen University & Research, (Wageningen Working Papers in Law and Governance; no. 02/2019).
Research output: Working paper › Academic
Het bewerkstellingen van een transitie naar kringlooplandbouw
Termeer, C. J. A. M., 2019.
The Great Convergence. Skill Accumulation and Mass Education in Africa and Asia, 1870-2010
Frankema, E. H. P. & van Waijenburg, M., 2019, Centre for Economic Policy Research, 105 p. (CEPR Discussion Paper Series; no. 14150).
Skill premium
Understanding urban consumers' food choice beavior in Ethiopia: Promoting demand for healthy foods
Melesse, M. B., van den Berg, M. M., de Brauw, A. & Abate, G. T., 2019, Washington DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 33 p. (Strategy Support Program, Working Paper 131).
Energizing The Life Sciences at WUR
Stremke, S., ter Heijne, A., van Vliet, B. J. M. & Smits, M., Dec 2018, Wageningen: Wageningen University & Research, 9 p.
Financial service supply with potential for supporting climate-smart agriculture: Quick scan around the Climate-Smart Village AR4D sites of the CGIAR-CCAFS Research Program in 20 countries
Wattel, C. J. & van Asseldonk, M. A. P. M., 2018, CCAFS, 78 p. (CCAFS Working Paper; no. 208).
Inventory control for a non-stationary demand perishable product: comparing policies and solution methods
Pauls-Worm, K. G. J. & Hendrix, E. M. T., 2 Mar 2018, Málaga: Universidad de Málaga, 15 p.
Stochastic programming
Monte Carlo methods
Les Conditions Marginales Du Néopatrimonialisme Performant: Pourquoi L'Afrique Ne << Marche>> Pas Dans La République Centrafricaine
Mehler, A. & de Vries, L., Mar 2018, Freiburg, Germany: Arnold Bergstraesser Institut, 24 p. (ABI Working Paper; no. 8).
Making the provision of nutritious and affordable food a business: Two case studies of the intertwined processes of frugal innovation and inclusive development in Ethiopia and Benin
van den Brink, C. P. & Vellema, S., 30 Apr 2018, The Partnerships Resource Centre, p. 56, (The Partnerships Resource Centre: Working Paper Series).
Do theories of change enable innovation platforms and partnerships to navigate towards impact?
Vellema, S., Maru, Y. T., Ekong, J., McNamara, P., Waters-Bayer, A., Watson, D. & Brouwers, J. H. A. M., 2017, Royal Tropical Institute, 8 p. (KIT Working papers; no. 2017-13).
Is the ‘Behavioural Turn’ in Consumer Law Taken by Dutch National Courts?
Schebesta, H. & Purnhagen, K., 25 Oct 2017, Wageningen: Wageningen University & Research, 16 p. (Wageningen Working Papers in Law and Governance; no. 2017/09).
Private Capital, Public Goods: Forest Plantations' Investment in Local Infrastructure and Social Services in Rural Tanzania
Degnet, M. B., van der Werf, E., Ingram, V. J. & Wesseler, J., Oct 2017, Munich: CESifo, 28 p. (CESifo Working Papers; no. 6690).
System Analysis in AIS: Potentials and Pitfalls
Schut, M., de Roo, N., Salomons, M., Beshah, T. & Hawkins, R., 2017, KIT Publishers.
Commodities, Prices and Risk: the changing market for non-slave products in pre-abolition in West Africa
Dalrymple-Smith, A. E. & Woltjer, P. J., 2016, African Economic History Network, 30 p. (AEHN working papers; no. 31).
Commodity trade
De grondmarkt in beweging
Silvis, H. J., Voskuilen, M. J., Jongeneel, R. A., Ausma, A. & van Beekhuizen, J., 2016, 18 p.
Family farming in Europe and Central Asia: history, characteristics, threats and potentials
van der Ploeg, J. D., 2016, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 40 p. (International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) Working Paper; no. 153).
Future Roles of the State in Governing the Global Palm Oil Industry: Expert meeting Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Hotel, Singapore 26-27 August 2015
Klaver, D. C., Saragih, B., Choy, E. A., Hospes, O., Padfield, R., Pramudya, P., Schouten, A. M. & Hansen, S. B., 2016, Wageningen: Centre for Development Innovation, p. 1-36.
How important are Agricultural externalities? A framework for analysis and application to Dutch agriculture
Jongeneel, R. A., Polman, N. B. P. & van Kooten, G. C., 2016, 29 p. (Working paper REPA; no. 2016-04 ).
Positive externalities
Costs and benefits
"Hunger makes a thief of any man": poverty and crime in British colonial Asia
Papaioannou, K. I., 2016, Berkeley, CA., USA: Berkeley Electronic Press, (BEHL working paper series; vol. WP2016-03).
Nudge-Ansätze beim nachhaltigen Konsum: Ermittlung und Entwicklung von Maßnahmen zum „Anstoßen“ nachhaltiger Konsummuster
Thorun, C., Diels, J., Vetter, M., Reisch, L. A., Bernauer, M., Micklitz, H-W., Purnhagen, K., Rosenow, J. & Forster, D., Aug 2016, Berlin: ConPolicy – Institut für Verbraucherpolitik, p. 142.
Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonization to the Present
Austin, G., Frankema, E. H. P. & Jerven, M., 1 Nov 2016, Centre for Economic Policy Research, (CEPR Discussion Papers; no. 11609).
Reversed Harmonization or Horizontalization of EU Standards?: Does WTO Law Facilitate or Constrain the Brussels Effect?
Sinopoli, D. A. & Purnhagen, K., 2016, Wageningen University Law and Governance group, 32 p. (Wageningen Working Paper Law and Governance; vol. 2016/02).
The many faces of transactional sex: women's agency, livelihoods and risk factors in humanitarian contexts: a literature review
Formson, C. & Hilhorst, D. J. M., 2016, London: Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, 26 p. (Working paper; no. 41).
Tracing the uneven diffusion of missionary education in colonial Uganda: European influences, African realities, and the pitfalls of church record data
de Haas, M. A. & Frankema, E. H. P., 2016, African Economic History Network, 42 p. (African economic history working paper series; no. 25).
educational inequality
Adaptive Water Governance
Huntjens, P., Valk, S., Zhang, T. & Warner, J. F., 2015, The Hague: The Hague Institute for Global Justice.
An Economic Rationale for the African Scramble. The Commercial Transition and the Commodity Price Boom of 1845-1885. NBER Working Paper 21213
Frankema, E. H. P., Williamson, J. G. & Woltjer, P. J., 2015, Cambridge MA: National Bureau for Economic Research, (NBER Working Paper; no. 21213).
A Vision of the Growth Process in a Technologically Progressive Economy: the United States, 1899-1941
Bakker, G., Crafts, N. F. R. & Woltjer, P. J., 2015, London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 73 p. (LSE Economic History Working Papers; no. 226).
Total factor productivity growth
Labor quality
Sources of innovation
Bakker, G., Crafts, N. F. R. & Woltjer, P. J., Dec 2015, Coventry: Warwick University, 73 p. (Warwick Economics Research Paper Series; no. 1099).
Woltjer, P. J., Bakker, G. & Crafts, N. F. R., 2015, London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 67 p.
Bakker, G., Crafts, N. F. R. & Woltjer, P. J., 2015, Coventry: Warwick University, 73 p. (CAGE Online Working Paper Series; no. 257).
Bakker, G., Crafts, N. F. R. & Woltjer, P. J., 2015, Groningen: University of Groningen, 70 p. (GGDC Research Memorandum; no. 156).
Climate Shocks, Cash crops and Resilience: Evidence from colonial tropical Africa
Papaioannou, K. I. & de Haas, M. A., Oct 2015, Centre for Global Economic History, 53 p. (CGEH Working Paper Series; no. 76).
Colonial origins of the threefold reality of Mozambique: fiscal capacity and labour systems
Alexopoulou-Giannakitsa, K. & Juif, D. T., 2015, 42 p. (African economic history working paper series; no. 21).
Does the capital structure of firms influence their innovation strategies? Evidence from the European agri-food sector
Materia, V. C., Abduraupov, R., Dries, L. K. E. & Pascucci, S., 2015, Halle: COMPETE-EU, 18 p.
Innovation strategy
Floquet theory and economic dynamics II
Heijman, W. J. M. & van Mouche, P. H. M., 2015, 59 p. (WASS Working paper; no. 15-2015).
Floquet Theory
Recurrence Equations
Linear Recurrence
Periodic Coefficients
Legal Limits on Food Labelling Law: Comparative Analysis of the EU and the USA
van der Zee, E. L., 2 Apr 2015, Wageningen University Law and Governance group, 57 p. (Wageningen working paper Law and Governance; no. 2015/01).
One-Door-One-Key Principle: Observations Regarding Integration of GM Authorization Procedures in the EU
van der Meulen, B. M. J. & Yusuf, N., 15 May 2015, Wageningen University Law and Governance group, 21 p. (Wageningen working paper Law and Governance; no. 2015/02).
Austin, G., Frankema, E. H. P. & Jerven, M., 2015, Utrecht, ( CGEH Working Paper; no. 71).
The distinct economic effects of the ethanol blend wall, RIN prices and ethanol price premium due to the RFS
de Gorter, H. & Drabik, D., Nov 2015, Cornell University, 40 p. (Working paper Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management; no. WP 2015-11).
Price premium
Economic effect
The 'Honey' Judgment Bablok and Others vs. Freistaat Bayern of the Court of Justice of the European Union: Implications for Coexistence
Purnhagen, K. & Wesseler, J. H. H., 2015, Wageningen: Wageningen UR, 31 p. (Wageningen Working Papers in Law and Governance; vol. 2015, no. 08).
legal order
The principle(s) of co-existence in Europe: Social, economic and legal avenues
The Prohibition of Medicinal Claims: Food in Fact But Medicinal Product in Law?
Bremmers, H. J., van der Meulen, B. M. J. & Waarts, Y. R., 2015, Wageningen University Law and Governance group, 33 p. (Wageningen working paper Law and Governance ; no. 2015/03).
Are in-house and outsourcing innovation strategies interlinked? Evidence from the European agri-food sector
Materia, V. C., Pascucci, S. & Dries, L. K. E., 2014, COMPETE-EU, 28 p.
A systematic review of local vulnerability to climate change: In search of transparency, coherence and comparability
Delaney, A., Chesterman, S., Crane, T. A., Tamas, P. A. & Ericksen, P. J., 2014, Copenhagen, Denmark: CGIAR, (CCAFS working paper; no. 97).
Before She Said ‘I Do’. The impact of industrialization on unmarried women’s labour force participation 1812-1932
Boter, C. A., 2014, Utrecht: Utrecht University.
labor force participation
tertiary sector
Between economic opportunities and family pressures. Migration decisions of farmers' children, The Netherlands 1850-1940
Mandemakers, K., Kok, J. & Mönkediek, B., 2014, Alghero, Italy.
Beyond divides: prospects for synergy between resilience and pathways approaches to sustainability
West, S., Haider, J., Sinare, H. & Karpouzoglou, T. D., 2014, Brighton: STEPS Centre.
transdisciplinary
Biofuels and Vertical Price Transmission: The Case of the US Corn, Ethanol, and Food Markets
Drabik, D., Ciaian, P. & Pokrivcak, J., 2014, KU Leuven, LICOS.
Price transmission
Climate Shocks and Conflict: Evidence from colonial Nigeria
Papaioannou, K. I., 2014, Sweden: African Economic History Network.
agricultural diversification
political conflict
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1698
|
__label__wiki
| 0.517749
| 0.517749
|
Amphibians with infectious disease increase their reproductive effort: evidence for the terminal investment hypothesis
Brannelly, Laura A., Webb, Rebecca, Skerratt, Lee F., and Berger, Lee (2016) Amphibians with infectious disease increase their reproductive effort: evidence for the terminal investment hypothesis. Open Biology, 6. 150251.
DOI: 10.1098/rsob.150251
View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsob.150251
Mounting an immune response to fight disease is costly for an organism and can reduce investment in another life-history trait, such as reproduction. The terminal investment hypothesis predicts that an organism will increase reproductive effort when threatened by disease. The reproductive fitness of amphibians infected with the deadly fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is largely unknown. In this study, we explored gametogenesis in two endangered and susceptible frog species, Pseudophryne corroboree and Litoria verreauxii alpina. Gametogenesis, both oogenesis and spermatogenesis, increased when animals were experimentally infected with Bd. In P. corroboree, infected males have thicker germinal epithelium, and a larger proportion of spermatocytes. In L. v. alpina, infected males had more spermatic cell bundles in total, and a larger proportion of spermatozoa bundles. In female L. v. alpina, ovaries and oviducts were larger in infected animals, and there were more cells present within the ovaries. Terminal investment has consequences for the evolution of disease resistance in declining species. If infected animals are increasing reproductive efforts and producing more offspring before succumbing to disease, it is possible that population-level selection for disease resistance will be minimized.
Article (Research - C1)
chytrid fungus, oogenesis, reproduction, spermatogenesis, terminal investment, wildlife disease
© 2016 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.
Australian Research Council (ARC), Taronga Zoo
Projects and Grants:
ARC FT100100375 and LP110200240)
07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070702 Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology @ 60%
07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070707 Veterinary Microbiology (excl Virology) @ 20%
06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0608 Zoology > 060803 Animal Developmental and Reproductive Biology @ 20%
96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960810 Mountain and High Country Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 70%
96 ENVIRONMENT > 9604 Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species > 960499 Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species not elsewhere classified @ 30%
Last 12 Months: 7
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1699
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.