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__label__cc	0.656815	0.343185	EPSA - European Public Sector Award EPSA 2017 EPSA Projects From EPSA - European Public Sector Award Award type: Award \| Nominee \| Diploma or Best practice award \| Submission Short english description Every Child Safe Forever (ECSF project) – The Development of Relentless Family Case Management and the End of Parole and Other Court Orders Netherlands Youth Protection Amsterdam Region 2015 Local level Public health and social welfare/affairs Youth Protection Amsterdam Region is a certified institution responsible for providing specialised care to families whose children face severe safety threats. The organisation aims to guarantee children’s permanent security, and a safe upbringing. BQ-Portal – The Information Portal for Foreign Professional Qualifications Germany German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy 2015 National level Employment, labour related affairs and gender equality By setting up the BQ-Portal, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has followed a new approach to delivering administrative services. The portal supports the competent organisations in their complex task of assessing foreign qualifications. Urban Environment and Health Spain Barcelona Provincial Council 2015 Local level cross-sectoral To include the health perspective in all local policies, the Barcelona Provincial Council initiated the project called “Urban Environment and Health”, which was launched under the framework of the Table for Urban Improvement (TxMU, on its Catalan acronym). The Compass of Transparency Italy Department for Public Administration of Italy 2013 National level Public administration, modernisation, institutional affairs, reform The compass of transparency (www.magellanopa.it/bussola) is an automated online instrument that gives citizens the possibility to monitor in real time the implementation of all data and information requirements imposed by Italian law on the websites of more than 20,000 Italian public administrations (PAs). Development of Wellbeing and Civil Safety in Municipalities Finland Regional State Administrative Agency for Lapland 2013 Regional level cross-sectoral The project on Civil Safety in Municipalities has found novel, nationally recognised solutions to implement wellbeing and safety services in municipalities, by bringing in the resources and skills of NGOs and voluntary organisations to complement the services provided by the private sector and municipalities. Educational and Promotional Campaign: Bielsko-Biała Protects the Climate Poland The City of Bielsko-Biała, Energy Management Office 2013 Local level other The campaign called ‘Bielsko-Biała Protects the Climate’ consists of the educational and promotional activities addressed to the inhabitants of this city to promote the conservation of energy and the environment, planned until 2020. Andalusian Health e-Library Spain Virtual Library of the Andalusian Public Health System 2013 Regional level Information society, technology, media and audiovisual The Andalusian Health e-Library (Biblioteca Virtual del Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía, BV-SSPA) set up in June 2006 allows health professionals to access the most prestigious resources to facilitate decisiontaking, healthcare, teaching and research activities. The Creation of a New Economic Zone in Southern Luxembourg: Efficient Urban Planning and Social Integration through Cross-Municipal, Cross-Border and Cross-Sectoral Cooperation Luxembourg Municipality of Esch-sur-Alzette 2013 Local level Regional policy and development, decentralisation After the decline of the steel industry, the Luxembourg government decided in 2000 to implement a decentralisation and diversification policy, shifting part of the public administration and services to the southern region, i.e. to the city of Esch-sur-Alzette, formerly an industrial town that still hosts offices and a production plant of the steel giant ArcelorMittal. Civil society involvement in the welcoming and integration of immigrants - The case of Portugal Portugal The High Commission for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue 2011 National level Public administration, modernisation, institutional affairs, reform Civil society and migrants’ associations are, thus, the government’s partners, working together at several levels, particularly in the creation of the Consultative Council for Immigration Affairs (COCAI). Political management based on economic stringency and strategic budgets Spain Bilbao City Council 2011 Local level Public administration, modernisation, institutional affairs, reform To this end, it has designed a strategy based on an economy in which productivity, creativity, new technologies, innovation, emerging clusters and international networks prevail. Ökokauf Wien - Ecobuy Vienna Austria City of Vienna Department for Environment Protection – MA 22 2011 Regional level Economic affairs, competition, SME The aim of the ‘ÖkoKauf Wien’ programme is to enhance the environmental compatibility of the city´s procurement system in line with the principles of climate protection and EU procurement regulations. Oldham Partnership United Kingdom Oldham Council 2009 Local level Regional policy and development, decentralisation cooperation The Oldham Partnership is the local strategic partnership (LSP) for Oldham and the mechanism for uniting Oldham’s strategic leaders around a shared and ambitious vision for a thriving town Management in Sant Cugat city hall budgeting the strategy: A new deal between political management and politic leadership Spain Sant Cugat City Council 2009 Local level Public administration, modernisation, institutional affairs, reform e-government This project was launched to build an innovative city council on the back of an efficient, motivated and well-managed public administration that is fit to meet the challenges of the future Regional platform of e-services for all- e-Bourgogne France Grouping of Public Interest (GIP) e-Bourgogne 2009 Regional level Economic affairs, competition, SME public-private partnerships e-Bourgogne is a local entity set up to firstly offer to all public entities from the Burgundy region a common shared electronic platform for publishing their purchasing needs Cologne participatory budget Germany City of Cologne 2009 Local level Public administration, modernisation, institutional affairs, reform community and stakeholder participation The goal was to provide understandable and comprehensive information about the budget, raise awareness among the population about the complex topic, enrich budget consultancies by additional input from the citizens enhance the transparency on budget related matters and generally establish an improved communication between the administration and the citizens E-Government Program of the Belgian Social Security Belgium Crossroads Bank for Social Security (CBSS) 2007 National level Public health and social welfare/affairs e-government social security business reorganisation with IT-based solutions Kulturverket: “Kids tell pros what to do” Sweden City of Umeå 2007 Local level Sports, youth, culture and art community and stakeholder participation youngsters, school children tell professionals in the area of culture what to do Demographischer Wandel als Managementaufgabe auf Kreisebene Germany Landkreis Osnabrück 2007 Local level cross-sectoral strategic management and planning tools an integrated approach to tackle the demographic change Bibliotek 2007 / Library 2007 Sweden City of Umeå 2007 Local level Education (higher and lower), training and learning cooperation a new library catalogue allows residents in a number of municipalities to access the largest book magazine Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service “Changing Working Patterns” United Kingdom Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service 2007 Local level Justice, police, human rights and security human resource management a programme dedicated to maintain and improve emergency response delivery standards with in larger human resource modernisation programme Strategic partnership for the improvement of the situation of the Roma population in Bucharest Romania Prefecture of Bucharest 2007 Local level Public health and social welfare/affairs community and stakeholder participation partnerships to promote quality of life of ethnic minorities Improving Police Visibility and Effectiveness via Mobile Data United Kingdom Lancashire Constabulary 2007 Local level Justice, police, human rights and security e-government improving visibility of police and effectiveness of work through mobile data Retrieved from "http://verwaltungspreise.at/index.php?title=Award&oldid=5113" Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License unless otherwise noted. About EPSA - European Public Sector Award	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line438
__label__wiki	0.798594	0.798594	transjuice Embedded_Texts Net_wide Meta_Texts Jordan Baseman - Dark is the Night - ArtSway - 21 February - 5 April 2009 Sexuality is an important boundary between the self and society.Jordan Baseman is interested in these boundaries, as all three films look at male sexuality and the construction of the self. These film works were made in and around Soho, London, and they test the boundaries of documentary film making at the same time. Nasty Piece of Stuff, is an interview with a resident of Soho, Alan Wakeman. Wakeman talks about being gay before legalisation. Working late one night at the office, he takes a break and wanders along the King's Road. Here, for the first time in his life, he picks up another gay man. They go back to Wakeman's flat, with disastrous consequences. The emotional turmoil Wakeman communicates in this narrative is reflected in the camera movements, documenting busy London streets. The film footage, which is abstract in its dynamic quality, is continuous in editing terms with the pattern of Wakeman's speech. This has the effect of building up the drama of the recalled event. The flows of the film carry the viewer along, and echo Wakeman becoming carried away and getting into trouble. It was his first intimate sexual experience, and he obviously still feels distressed when he talks about it. The second film, Dark is the Night, is the story of Lucy Browne, a transexual prostitute. She describes her life, going from marriage and a nine to five job, to her transformation into a transexual and then into a prostitute. She is able to talk freely about what she does, even objectively. She thinks we are all prostitutes, selling some aspect of ourselves. She negotiates the boundary of her sexuality by describing what she will and won't tolerate, and the types she won't work for, including 'black and Asian men'. She describes being a transexual, and changing her identity from being a husband and father. This film is completely absent of people. There are shots of empty Soho streets, which appear like a stage or film set; a place of negotiated boundaries. This absence of people, 'characters', puts all the emphasis on what Lucy Browne is saying. It enables a level of confidence, which perhaps wouldn't be possible if she was on camera. This is 'down time', a glimpse behind the scenes. Lucy is in control on this set, and the inherent dangers of her profession are left to the imagination. She talks about altering her body using silicone, and her ambition to return to the drag circuit. There are shots of cigarette butts on the pavement, a polystyrene cup someone has placed upturned on one of the spikes of a railing, a tissue. People really do live this life, in search of some erotic fantasy. It is all about sex as an 'act', where emotions are separated and coolly assessed. The final film in this trilogy is The Dandy Doctrine (A Delightful Illusion). This is a portrayal of a contemporary dandy, Sebastian Horsley, an artist and writer who lives in Soho. Horsley talks about dandyism, 'a woman can't be a dandy', as Baseman's camera lens surveys the detail of his living room. The documentary style leaks insights around the edges, like its subject, and Horsley is fascinating to listen to. "Failure is the difference between our expectations and success" he says at one point. He has an endless supply of quotations. He won't have sex with middle class women, 'I will only have sex with tarts or titled ladies' he says. This puts his attitude to sex in a similar, but different, vein to the prostitute. Above his fireplace is an artwork made of skulls. Baseman is clearly fascinated by the English and their sexuality, but in documenting the dandy one hopes that dandyism will last. www.photonet.org.uk Dark is the Night is co-commissioned by ArtSway and The Photographers' Gallery, London. Baseman will be exhibiting at The Photographers' Gallery from 24 April - 14 June 2009 Writings on: Mark Amerika Jordan Baseman Stephen Bell Richard Billingham Boredom Research Christine Borland Grégory Chatonsky Adam Chodzko Wayne Clements Paul Coldwell Beatriz da Costa Stuart Croft Jessica Curry & Dan Pinchbeck Tajinder Dhami Sayed Edalatpour Angus Fairhurst Alexander Galloway Charlotte Ginsborg Tina Gonsalves Victoria Halford & Steve Beard Peter Hardie Claire Hope Florian Kramer Andreas Kratky Abi Kremer William Pope. L Emma Leach & Natasha Vicars Les Liens Invisible Melanie Manchot Eamon O'Kane John Paul Pietrus Paper Rad & Paul B. Davis Steve Rowell Alex Reuben Susan Sloan Lizzie Sykes Olu Taiwo Ruth Todhunter Renee Turner Neal White Math Wrath Andrea Zapp	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line439
__label__cc	0.582562	0.417438	Blu-Ray/DVDContestsFestivalsHomeLocal EventsMAINReviewsSpanish ReviewsThe ReviewersTrailersUncategorized Spanish Reviews NEWS and Trailers Our Old Site 07 February, 2017 \| By - Mark Saldana Screening Pass Giveaway: THE GREAT WALL Source: Universal Pictures TVR is giving readers a chance to win a complimentary pass to see a special advance screening on Wednesday, February 15 at 7:30 p.m. For a chance to win a pass (admit 2), e-mail Trueviewreviews2@gmail.com and in the Subject line of your e-mail, please note “The Great Wall in Austin”. A limited number of winners will be selected at random and sent an e-pass no later than Tuesday, February 14. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 17 years or older to enter for a chance to win. One entry per person please. We encourage early arrival at these screenings. Seats are not guaranteed and are on a first-come, first-served basis with the exception of local press and studio VIPs. Starring global superstar Matt Damon and directed by one of the most breathtaking visual stylists of our time, Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Legendary’s The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure. The first English-language production for Yimou is the largest film ever shot entirely in China. The Great Wall also stars Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau. The film will be released in 3D on February 17 by Universal Pictures. Category: Contests Home Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival 2020 Review: ALWAYS IN SEASON Review: BAD BOYS FOR LIFE Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival 2020 Review: ALL RISE CHROME USERS \| Install plugin to view RSS feed: \| HERE Events Category Copyright © True View Reviews - Movie Reviews, News, Trailers and More	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line442
__label__cc	0.743404	0.256596	March 1, 2018 April 25, 2019 admin A few days before, while frantically dressing up for work, I looked at the clock to see how late I am. But irritatingly, it wasn’t working. I felt a wave of rage towards the old clock and complained to my mother that it was too old and it is time to dump it. She looked at me in a peculiar way and said, “I shall rather throw ‘you’ out!!”. Impressed by her quick wit, I laughed and kissed her good-bye. On the way to work, I kept thinking of what she said. She was right. The old clock is too valuable. It has so much history behind and deserves much more respect. Taking things for granted is typical human nature. Many things, animate and inanimate, are indispensable for us. But in the rush of life, we fail to notice how important they are. The truth is that these trifles make our life comfortable and worth living. With a bit of scrutiny, we will have a better appreciation for life itself. I realized that our clock is something in that category. The circular clock with its wooden frame, metallic bezel, fifteen-inch white dial and huge numerics was actually very elegant and eye-catching. I felt amused as a child when my dad magically opened the front glass door to adjust the time. But as I grew up and life became much hectic, the clock’s importance was not really appreciated, though I looked at it almost twenty times a day. The ‘time machine’ has been around ever since I can remember. It was there to welcome me when I was brought home as a newborn. It bore witness to my childish plays, laughter and tears, hectic exam schedules, my graduation and other important moments in my life. Feeling ashamed that I am so ungrateful to such an old friend, I decided to know more about this antique and started enquiring about it. The more I found out, the more I became impressed. The History of the Time Machine To narrate the story of the clock, I have to first give a glimpse of my late uncle from my mother’s side, Raphael Kollanur or ‘Big Daddy’ as we used to call him. As the eldest son in the family of eleven children (enough to make a soccer team!), he was looked up by everyone. Being extremely gifted, highly capable and eternally feared, he formed a heroic image and hence attracted a lot of friends. So, on his wedding day, that is 8th May 1969, someone ( my investigative journalism failed to find out the name) presented him with this valuable gift. My other uncle Chacko remembers that it cost around 400 Rupees at that time. That comes to around 20,000 INR (almost 350 dollars) in today’s money. Big Daddy was working at Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) then and the machine adorned the wall of his house in Kochi (Edappally to be exact). When he moved to Mumbai in 1973, he took it with him where it remained till ’75. Big Daddy gave it to my grandmother when he moved to Middle East and subsequently to US where he went on to become the manager in the City of Corpus Christi in Texas. In the long 49 years, the time machine has been through a lot. I heard several amusing stories about it. One anecdote is worth sharing. In 1980, the clock suddenly stopped working one day. My Ammamma (Grandmother) became upset not only because she had no money with her to repair it but also the monthly prayer meeting was due in her home. Feeling ashamed of people seeing the dead clock, she planned to move it to the attic. But astonishingly, the faithful timekeeper automatically started working an hour before the prayer meeting and it worked perfectly throughout it. Ammamma believed it was a miracle and praised the Almighty for his benevolence. Unfortunately, the miracle lasted only for three days and the clock had to be repaired anyway. My Ammamma was a very generous old lady. Because of her altruistic nature, many valuable antiques at home ended up with some poor family who came asking for help. But she neither gave the clock away nor parted with it even for a day. Pawning objects for money was normal at the time. The family went through a lot of difficulties but Ammamma never pawned the clock, though she might have got a decent sum. Maybe it reminded her of her eldest son who is thousands of miles away. On her bedridden last days, she insisted on hanging the clock opposite to her bed so that she can look at it all the time. After she passed in 1989, my mother took it home. And it has remained with us ever since. The clock subsequently stopped in 1993 after two and a half decades of meritorious service. But my dad was a person who would not give up that easily. When all the efforts to bring back the keying-mechanism to life failed, he performed a ‘heart transplant’ whereby the mechanism was replaced with a Swiss made battery-powered one. Everyone sighed in relief when the new system worked perfectly. But my nine-year-old brother believed that he can repair the discarded mechanism. With hours of concentrated effort, he converted it into total scrap. It had to be thrown away at last. My early memories of the clock Though my dad was very careful with the old time machine, me and my brother were not. I remember one time when we made a dent in it while we were playing ‘indoor cricket’ against our dad’s orders. We were deeply relieved when the mark went unnoticed by our parents. But the days of peace didn’t last long as the time for battery replacement came sooner than expected. Dad was furious when he found out and mom didn’t come to our rescue either. Frankly, as a child, I had some resentment towards the clock as it was behind it that my dad usually placed his cane which he used on us very often. It was the only place me and my brother couldn’t reach, as it was too high up in the wall. So destroying the cane or hiding where dad can’t find it at the time of ’emergency’, was out of the question. The most loved antique Through the years, our family moved from two houses. Though many old things were half-heartedly left behind, the clock unfailingly found its place in the ‘handle with care’ box. The left behind stuff might have been jealous of the old clock. Eventually, many new generation clocks came and tried replacing the grandpa. But all of them met with the same fate; dishonorable discharge! To this day the old clock enjoys the prime position in our home. Even though the clock may not actually fit into the category of ‘antique’, its value is immense. In the half a century-long journey, it was passed down through three generations. The distance that it traveled, the walls adorned, the emotions carried, the people it reminds of, the lives that were touched….my mother is right, it is better to throw me out than the historic timepiece. time piece Previous The Guiding Light Next My rain Memoirs Ética Hoje says: Ola amigo Manu Como sempre muito bom seu post Achei muito bonito como você falou sobre sua mae neste post Seus assuntos me interessam muito A Índia para nós brasileiro ainda é envolvida por mistérios pela sua Milenar tradição cultural e espiritual Seus posts além do Brasil são lidos em muitos lugares Desculpe o atrevimento de lhe dar uma sugestão: fale também da sua visão da Índia hoje, sob a sua vivencia como uma pessoa normal, se possível publique fotos da Índia real hoje. Terei imenso prazer em divulgar seu Site no Brasil se você permitir é claro Tudo de bom p você e sua família Obrigado irmão luiz. você é muito gentil. I appreciate your interest in my blog. Thank you for the suggestion. I do understand your curiosity, I will definitely do a detailed blog about life in India. Take care. Cheers!! Esther Salaam says: That was a really good read, a reminder to stop taking things for granted. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. lizy k vaidian says: Liju Ram says: A really good read. I was able to visualize the entire narration as if in a movie. I would suggest you to start writing in Quora. You will have a much wider audience as well as some serious fun. Reminds us that there is more to the ‘small’ things in life than we actually see	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line444
__label__cc	0.540395	0.459605	> Reliable Source The Sleuth Celebritology Rough Sketch About The Reliable Source \| On Twitter: Reliable Source \| E-mail: Amy and Roxanne \| RSS Feed The secrets of the D.C. "Housewives": Jason Turner's curious patent This just in...: Michelle Rhee's wedding invitation misspelling; Oscar director in talks for Justin Beiber flick Love etc.: Indie-rock royalty Amanda MacKaye weds at Fort Reno Park Bristol Palin says she and Levi Johnston are over; his lawyer thinks they'll work it out, though Even more Chelsea Clinton wedding details: Presidential moonwalking, the gift bags, the friend's band -- and where'd that crazy Oprah rumor get started? 44: Obama's Washington Celebvocate Chelsea Clinton wedding Hey, Isn't That...? Love, Etc. Real Housewives of D.C. Surreal Estate White House Correspondents' Association Dinner White House State Dinner White House crashers The Salahis and Journey: A video (and lawsuit) to remember Before they gained fame for infiltrating the White House, Tareq and Michaele Salahi had a local reputation for their messy lawsuits, name-dropping and energetic promotion of their polo tournament. All three converged in 2007 with one very special VIP photo op: A video they shot with veteran rockers Journey. It shows the Salahis in happier times, preparing to launch their first America's Polo Cup with a match between U.S. and British teams and a concert by Journey. Virginia officials had recognized the tournament as part of that year's Jamestown anniversary celebration; they had not yet been wracked by complaints of unpaid bills and tax irregularities for the Salahis' affiliated charity, Journey for the Cure. The video shows the couple grinning broadly at the camera. "Thank you all for supporting America's 400th anniversary, the journey that changed the world!" says Michaele. Tareq offers, "Cheers to our U.K. friends and partners" and praise for "the principles of freedom and democracy." And then, as the camera pulls back, there's the band, surrounding the Salahis. "Happy Birthday, America!" they all say in unison. "It's time to rock America like it's never been rocked. Whoo!" Good times. How did it end up in court? Local PR exec Steve Winter told us he worked pro bono for the polo match in '07, happily. But in 2008, signed on as a paid publicist, he claims the Salahis went behind his back to set up competing media deals that voided the exclusives he'd arranged. Then they stiffed him on half his bill, he claims. But before he could sue them ... they sued him, for losing the original outtakes of their Journey video. They sought $65,000 in damages -- the cost, they said, of their trip to meet with Journey. In Falls Church General District Court, Michaele told Winter's lawyer the video was worth $1 million. (The Salahis lawyers declined to comment.) "Journey? From late-period Journey?" asked Jeff Krulik, local filmmaker and rock-collectibles expert. "They have a fine place in rock-and-roll history ... but there's no market for that." Krulik was prepared to say just that, in testimony supporting Winter -- but the judge threw both cases out of court. (Winter's attorney is appealing his case.) By The Reliable Source \| December 7, 2009; 1:04 AM ET Categories: White House crashers Save & Share: Previous: Surreal Estate: Shawne Merriman selling D.C. condo Next: Read this: Kennedy Center Honors, latest Salahi and Secret Service news So the Salahi's play the suing game too. My oh my. Where will we find them next? Whether these people are pretenders, grifters, con artists, whatever, what is telling is all the people who did business with them without checking their backgrounds. Dealing with people or companies which have lawsuits against those them employed in the past, or suits involving non-payment, should be a red flag to any reputable business planning to do business. It seems the Salahi's reputation was well known. So why did so many people and companies do business with them anyway? If this teaches anyone a lesson it is to ignore the smiles and hype and dig into anyone's business and legal background before signing a contract or entering into a business relationship. Posted by: Fate1 \| December 7, 2009 11:22 AM \| Report abuse Man, that video was horrible and full of awkward pauses. Posted by: ilsh127 \| December 7, 2009 12:22 PM \| Report abuse The first Polo Cup is not the first instance of the Salahis stiffing the little guys. Their legal history is a matter of public record. It sounds like the judge who threw out Winter's case was either tugging his forelock to these "beautiful people", or just plain didn't do his homework. Posted by: laboo \| December 7, 2009 4:30 PM \| Report abuse	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line447
__label__wiki	0.796335	0.796335	An illustration of a man lighting the Hanukkah lamp with a congregation behind him from the Forli Siddur, Italy 1383. British Library December 13, 2017 ChanukahPiyyutEditors The relative absence of Chanukah from rabbinic literature has been seen by many scholars as evidence that late antique Jews were ambivalent about the holiday and its Hasmonean founders. However, the highly suggestive evidence of piyyut (liturgical poetry), which extensively and creatively thematizes Chanukah and the Hasmoneans, suggests that this apparent ambivalence was not shared across late antique Jewish society. Prof. Ophir Münz-Manor Why is Chanukah Not in the Mishna? Despite its prominence in Jewish life since the Middle Ages, Chanukah is the only holiday in the Jewish calendar that does not have a corresponding mishnaic tractate. Indeed, the holiday is mentioned in the Mishna only seven times, and always in passing. While other classical Palestinian rabbinic works, like the Tosefta and Yerushalmi, devote somewhat more discussion to the festival, it is only in the Babylonian Talmud that we find the basic contours of Chanukah as we know it today.1 Rabbinic disinterest in Chanukah is widely assumed to reflect broad ambivalence regarding the historical actors who established the holiday. Prominent nineteenth and twentieth centuries historians of Judaism have argued that rabbinic disapproval of the Hasmoneans lay behind the lack of enthusiasm for Chanukah in rabbinic literature.2 Even earlier, traditional, scholars, such as the leading early nineteenth century Ashkenazi rabbi, Hatam Sofer (Rabbi Moses Schreiber, 1762-1839), explained the reason for this lacuna as stemming from the compiler of the Mishna, Rabbi Yehuda the patriarch’s, disapproval of the Hasmonean dynasty.3 While some of these arguments have been overstated, everyone involved in the debate agrees on one basic fact: references to the Hasmoneans in Rabbinic literature are sparse.4 The Importance of Piyyut for Understanding Late Antique Judaism Rabbinic literature is the primary repository of classical rabbinic views, but Piyyut, the Hebrew liturgical poetry that was composed abundantly in the Galilee from the fifth century and onwards, is now recognized as significant source for understanding classical Judaism. The payytanim, the hymnographers who composed the piyyutim, were part of the Jewish leadership in late antiquity and associated with the rabbis, although they composed works in a different genre than classical rabbinic literature.5 Piyyut is not merely an overlooked corpus of texts; its historical significance in some senses is even more useful than rabbinic literature for understanding Jewish society in late antique Palestine. Unlike rabbinic texts, which for the most part were intended for a limited community consisting primarily of learned men, Piyyut was aimed at a much more diverse audience of male and female synagogue-goers. In this way, it provides a window into the primary site where the religiosity and beliefs of late antique Jews were molded.6 The Hasmoneans: Kingly Priests Winning by the Grace of God Yosei ben Yosei: 5th Century The earliest known named payytan, Yosei ben Yosei, lived in the fifth century,7 and composed piyyutim only for the High Holidays – or at least, only his High Holiday piyyutim have come down to us.8 Nevertheless, in a composition for the Malkhuyot service on Rosh Hashanah, Yosei mentions the Hasmoneans:9 נִמְכְּרוּ יוֹנִים לִבְנַי יְוָונִים וְרִיחֲקוּם מֵעַל גְּבוּל מְלוּכָה נִאֲרוּ בְּרִית וָדָת וְהִמְרוּ עָם בְּאֵל וּמִגְּרוּם בְּלֹא כֹחַ מְכַהֲנֵי מְלוּכָה Doves (yonim) were sold to the sons of the Greeks (yevanim) and they were held back from the kingdom’s border They annihilated covenant and custom and forced the people to disobey God And they were conquered without a struggle by the kingly priests. Notably, Yosei refers to the Hasmoneans as “kingly priests” (מכהני מלוכה), an epithet that highlights their dual status as kings and priests. This conflicts with the view of rabbis who strongly disapproved of the Hasmoneans taking for themselves these two positions. For example, the Talmud records the words of R. Yehuda ben Gedidya criticizing the Hasmonean king, Yannai (b. Qiddushin 66a): רב לך כתר מלכות הנח כתר כהונה לזרעו של אהרן The crown of the monarchy suffices for you, leave the crown of the priesthood for the descendants of Aaron Yosei apparently had no problem that the Hasmoneans took kingship alongside the priesthood. At the same time, his assertion that the Hasmoneans defeated the Greeks “without a struggle” is noteworthy; the apocryphal books of the Maccabees depict a significant and long struggle against the Greeks. Perhaps the payytan is playing down the combative elements of the Hasmoneans, as some proponents of the anti-Hasmonean thesis argued. Indeed, the understanding that the Hasmoneans won thanks to God, not their own resources, became a recurring theme in later Piyyut. Chanukah Piyyutim About the Dedication of the Tabernacle Yannai: 6th Century The payytanim that followed Yosei ben Yosei composed lengthy compositions for Chanukah. The bulk of these piyyutim are dedicated to the inauguration of the Mishkan (tabernacle) in the wilderness. For example, the sixth century payytan, Yannai, composed a lengthy piyyut for Shabbat Chanukah that describes the inauguration of the Mishkan and does not refer to the events usually associated with Chanukah, such as the Hasmonean revolt, the purification of the Temple, and candle lightening.10 Tempting as it may be, this choice should not be interpreted as a sign of payytanic reluctance to portray the rededication of the Temple that took place following the Hasmonean revolt. Rather, it relates to the proscribed reading of the Torah on Sabbath during the Chanukah holiday,11 which is taken from Numbers 7, and describes the sacrifices offered by the tribal chieftains during the celebrations of the erection of the Mishkan. Piyyutim typically relate to such festival readings, rather than to the broader events associated with the festival. Ela’zar birabi Qilir: 7th Century. When we reach the piyyutim of Yannai’s successor and most famous payytan, Ela’zar birabi Qilir,12 we find that the events and practices of Chanukah begin to play a more prominent role. Like his predecessors, the Qiliri also composed several piyytuim that focus on the dedication of the Tabernacle. Yet, despite the limitations of working off the Torah portion, he found a way to weave in the practices and commemorations of the festival by introducing a typological scheme in which the “Chanukah” – that is, the [re]inauguration – of the Temple in the days of the Hasmoneans, is the last phase in a series of earthly salvations and (re)inaugurations, including (1) the “inauguration” of the world in the six days of creation, the inauguration of (2) the mishkan, (3) the Temple of David,13 (4) Solomon’s Temple, (5) the Second Temple in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, (6) the Hasmoneans, and subsequently, (7) the world to come.14 The strophe that describes the sixth Chanukah, the rededication of the Hasmoneans, reads:15 שָׁנִים מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים שָׁלְמוּ עַל יְדֵי עֲטוּיֵי פַּעֲמוֹנִים תּוֹאַר נֵרוֹת שְׁמוֹנָה מַשְׁמִינִים תָּקְפָה חֲנֻכַּת בֵּית חַשְׁמוֹנִים One hundred and eighty years Were concluded by those who are adorned with bells Lighting candles eight (days) with oil The chanukah of the house of the Hasmoneans was established. The “one hundred and eighty years” in this stanza is the traditional number associated with the rule of the Greeks.16 The conclusion of this period was indeed initiated by the (Hasmonean) priests, who traditionally wear a garment with bells (Exodus 28:33-34; 29:25-26). Thus, even from this short excerpt it is evident that the Qiliri related explicitly and positively to the Hasmoneans. Qiliri combined the typology of the seven dedications in several of his poems and later payytanim followed with their own versions. In addition, from a later stage starting with the late midrash, Pesiqta Rabbati (circa. 8th Century), this typology appears also in prose midrashic texts. Qiliri’s “Historical Narratives” In several piyyutim for the days of Chanukah that do not fall on the Sabbath, the Qiliri reconstructed “historical narratives” of the Hasmonean revolt. The major challenge that he and later payytanim faced was that there was no canonical text that describes the wars of the Hasmoneans, and the medieval Megilat Antiochus, which does in fact incorporate such material, was not yet written. Thus, the Qiliri had to collect scattered traditions known mostly from tannaitic literature and weave them into his piyyut as if they described the Hasmonean revolt, even when originally they did not. The Hasmoneans of…Yavnit(!) The following are some stanzas from a piyyut composed for the daily morning prayers during Chanukah. It mentions the zealous five Hasmonean brothers (קִנְּאוּ חֲמִשָּׁה), the town of Modi’in (מוֹדִיעִית), which is known also from other sources as the hometown of the Hasmonean and the central battlefield in which they fought. In addition, it describes the homecoming of the Hasmoneans as follows:17 לְבַשֵּׂר בְּחוּצוֹת יַבְנִית כִּי קִצְּצָה חֲנִית כָּל לָשׁוֹן יְוָנִית To announce in the streets of Yavnit That the spear chopped Every Greek tongue. The identification of the Hasmonean hometown as a small village named Yavnit (יַבְנִית), located near the city of Safed, was based on the tradition that the Hasmoneans belonged to the priestly watch (mishmar), Immer, אִמֵּר, whose center was at יַבְנִית. This contradicts the evidence of 1 Maccabees that associates the Hasmoneans with the division of Yehoyariv (יהויריב) and the town of Modi’in. The Qiliri, who apparently wrote without access to Maccabees and within a Galilean context, relocated the Hasmoneans to that region, as did other contemporaneous sources. Joining Hasmonean Past with Late Antique Present A notable feature of Piyyut is its ability to revive, or reenact, episodes from the mythic, foundational past. Indeed, the present piyyut makes a direct connection between the heroic Hasmonean deeds in the past and the liturgical present of the congregation, further evincing the positive view of the Hasmoneans held by the payytanim: זֵכֶר הֲקָמַת נֵרוֹת בִּנְבָלִים וְכִנּוֹרוֹת עַתָּה נַדְלִיק נֵרוֹת The remembrance of the establishment of the candles (was celebrated) with lute and harp Now, we shall light the candles רֶנֶן וְהַלֵּל עַל כֵּן נְהַלֵּל בִּקְרִיאַת הַלֵּל Joy and praise We shall therefore praise With the recitation of the hallel. By juxtaposing the ritual acts of the Hasmoneans – the lighting of the menorah and celebration with sacred songs – with the contemporaneous liturgical customs of Chanukah as celebrated in late antiquity – namely, candle lighting and the recitation of the Hallel – the congregation becomes part of the sacred past. The Refrain: “With a Hasmoneans Candle” The piyyut continues with the refrain: וְשָׁע בְּרַחַש הֲמוֹנַי כְּהֵפִיחַ רֵיחַ שְׁמָנַי בְּנֵר חַשְׁמוֹנַי And (God) heard the rustle of my crowds As he instilled the odor of my oils With a Hasmonean candle. This refrain, which was sung after every three strophes of the composition (hence, nine times in total), marks the centrality of the Hasmoneans, and again demonstrates that the Qiliri and his many followers never tried to hide or diminish the deeds of the Hasmoneans. Parallels to the Books of Maccabees Recently discovered piyyutim by the Qiliri in the Cairo Genizah reveal intriguing parallels to the Book of Maccabees. In one passage, the Qaliri describes how the Hasmoneans: 18 רָצוּ בִּמְנוּסָה וְלֹא חָסוּ עַל מָמוֹנִים שָׁכְנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר כַּיְעֵנִים Escaped in a rush and did not spare the fortune And dwelled in the desert like ostriches The tradition about the Hasmoneans escaping to the desert from Modi’in while leaving behind their property is known from 1 Maccabees 2:27-30: 27 Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: “Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!” 28 Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town. 29 At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, 30 they, their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them. In a similar fashion, the Qiliri describes how the Hasmoneans: וְקָבְעוּ בַּתְּשִׁיעִי חַג כְּכָל הַשָּׁנִים כְּחַג יֶרַח הָאֵיתָנִים יָמִים שְׁמוֹנָה הַלֵּל מְנַגְּנִים Set in the ninth (month) a holiday as in all years As the holiday of the month of Eitanim (=tishrei) Eight days chanting the hallel Here too, the juxtaposition of Chanukah and the feast of Sukkot (that also lasts eight days) is a salient feature of the version of 2 Maccabees (1:9, 1:18 and 10:6).19 It is doubtful that the payytanim had access to the Books of Maccabees, so it is not at all clear how to explain the origin of these parallels.20 Regardless, the striking nature of the payytanic parallels to the Hasmonean narrative underlines the point that the supposed rabbinic ambivalence about the Hasmoneans was not as strict as we may have thought. Birkat hamazon Piyyutim One important genre of piyyut functioned outside the synagogue, namely the payytanic version of birkat hamazon (Grace after Meals); some of these as well dealt with Chanukah and the Hasmoneans.21 Such prayers, which constituted a very popular genre, were recited either by individuals or jointly by the members of the family or other social group at the conclusion of festive meals (for example in holidays, weddings and circumcisions). The Qiliri’s birkat hamazon for Chanukah is rich in allusions to the Hasmoneans, to their deeds, and to the holiday’s customs. The piyyut opens as follows:22 אֶנְקַת שִׂיחַ שַׁוְעִי בְּזֹאת חֲנֻכָּה קָשַׁבְתָּ יִשְׁעִי גִּדַּעְתָּה קֶרֶן מַרְשִׁיעִי דִּכִּיתָה יְוָנִים בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַתְּשִׁיעִי The moan of my desperate prayer In this chanukah, you listened (to it), my savior You cut off the horns of my enemy You oppressed the Greeks in the ninth month As we saw with Yosei ben Yosei’s piyyut, the opening strophe ascribes the victory solely to God. However, in the following strophe the Hasmonean are in fact integrated into the narrative: הִלְבַּשְׁתָּם כְּלִימָּה וָבֹשֶׁת וַחֲסִידֶיךָ עָטוּ יֵשַׁע תִּלְבּוֹשֶׁת זִיַּנְתָּם גְּבוּרָה לְהָדִיק נְחֹשֶׁת חִיַּלְתָּם בְּמָגִנָּךְ בְּלֹא קֶשֶׁת You have dressed them [=the Greeks] with disgrace and shame And your righteous adorn themselves with a cloth of salvation You armed them with courage to crush [=their swords] You protected them with your shield without a bow Although the piyyut presents the Hasmonean as warriors, at the same time the payytan singles out the fact that God is the one who protected them and brought them victory. The end of the piyyut contains more details concerning the Hasmoneans: אִיַּלְתָּ פִּרְחֵי אִמֵּר לְרַצֵּץ רָאשֵׁי נָמֵר עָלְצוּ בְּכֻלּוֹ כָּבוֹד אוֹמֶר זֶמֶר וְהַלֵּל לְזַמֵּר You have strengthened the flowers of Immer [=the priestly watch] To smash the heads of the Tiger [=the Greeks] They rejoiced in the one that says glory Song and hallel to chant We again witness the payytanic identification of the Hasmoneans with the priestly watch Immer, the description of their battle, and in the second half of the strophe, the description of the festive joy at the restored Temple.23 The recitation of the Hallel by the Hasmoneans is paralleled in a previous section of the piyyut where the payytan stresses that the congregants also chant the hallel for eight days (קוֹרְאִים שְׁמוֹנָה אֶת הַהַלֵּל). Unlike the synagogue piyyutim, this piyyut had a domestic setting, was relatively brief, and was recited multiple times, after every meal in the days of Chanukah. All these factors suggest that even those who did not frequent the synagogue still had the opportunity to hear about the Hasmoneans and their heroic deeds in the payytanic birkat hamazon.24 The Independent Presentation of the Hasmoneans in Piyyut The overall picture that emerges reveals that the Hasmoneans were well represented and even celebrated by the payytanim, and presumably by the congregations in which the piyyutim were performed. This is significantly different from the way the Hasmoneans are represented in classical rabbinic literature. How might we account for this disparity?25 It is possible that the figuration of the Hasmoneans in piyyut and their relative absence in rabbinic texts indeed reflects a different ideological stance, though this cannot be easily ascertained. Some scholars have recently argued that the payytanim belonged to or identified with priestly circles, and therefore promoted priestly themes in piyyut, including the importance of the Hasmoneans, who served as priests.26 We must also remember that the payytanim were not merely singing rabbis. Although they shared many beliefs and practices with the rabbis, their social role, their artistic interests, and the synagogal context in which they functioned, were distinct from the rabbis and their study halls. Other para-rabbinic groups existed, such as the meturgamanim (translators) who offered expanded version of the Bible in Aramaic, as well as magicians and mystics, which scholars of late antique Jewry tend to overlook or downplay. Ancient Chanukah Art Another group of late antiquity Jews who deserve further attention are the mosaic artists who depicted biblical scenes and other figural elements. Like the payytanim, this group belonged to the world of the synagogue. Indeed, just recently a mosaic was unearthed in Huqoq, a village near the north-western bank of the Sea of Galilee with unusual mosaic pavements. In one of them, a Greek warrior is depicted approaching what seems to be Jewish soldiers who stand by a dead elephant. While scholars have offered competing interpretations of the scene,27 the most plausible current explanation is that it depicts the Hasmoneans, and specifically, the conflict between the Judeans and the Seleucid Kingdom.28 The reconstruction of the past is never easy, especially in cases like ours, where the evidence is rather sparse and its survival arbitrary. Utilizing every piece of evidence is thus essential and, as we have seen, the evidence of piyyut is remarkably important in producing a nuanced presentation of the role and place of the Hasmoneans in Jewish society of the late antique Near East. Prof. Ophir Münz-Manor, an associate professor of Rabbinic Culture at the Open University of Israel, is a specialist in Jewish liturgy and liturgical poetry from Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. His studies focus on the intersections with contemporary Christian texts as well as questions of ritual, performance and gender in late antique Near Eastern cultures. His recent publications include Early Piyyut – An Annotated Anthology (Tel Aviv University Press, 2015) and Gender and Sexuality in Rabbinic Culture (The Open University of Israel Press, 2016). For further discussion of the lack of Palestinian rabbinic interest in Chanukah and the comparative interest in the Bavli, see Shai Secunda, “The Development of the Chanukah Oil Miracle in the Context of Zoroastrian Fire Veneration.” ↩ See Daniel R. Schwartz, “On Pharisaic Opposition to the Hasmonean Dynasty,” Studies in the Jewish Background of Christianity (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1992), pp. 44–56. ↩ See Izhak Sperling, Sefer Teamei Hamonhagim Umeqorei Hadinim (Lemberg, 1896), #847, p. 365. ↩ For an up-to-date presentation of the state of research, see Vered Noam, “Did the Rabbis Cause the Hasmonean to be Forgotten? A Reconsideration” (Hebrew) Zion 81 (2016): 295-334. ↩ See for example: Michael D. Swartz, “Sage, Priest, and Poet: Typologies of Religious Leadership in the Ancient Synagogues,” Jews, Christians, and Polytheists in the Ancient Synagogue; Cultural Interaction during the Greco-Roman Period (Steven Fine ed.; London: Routledge, 1999), pp. 101-117; Seth Schwartz, Imperialism and Jewish Society – 200 B.C.E to 640 C.E. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001), pp. 263-274. ↩ See Ophir Münz-Manor, “Narrating Salvation – Verbal Sacrifices in Late Antique Liturgical Poetry,” in Jews, Christians, and the Roman Empire: The Poetics of Power Late Antiquity (Annette Yoshiko Reed and Natalie Dohrmann, eds.; Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press 2013), pp. 154-166, 315-319. ↩ This is the generally accepted dating for Yosei ben Yosei. Note, however, that the periodization of Piyyut is a complicated matter that cannot be adequately discussed here. For now, see Michael Swartz and Joseph Yahalom, Avodah: Ancient Poetry for Yom Kippur (University Park, PA: Penn State University Press, 2004), pp. 1-42. ↩ For a discussion of one of Yosei ben Yosei’s High Holiday piyyutim, see Laura Lieber, “Let me Flee to My Helper: A Rosh Hashanah Lover Poem. ↩ Aharon Mirsky, Piyute Yose ben Yose (Jerusalem: Bialik Insitute, 1991), p. 97. ↩ On Yannai see: Laura Lieber, Yannai on Genesis: An Invitation to Piyyut (Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 2010). On the piyyutim that focus on the Tabernacle see: Ophir Münz-Manor, “The Ritualization of Creation in Jewish and Christian Liturgical Texts from Late Antiquity,” in Jewish and Christian Cosmogony in Late Antiquity, ed. Lance Jenott and Sarit Kattan Gribetz (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2013), 271–86. ↩ Most of the payytanim composed one payytanic piece for Shabbat Chanukah. Only El’azar birabi Qilir composed a piece for the occasion when Sabbath Chanukah falls on the new moon of Tevet or for the even more rare occasion where there two Shabattot fall in Chanukah. ↩ Ela’zar birabi Qilir flourished in the first half of the seventh century. For an example of recent, English language research on this payytan, whose numerous compositions are still recited by Jewish worshipers throughout the year, see Tzvi Novick, “Between First-Century Apocalyptic and Seventh-Century Liturgy: On 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, and Qillir,” Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period 44 (2013): 356-378. The name Qilir (or Qalir) remains a mystery, although it is most probably a variant of the Greek name Cyril. See Ophir Münz-Manor, “El’azar birabi Qilir,” in Routledge Encyclopedia of Ancient Mediterranean Religions (Eric Orlin and Michael Satlow eds.; London: Routledge, 2016), pp. 1014-1015. ↩ Of course, according to 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, this inauguration did not actually take place, as only David’s son Solomon, built the Temple. However, the Qiliri was working off of Psalm 30, which opens with the verse “A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House; of David.” ↩ Surprisingly, the Qiliri does not relate to an inauguration of a third Temple, which perhaps would have been expected in this context. ↩ For the text, see Menachem Zulay, From the Lips of Poets and Precentors (Hebrew; ed. Shulamit Elizur; Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi, Jerusalem 2004), p. 85. ↩ See Chaim Milikowsky, Seder Olam – A Critical Edition, Commentary and Introduction (Jerusalem: Ben Zvi Institute, 2013), p. 440. ↩ Shulamit Elizur, “Piyyutim of Hanukkah: Symbol vs. Realia,” in The Hasmonean Period (Hebrew; Jerusalem: Yad Ben-Zvi Institute, 1996) p. 306. See also Joseph Yahalom, “Priestly Traditions Concerning the Miracle of Hanukkah,” Bulletin of the Cambridge Traditional Jewish Congregation 53 (1994), p. 6. ↩ Ophir Münz-Manor, The Representations of the Hasmonean in Piyyutim from the Byzantine Period (forthcoming). ↩ Notably, the rabbis also knew of a link between the holiday of Sukkot and Chanukah. For example, Shammai explains his ruling that one kindles eight candles on the first day of the holiday and lights one candle less each subsequent night by noting that the sacrifices brought in the Temple on Sukkot also began with a large number of sacrifices which descended with each subsequent day. See Yael Avrahami, “Identifying the Building Blocks of Chanukah,” and Eyal Regev, “The Original Meaning of Chanukah.” ↩ Later payytanim continued to incorporate similar historical traditions in their piyyutim. Only when Megillat Antiochus came into existence, sometime in the early Middle Ages and most probably in Babylonia, did payytanim begin to allude to more expansive stories about the Hasmoneans. ↩ Like others genres of piyyut that replaced the statutory text of the prayer with the poetic text, the payytanic birkat hamazon also dropped the fixed text of the blessing with piyyut. On this genre see Avi Shmidman, “Developments within the Statutory Text of the “Birkat ha-mazon” in Light of its Poetic Counterparts,” in Jewish and Christian Liturgy and Worship (Albert Gerhards & Clemens Leonhard eds.; Brill, Leiden 2007), pp. 109-126. ↩ Ophir Münz-Manor, Early Piyyut – An Annotated Anthology, Tel Aviv University Press, 2015, pp. 186-189. ↩ The phrase כֻּלּוֹ כָּבוֹד אוֹמֶר is based on Psalms 29:9, in which it refers to God (in relation to the Temple). In the context of the piyyut the phrase should be understood as an epithet to the Temple. ↩ It is also worth noting in this regard that the Hasmoneans were mentioned in the statutory texts of the amidah service, specifically, in a prose passage that in its original form began with the words וכניסי פלאיך (And like your wondrous miracles {masekhet sofrim 20:6, Higer edition, p. 346} , and in its Babylonian version that is still in use today, with על הניסים (for the miracles). ↩ It does not seem that the difference should be accounted on historic grounds, since the marginality of the Hasmoneans continues in late rabbinic midrashim that were composed after the completion of the Palestinian Talmud and thus contemporaneous with Yosei ben Yosei, El’azar birabi Qilir, and other payytanim. ↩ See Yoseph Yahalom, “Priestly Traditions Concerning the Miracle of Hanukkah,” and Zeev Weiss, “Were Priests Communal Leaders in Late Antique Palestine? The Archeological Evidence,” in Was 70 CE a Watershed in Jewish History? On Jews and Judaism before and after the Destruction of the Second Temple (Daniel R. Schwartz and Zeev Weiss eds.; Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2012), pp. 91-111. ↩ Other possibilities are that the mosaic alludes to the wars of Abraham as described in the book of Genesis or to an encounter between Alexander the Great and the High Priest. On these possibilities and others see: Karen Britt and Ra’anan Boustan, The Elephant Mosaic Panel in the Synagogue at Huqoq: Official Publication and Initial Interpretations, JRA Supplementary Series 106, Portsmouth, R.I.: Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2017. ↩ One of the most compelling arguments supporting this is the fact that various narratives in the Books of Maccabees mention armored elephants. At this point it is nearly impossible to reach a conclusion concerning the mosaic and perhaps future findings in Huqoq or others sites will shed new light on the question. ↩ ← The Baal Shem Tov and the Boy who Played Flute on Yom Kippur When Moses Was Born the House Was Filled with Light →	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line449
__label__wiki	0.847129	0.847129	The Obelisk Show on Gimme Radio Playlist: Episode 26 Posted in Radio on January 3rd, 2020 by JJ Koczan Nothing says ‘welcome to a new year and new decade’ like playing a bunch of songs from the one that just ended, right? Right? I knew I should’ve gone into marketing. Still, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the lack of how much ground was left uncovered by last month’s edition of The Obelisk Show on Gimme Radio. It was an awesome playlist, which I’ll gladly say as the guy who made it, but two hours is just two hours. I could’ve easily gone 10. Dedicating another show to the cause, even just with one a month, seemed like a worthy endeavor. And so it was. As I write this I’m still waiting to cut voice tracks, but you’ll notice there are only two breaks. I didn’t want to take the extra couple minutes away from music, so I thought one for each hour of the show was fair. Ain’t nobody listening for my “duh, this record’s good” level of insight, and I refuse to fool myself into thinking otherwise. But some of this stuff — Uncle Woe, Stones of Babylon — is new to me. Those two were just sent my way in the last week or so, and they’ll both be covered in the Quarterly Review next week — at least I think they will; should check that list — so I thought to get them a look here as well would be cool. You’ll also notice Zone Six was reviewed this morning. Trying to keep current, at least with myself. But in with those of course are more 2019 essentials, and I won’t list them twice when you can just read the below. All of these (the newer-to-me stuff notwithstanding) were included in the Best of 2019 feature, so I was thinking of this a little bit as a complement to that. Either way, I hope you dig it. The Obelisk Show airs 1PM today at http://gimmeradio.com Thanks if you get to listen. Here’s the full playlist: The Obelisk Show – 01.03.20 Stones of Babylon Hanging Gardens Hanging Gardens* Church of the Cosmic Skull Everybody’s Going to Die Everybody’s Going to Die* Year of the Cobra Into the Fray Ash & Dust Beastwars Raise the Sword IV Solace The Light is a Lie The Brink* Kings Destroy Dead Before Fantasma Nera SÂVER How They Envisioned Life They Came with Sunlight Green Lung Let the Devil In Woodland Rites Magic Circle I’ve Found My Way to Die Departed Souls Spaceslug Half-Moon Burns Reign of the Orion* Valley of the Sun All We Are Old Gods Worshipper Coming Through Light in the Wire Hazemaze Lobotomy Hymns of the Damned* Uffe Lorenzen If You Have Ghosts If You Have Ghosts Uncle Woe Push the Blood Back In Our Unworn Limbs Zone Six Song for Richie Kozmik Koon The Obelisk Show on Gimme Radio airs every first Friday of the month at 1PM Eastern, with replays every Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next show is Feb. 7. Thanks for checking it out if you do. Gimme Radio website The Obelisk on Thee Facebooks Tags: Beastwars, Gimme Radio, Green Lung, Hazemaze, Kings Destroy, Magic Circle, SÂVER, Solace, Spaceslug, Stones of Babylon, The Obelisk Show, Uffe Lorenzen, Uncle Woe, Valley of the Sun, Worshipper, Year of the Cobra, Zone Six The Obelisk Presents: THE BEST OF 2019 Posted in Features on December 24th, 2019 by JJ Koczan [PLEASE NOTE: These are not the results of the year-end poll, which is ongoing. If you haven’t contributed your list to the cause yet, please do so here.] Make no mistake, my friends. 2019 was the year it went off the rails. Every 12-month period brings a lot of records, and they all seem overwhelming, but this was the first year I’ve ever felt quite so helpless when it came time to sit down and actually make my list. Of course, I keep running notes all year long, but even so, ordering everything, bringing it all together? What a mess. I almost thought of breaking it down into smaller lists in addition to the big one, subgrouped by style. But then, where does doom end and sludge begin? What about psych and heavy rock? Should prog get its own list? And what the hell counts as prog? In the end, that didn’t seem like it would be doing me any favors, so we’ll stick with the one big list and then others for debut releases and another for EPs, splits, demos and so on. You know, the usual. Pretty sure I say this every year too, but it bears repeating: if you read any of the below — and thanks if you do — and have a response, be nice. If I’ve forgotten something — and yes, I have; I’m sure of it — that you think needs to be included, and you want to leave a comment that says so, please, by all means. But keep it civil. I know people are passionate about this stuff and so am I, but consider there are probably over 200 offerings covered here by the time you get through all the lists and honorable mentions, and I’m one person. I’m doing my best, and though I try not to, I tend to take being called a dumbass personally. So yeah, chill out and please be constructive in calling me a dumbass. Words matter. A few hard choices here, most especially for album of the year. I was back and forth with each of the top three in the top spot for a good long while, and it might change again between now and when this post goes up. But it’s been that kind of year. In 2018, there was no question. It was Sleep all the way. The question was what came after that. This year has been different without that kind of duh, punch-in-the-face obvious pick. Relative parity isn’t a bad thing though. Enough delay. The usual parameters apply. These are a combo of my personal listening habits and what I think are the most important records/achievements of the year, critical importance, etc. 50. Hazemaze, Hymns of the Damned 49. Lightning Born, Lightning Born 48. Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree, Grandmother 47. PH, Osiris Hayden 46. Thunderbird Divine, Magnasonic 45. Abrahma, In Time for the Last Rays of Light 44. Uffe Lorenzen, Triprapport 43. Swallow the Sun, When a Shadow is Forced into the Light 42. Caustic Casanova, God How I Envy the Deaf 41. The Devil and the Almighty Blues, Tre 40. SÂVER, They Came With Sunlight 39. Ogre, Thrice as Strong 38. Lamp of the Universe, Align in the Fourth Dimension 37. Vokonis, Grasping Time 36. Sacri Monti, Waiting Room for the Magic Hour 35. Across Tundras, The Rugged Ranges of Curbs and Broken Minds 34. Duel, Valley of Shadows 33. Orodruin, Ruins of Eternity 32. Zaum, Divination 31. Inter Arma, Sulphur English Notes: Honestly, if this had been the top 20 of the year, I’d still call 2019 a win. Aside from the fact that I somehow thought Caustic Casanova would enjoy coming in a number 42, the sheer quality of this stuff should tell you what kind of year 2019 was. Inter Arma’s Sulphur English was a significant achievement in genre melding, and Orodruin’s return after more than a decade since their last LP was a masterclass in doom worship. Debut albums from SÂVER and Thunderbird Divine and Lightning Born showed marked promise of things to come — and there’s more on them below as well — while Zaum’s, Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree’s and Lamp of the Universe’s meditations, Vokonis’ noise, Abrahma’s emotive progressivisim, Swallow the Sun’s melodic melancholy, Sacri Monti’s boogie, and whatever the hell PH were doing on Osiris Hayden remind just how much the word “heavy” can encompass. The Devil and the Almighty Blues, Duel and Uffe Lorenzen and Hazemaze were musts here, and Ogre are perennial favorites whose work always brings a doomly grin. Don’t sleep on any of it. 30. Sun Blood Stories, Haunt Yourself Self-released. Reviewed Sept. 6. Until they put out a complementary follow-up record of such fare, one might’ve accused Idaho three-piece Sun Blood Stories of becoming less experimentalist/droned-out/noisy on Haunt Yourself, but they seem to have met their quota one way or the other with the Oct. 2019 advent of Static Sessions Vol. 1. Still, it’s melody, heavy post-rock/psychedelic drift and emotive soul that rule the day on the crushing and enriching Haunt Yourself, and no complaints from me on that. 29. Church of the Cosmic Skull, Everybody’s Going to Die Released by Septaphonic Records. Reviewed Dec. 10. I don’t have to do anything more than read the name of the album to have the chorus of the title-track stuck in my head, and it’s a reminder that although the Nottingham troupe put so much into their progressive style and vocal harmonies and arrangements, and a more conceptual theme in the case of Everybody’s Going to Die — their answer to 2018’s excellent Science Fiction (review here) — their roots are in songcraft, and it’s the foundation of songcraft that lets them soar. Would be higher on the list if it weren’t so new. 28. Devil to Pay, Forever, Never or Whenever Released by Ripple Music. Reviewed Nov. 4. With their sixth album, Indianapolis’ Devil to Pay collect 10 tracks of unpretentious-almost-to-a-fault of straightforward heavy rock songwriting that continues to be woefully underappreciated. They have become utterly reliable in that regard — you know, to a certain extent, what’s coming — but the vocals of guitarist Steve Janiak (also Apostle of Solitude) and some more metallic turns to the riffing give Forever, Never or Whenever a subtlety that holds up all the more on repeat visits. I don’t know if Devil to Pay will ever get their due, but suffice it to say, they’re due. 27. Howling Giant, The Space Between Worlds Released by Blues Funeral Recordings. Reviewed Oct. 11. If you’re of a certain age, you remember when the first Playstation came out and everyone looked around at their Nintendos and Segas like, “What the hell am I messing around with Mario Golf for? I could be playing Resident Evil!” That’s kind of what Howling Giant are as compared to “regular” rock bands. They’re the Playstation of heavy: that next progressive step forward carrying an inhuman amount of swagger and personality while still delivering a stepped-up product from their would-be peers. The scariest thing about The Space Between Worlds is it’s their first LP. One looks forward to the next generation. 26. Saint Vitus, Saint Vitus Released by Season of Mist. Reviewed March 19. I know for a fact that bassist Pat Bruders and drummer Henry Vasquez had a hand in writing some of the material on Saint Vitus’ second self-titled LP, and yet the album so much bears the indelible mark of guitarist Dave Chandler that it’s hard not to think of it all as his. The album marked their first release with original singer Scott Reagers since 1995’s Die Healing (discussed here) and featured among their trademark low-tuned slog, an actual punk song, which showed the grinning glee that underlies all they do. Four decades on, Saint Vitus sound like they’re having fun. How is that not a win? 25. Ealdor Bealu, Spirit of the Lonely Places Self-released. Reviewed July 10. Woodsy Rocky Mountain psychedelia abounded on Boise foursome Ealdor Bealu’s second full-length, and their blend of landscape meditations and grounded heavy progressive melodicism made Spirit of the Lonely Places as much about impact as about space, though of course the real joy was the experience of the entirety. Very much a sophomore album, it learned lessons from 2017’s Dark Water at the Foot of the Mountain (review here) that one only hopes the band will continue to push forward in scope as they so gracefully did here. 24. Yatra, Death Ritual Released through Grimoire Records. Discussed Nov. 13, 2018.. Though hard- and to-date quick-working Maryland trio Yatra have already moved on and are looking ahead to releasing their second album, Blood of the Night (review here), their Grimoire-delivered debut, Death Ritual, is impossible to ignore for the impact it had on reminding listeners of the impact that primeval extreme sludge can have. Another couple tours and some bigger label — Relapse, Prosthetic, eOne, Season of Mist, whoever — will decide they’re “ready,” whatever that means, and then sign them and I won’t be cool enough to do track premieres for them anymore, but as far as accolades go, Yatra earn whatever they get and Death Ritual stands among 2019’s most landmark debuts. They’ve already outdone it, but it’s a stunner just the same. 23. Ecstatic Vision, For the Masses Released by Heavy Psych Sounds. Reviewed Sept. 17. Ecstatic Vision frontman Doug Sabolik has cast himself in the mold of Arthur Brown or Dave Wyndorf or probably seven or eight dudes who were in Hawkwind at some point as a manic-but-stoned space rock preacher with as he and his band behind him plunge headfirst-or-feetfirst-it-doesn’t-matter-because-your-body-is-an-illusion-man into the molten multicolor void. For the Masses. The ‘masses,’ such as they are, should be so lucky, but the double-meaning is the real tell for where the Philly unit are coming from. Their shows are the masses — gatherings of spirit and song to give praise to the willful expansion of mind. If you can’t get behind that, you might as well go get a job or something. This ain’t no lightweight party for squares and dabblers. This is a high-potency happening for werewolves on motorcycles and freaks of all stripes. Get weird stay weird. Ecstatic Vision are one mostly-mellow 15-minute “Spine of God”-style psych-epic away from perfection. 22. Beastwars, IV Released by Destroy Records. Reviewed June 27. But for the circumstances that brought it about — i.e. Beastwars vocalist Matt Hyde’s cancer — the unexpected fourth installment in the Beastwars trilogy was nothing if not welcome. An grand-feeling sense of largesse was nothing new to the New Zealand four-piece, but after breaking up and getting back together to make the album, the grim sincerity with which they presented this exploration of mortality and betrayal by one’s own body was no less palpable than the undulating riffs that threatened, as ever, to consume all in their path. I don’t know their future plans in terms of continuing to write and/or record, but there are reports of touring beyond Aus/NZ for 2020, so one way or another, stay tuned for more from them. Whether or not they do anything else, IV was a triumph in spirit and execution. 21. Eternal Black, Slow Burn Suicide Self-released. Reviewed June 7. With the nine songs of Slow Burn Suicide, Brooklyn’s Eternal Black began to unveil the true depth of their project. Their 2017 debut, Bleed the Days (review here), was well received, and rightly so, but operated more in a straight-ahead doom sphere. The second outing, by contrast, delved into a particular vision of the style informed by the crunch of peak-era New York noise and crossover hardcore, and it succeeded not just because it did this, but because it did so around a conjuration of memorable riffs and tracks building on accomplishments carried over from its predecessor. Is this an awaited arrival of next-generation ‘New York doom’? Will theirs be a blueprint others will follow? It’s impossible to know now, and their next album will be telling either way, but the course they’ve set is significant. 20. Candlemass, The Door to Doom Released by Napalm Records. Reviewed Feb. 22. It may have been the Tony Iommi guest appearance that got Swedish doom legends Candlemass — the world’s earliest and foremost purveyors of doom both classic and epic — their recent Grammy nomination, but it was the long-overdue reunion with original vocalist Johan Längquist that made the album as a whole as powerful as it was. Pairing Längquist’s theatrical and vital approach with founding bassist Leif Edling’s second-to-none doomcraft, The Door to Doom was a catapult not to the bygone days of the band’s landmark debut, 1986’s Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, but an inspired look at not just what might’ve been had Längquist remained with the band longer, but what might still be if he does this time around. Candlemass have been through their share of singers, but as fresh as The Door to Doom sounded, it’s hard not to hope for something more than a one-off with he who got there first. The songs, the spirit, the sheer heart poured into Candlemass’ doom some 35 years past the band’s start only emphasizes how special they have always been. 19. Nebula, Holy Shit Released by Heavy Psych Sounds. Reviewed June 13. Anyone who might’ve predicted Nebula getting into the studio and making a new album was either in the room when it happened or talking out their ass. And speaking of, was Nebula’s Holy Shit named for the shock one might’ve felt at its existence, or the surprise at how good it actually sounded when you put it on? I don’t know. I probably won’t ever know. It was the best title I saw all year, but more than that, it was a Nebula record, fueled by the classic riffing and unmitigated desert punk soul of founding/guitarist Eddie Glass, whose absence from the heavy underground for the last decade left a void only too many others whiffed on filling. Holy Shit showed just how singular a player Glass was and is, and how much character there is in his style, particularly in solos, but also in rhythmic changes, and so on. I won’t discount the work of bassist Tom Davies and drummer Mike Amster in making Nebula what they are in this incarnation — they’re essential, obviously — but there’s simply no denying that presence at the band’s core. 18. Valley of the Sun, Old Gods Released by Fuzzorama Records. Reviewed May 21. This was a heavy rock record that had everything. Everything. It had songs, style, ups, down, purples, greens, ins, outs, all kinds of whathaveyou. Riffs forever. Valley of the Sun should keep their eyes on Sasquatch, because if they want it, that path is theirs. I know the Cincinnati outfit have had trouble keeping lineups together, but if they can hold onto one, and maybe after their next record start touring more, domestically and abroad — not at all a minor ask, I know — then people will catch on. Old Gods is evidence of the fact that they genuinely have something to offer, and frankly, it’s not at all the first such effective case they’ve made in their career. But they’ve never put anything out that wasn’t a step forward, and yet they’ve never lost sight of the roots of their initial inspiration. And they’ve never sacrificed the song for the riff, which so many do. They’ve only ever gotten better. Let Old Gods be a step toward them getting attention they’ve long since deserved. 17. Kadavar, For the Dead Travel Fast Released by Nuclear Blast. Reviewed Oct. 28. In style and production, For the Dead Travel Fast is the most vintage-sounding offering Berlin trio Kadavar have made in over a half decade, yet neither is it looking backward wistfully toward 2013’s Abra Kadavar (review here) or giving up the modern clarity of 2017’s Rough Times (review here) or 2015’s Berlin (review here). Instead, it strikes a balance with a more sinister edge à la Uncle Acid in songs like “Children of the Night” and “Demons in My Mind” — both singles — and makes a home for itself between proto-metal and garage doom. Whatever genre tag you want to give it — and that might vary from track to track, mind you — it’s unmistakably Kadavar, with the signature hooks and memorable craftsmanship that have made them one of the decade’s most pivotal heavy bands. The real challenge at this point in their career is not to take for granted that Kadavar will produce material of such quality, because, frankly, that’s all they’ve ever done. 16. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Yn Ol I Annwn Released by New Heavy Sounds. Reviewed Feb. 7. Welsh sci-fi cosmic doomers Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard billed Yn Ol I Annwn as the final installment of a trilogy that includes their two prior LPs, 2015’s Noeth Ac Anoeth (review here) and 2016’s Y Proffwyd Dwyll (review here), and while that may be true thematically, there’s also no question the third is a marked step forward from anything they’ve done before. They’re one foot out of the airlock and into space as their synth-laden longform riffing and melodies take them to places they’ve not yet gone, explorations of sight as much as sound, aural translation of colors humans aren’t gifted to see. Their songs across the 65-minute span unfold with the grace of a gravity spiral, pulling the listener deeper into the proceedings with each new phase that emerges until, what, obliteration? Stellar genesis? I’m not sure. They’ve reportedly got one more record to make and then they’re done. If that’s true, they’ll be missed then they’re gone. 15. Magic Circle, Departed Souls Released by 20 Buck Spin. Reviewed April 3. They’ve found their way to die, and it’s upon an altar of classic metal and doom. And honestly, they make a pretty good case for it. Departed Souls is the third full-length from the Boston unit and their most stylistically realized work yet, with vocalist Brendan Radigan giving a standout performance alongside the guitars of Chris Corry and Renato Montenegro, the bass of Justin DeTore and Michael “Q” Quartulli’s drums, as the entire band taps into vibes from mid-’70s Black Sabbath and brings them to bear with an energy that is unlike anything in Magic Circle’s history. 2015’s Journey Blind (review here) brought in NWOBHM flash in the guitar work, sure enough, but Departed Souls doesn’t so much carry the torch of classic metal as it does use it to burn down the whole village and rebuild it in the five-piece’s image. From their doomed beginnings on their 2013 self-titled debut (review here) to now, they’re an act who’ve genuinely earned cult status. If you can find a backpatch, buy it. 14. Spaceslug, Reign of the Orion Released by BSFD Records. Reviewed Nov. 22. Controversy! Drama! Well, probably not, but at very least some respectful disagreement on my part. You see, Poland’s Spaceslug have stated publicly that their latest release, the late-2019 surprise Reign of the Orion is an EP. Their albums regularly top 50 minutes, and at 36 minutes, I guess relative to that, you can see where they’re coming from. However, with the flow of these five songs and the ease with which they carry the listener from front-to-back through the listening experience, I’m sticking to my guns and calling Reign of the Orion an album. Sorry guys. True, it’s shorter than the other full-lengths, but it’s got everything you could ask an album to have in terms of how tracks like “Spacerunner” and the shouty “Half-Moon Burns” play into each other, and the fluidity of the outing on the whole is inarguable. An LP by any other name? Whatever you or they want to call it, there’s no question in my mind Reign of the Orion is one of 2019’s best records. If they insist on it being an EP, then it’s the best one of the year, but I still say it belongs in another category altogether, so here it is. 13. Green Lung, Woodland Rites Released by Kozmik Artifactz. Reviewed Jan. 28. As hyper-crowded as London is with bands at this moment in history, there continue to be acts who sneak through with an individualized and intriguing perspective on doom and heavy rock, and Green Lung are a perfect example, learning from fellow Brits like Alunah and Elephant Tree and incorporating folk and forest goth vibes to their debut album, Woodland Rites. Laced with organ and stuck-in-the-head choruses like “Let the Devil In” and the creeper “Templar Dawn,” the record also pushed into drifting verses on “Into the Wild,” setting up future experimentation with atmospheric variety and genre manipulation. If part of any first album’s appeal is the potential it represents, Green Lung’s offers plenty, but wherever their subsequent course may or may not take them, their accomplishments here shouldn’t be overlooked. Woodland Rites is nothing less than the heavy rock debut album of the year, and though they emerge from a packed field, the work they do to stand themselves out already carries their mark and an apparent will toward progression. They’re on their way. 12. Lo-Pan, Subtle Released by Aqualamb Records. Reviewed May 9. My head immediately goes to the hooks of “Ten Days” and “Ascension Day” and “Savage Heart,” but the up-down surges of guitar in “Old News/New Fire” and the midtempo soulfulness in “A Thousand Miles” are no less resonant when it comes to the actual listening experience of the fifth Lo-Pan LP. Subtle, when it came to living up to its name, as much wasn’t as it was. Flourishes of harmony in the vocals of Jeff Martin, the pops in Jesse Bartz’s snare punctuating and propelling in kind, turns in Scott Thompson’s bass work twisting around the guitar of Chris Thompson, a relative newcomer to the fold making his debut with the band and showing no apparent trouble fitting in. I don’t imagine Lo-Pan is an easy band to join, especially at this point. They thrive on personality clash and, through years of touring, have a chemistry they’ve built between them that comes through even on their recordings. Nonetheless, Subtle is their clearest, sharpest-edged work yet, and as tight as their songwriting has become, they still groove and groove mightily. They are a treasure of American heavy rock and roll. Believe it. 11. Roadsaw, Tinnitus the Night Released by Ripple Music. Reviewed June 12. While members of Roadsaw have spent the intervening years in projects like Kind, White Dynomite, Sasquatch and Murcielago, the Boston heavy rock kingpins have indeed been missed, and Tinnitus the Night works quickly to show why. It’s been well over 20 years since their first LP — hell, it’s been eight since they put out their 2011 self-titled (review here) — but their craft is at its own level, and Tinnitus the Night comes barreling through with “Shake” and “Along for the Ride” and “Final Phase” before opening up to broader fare on side B with “Find What You Need,” “Under the Devil’s Thumb” and “Midazolam” ahead of the subdued finale “Silence,” and the result is nothing less than a classic heavy rock LP structure as befitting what is itself a classic heavy rock LP. What’s Roadsaw’s future? I don’t know. It took them the better part of a decade to make this one happen, so take from that what you will, but to me, all it says is there’s even more reason to be grateful they got it done and out. To say the songs deserve that is putting it mildly. 10. Worshipper, Light in the Wire Released by Tee Pee Records. Reviewed April 24. I’m not doing a ‘song of the year’ post, but if I was, Worshipper’s “Coming Through” might be it. The opening track from the Boston four-piece’s second album, Light in the Wire, marries classic pop drama in its melody with careening progressive riffing, and sets the tone for a record that is of both future and past, twistingly complex and yet immediately accessible, immersive as an entirety and still comprised of standout moments. These aren’t contradictions in Worshipper’s skillful hands, but the stuff of what’s already becoming their own take on rock. Tied together through melody, skillful rhythmic intricacy and solid structural foundations, “Light in the Wires,” “Visions from Beyond,” “Wither on the Vine” and others throughout post their own triumphs en route to enhancing the album as a whole, while “Nobody Else” and closer “Arise” underscore the emotive basis from which the perspective of the whole LP emanates. There are a lot of “next-gen” heavy rock bands out there weaving prog elements and traditional riffing together to some degree or other. Few, if any, can write a song like Worshipper can. I mean it. This band is something special. 9. Solace, The Brink Released by Blues Funeral Recordings. Reviewed Nov. 21. What is there to say about Solace? A band who, nine years after revealing the expectation-slaughtering masterpiece A.D. (review here), return with three-fifths of a swapped-out lineup and simply do it again? This band is explosive. Really. Like, they might explode at any minute. It’s a miracle The Brink ever happened. I’ll be honest, I had my doubts. But Solace are a force like nothing else I’ve ever encountered in music. They take metallic aggression, hardcore’s sense of self-righteousness and heavy rock’s groove, set it all to a doomly swing and they play it in such a way as to leave you utterly dumbfounded by what you just experienced. Here’s a challenge though, for the band personally. From me to them. Do another one. Go ahead. Put out another album. You don’t even have to do it in 2020. Do it 2021. Write the songs and give me a no-holds-barred 45-minute LP of the tightest, meanest shit you’ve ever written. Because massive as the accomplishments are on The Brink, it’s the potential to build from them that resonates most here. So do it, guys. Step up and take advantage of the moment. Call me greedy if you want, I don’t care. Give me another Solace record. I dare you. 8. Brume, Rabbits Released by Doom Stew Records & DHU Records. Reviewed Nov. 6. Simply a case of a band wildly outdoing themselves. Easy story, yeah? In some ways, maybe, but the truth of what Brume achieve on Rabbits. Their second long-player behind 2017’s Rooster (review here), the five-track offering sees the San Francisco three-piece of vocalist/bassist Susie McMullan, guitarist/vocalist Jamie McCathie and drummer Jordan Perkins-Lewis working with producer Billy Anderson to bring theatricality and emotionalism together in a flowing post-heavy context that’s neither derivative nor working at cross purposes. Instead, it is a gorgeous and blooming undertaking across its 43-minute span, working in its own light/dark spectrum and bringing not just the sense of trapped fragility evoked by the cover art, but a corresponding sureness of intent to its ascendant heavy surges. Like Rooster before it, it is loaded with potential, but in “Scurry” and “Lament” and “Despondence” and “Blue Jay and “Autocrat’s Fool,” there’s a patience and command that absolutely does not waver. So yes, a band outdoing themselves. But so much more too. 7. Mars Red Sky, The Task Eternal Released by Listenable Records. Reviewed Sept. 20. This may forever be known as the Mars Red Sky album they wrote in a cave, but the Bordeaux three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Julien Pras and bassist/vocalist Jimmy Kinast and drummer Matieu “Matgaz” Gazeau nonetheless plunged forward along the progressive course they charted back on 2014’s sophomore outing, Stranded in Arcadia (review here), and continued to manifest in 2016’s Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul) (review here). Their blend of melody and tonal heft has become a hallmark of their work to this stage in their career, but The Task Eternal continues to add a sense of breadth to the proceedings, giving their sound a full three-dimensional pull that feels tailor-made for headphones and is consuming in its entirety. With experiments in structure like the pairing of “Recast” and “Reacts,” and the rushing sweep of melody in “Hollow King,” Mars Red Sky’s latest is, as ever, their finest. Outdoing themselves would seem to be the task from which the record derives its title. Fine. Just keep going. Please. 6. Kings Destroy, Fantasma Nera Released by Svart Records. Reviewed March 15. Every time I think I understand where Kings Destroy want to go as a band, they pull the rug out. That’s what Fantasma Nera is. After their 2015 self-titled (review here) third LP seemed to declare them once and for all in a space between doom and noise rooted in their respective hardcore pasts, the Brooklynite five-piece hooked up with producer David Bottrill (Tool, etc.) and composed a rock album. A real live rock album! With progressive undertones in the guitar work and the most accomplished melodicism of their career, Kings Destroy put everything they had into making Fantasma Nera and one need look no further than the title-track to hear the result of that monumental effort. It is the realization of a band challenging themselves to go so far out of their comfort zone as to be only recognizable in the most rudimentary of ways, and to say it as plainly as I can, “Dead Before” on its own is enough of an accomplishment — and enough of a full-length, at all of 4:25 — to make this list on its own, whatever surrounds it. Song of the year. I’ll say every time I’m a Kings Destroy fan, but I’ve never been gladder to say it than I am in talking about Fantasma Nera. 5. Colour Haze, We Are Released by Elektrohasch Schallplatten. Reviewed Dec. 3. If you’re saying to yourself, “Ah come on, Colour Haze are always on the list when they put out records,” I have two answers. One, you’re right, and two, if you have a problem with that, blow it out your ass. The Munich forefathers of the European heavy psychedelic underground — yup — marked their 25th anniversary this year, and did so not just by putting out an album, but by putting out We Are, which introduces a full-fledged fourth member to what’s been a three-piece since 1998. Granted, it’s not the first time guitarist/vocalist Stefan Koglek, bassist Philipp Rasthofer and drummer Manfred Merwald have worked with organist/keyboardist/synthesist Jan Faszbender, but never has the presence of keys been so integral to their work, and never has the dynamic between players shifted in the way it does on tracks like “The Real” and “Life” and “I’m With You,” with keys fleshing out melodies and enriching the bass and guitar. Add to that the Spanish-style guitar on centerpiece “Material Drive” or the operatic flash in the penultimate “Be With Me,” and it’s one more example of one of the best bands on earth refusing to rest on their laurels. Which, as it happens, is why they’re one of the best bands on earth. So hell yes, they’re on all my lists. Fact is my lists are lucky to have them. 4. Blackwater Holylight, Veils of Winter Released by RidingEasy Records. Reviewed Sept. 26. Like nothing else I heard in 2019, Veils of Winter had repeat listenability. It was the album that, most often, when I was choosing something I actually wanted to hear, I went back to time and again. Its dark, moody psychedelic and heavy vibe stands alone among the year’s releases, and is a stylistic milestone that one only hopes other artists will pick up on. Toying with pop melodies on tracks like “Death Realms” and bringing hypnosis and clarity in kind to the subtly traditionalist winding riff of “Moonlit” — would it have been out of place on the first Witchcraft LP? — the Portland, Oregon, five-piece worked on a speedy turnaround and squashed even the significant expectations I had after their self-titled debut (review here) last year. They’ve begun to tour, so I don’t know if another full-length is in the works for 2020, but their craft is enviable in its flow and their songs are shimmering in tone and cohesion alike. Given how bold a step forward Veils of Winter is, I hear nothing in their material to this point to make me think their momentum won’t continue to carry them forward. But, you know, if not, I’d also take about six or seven records just like this one. That’d be fine too. Whatever they want, really. 3. Slomatics, Canyons Released by Black Bow Records. Reviewed May 15. Belfast, Northern Ireland, three-piece Slomatics — guitarists David Marjury and Chris Couzens and drummer/vocalist/synthesist Marty Harvey — finished a narrative trilogy with 2016’s Future Echo Returns (review here), and though the storyline was always vague throughout that and the preceding two offerings, the question of how they would proceed nonetheless hung over Canyons prior to its release. The answer is in the songs themselves. From the sci-fi majesty of lumbering, rolling groove in opener and longest track “Gears of Despair” — oh, they grind — through the mega-stomp of “Telemachus, My Son” and the righteously synth-laden wash that consumes “Mind Fortresses on Theia,” Slomatics bring together concept and execution with a readiness that highlights the fact of their 15th anniversary. They are mature in their approach, yes, but the fact is their approach is so much their own and so given to their particular mode of progression that it almost can’t help but feel fresh. How could something so utterly crushing also feel rejuvenating? As they plod through finale “Organic Caverns II” ending with more waves of synth and tectonic guitar — no bass, remember — they are as restorative as they are punishing, and they stand astride that duality with neither mercy nor pretense. Canyons, whether it’s setting up a new story, building from the old, or doing something completely different, stands on its own. 2. Year of the Cobra, Ash and Dust Released by Prophecy Productions. Reviewed Oct. 24. My anticipation for and expectations of Year of the Cobra’s second long-player were high most especially after 2017’s Burn Your Dead EP (review here), which along with the dead, set alight the notion that the Seattle duo of bassist/vocalist Amy Tung Barrysmith and drummer Jon Barrysmith were simply a heavy/doom band. With elements of post-punk, psych wash, minimalist stretches and propulsive gallop, Ash and Dust cast itself out over an aesthetic range that set a new standard not just for Year of the Cobra, but for anyone who’d dare match them at their own game — and that list will grow with time, absolutely. As their first outing through Prophecy Productions, Ash and Dust threw itself into the very melting pot of its own ambition and emerged with songs that didn’t just bring together disparate ideas, but made them flourish and engage and challenge the listener while still proving consistent in tone and underlying groove. For a two-person, two-instrument outfit (not counting voice, though I should), they proved more malleable than many with more than twice the number of hands on deck, and pushed the notion of what heavy rock is and does forward without stopping to look back or ask for permission. They just did it, and maybe Ash and Dust is the aftermath of all that burning. 2019 Album of the Year 1. Monolord, No Comfort Released by Relapse Records. Reviewed Sept. 12. Look back over the course of this list, and you will find no shortage of bands and releases that surpassed the group in question’s past work. With Gothenburg, Sweden’s Monolord, it wasn’t just about No Comfort — their debut on Relapse, fourth full-length overall — being better than 2017’s Rust (review here), because that was pretty jolly gosh darn enjoyable, but about the band reaching a moment of transcendence to which Rust and all their prior work across 2015’s Vænir (review here) and 2014’s Empress Rising has been leading. With the six tracks of No Comfort, guitarist/vocalist Thomas Jäger, bassist Mika Häkki and drummer Esben Willems not only overcome the influences that launched them — taking full ownership of their sound and defending that claim with the sheer quality of their songwriting — and they not only become as identifiable as those influences themselves, but they overcome themselves. No Comfort means no comfort. Monolord take the simplicity that once fueled their riffing, the willful primitivism of their earliest work, and with songs like “Larvae” and “The Bastard Son” and the closing title-track use it as the foundation it was apparently always intended to be. Monolord have toured plenty and certainly their studio output has shown an increasing complexity from one LP to the next, so progression isn’t unexpected, but the manner in which Monolord have executed that progression has been. Even on “The Last Leaf,” which is arguably the most straightforward fare on the album, one hears it as them rather than the manifestation of the acts that inspired them. The same holds for “Skywards” later on, and for the immersion that takes hold as the mournful “Alone Together” plays into “No Comfort” itself. Monolord take their place among the best bands on the planet, and deliver an Album of the Year for 2019 that, like the absolute best, will have an impact lasting much longer than any period of 12 months might convey. The Top 50 Albums of 2019: Honorable Mention You didn’t think we’d stop at 50, did you? Come on. You know me better than that. The fact is that the list itself, humongous as it is, is just the start of the tip of an iceberg attached to a glacier that’s somewhere on an entire planet constructed of ice. Honorable mentions, you say? Yeah, a few. Here they are in no order whatsoever: Lord Vicar, Goatess, The Lord Weird Slough Feg, Zone Six, Lykantropi, Earth, White Manna, Atala, Tia Carrera, Merlin, WEEED, Híbrido, Cities of Mars, Stone Machine Electric, Bretus, Blackwolfgoat, The Black Wizards, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Alunah, V, Pale Grey Lore, Leeds Point, Sons of Alpha Centauri, Spidergawd, Bus, Death Hawks, BBF, Vessel of Light, Crypt Trip, The Pilgrim, Uffe Lorenzen, Brant Bjork, Doomstress, Black Lung, Kandodo3, Monkey3, Bask, Horseburner, Zed, Bright Curse, Spillage, Sigils, Papir, Dune Sea, Destroyer of Light, Mastiff, Warp, Centrum, Varego, Lord Dying, Volcano, Saint Karloff, Firebreather, High Reeper, Bible of the Devil, Obsidian Sea, Torche, Motorpsycho, Sunn O))), Deadbird, Russian Circles, El Supremo, Pyramidal, Holy Serpent, Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Demon Head, Red Beard Wall, Onhou, Kamchatka, Iguana, Arrowhead, The Whims of the Great Magnet, Serial Hawk, Scissorfight, Monte Luna, Lingua Ignota, Valborg, Sageness, Ruff Majik, The Giraffes, High Fighter, Comacozer, Burning Gloom, Swan Valley Heights, Mark Deutrom, Cable, AVER, Superlynx, The Munsens, No Man’s Valley, Old Mexico, Skraeckoedlan, Godsleep, Øresund Space Collective Meets Black Moon Circle. Seems cruel to leave it to you to sort through those, but I’m tempted to do just that. You might notice some bigger names there in bands like Earth, Russian Circles, Torche and Sunn O))). Nothing against those bands, but I think we’re seeing a moment where a different group of artists are taking point in terms of innovating heavy styles across an entire swath of microgenres. Either way it’s not a slight that something is here instead of above. And of course, there are plenty of up and coming groups here as well, with Ruff Majik, Elizabeth Colour Wheel — who I’m sure would be a top 30 if I knew the record better than I do — Pale Grey Lore, Monte Luna, Papir, Destroyer of Light, The Munsens, No Man’s Valley, Skraeckoedlan, and so on, but hell’s bells, there’s already a list of 50 and I’m only one man. How high is the list supposed to go and still be a list? Bottom line: Music is as endless as space and has as much beauty in it for those willing to hear. Do more digging. The Top 20 Debut Albums of 2019 1. Green Lung, Woodland Rites 2. Yatra, Death Ritual 3. Howling Giant, The Space Between Worlds 4. Thunderbird Divine, Magnasonic 5. SÂVER, They Came with Sunlight 6. Lightning Born, Lightning Born 7. Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Nocebo 8. The Pilgrim, Walking into the Forest 9. Sigils, You Build the Altar You Lit the Leaves 10. E-L-R, Maenad 11. Hey Zeus, X 12. Bellrope, You Must Relax 13. Asthma Castle, Mount Crushmore 14. Thronehammer, Usurper of Oaken Throne 15. Inner Altar, Vol. III 16. Infinity Forms of Yellow Remember, Infinity Forms of Yellow Remember 17. Hippie Death Cult, 111 18. Faerie Ring, The Clearing 19. Gone Cosmic, Sideways in Time 20. Haze Mage, Chronicles Honorable Mention: Warp, Pelegrin, Lucy in Blue, Volcano, The Sabbathian, Red Eye Tales, Dune Sea, Dury Dava, Pharlee, Giant Dwarf, Ghost:Hello, Surya, Workshed, Children of the Sün, Burning Gloom, Temple of the Fuzz Witch. Notes: As ever, I consider a band’s debut album something unique and separate from everything else they’ll ever do, and so worthy of highlighting in its own category. It’s a different standard in my mind, one that takes into account what a group might accomplish going forward as well as what they do on the record itself. Plus, putting out an album is hard. Getting two, three, four, five or more people to agree on anything is an accomplishment. Making a cohesive album? Come on. So yes. We see some crossover from the main list above, but I want to draw attention to Howling Giant, Thunderbird Divine and SÂVER particularly here. There’s a swath of genres represented and I feel like a couple of these releases — Sigils, Bellrope, Thronehammer, Inner Altar, Faerie Ring, Infinity Forms of Yellow Remember — didn’t get their due attention. It’s a busy year, I get it. But if you’re skimming through looking for stuff to check out, DON’T IGNORE THIS LIST. Aside from whatever line about the best of tomorrow you want to trot out, there’s important work being done by these acts today. As somebody who’s constantly behind the times, I urge you not to The Top 20 Short Releases of 2019 1. Geezer, Spiral Fires 2. Ufomammut, XX 3. All Them Witches, 1×1 4. Mount Saturn, Mount Saturn 5. Dopelord, Weedpecker, Major Kong & Spaceslug, 4-Way Split 6. Horehound, Weight 7. Molasses, Mourning Haze 8. Saint Karloff & Devil’s Witches, Split 9. Here Lies Man, No Ground to Walk Upon 10. The Golden Grass, 100 Arrows 11. Mount Atlas, Mistress 12. Midas, Solid Gold Heavy Metal 13. Glory in the Shadows, Glory in the Shadows 14. Hot Breath, Hot Breath 15. Crystal Spiders, Demo 16. Red Wizard, Ogami 17. Thermic Boogie, Fracture 18. Pinto Graham, Dos 19. High Priest, Sanctum 20. Set Fire, Traya 21. Seedium, Awake Honorable Mention: Love Gang & Smokey Mirror Split, Forebode, Land Mammal, Very Paranoia, Plague of Carcosa, Daal Dazed, Komodor, Mourn the Light & Oxblood Forge Split, High on Fire, Mount Soma. Notes: This is probably the least complete of the lists, because it’s the hardest category for me to keep up with. EPs, singles, demos, splits and basically anything else that isn’t an album, all lumped together. Still, I stand by the picks here, and I don’t think anyone who takes on any of them will regret doing so, whether it’s All Them Witches’ surprisingly weighted first single as a trio, Mount Saturn’s debut release, or Geezer’s cosmic jams. Felt a little like cheating putting Ufomammut on there, since technically XX wasn’t new material so much as reworked stuff captured live, but if you want to call me out on it, my own listening habits also factor in, and I’ve spent plenty of time with those reimagined tracks. But anyway, I’m sure there’s a ton of stuff that hasn’t been included here, so please feel free to let me know in the comments and I’ll work accordingly. Postwax I haven’t felt comfortable with the idea of writing about it editorially, since I’ve been involved in discussions about it since before it came together and since I did the liner notes for each of the six releases (plus one to come), but I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work done on the Postwax vinyl subscription series by Blues Funeral Recordings. Label head Jadd Shickler and design specialist Peder Bergstrand (also of Lowrider) put together six offerings that came out in the span of this year and when you hold the LPs in your hand, you can feel the passion that went into making them, from the artists in question to those curating the series in the first place. I hear tell there’s going to be a Postwax Year Two, and I don’t know if I’ll be involved or not, but I’m proud of my miniscule part in the work that went into making these and wanted to bring them to your particular attention. They are something special for those who got to partake: Elder, The Gold and Silver Sessions Daxma, Ruins Upon Ruins Besvärjelsen, Frost Big Scenic Nowhere, Dying on the Mountain Domkraft, Slow Fidelity Lowrider, Refractions And while we’re talking about projects I was proud to be involved with, I also did liner notes for Acrimony’s The Chronicles of Wode box set from Burning World Records and was honored to do so. Thanks to any and everyone in question for having me involved and dealing with me blowing past deadlines one after the next. It is humbling. A few names and nothing more about what definitely is and/or might be in the works for next year. Woefully incomplete, so feel free to add to it: 1000mods, Wolves in the Throne Room, Deathwhite, Mondo Drag, Drug Cult, Ocean Chief, Soldati, Sergio Ch., Mitochondrial Sun, Geezer, Mirror Queen, Mondo Generator, The Otolith, Asteroid, Yatra, Vestal Claret, Farer, Ryte, Shadow Witch, Six Organs of Admittance, Naxatras, Wolftooth, Snail, Elder, Pale Divine, Grey Skies Fallen, Ruby the Hatchet, Yuri Gagarin, Sasquatch, Godthrymm, Wo Fat, Red Mesa, CB3, Onsegen Ensemble, Insect Ark, Acid Mammoth, Ritual King, Ulls, Om. Thank you for reading, and please, if you have a thought or something you want to share in the comments, please remember to be kind to each other. We are all human beings behind our phones and keyboards, and while we’ll disagree, often in some ways and some cases, a basic level of respect is always appreciated. At least by me. I am not so deluded as to think anyone might still be reading, but I want it on record how much I appreciate you being a part of this site and a part of my experience in making it. I’ve been ruminating all year since marking the 10th anniversary back in January about how much The Obelisk has become a part of who I am, and it’s utterly essential to my every day. The way I continue to think about it — and myself, as it happens — is a work in progress, and that would not be possible without you. One more time. Thank you. Always. Always thank you. Thank you. Tags: 20 Buck Spin, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Alunah, Aqualamb Records, Arrowhead, Ash and Dust, Atala, AVER, Bask, BBF, Beastwars, Beastwars IV, Belfast, Berlin, Besvärjelsen, Bible of the Devil, Big Scenic Nowhere, Black Bow Records, Black Lung, BlackWater HolyLight, Blackwater Holylight Veils of Winter, Blackwolfgoat, Blues Funeral Recordings, Boise, Bordeaux, Boston, Brant Bjork, Bretus, Bright Curse, Brooklyn, Brume, Brume Rabbits, BSFD Records, Burning Gloom, Bus, Cable, California, Candlemass, Candlemass The Door to Doom, Canyons, Centrum, Church of the Cosmic Skull, Church of the Cosmic Skull Everybody's Going to Die, Cincinnati, Cities of Mars, Colour Haze, Colour Haze We Are, Columbus, Comacozer, Crypt Trip, Daxma, Deadbird, Death Hawks, Death Ritual, Demon Head, Departed Souls, Destroy Records, Destroyer of Light, Devil to Pay, Devil to Pay Forever Never or Whenever, DHU Records, Domkraft, Doom Stew Records, Doomstress, Dune Sea, Ealdor Bealu, Ealdor Bealu Spirit of the Lonely Places, Earth, Ecstatic Vision, Ecstatic Vision For the Masses, El Supremo, Elder, Elektrohasch Schallplatten, Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Eternal Black, Eternal Black Slow Burn Suicide, Everybody's Going to Die, Fantasma Nera, Firebreather, For the Dead Travel Fast, For the Masses, Forever Never or Whenever, France, Fuzzorama Records, Germany, Godsleep, Gothenburg, Green Lung, Green Lung Woodland Rites, Grimoire Records, Haunt Yourself, Heavy Psych Sounds, Híbrido, High Fighter, High Reeper, Holy Serpent, Holy Shit, Horseburner, Howling Giant, Howling Giant The Place Between Worlds, Idaho, Iguana, Indiana, Indianapolis, IV, Kadavar, Kadavar For the Dead Travel Fast, Kamchatka, Kandodo3, Kings Destroy, Kings Destroy Fantasma Nera, Kozmik Artifactz, Leeds Point, Lingua Ignota, Listenable Records, Lo-Pan, Lo-Pan Subtle, London, Long Branch, Lord Dying, Los Angeles, Lowrider, Magic Circle, Magic Circle Departed Souls, Magnetic Eye Records, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard Yn Ol I Annwn, Mark Deutrom, Mars Red Sky, Mars Red Sky The Task Eternal, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mastiff, Monkey3, Monolord, Monolord No Comfort, Monte Luna, Motorpsycho, Munich, Napalm Records, Nashville, Nebula, Nebula Holy Shit, New Heavy Sounds, New Jersey, New York City, New Zealand, No Comfort, No Man's Valley, Northern Ireland, Nottingham, Nuclear Blast Records, Obsidian Sea, Ohio, Old Gods, Old Mexico, Onhou, Oregon, Pale Grey Lore, Papir, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Poland, Portland, Prophecy Productions, Pyramidal, Rabbits, Red Beard Wall, Reign of the Orion, Relapse Records, RidingEasy Records, Ripple Music, Roadsaw, Roadsaw Tinnitus the Night, Ruff Majik, Russian Circles, Sageness, Saint Karloff, Saint Vitus, Saint Vitus Self-titled, San Francisco, Scissorfight, Season of Mist, Seattle, self-titled, Septaphonic Records, Serial Hawk, Sigils, Skraeckoedlan, Slomatics, Slomatics Canyons, Slow Burn Suicide, Solace, Solace The Brink, Sons of Alpha Centauri, Spaceslug, Spaceslug Reign of the Orion, Spidergawd, Spillage, Spirit of the Lonely Places, Stockholm, Stone Machine Electric, Subtle, Sun Blood Stories, Sun Blood Stories Haunt Yourself, Sunn O))), Superlynx, Svart Records, Swan Valley Heights, Sweden, Tennessee, The Best of 2019, The Black Wizards, The Brink, The Giraffes, The Lord Weird Slough Feg, The Munsens, The Obelisk, The Pilgrim, The Space Between Worlds, The Task Eternal, The Whims of the Great Magnet, Tia Carrera, Tinnitus the Night, Top 50 of 2019, Torche, Uffe Lorenzen, UK, Unsigned bands, V, Valborg, Valley of the Sun, Valley of the Sun Old Gods, Varego, Veils of Winter, Vessel of Light, Volcano, Warp, Washington, We Are, Weeed, Wellington, White Manna, Woodland Rites, Wrexham, Wroc?aw, Yatra, Yatra Death Ritual, Year of the Cobra, Year of the Cobra Ash and Dust, Yn Ol I Annwn, Zed, Øresund Space Collective Meets Black Moon Circle Beastwars, IV: Searching for the Light in Your Time of Dying Posted in Reviews on June 27th, 2019 by JJ Koczan Beastwars were done after their third album, The Death of All Things (review here), in 2016. The Wellington, New Zealand, four-piece issued that as the final installment of a trilogy following 2013’s Blood Becomes Fire (review here) and a 2011 self-titled debut (review here), and thereby rounded out an unfuckwithable course run over a five years that seemed to take them too soon. They were there, they were epic, they were gone. It wasn’t until vocalist Matt Hyde, whose guttural sneer is second to none, in sludge or otherwise, underwent cancer treatment in 2017 that the prospect of a fourth long-player — whether an epilogue or a new beginning, I don’t know — was broached. From the always-stunning Nick Keller artwork through the massive crunching groove that rolls through “This Mortal Decay” courtesy of returning guitarist Clayton Anderson, bassist James Woods and drummer Nathan “Nato” Hickey, the eight-song/37-minute IV is very much a Beastwars album. Its impact is hued from heavy and noise rocks, brought to bear with a progressive metal sense of grandeur particularly in lead lines like that of “Storms of Mars,” “This Mortal Decay,” “Omens” and “Sound of the Grave,” and its rhythmic plunder is still sludge despite a coherence of purpose both rare for the genre and consistent throughout Beastwars‘ studio work. More perhaps than anything they’ve done before, IV centers around the context of its making and the lyrical processing borne out from Hyde‘s confronting his mortality in a very real way before eventually entering remission, as opener “Raise the Sword,” “Wolves and Prey” and “Storms of Mars” would seem to couch personal experience in metaphor, but in truth, they’re pretty up front about what’s happening in them, as the lines in the leadoff go, “Breathe long/Breathe wise/Don’t fall/Raise the sword.” Maybe without knowing the situation around which the album came together, one might just think it’s a story about a battle on a hillside or something, but once one knows what’s really going on, the relation of what Hyde went through existentially and literally is fairly direct. Beastwars have never been a band to shirk confrontation. Each side of IV begins with its longest track (double points), as “Raise the Sword” and “Omens” set the stage for their respective halves of the tracklisting, the former with its unmitigated largesse and the latter with a broader range that continues to play out across the subsequent pieces. Throughout, Beastwars‘ efficiency of songwriting and hard-hit pummel is well intact, as Hickey shows early on in his snare battery and Woods in the punch of chugging bass that coincides. The initial salvo very much establishes Beastwars‘ core approach, with a sampled speech from 1985’s The Quiet Earth included in the 6:40 “Raise the Sword” for maximum dramatic effect ahead of a feedback-soaked transition into the apex and the faster and immediate push of “Wolves and Prey.” Tense in the guitar and bass and as powerful as the band have ever sounded in the complete affect, the second track rolls out relatively quick but is still well in line atmospherically with “Raise the Sword” before it, and the same applies to “Storms of Mars” after, with its slower, nod-ready pace and punctuating drums behind Hyde‘s maddening snarl, an almost punkish thrust taking hold at around 2:45 to signal the shift into a cacophony as pure as anything I’ve ever heard from them, Anderson‘s guitar cutting through with a moment-of-clarity solo even as the track readies to cut out all the instruments behind the lines, “You can never get away/From your mortal decay.” Short of setting a treatment diary to verse, I’m not sure how much more direct IV could be in its subject matter. It does not make for easy listening — particularly if you’ve ever dealt with or dealt with a loved one in similar circumstances, which I think counts basically everybody on the planet — but the directness extends to IV‘s overarching purpose of expression as well, a very real catharsis playing out amid all this tumult and questioning. I don’t know what the deal was with Beastwars‘ breakup following The Death of All Things — seems fair to speculate they knew it was coming at least on some level, given that title — but they obviously came back together united around a purpose, and IV manifests that palpably for the listener. Perhaps all the more so in its final four tracks, as “Omens” indeed proves to foreshadow a wider sonic reach with highlight guitar work and a fierce emotionality that will soon enough come to fruition on the raw highlight of the penultimate “The Traveller” after the bass-led turmoil of “Sound of the Grave” unfolds in a three-and-a-half-minute linear build that comes on in brooding fashion and ends up in a wash of noise. Unlike “Omens,” which retains a subtle hook throughout its 5:41, “Sound of the Grave” feels more about the tooth-pull/gut-punch resonance that stays heavy even when the band reels back for a final shove heading into the last minute. A sudden stop brings on “The Traveller,” which is gorgeous and flayed with far back vocals over atmospheric guitar at its start and building forward from there also in a linear way, but with an infusion of avant guitar melody and lyrics from Hyde that seem to evoke an out-of-body experience, blessing travelers and homes and, ultimately “…this world that we all must leave.” In a universe of many kinds of heavy, I don’t think there is one meaning of the word to which that doesn’t apply. Still, it’s not until the piano starts in “Like Dried Blood” that one fully realizes just how far Beastwars have taken the thread since “Wolves and Prey,” and as the finale plays out over its 4:40, it is more culmination than summation, but still righteously weighted in its last movement, using the crush that the band have always so ably wielded for maximum emphasis before cutting with a quick jolt of feedback and amp noise — a cold end that feels no less intentional than every bit of facing death that’s happened before. I won’t profess to know if Beastwars‘ reunion/reignition is an ongoing thing — if they’ll do a fifth record or what — but IV doesn’t strike me as having such considerations. That is, certainly Hyde and company have plenty to say, but these songs are more about their own urgency than about longterm band plans. It’s not a record they made to go on tour with. It’s a record they made because life is fucking precious and sometimes you come to realize what matters to you and what you need are the same thing. As such, it is all the more essential it be engaged in the present. Because it is. Beastwars, IV (2019) IV by BEASTWARS Beastwars on Thee Facebooks Beastwars on Bandcamp Tags: Beastwars, Beastwars IV, Destroy Records, IV, New Zealand, Wellington Beastwars to Release IV June 28; Lyric Video Posted Posted in Whathaveyou on April 17th, 2019 by JJ Koczan I didn’t expect another Beastwars record after their third, The Death of All Things (review here), seemed to come accompanied by a contentious breakup. But obviously situations change and after a cancer scare on the part of vocalist Matt Hyde, the devastating New Zealand sludge rockers are back with IV in June, and they’re streaming a lyric video for one of the tracks now. Those familiar with the four-piece’s prior work will be glad (and perhaps terrified) to hear their sense of unmitigated sonic largesse remains undiminished, and as one gets ready to dig into the album, it’s fully with the expectation of being crushed from multiple angles. “Omens,” of course, bodes well in that regard. This from the PR wire: BEASTWARS RETURN: New Zealand Heavyweights Revisit The Riff with New Album \| Release Video for ‘Omens’ Single New album chronicles vocalist Matt Hyde’s battle with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma – “The fear of death is enough to make you want to live” Beastwars’ IV is released 28th June 2019 on Destroy Records Pre-order the album Big Cartel / Bandcamp Returning in 2019 with what will undoubtedly become one of this year’s most revelatory releases, IV, the fourth installment in Beastwars’ canon is life affirming in more ways than one. So heavy and heavily admired around the world, New Zealand’s legendary metallers are back this June with a new lease of life – quite literally – following vocalist Matt Hyde’s recovery from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. After undergoing six months of treatment in 2016 he is now in remission and today the band announces their long-awaited return, along with the release of their first single in three years, ‘Omens’. Shaped by Hyde’s recent experiences through his diagnosis and subsequent treatment, he was given an opportunity to look into the abyss, beyond life as we know it. “Throughout the treatment I was numb,” he explains. “It’s interesting to have the ability to confront that, to confront the void, to confront the idea of mortality. I didn’t make peace with it either.” The experience and loneliness in isolation of treatment gave Hyde plenty to consider. Life, friendships and relationships, especially with his then ten-year-old daughter resulted in a record that leaves nothing unsaid. “I was lucky that I had music to express what had happened to me,” Hyde says. “A lot of people don’t have that. I was very lucky that we could make a record. I took the time to process it and turned it into something else.” In 2011, Beastwars released their self-titled debut to critical acclaim and in doing so transformed New Zealand’s metal landscape forever. Reviewers celebrated the album’s, slow-burning blend of lysergic and premonitory metal and compared the band to Kyuss, Neurosis and Godflesh, while hinting at influences as diverse as The Jesus Lizard, Black Sabbath, and in Hyde’s ‘avant-grunt’, Celtic Frost. Two years on from their internationally acclaimed debut, Beastwars returned in 2013 with Blood Becomes Fire, delivering ten songs that retained the strength and psychedelic power of their first while presenting a kinetic evolution in vision. Closing the post-apocalyptic trilogy, 2016’s The Death Of All Things signalled the long overdue arrival of one of metal’s best-kept secrets, out from under and ready to take on the world full tilt. To celebrate the band’s fearless return to the fold, Beastwars will tour New Zealand and Australia in June/July (see below) and perform at the Dead of Winter Festival in Brisbane. IV, the new album from Beastwars will be released on Friday 28th June 2019 and can be pre-ordered on limited edition vinyl, cassette, CD at http://www.beastwars.bigcartel.com. It will also be available across all digital stores and streaming platforms at http://ffm.to/beastwarsIV. IV ALBUM RELEASE TOUR With special guest Witchskull (AUS) 28/6 – San Fran Wellington 29/6 – Galatos – Auckland 5/7 – Blue Smoke – Christchurch* 6/7 – The Cook – Dunedin* 11/7 – Crowbar – Sydney (w. Potion) 12/7 – The Gershwin Room – Melbourne (w. Dr. Colossus + Droid) 13/7 – Dead of Winter Festival – Brisbane* *Dates without Witchskull 2. Wolves and Prey 3. Storms of Mars 4. This Mortal Decay 5. Omens 6. Sound of the Grave 7. The Traveller 8. Like Dried Blood BEASTWARS: Clayton Anderson – Guitar Nathan Hickey – Drums Matt Hyde – Vocals James Woods – Bass Produced by Beastwars and James Goldsmith Recorded by James Goldsmith at The Blue Barn, Wellington, NZ Mixed by Andrew Schneider at Acre Sound, New York, USA Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, Portland, USA Artwork by Nick Keller (www.nickkellerart.com) https://www.facebook.com/beastwars666/ https://beastwars.bandcamp.com/ https://twitter.com/beastwarsband https://www.instagram.com/beastwarsband/ http://www.obeytheriff.com Beastwars, “Omens” lyric video Beastwars Post “Some Sell Their Souls” Video; Albums Available as Name-Your-Price Download Posted in Bootleg Theater on April 6th, 2017 by JJ Koczan So is this it? Is this the last we’ll hear from New Zealand crushers Beastwars? Is this their goodbye? As they and their group-therapy audience seem to get raptured at the end of this clip for “Some Sell Their Souls” — I’d have said “spoiler alert,” but we all know the joy is in the journey, not the destination — should we also consider that the actual process of the four-piece being absorbed into oblivion? If so, they die as they lived — viciously underrated. Beastwars released their final album, The Death of all Things (review here), last year. At the time, they called it the third in a trilogy behind 2013’s Blood Becomes Fire (review here) and their 2011 self-titled debut (review here), but the bottom line was the band was basically announcing they were done, one way or the other. Their tenure ended with their never having gotten their due internationally for the quality of their output across those three records, and though they drew well in their native New Zealand and Australia, to my knowledge they never made it to Europe for a tour, let alone North America, much to the loss of both continents. I’ve learned the hard way — also the easy way — over time that you never say never in rock and roll. That is, because Beastwars are done today doesn’t necessarily mean that will be the case in a year, three years, five. It might be wishful thinking on my part, but though we see in the clip for “Some Sell Their Souls” the lineup of vocalist Matt Hyde, guitarist Clayton Anderson, bassist James Woods and drummer Nathan Hickey be taken from this earthly plane as the PR wire seems to confirm that, indeed, that’s a wrap for them, it just seems like this band had something special to them, and they knew it. That can’t be easy to walk away from, say it’s permanent, and have it stick. But I’ve also learned the hard way to never assume one way or the other. What we have to go on right now, in April 2017, is that after three stellar, grueling, grinding, and at times genuinely uncomfortable albums, Beastwars have called it a day. Whether or not that lasts, it should go without saying they’ll be missed, and should they ever decide to embark on a fourth installment of their “trilogy,” its arrival will be welcome. To mark their passing, Beastwars have made their three full-lengths available as a name-your-price download via their Bandcamp page from now until April 20. If there’s one of those records you don’t have, you might want to get on that. Enjoy “Some Sell Their Souls” below: Beastwars, “Some Sell Their Souls” official video Having returned in 2016 with one of the year’s most revelatory releases in The Death Of All Things, Beastwars are back one final time with a new video directed by Alistair MacDonald for ‘Some Sell Their Souls’. The song, sung from the perspective of a troubled singer at a small suburban church who is trapped by his demons and plagued by memories proved to be one of the most talked about songs on last year’s album. Attributed in no small part to singer Matt Hyde’s weathered and worn viewpoint on morality and redemption. “Like ‘Witches’, the first video off our last album, it was inspired by experiences of the band,” explains drummer Nathan Hickey. “In the case of ‘Witches’ it was in response to a record label exec shrieking, ‘They’re so old!’ when he saw a video of us. So we decided to replace ourselves with a coven of female musicians. The video for ‘Some Sell Their Souls’ was inspired by a set of studio videos we did called The Sundae Sessions, where the audience was sitting around us on chairs. Some of the YouTube comments are hilarious with complaints about how sedate the crowd look, why isn’t there a mosh pit etc. With this video we took the audience response to a Beastwars experience to its extreme.” The album, produced by the band and James Goldsmith in their hometown of Wellington, New Zealand, mixed by Andrew Schneider (Unsane, Big Business) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Sleep, Windhand) brought with it the closing chapter in the band’s post-apocalyptic trilogy of albums. As a thank you for the continued support Beastwars received in 2016, their unremitting triptych of sludge – their 2011 debut Beastwars, 2013’s Blood Becomes Fire and last year’s The Death Of All Things – are being offered on Bandcamp as ‘Name Your Price’ up until 20th April 2017 – www.beastwars.bandcamp.com. Beastwars on Twitter Beastwars website Tags: Beastwars, Beastwars The Death of all Things, New Zealand, The Death of all Things, Unsigned bands, Wellington The Obelisk Presents: THE TOP 30 ALBUMS OF 2016 Please note: This post is not culled in any way from the Year-End Poll, which is ongoing. If you haven’t yet contributed your favorites of 2016 to that, please do. I say this every year: These are my picks. If you’re unfamiliar with this site, or you don’t come here that often, or if you do and just normally don’t give a crap — all of which is cool — you should know it’s all run by one person. One human being. Me. My name is JJ, and this is a list of what I think are the best albums that were released in 2016. Since before 2016 began, I’ve kept a running list of releases. My criteria for what gets included in this list is largely unchanged — it’s a balance between what I feel are important records on the level of what they achieve, what I listened to most, what held some other personal appeal, and what I think did the best job of meeting the goals it set for itself. Pretty vague, right? That’s the idea. The nature of worldwide heavy has become so broad that to encompass it all under some universal standard is laughable. Judging psychedelia, garage rock, heavy psych, doom, sludge and so on by the same measure makes no sense, and as genres continue to splinter and remake themselves as we’ve seen them doing all year and over the last several years, one must be malleable in one’s own taste. We’ve seen a new generation of heavy rock bands emerge in the last three-plus years. It’s been amazing, and there are a few pivotal second and third records that came out in 2016 to affirm that movement underway. Look for it to continue into 2017 and beyond. This year more than any other seemed to want to bring the different sides together. A laudable goal. Thick riffing marked with flourish of psychedelia. Spacious doom bred against folk impulses. There’s been experimentation around melds that have led to considerable triumphs, and it just doesn’t seem to me that rigid standards can apply. It’s why I don’t grade reviews and never did. Sound is evolving now as it always has been and as it will keep doing, but like any year, 2016 had a full share of landmarks to offer as a part of that process. As universal development hopefully remains ongoing, it’s only right that we celebrate the accomplishments helping to push it along its winding and sometimes divergent-seeming paths. I have no doubt you know what I mean. Let’s get to the list: 30. Talmud Beach, Chief Released by Svart Records. Reviewed Feb. 10. Seems only fair to start with a record I couldn’t put down. Finnish trio Talmud Beach‘s second album and Svart debut, Chief, hit on just the right blend of laid back, semi-acoustic groove-blues, psychedelia and classic progressive folk rock, but with the exception of its sprawling dreamscape title-track (a welcome arrival at the finale), it also kept the songwriting simple, resulting in a natural, pastoral feel that only highlighted their melodic range in songs like “Mountain Man” and “Snow Snow Snow.” I think it flew under a lot of people’s radar, but I’ve kept going back to it over the course of the year and I see no reason to stop. 29. Comet Control, Center of the Maze Released by Tee Pee Records. Reviewed June 22. Space is still the place. I’ve already highlighted closer “Artificial Light” from Comet Control‘s sophomore LP, Center of the Maze as my favorite song of 2016, so I’ll spare you the longwinded treatise on its languid cosmic glories — this time — but consider this a reminder that that song was by no means the limit of what the eight-track release had to offer in terms of breadth. From the opening push of “Dig out Your Head” to the dream-drift of “Sick in Space,” it unfolded tonal presence and a melodic depth that engaged a gorgeous, multifaceted sonic wash as it moved onward toward that landmark conclusion. 28. Droids Attack, Sci-Fi or Die Self-released. Reviewed Feb. 17. There was not a level on which Madison, Wisconsin’s Droids Attack didn’t make it clear they were going all-out, all-in on Sci-Fi or Die. Even the title speaks to the stakes involved. And sure enough, the trio executed their fourth album with a sense of urgency and professionalism in songcraft, production, artwork (discussed here) and nuance of presentation that managed to make even a song called “Clawhammer Suicide” a classy affair. As guitarist/vocalist Brad Van said on the hidden title-track, “Death to false stoner thrash.” Droids Attack brought that ethic and more to life across the entire record. 27. Beelzefuzz, The Righteous Bloom Released by Restricted Release and The Church Within. Reviewed Aug. 2. A winding road brought Beelzefuzz around to following up their 2013 self-titled debut (review here), and as The Righteous Bloom brought guitarist/vocalist Dana Ortt and drummer Darin McCloskey together with bassist Bert Hall and lead guitarist Greg Diener, it found their songwriting more expansive, more progressive and dug further into their own particular oddball sense of grandeur. I’ve said on multiple occasions that no one out there is doing what Beelzefuzz are doing and that continues to be true. Even as a first offering from a new lineup of the band, The Righteous Bloom took bold and exciting forward steps. 26. Foghound, The World Unseen Released by Ripple Music. Reviewed July 6. Down to business. Immediately. Not a moment to spare. Taking part in what can only be considered a landmark year for Ripple Music, Baltimore’s Foghound issued The World Unseen as an answer to their 2013 debut, Quick, Dirty and High (review here), and upped their game across the board. From the intensity in the hooks of “Message in the Sky” and Rockin’ and Rollin'” to the quiet interlude of “Bridge of Stonebows” and the mid-paced heavy rock nod of “Never Return,” they made a strong case for themselves among their label’s foremost acts and found individualism in the growth of their songwriting. It was a kick in the ass you weren’t going to forget. 25a. Egypt, Endless Flight Released by Doomentia Records. Reviewed Dec. 11, 2015. Put out by the band digitally in Dec. 2015 and issued on vinyl in 2016, Egypt‘s second LP, Endless Flight may be somewhat debatable in terms of when it actually landed (hence “25a.,” above), but the quality of the six-tracker more than warrants inclusion anyway. Rolling dense, massively-fuzzed groove, its nine-minute opening title-track set the course for the Fargo, North Dakota, three-piece, and they only grew the heavy revelry from there, as heard on the penultimate “Black Words,” which seemed to be chewing on rocks even as it played back and forth in tempo, build and push. The converted never had it so good. 25. 1000mods, Repeated Exposure To… Released by Ouga Booga and the Mighty Oug Recordings. Reviewed Sept. 20. There seems to be no stopping the Chiliomodi-based 1000mods, who with their third album have stepped to the forefront of Greece’s populous and vibrant heavy rock underground. Progressed well beyond where even 2014’s impressive Vultures (review here) found them, they seemed to hit a stride with Repeated Exposure To… thanks in part to road time and the ability to bring that energy directly into songs like the eight-minute roller “Loose” and the sizable crashes of “Groundhog Day.” Momentum working in their favor could be heard front-to-back from “Above 179” to “Into the Spell,” moving them toward something ever-more crucial and marking a considerable achievement along that path. 2017 might be a good time for them to test the waters with initial US shows. 24. Black Rainbows, Stellar Prophecy Released by Heavy Psych Sounds. Reviewed April 11. Quick turnaround from Roman heavy psych magnate Gabriele Fiori (guitar/vocals) and company, but though it hit just about 13 months after their fourth full-length, Hawkdope (review here), Black Rainbows, Stellar Prophecy wholly succeeded in making an impact of its own, cuts like the oozing, organ-laced “Woman” and 11-minute jam-out triumph “Golden Widow” showcasing an approach in a continuous state of refinement that seems to get rawer as it goes, shifting like a rogue planetoid toward some maddening cosmic realization. How something can seem both so frenetic and so blissful is still a mystery, and perhaps that’s part of what makes Stellar Prophecy resonate as it does, but either way, Black Rainbows brought together some of the year’s most efficient psychedelic immersion. 23. Borracho, Atacama Released by Kozmik Artifactz. Reviewed Nov. 14. Borracho don’t seem to release an album until they have something to say. That was to their credit on Atacama, their third LP and label debut for Kozmik Artifactz debut. Also their second collection issued as a trio behind 2013’s Oculus (review here), it distinguished itself from its predecessor in its sense of overarching flow, shifting between the ahead-thrust of “Gold from Sand” into the 10-minute sample-laden jam “Overload” to start out with such ease that the listener had little choice but to follow along. With an expanded scope on “Drifted away from the Sun” and the lightly-strummed memento mori “Flower,” Borracho found new avenues of expression to complement their well established dense, heavy riffing, and took obvious care in crafting their most realized LP yet. 22. The Golden Grass, Coming Back Again Released by Listenable Records. Reviewed April 26. Nothing Brooklyn’s The Golden Grass does feels like happenstance, and though their classic-styled boogie is imbued with a vibrant, friendly positive energy, there’s an underlying meticulousness in their arrangements and in their songwriting that came further into focus on Coming Back Again, their sophomore release 2014’s self-titled debut (review here). A more progressive take showed itself in “Reflections” and “Down the Line,” and taken in combination with the bookends “Get it Together” and “See it Through,” the three-piece stood on ground that was even more their own than on the first record, striking a careful balance between the willful exploration of new elements and the outright need for tracks to directly engage their listeners with catchy hooks and upbeat vibes. They did it. Expect continued growth. 21. Curse the Son, Isolator Released by Snake Charmer Coalition and The Company Records. Reviewed March 1. For something so awash in fuzz, so nodding in its rhythms, so let’s-push-the-vocals-back-under-this-huge-awesome-fucking-riff, Curse the Son‘s Isolator was also remarkably clearheaded in its purposes. With the added vocal harmonies of “Callous Unemotional Traits,” the far-off spaces of “Hull Crush Depth” and the stoner metal despair of “Aislamiento,” the Connecticut three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Ron Vanacore, capital-‘d’ Drummer Michael Petrucci and newcomer bassist Brendan Keefe drew a direct, intentional line to sometimes-grueling (hello, “Sleepwalker Wakes”) weighted tonality and found justification for their largesse in its own being. Like 2012’s Psychache (review here), I expect to be returning to Isolator over a longer term than this single year of release. 20. Neurosis, Fires Within Fires Released by Neurot Recordings. Reviewed Sept. 21. I feel like I need to explain myself here. Make no mistake, Neurosis‘ Fires Within Fires is among the year’s most accomplished offerings. There’s just about no way it wouldn’t be. So why not top 10? Top five? It’s a question of timing. With the long-running post-metal progenitors, it’s always a longer digestion period. It was about two years before 2012’s Honor Found in Decay (review here) really sunk in, and I expect Fires Within Fires will work similarly over the greater term. Maybe a little guilt on my part for the disparity between its quality and its placement, but rest assured, Neurosis remain among the most imperative bands walking the earth, and as they took on the full brunt of 30 years of unmitigated progression through Fires Within Fires, they were no less brazen in pushing themselves creatively than they’ve ever been. 19. Conan, Revengeance Released by Napalm Records. Reviewed Jan. 19. Though the narrative of Conan has remained largely unchanged since their inception — hack, slash, kill, riff — and they still bask in nigh-on-unmatched tonal slaughter, their third full-length brings a few key developments. Perhaps most notable from opener “Throne of Fire” onward is the vocal interplay between guitarist/founder Jon Davis and bassist/longtime-engineer Chris Fielding, who joined after 2014’s Blood Eagle (review here). Adding Fielding‘s deeper growls allowed Davis to subtly move into a cleaner shout, and the emergent dynamic between them made Revengeance a decidedly expanded affair compared to Conan‘s past work. Adding drummer Rich Lewis to the mix was no minor shift either, and as much as Conan had already established their sheer dominance, they also sounded refreshed and set themselves up to keep growing. 18. Baby Woodrose, Freedom Released by Bad Afro Records. Reviewed Aug. 18. Some records just feel like gifts, and though many of its lyrical positions were cynical — “Reality,” “21st Century Slave,” “Mind Control Machine,” “Red the Sign Post,” etc. — Freedom marked the 15th anniversary of Danish garage-psych rockers Baby Woodrose with dripping lysergic aplomb, reminding some four years after their last LP, 2012’s Third Eye Surgery (review here), that bandleader Lorenzo Woodrose is unparalleled when it comes to manifesting his take on the psychedelic victories of 13th Floor Elevators and classic-era Hawkwind — firmly at home levitating on the edge of time. Its swirl and underlying foundation of songwriting, its Richie Havens cover title-track, and its sprawling interstellar “Termination” were like a welcome check-in from another dimension, and I only hope it’s not four years before Woodrose sends the next signal. Earth needs this band. 17. Geezer, Geezer Released by Ripple Music and STB Records. Reviewed Nov. 10. I’m not going to discount the shuffle of “Sunday Speed Demon” or sleeze of “Sunday Speed Demon,” but where Geezer‘s self-titled third full-length really showed how far the New York heavy blues-psych trio have come was in its extended midsection jams, “Sun Gods,” “Bi-Polar Vortex” and “Dust,” each of which showed a distinct approach while feeding into an engaging flow between them, offering a blend of trailmarker hooks as they drifted into realms of organic chemistry previously uncharted by the band. The slow-motion swing of “Hangnail Crisis,” raucous push of “Superjam Maximus” and concluding bounce of “Stoney Pony” brought them back down to earth to finish out with a symmetry to the album’s opening, but Geezer kept a collective hand on the controls the whole voyage and when they landed, it was an arrival indeed, and very much what their two previous records were building toward. 16. EYE, Vision and the Ageless Light Released by The Laser’s Edge. Reviewed Nov. 17. Beautifully experimental with its 27-minute finisher “As Sure as the Sun,” EYE‘s Vision and the Ageless Light seemed throughout its whole 46-minute run to be executing a cohesive vision in its synth-soaked progressive textures. Between the intro “Book of the Dead” and the subsequent “Kill the Slavemaster,” “Searching,” “Dweller of the Twilight Void” and the already-noted closer, each piece had something different to offer that added to the full impact of the whole, and with guitarist Jon Finely and bassist Michael Sliclen joining founding drummer/vocalist Brandon Smith and synth/Mellotron/Moog-ist Lisa Bella Donna (also vocals and acoustic guitar), EYE added to the scope of 2013’s Second Sight (review here) and found a place for themselves where prog complexity didn’t need to come at the expense of memorable songwriting and spaced-out vibes. An absolute joy, front to back. 15. Fatso Jetson, Idle Hands Released by Heavy Psych Sounds. Reviewed Oct. 3. Even Fatso Jetson themselves would probably have to admit that six years — even a six years that saw several splits, singles, etc. — was too long between albums. Fortunately, Idle Hands saw the desert rock forebears in top form as regards their quirk-fueled songwriting, angular approach to punk and inimitable groove. Following 2010’s Archaic Volumes (review here) was no easy task, but with additional depth to the material from the contributions of guitarist Dino von Lalli — son of founding guitarist/vocalist Mario Lalli and nephew of founding bassist Larry Lalli — guest spots from his sister Olive Lalli as well as Sean Wheeler (the latter moves second cut “Portuguese Dream” into high-echelon strangeness) and the ever-propulsive drumming of Tony Tornay, Fatso Jetson were both all over the place and right at the core of where they most ought to be sonically. At 56 minutes, it hardly seemed long enough. 14. Hexvessel, When We are Death Released by Century Media. Reviewed Feb. 5. Each song was like a different persona the band adopted momentarily, whether it was the Bowie-goes-proto-goth-prog of organ-ic opener “Transparent Eyeball” or the grim pastoralia of “Mirror Boy” and the condemnations/proclamations of “Drugged up on the Universe,” but wherever Hexvessel went on their third full-length and Century Media debut, When We are Death, that unifying theme went with them. Death. It was everywhere in the Finland-based genre-benders’ deeply varied approach, though its presence made their material in no way off-putting, and in the case of cuts like “Cosmic Truth” or the later “Mushroom Spirit Doors,” not even dark, and as it drew the tracks together despite working in different sounds and style, it became apparent that When We are Death worked because of a universal quality in songwriting and presentation allowing for such drastic shifts without any risk of losing the audience. 13. Zun, Burial Sunrise Released by Small Stone Records. Reviewed Feb. 16. Yawning Man guitarist Gary Arce — a key figure in the development of desert rock and a player of unmatched tone, period — had quite a year, between Zun‘s Burial Sunrise, his main outfit and his collaboration with Fatso Jetson vs. HifiKlub, but it was the dreamscape drift of songs like “Come Through the Water” and “All that You Say I Am” as well as the subtle hooks of “Into the Wasteland” and “All for Nothing” that, for me, made this the highlight. Sure, bringing in vocalists Sera Timms (Ides of Gemini, Black Mare) and John Garcia (ex-Kyuss, Slo Burn, Vista Chino, etc.) and having them swap back and forth between the tracks didn’t hurt either, but the wash of ethereal presence in Arce‘s guitar was an excellent showcase for his patience and improvisational sensibilities, and the spaces Burial Sunrise covered seemed to have an infinite horizon all their own. Will hope for a follow-up, will hope Garcia and Timms return, and will hope for a duet. 12. Elephant Tree, Elephant Tree Released by Magnetic Eye Records. Reviewed Jan. 29. One had reasonably high expectations for the debut full-length from London’s Elephant Tree after their 2014 EP Theia (review here) so deftly blended spacious, sitar-laced heavy psychedelic rock with more visceral sludge impulses — a difficult mix to pull off — but I think it would’ve been impossible to see the quality of this self-titled outing coming in any substantive way. Gone were the screams, in was a depth of tone and nigh-on-perfect tempo — see “Dawn” and “Aphotic Blues,” as well as the acoustic “Circles” between them — and where some first albums have a kind of tentative, feeling-it-out vibe, guitarist/vocalist Jack Townley (interview here), bassist/vocalist Peter Holland, drummer Sam Hart and sitarist/vocalist/engineer Riley MacIntyre took utter command of the proceedings. They won’t have the element of surprise working for them next time, but as Elephant Tree made perfectly clear in its biggest surprise of all, neither do they need it. 11. Mos Generator, Abyssinia Released by Listenable Records. Reviewed July 12. If you were to ask me to summarize in one word the last four-plus years of Mos Generator‘s tenure, since their reactivation with 2012’s Nomads (review here) and the subsequent lineup changes and hard-touring that followed 2014’s Electric Mountain Majesty (review here), I’d say “go.” I might say it three times: Go-go-go. One of three LP-ish offerings out this year, the studio album Abyssinia embodied this ethic as it started with immediate momentum on “Strangest Times” and “You’ve Got a Right” and seemed to push itself into new ground as it went. Guitarist/vocalist/founder Tony Reed brought heavy boogie to bear at a frenetic clip, but Abyssinia offset its early mania with later progressive stylization on “There’s No Return from Nowhere,” “Time and Other Thieves” and harmonized closer “Outlander,” so that in addition to representing their furious creativity, it also brought them to places they’ve never been before in sound. 10. Slomatics, Future Echo Returns Released by Black Bow Records. Reviewed June 29. In some ways, Future Echo Returns was simply picking up where Belfast’s Slomatics left off with 2014’s Estron (review here), as heard on the riff of lead-in track “Estronomicon,” but as the third in a purported trilogy following that record and 2012’s A Hocht, it also brought the tonecrushing three-piece to Skyhammer Studio to work with producer Chris Fielding (Conan) and presented a linear storyline that, while rife with standout moments in cuts like “Electric Breath,” the ambient “Ritual Beginnings” and ultra-catchy “Supernothing,” found a genuine sense of resolution in the finale “Into the Eternal” that spoke to the scope the entire work was meant to represent — not just itself, but an entirety spanning three albums. Not a minor feat, but what also made Future Echo Returns so resonant was how well the material stood on its own, so that even without the narrative context, it was immersive, hypnotic and unbridled in its heft. 9. Wo Fat, Midnight Cometh Released by Ripple Music. Reviewed April 21. After two landmarks issued by Small Stone in 2014’s The Conjuring (review here) and 2012’s The Black Code (reviews here and here), Texas forerunners of riff Wo Fat gave a concise rundown of their appeal in the six-track Ripple debut and sixth LP overall, Midnight Cometh. Their ongoing development as found them bringing together a two-sided personality of memorable songs and open, fluid jams, and cuts like “There’s Something Sinister in the Wind,” “Of Smoke and Fog,” “Three Minutes to Midnight” and “Nightcomer” emphasized the next stage of this process, while the shuffling “Riffborn” and swaggering blues rock of “La Dilleme de Detenu” gave listeners a chance to touch ground every now and again. Over the last two-plus years, Wo Fat have become a point of influence for other, particularly American, acts — see labelmates Geezer — and Midnight Cometh assured that will be the case going forward too; a status well-earned. 8. King Buffalo, Orion Released by Stickman Records. Reviewed July 29. Offered up this summer as a limited self-release and picked up by no less than Stickman Records (Motorpsycho, Elder), Orion might be the most molten inclusion on this list. It’s also my pick for 2016 Debut of the Year, and to hear cuts like “She Sleeps on a Vine,” “Kerosene,” the sprawling closer “Drinking from the River Rising,” or even just to take the whole record front-to-back, which was clearly how the band intended it be experienced, there’s just about no competition in that regard that stands up. The Rochester, NY, three-piece showed marked promise on their 2013 demo (review here) and 2015 split with Lé Betre (review here), but the listenability of Orion — which earned every single one of its repeat visits — made it a triumph on a different level entirely, and distinguished King Buffalo as a formidable presence in the sphere of US heavy psychedelia, fostering a sound no less soulful for its outward cosmic reach and to-be-measured-in-lightyears scale of potential. 7. Wight, Love is Not Only What You Know Released by Fat and Holy Records, Kozmik Artifactz, Import Export Music and SPV. Reviewed Sept. 7. German outfit Wight answered significant anticipation on their third album, Love is Not Only What You Know, some four years after 2012’s Through the Woods into Deep Water (review here) and undertook a significant evolution in sound. A transition from a trio to a four-piece and adding a strong current of funk to their heavy psych groove and boogie resulted in cuts like “The Muse and the Mule,” the jammed-out “Kelele” and “The Love for Life Leads to Reincarnation,” which were as danceable as they were nod-ready, and when complemented by shorter classic rockers like “Helicopter Mama” and “I Wanna Know What You Feel” (still plenty funky) and the Eastern-tinged interlude “Three Quarters,” gave Love is Not Only What You Know scope to match its ass-shaking encouragement. It was a spirit unto itself among 2016 releases, but ultimately, the key to understanding the record was right there in the title: It was all about love, and wherever Wight went in a given track, they never lost sight of that. 6. Greenleaf, Rise Above the Meadow A decade and a half after 2001’s Revolution Rock (discussed here), Sweden’s Greenleaf most embodied that ethic with Rise Above the Meadow, their sixth long-player and Napalm Records debut. 2014’s Trails and Passes (review here) represented the key step of founding guitarist Tommi Holappa (interview here) bringing vocalist Arvid Johnsson into the lineup, but Rise Above the Meadow built exponentially on what that album achieved, bolstered by work as a touring band and a revitalized songwriting process heard in “Howl,” “A Million Fireflies,” “You’re Gonna be My Ruin,” the stomping “Golden Throne” and “Tyrants Tongue,” among others. I refuse to discount the quality of Trails and Passes, 2012’s Nest of Vipers (review here) or 2007’s landmark Agents of Ahriman (review here), but as Greenleaf shifted toward a style more reminiscent of Holappa‘s later output with Dozer, they also seemed to stake their claim on the forefront of European heavy rock and roll, which was just waiting for them to do so. 5. Brant Bjork, Tao of the Devil Released by Napalm Records. Reviewed Sept. 15. Perhaps the most believable lyric of 2016 was the opening line of leadoff cut “The Gree Heen” from Brant Bjork‘s Tao of the Devil: “I got all that I need. I got the gree-heen.” From the prominent pot leaf on the cover to that single clause — which set the tone for that song’s mega-nod as much as everything that followed in the boogie of “Humble Pie” and “Stackt,” the so-laid-back-it’s-almost-unconscious title-track and the longer-form explorations of “Dave’s War” and the wah’ed-out “Evening Jam” — the inimitable Bjork seems to have embraced the role of stoner guru and the Godfather of Desert Rock. Tao of the Devil was his second release through Napalm behind 2014’s Black Power Flower (review here), which introduced the Low Desert Punk Band, and far from hanging its hat on the man’s historical accomplishments from his days in Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Che, Vista Chino, etc., the 50-minute eight-tracker came fueled by the soul most typified in Bjork‘s solo catalog, which it’s increasingly easy to argue is his greatest contribution to the desert aesthetic. Definitely in his wheelhouse, but what a wheelhouse. 4. Asteroid, III Released by Fuzzorama Records. Reviewed Oct. 21. What a relief it was to have Asteroid back, and what a relief it was to have III arrive some six years after II (review here) and find the Örebro, Sweden, trio’s certified-organic chemistry undulled by that long stretch. The songs — “Pale Moon,” “Last Days,” “Til Dawn,” “Wolf and Snake,” “Silver and Gold,” “Them Calling,” “Mr. Strange” — there wasn’t a miss in the bunch, and in addition to the reignited craftsmanship, III made clear a progression as players and the intent to move forward from guitarist/vocalist Robin Hirse, bassist/vocalist Johannes Nilsson and drummer Elvis Campbell (since replaced by Jimmi Kolscheen), so that the material didn’t just let listeners know Asteroid was a band again after having unceremoniously faded out for a half-decade, but gave a signal that perhaps they were just getting started. One can only hope that turns out to be the case, but either way, III felt like a reward dolled out to their fanbase after a long absent stretch, and one that, like II and their 2007 self-titled debut (discussed here) before it, will reverberate its echoes for years to come. Hands down 2016’s most welcome return. 3. Gozu, Revival Released by Ripple Music. Reviewed May 19. Though it would carry the context of its scorching opener “Nature Boy” with it for the duration and, accordingly, hit with a more intense feel than its 2013 predecessor, The Fury of a Patient Man (review here), Gozu‘s fourth album overall and Ripple label debut was a kick in the ass on more than just that one level. It found the Boston foursome with the finally-solidified lineup of vocalist/guitarist Marc Gaffney, guitarist Doug Sherman, bassist Joe Grotto and drummer Mike Hubbard, and while one could argue they still wound up under the banner of a heavy rock band, that became happenstance to the songs themselves. That is, even more than The Fury of a Patient Man or 2010’s Locust Season (review here), Gozu came across as writing not to style, but to their own impulses, as demonstrated in “Big Casino,” the echoing soul of “Tin Chicken” and shuffle-thrust of “Oldie,” and as they moved beyond their initial swath of influence into this individualized sonic persona, they reaped the benefits of the locked-in lineup and a process of craft that never sounded so purposeful. Revival was indeed typified by its vitality, but it was also the sound of a band maturing as a unit, becoming who they were meant to be, and there is almost nothing more exciting than that for a single album to represent. Plus, it had a song called “By Mennen,” and, you know, references. 2. Mars Red Sky, Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul) Released by Listenable Records. Reviewed Feb. 24. It was unreasonable to expect the third full-length from Bordeaux, France, trio Mars Red Sky to surpass 2014’s Stranded in Arcadia (review here) and the progressive crux that album brought to the warm tones and sweet melodicism of their 2011 self-titled debut (review here), but Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul) reinforced the elements that worked so well on previous outings while pushing inarguably onto what the band seemed to know was “Alien Ground” if the title of their intro was anything to go by. More over, it did so with a natural fluidity and poise that were as striking as they were encompassing in sound. Tying to earlier 2016’s Providence EP (review here) in concept and execution through that intro and the title-track following it, Apex III presented the to-date pinnacle of Mars Red Sky‘s growth in songs like “The Whinery,” “Mindreader,” the tear-inducing “Under the Hood,” the swing-happy “Friendly Fire,” the willful atmospheric crash of closer “Prodigal Sun” — each one a crucial advancing step from the trio of guitarist/vocalist Julien Pras, bassist/vocalist Jimmy Kinast and drummer Mathieu “Matgaz” Gazeau — and brilliantly fed them one into the other, so that in addition to the standout impressions of each, there developed a personality to the whole span of the album; a world of Mars Red Sky‘s own creation, where they dwelt for what seemed too short a time before returning to earth and on from here to who knows where next. 1. SubRosa, For this We Fought the Battle of Ages Released by Profound Lore. Reviewed Aug. 26. Most of all, For this We Fought the Battle of Ages was fearless. For their fourth album, Salt Lake City’s SubRosa adapted themes from 1924’s We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, which laid out a futuristic dystopia wherein all identity is subsumed to the state and even love is outlawed when not properly sanctioned. This framework, obscure if influential, gave guitarist/vocalist Rebecca Vernon, violinist/vocalist Sarah Pendleton, violinist/backing vocalist Kim Pack, bassist/vocalist Levi Hanna, drummer/engineer Andy Patterson (formerly of Iota, among others), and a range of other contributors, a space in which to explore gender and LGBT issues across the six included tracks, and from the opening build and crush of the chorus to “Despair is a Siren” through the depiction of privilege in “Wound of the Warden,” the 97-second Italian-language ballad “Il Cappio” (translated: “the noose”) and into the gut-wrenching finale of “Troubled Cells,” their musical accomplishment was no less stunning than lyrics like, “Isn’t it good to be acquainted with darkness?/To caress it gently/To slit its throat,” from “Black Majesty.” Tense in its quiet stretches, harmonized vocally, given orchestral presence through its use of strings, flute, French horn, and so on, For this We Fought the Battle of Ages worked fluidly in what for most acts would be a contradictory modus of careful, meticulous arrangements and raw, emotional realism. No matter how deep it dove — and by the time identity was being erased and the state was taking control of the body on “Killing Rapture,” it was diving pretty deep — SubRosa never lost their sense of poise, so that the defiance in the last movement of “Troubled Cells” in which Heaven itself is rejected with the clearest of justifications, “Paradise is a lie if you’re not by my side,” the band seemed to stand as straight and tall as their multi-tiered righteousness would warrant. But even if one took For this We Fought the Battle of Ages with politics aside, its achievement in marrying post-metallic structures, gothic texture and progressive atmospherics was on a plane of its own making, operating under its own rules and in its own definitive space. Albums like it do not happen every year, and forward motion for genre as a whole is rarely so visible as it was in this special offering, which seems only fair to regard as a landmark for the band and anyone whose ears and hearts it touched. The Next 20 Like any good Top 30, mine goes to 50. Here is the next batch: 31. Blaak Heat, Shifting Mirrors 32. Truckfighters, V 33. West, Space & Love, Vol. II 34. Seedy Jeezus with Isaiah Mitchell, Tranquonauts 35. Yawning Man, Historical Graffiti 36. Causa Sui, Return to Sky 37. Vokonis, Olde One Ascending 38. Hotel Wrecking City Traders, Phantomonium 39. The Wounded Kings, Visions in Bone 40. It’s Not Night: It’s Space, Our Birth is but a Sleep and a Forgetting 41. Beastwars, The Death of all Things 42. Naxatras, II 43. Holy Grove, Holy Grove 44. Worshipper, Shadow Hymns 45. Wretch, Wretch 46. Colour Haze, Live Vol. I: Europa Tournee 2015 47. Zaum, Eidolon 48. Bellringer, Jettison 49. Young Hunter, Young Hunter 50. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Y Proffwyd Dwyll From the kinetic desert artistry of Blaak Heat to Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard’s ethereal synth-laden doom, there are more than a few essentials here. I’ve never before done a year-end list that had so many releases on it, but my motivation in doing so this time around couldn’t have been simpler: They were simply too good and had too much to offer to leave out. It would’ve been an oversight to do so. Even a Top 50 fails to grasp the full scope of what 2016 brought about musically, so here are even more, alphabetically: Ancient Warlocks, II Black Moon Circle, Sea of Clouds Sergio Ch., Aurora Lamp of the Universe, Hidden Knowledge Mondo Drag, The Occultation of Light Øresund Space Collective, Visions Of… -(16)-, Lifespan of a Moth Spidergawd, III The Well, Pagan Science Wovenhand, Star Treatment And if that’s still not enough, here are 60-plus more names who shouldn’t be left out of the discussion, also alphabetically: Akris, Atala, Atomikylä, Backwoods Payback, Beastmaker, BigPig, Black Cobra, Black Lung, Blood Ceremony, Blues Pills, Bright Curse, Bus, Dee Calhoun, Captain Crimson, Child, La Chinga, Church of Misery, Conclave, Cough, Devil to Pay, Domkraft, Dot Legacy, Electric Citizen, Estoner, Eternal Elysium, Fatso Jetson & Gary Arce vs. Hifiklub, Fox 45, Goatess, Goblin Cock, Graves at Sea, Heavy Temple (they’ll be back on next year’s list), High Fighter, Holy Serpent, Hotel Wrecking City Traders, Inter Arma, Joy, Kaleidobolt, Khemmis, King Dead, Lord, Lord Vicar, Merchant, Mirrors for Psychic Warfare, Helen Money, Monkey3, Moon Coven, Mother Mooch, Necro, New Keepers of the Water Towers, T.G. Olson, Oranssi Pazuzu, Pooty Owldom, Russian Circles, Salem’s Pot, Samavayo, Seremonia, Skuggsjá, Sourvein, Spirit Adrift, Stone Machine Electric, Suma, Surya Kris Peters, Swans, Throttlerod, Virus, Wasted Theory, Wretch, and Zaum. In case none of the above has made it clear, I’ll just say flat out that 2016 has been an amazing year for music, and that every time I feel like maybe underground heavy has hit a wall and there’s nowhere left for it to go, sure enough about three minutes later another record shows up that slaps me in the face with a reminder of just how wrong that notion is. If you’re still reading — how could you be? — thank you so much for your incredible support throughout 2016 and all the years The Obelisk has been in progress. I already know that 2017 is going to bring some incredible music as well, but that’s another list for another time, so I’ll just say again how much I appreciate your being a part of this ongoing project, how much it means to me to have you here. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. And please, if there’s anything I forgot, got wrong, misspelled, or if you just think I used the word “breadth” too many times, please let me know about it in the comments. One more time: Thank you. Tags: 1000mods, 1000mods Repeated Exposure To, Abyssinia, Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul), Asteroid, Asteroid III, Atacama, Austin, Australia, Baby Woodrose, Baby Woodrose Freedom, Bad Afro Records, Bad Omen Records, Beastwars, Beastwars The Death of all Things, Beelzefuzz, Beelzefuzz II The Righteous Bloom, Bellringer, Bellringer Jettison, Blaak Heat, Blaak Heat Shifting Mirrors, Black Bow Records, Black Rainbows, Black Rainbows Stellar Prophecy, Bordeaux, Borlange, Borracho, Borracho Atacama, Boston, Brant Bjork, Brant Bjork and the Low Desert Punk Band, Brant Bjork Tao of the Devil, Burial Sunrise, California, Canada, Candlelight Records, Causa Sui, Causa Sui Return to Sky, Center of the Maze, Century Media Records, Chief, Chiliomodi, Cincinnati, Columbus, Comet Control, Comet Control Center of the Maze, Coming Back Again, Conan, Conan Revengeance, Connecticut, Copenhagen, Curse the Son, Curse the Son Isolator, Dallas, Darmstadt, Denmark, Doomentia Records, Droids Attack, Droids Attack Sci-Fi or Die, Egypt, Egypt Endless Flight, Eidolon, El Paraiso Records, Elephant Tree, Elephant Tree Self-titled, Endless Flight, Eye, EYE Vision and the Ageless Light, Fargo, Fatso Jetson, Fatso Jetson Idle Hands, Finland, Fires Within Fires, Foghound, Foghound The World Unseen, For this We Fought the Battle of Ages, France, Freedom, Future Echo Returns, Fuzzorama Records, Geezer, Geezer Self-titled, Germany, Goatess, Goatess II Purgatory Under New Management, Gozu, Gozu Revival, Greece, Greenleaf, Greenleaf Rise Above the Meadow, Heavy Psych Sounds, Hexvessel, Hexvessel When We are Death, Holy Grove, Holy Grove Self-titled, Hotel Wrecking City Traders, Hotel Wrecking City Traders Phantomonium, I Hate Records, II, II Purgatory Under New Management, II The Righteous Bloom, III, Indiana, Indianapolis, Ireland, Isaiah Mitchell, Isolator, It's Not Night It's Space Our Birth is but a Sleep and a Forgetting, It's Not Night: It's Space, Italy, Jettison, King Buffalo, King Buffalo Orion, Kozmik Artifactz, Lay Bare Recordings, Listenable Records, London, Los Angeles, Love is Not Only What You Know, Madison, Magnetic Eye Records, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard Y Profwydd Dwyll, Mars Red Sky, Mars Red Sky Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul), Maryland, Massachusetts, Melbourne, Midnight Cometh, Mos Generator, Mos Generator Abyssinia, Napalm Records, Naxatras, Naxatras II, Neurosis, Neurosis Fires Within Fires, Neurot Recordings, New Haven, New York, New Zealand, North Dakota, Norway, Oakland, Ohio, Olde One Ascending, Ontario, Oregon, Orion, Our Birth is but a Sleep and a Forgetting, Ozium Records, Palm Springs, Phantomonium, Port Orchard, Portland, Profound Lore Records, Repeated Exposure To, Restricted Release, Return to Sky, Revival, Ripple Music, Rise Above the Meadow, Rochester, Rock is Hell Records, Rome, Salt Lake City, Sci-Fi or Die, Seedy Jeezus, Seedy Jeezus with Isaiah Mitchell, Seedy Jeezus with Isaiah Mitchell Tranquonauts, self-titled, Shadow Hymns, Shifting Mirrors, Slomatics, Slomatics Future Echo Returns, Small Stone Records, Snake Charmer Coalition, Space Rock Productions, Spidergawd, Spidergawd III, STB Records, Stellar Prophecy, Stickman Records, SubRosa, SubRosa For this We Fought the Battle of Ages, Svart Records, Sweden, Talmud Beach, Talmud Beach Chief, Tao of the Devil, Tee Pee Records, Texas, The Death of all Things, The Golden Grass, The Golden Grass Coming Back Again, The Laser's Edge, The World Unseen, The Wounded Kings, The Wounded Kings Visions in Bone, Toronto, Tranquonauts, Trondheim, Turku, UK, Utah, Valley of the Sun, Valley of the Sun Volume Rock, Vision and the Ageless Light, Visions in Bone, Vokonis, Vokonis Olde One Ascending, Vol II, Volume Rock, Wales, Washington, Washington D.C., West Space and Love, West Space and Love Vol II, When We are Death, Wight, Wight Love is Not Only What You Know, Wisconsin, Wo Fat, Wo Fat Midnight Cometh, Worshipper, Worshipper Shadow Hymns, Wretch, Wretch Self-titled, Y Profwydd Dwyll, Yawning Man, Yawning Man Historical Graffiti, Young Hunter, Young Hunter Self-titled, Zaum, Zaum Eidolon, Zun, Zun Burial Sunrise The Obelisk Presents: 12 of 2016’s Best Album Covers Posted in Features, Visual Evidence on December 12th, 2016 by JJ Koczan This list could easily go to 20. Or 30. Or 50. The democratization of media and the flourishing of aesthetic thanks to wide-open digital interaction across national and cultural borders has meant that bands in Texas can get artwork from Spain easily — something we’ve come to take for granted in this age of messages flying through space in indeterminate instants. There’s a lot of art out there. A lot of it is very, very good. Not all, but a lot. In the particular realm of heavy rock and doom, I’ve spent a lot of time this year being discouraged at the continued and apparently flourishing objectification of women. Cartoon tits. Get out of here with that shit. You’ll notice none of the covers on this list go that route. It’s boring, it’s easy and it’s sexist. If you want to establish your masculine dominance, go pull your dick out at the mall and see how that does for you. Putting other people down to make yourself feel bigger is for kindergarten. As human beings, we should be past it. Nonetheless — and I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t also note the lack of women on this list — there is a ton of interesting and forward-moving work being done around the world and I think that’s worth taking a couple minutes to celebrate even just a fraction of it. Hopefully you agree, and if you have some favorite art you’d like to add to the list, please hit up the comments. Ordered alphabetically by artist Sourvein, Aquatic Occult Cover by Jordan Barlow. Artist website. Sourvein‘s Aquatic Occult (review here) was a dense, multi-faceted work, and one imagines that for Jordan Barlow of New Orleans’ Abracadabra Tattoo, part of the challenge was in either finding or creating a design that coincided with that without coming across as confused or off-theme. This bevvy of undersea elements gives us a central figure in a frustrated Neptune with a shark-teeth crown, a human presence in the two diver helmets (is anyone in there?) and highlights the dangers of the ocean with its hammerheads and threatening-looking seahorse, as well as what seems to be a whirlpool and another swirl in opposite top corners. All told, the deep blue and green tones complement the morass of Sourvein‘s sound, raw and natural as it is, and provide moody intrigue to coincide with the wide variety of songwriting on display. Like the album, it is defined in no small part by its haze. Holy Grove, Holy Grove Cover by Adam Burke. Artist website. Portland-based Adam Burke is something of a repeat offender when it comes to badass artwork. He regularly posts works in progress on social media and the lushness of his technique astounds me nearly every time out. Holy Grove‘s self-titled debut (review here) was far from the only piece of his a band used this year, but what stood it out most was the balance between nighttime — as seen in the stars and the darkness of the sky and trees — and the aurora borealis that offered such a rich, otherworldly feel. Beautiful, immediately recognizable as Burke‘s, and it pays subtle homage to his and the band’s Cascadian home region with the shapes of the tall evergreens in the foreground, speaking all the more to the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the classic soul fused into the record itself. Duel, Fears of the Dead Cover by Pol Abran Cantador. Artist website. How could one not look at the cover of Duel‘s debut album, Fears of the Dead (review here), and not immediately think of the Misfits? And yet, Barcelona-based Pol Abran Cantador, operating under the banner of Branca Studio, brings a freshness to the striking, landmark skull design. The face is off-center, the eyes looking outward. While there’s little doubt as to the visual reference being made, it’s just that — a reference, not an emulation. Treading that balance would be admirable enough for inclusion here, but impact of the piece becomes greater with the distressed look and the deep blood red surrounding, giving dimension as a backdrop, reinforcing the perspective of the figure, and providing Duel with a horror-cinema vibe that begs the question of just what those eyes are staring at. Brutus, Wandering Blind Cover by Maarten Donders. Artist website. Sometimes something just stays with you. On the surface, Dutch artist Maarten Donders brings forward a pretty simple idea for Norwegian boogie rockers Brutus‘ third album, Wandering Blind (review here). Images from ’60s-style psychedelic pulp horror come to mind — the bat, the spiderwebs, the blank stare on the face, the flowing hair through the open mouth of the skull, the monster eyeballs, the purposefully hand-drawn logo — but at the same time, the execution of these things is so intricate. Look at the bags under those eyes, the black holes where the teeth of that skull should be, the weird bubbles by the eyeballs, and the comic-style lettering of the album title itself, which switches back and forth between capitalized and lowercase letters. Look at the shadowed impression of a vinyl record that encircles the design but lets the chin of the skull and the band’s logo protrude. It’s so immediate but so deceptive, hiding its devils in its details. Seedy Jeezus with Isaiah Mitchell, Tranquonauts Cover by Mr. Frumpy. Artist website. While it’s true that for this collaboration between Earthless guitarist Isaiah Mitchell and Melbourne heavy psych rockers Seedy Jeezus, the front cover only tells half the story of the full Tranquonauts (review here) gatefold, even 50 percent is enough to justify inclusion here. Put together by Mr. Frumpy Frumpedia, aka Seedy Jeezus guitarist Lex Waterreus, it was one of several artworks this year to feature smaller figures against a grand backdrop — Geezer‘s self-titled and Sunnata‘s Zorya, featured below, come to mind immediately, as well as the last Fu Manchu — but it was the openness of the space itself that Waterreus captured, both on the ground and in the sky, and the atmosphere that brought to the instrumental, jammed-put proceedings on the LP’s two sides, that made it work so well. The humanoid figures — maybe the total four-piece of the lineup? — are so utterly overwhelmed by their surroundings, and yet they seem more than ready to make their journey through them, finding life along what seems to be a barren path. Greenleaf, Rise Above the Meadow Cover by Sebastian Jerke. Artist website. Sebastian Jerke has kind of become Napalm Records‘ go-to artist over the last couple years, as his past and upcoming work for the likes of My Sleeping Karma, monkey3, Ahab, The Answer and others can attest, but the strangeness of the natural world, the three-dimensional protrusion of the trees, the layered depths, and the commanding presence of the bear, owl, snake and winged insects standing above it all made his work for Greenleaf‘s Rise Above the Meadow (review here) my favorite album cover of the year. It’s very much in his painterly, somewhat classical style, but the way the light seems to come from the band’s logo and behind the planet, the use of shadow and shading on the trees, and the monstrously blank eyes of the bear and owl give it a depth and narrative that remains nothing short of breathtaking. Clearly a labor of love. Beastwars, The Death of all Things Cover by Nick Keller. Artist website. My only question was whether it was the cover for The Death of all Things (review here) I’d include or Keller‘s piece that was used for Child‘s new album, Blueside (review here), but with the context of this very likely being the final offering from New Zealand sludgecrushers Beastwars, the answer was plain. Either way, Keller‘s sense of scale and scope remains immense and he continues to bring a feel of the epic to his work here as he did to his two prior covers for Beastwars, on 2013’s Blood Becomes Fire (review here) and the band’s 2011 self-titled debut (review here), resulting in a more than suitable pairing of visual representation and impact of sound. Rarely does one find an artist and a band so much on the same page. Goatess, II: Purgatory Under New Management Cover by Göran Nilsson. Artist website. Charm goes a long way in my book, always, and Göran Nilsson‘s cover for the second outing by Swedish doomers Goatess, II: Purgatory Under New Management (review here), has it in bulk supply. The underlying mischief of depicting the four-piece as medieval-esque saints painted on wood like something out of the Middle Ages — their faces grim with a seriousness of purpose not at all letting on to the tongue-in-cheek nature of the record’s title — with halos behind their heads and scripture in tow, well, it’s got a humor that most doom wouldn’t dare go near for fear of losing the edge of its miseries. For Goatess, however, it works perfectly in conveying an essential piece of where the band is coming from, in that their output in the first place seems to be as much about getting together and celebrating the act of writing songs as a unit as it is worshiping the traditions of the style. Droids Attack, Sci-Fi or Die Cover by Eli Quinn. Artist website. While a jpeg of the cover alone doesn’t quite do justice to the full presentation of Eli Quinn‘s artwork for Droids Attacks‘ Sci-Fi or Die (review here), which went so far as to print the title of the record in gold ink on the CD case, feature even more detailed work inside and even go so far as to create an entirely separate artwork scheme for a bonus track hidden on a mini-CD under the back tray under the disc for the album (detailed here), I still find the image of the launching South American-style pyramid as a full diamond taking off — especially with the lights beaming out the bottom — among the most striking of 2016. Reminiscent of Arik Roper‘s detailed style, Quinn‘s cover added depth and purpose to the band’s never-tighter songcraft while also speaking to the love of science-fiction storytelling that drove them to use the title in the first place. Hard not to win with ancient aliens. Sunnata, Zorya Cover by Jeffrey Smith. Artist website. Derived it would seem at least in part from a piece called “Erosion of Self,” or at very least of a kin to it, like a lot of Smith‘s work, his art for Zorya (review here) by Polish heavy rockers Sunnata treats light with a religious reverence. Like a Kubrick shot, the sun is dead-center of the painting itself, framed and encircled by gaseous-looking clouds, and as the dawn seems to break over this landscape (or is it sunset?), it becomes difficult to tell where the robed monks end and the rocky protrusions begin. Our eyes are drawn immediately toward the light, and it’s the light that ultimately defines the story here, the way the beams of light shoot outward and turn the desert floor white so that it almost reminds of a body of water as much as a place where nothing seems to grow. Stark but consuming. High Fighter, Scars and Crosses Cover by Dominic Sohor. Artist website. This one was so dark, so malevolent, with such a violent bend in its prominent central figure, that it seemed to encapsulate the underlying threat that always seemed to loom over High Fighter‘s Svart Records debut album, Scars and Crosses (review here). Because the faceless blue skin and hanging, stringy hair are so reminiscent of Japanese horror films, and because the heart in the right hand stands out so much in its silvery tone and because the pattern on the dress/cowl is so intricate, you almost don’t notice at first that it’s blood shooting out of that figure’s left wrist filled with upside-down and rightside-up crosses or that it seems to be veins in the top left corner acting as puppet strings, propping up the entire play. But it definitely is, and that only furthers the horrific, nightmarish imagery surrounding, where even the shaded background seems to want to lure you in with no hope of escape. Bridesmaid, International House of Mancakes Cover by W. Ralph Walters. Artist website. Come on. So you mean to tell me you went ahead an reinvented KISS‘ cover for Destroyer with Ohio heavy rockers Bridesmaid dressed as the Village People? Be still my beating heart. The art for International House of Mancakes (review here) offers subversive humor without judgment, winking at the homoeroticism that has always been and likely will always be a part of rock and roll, and ultimately mocks the ridiculousness of the denial of that same homoeroticism. From the hands raised in triumph on either side (an element pulled right from the original KISS cover) to the stacks of pancakes the instrumental outfit is standing on, it functioned as artwork to say so much about the band and was perhaps all the more effective in conveying its message and their message since there were no lyrics to pull in other directions. It’s all right there in your face; bright and brilliant. Because I can’t seem to get out of one of these lists without a series of honorable mentions, I’ll say too that 2016 offerings from Borracho, SubRosa, Inter Arma, Mars Red Sky, Vokonis, Elephant Tree, EYE, Slomatics, Gozu and Black Moon Circle managed to strike on one level or another. Thanks for reading. Like I said at the outset, this is barely a fraction of the amazing art that came down the line this year. If you’ve got something to add, please hit up the comments. Tags: Adam Burke, Beastwars, Bridesmaid, Brutus, Dominic Sohor, Droids Attack, Duel, Eli Quinn, Goatess, Goran Nilsson, Greenleaf, High Fighter, Holy Grove, Jeffrey Smith, Jordan Barlow, Maarten Donders, Mr. Frumpy Frumpedia, Nick Keller, Pol Abran Cantador, Sebastian Jerke, Seedy Jeezus, Seedy Jeezus with Isaiah Mitchell, Sourvein, Sunnata, Tranquonauts, W. Ralph Walters Beastwars, The Death of all Things: Totality Posted in Reviews on May 5th, 2016 by JJ Koczan Much has been made the last several weeks about the possibility that Beastwars‘ third full-length, the recently-issued The Death of all Things, will be their last. Fair enough. The Wellington four-piece have referred to it as the final installment of a trilogy that also includes 2013’s Blood Becomes Fire (review here) and their 2011 self-titled debut (review here), and if the nine tracks/40 minutes included on The Death of all Things are really the end of the band, I don’t think anyone could argue with the quality of their output during their tenure, the impact they had or the progression they demonstrated from one album to the next. If this is it, in other words, they’ve been a success. All three of their records, further united by stellar oil painting artwork by Nick Keller, have worked in a blend of grand-scale heavy, derived from sludge and ’90s-style noise rock dissonance, but indebted to neither and growing only more individual in presentation as songwriting takes root in brooding atmospheres. The Death of all Things might be their best work yet in terms of how the material itself stands out. An opening salvo of “Call to the Mountain” and “Devils of Last Night” — also the album’s two longest tracks at 5:36 and 5:31, respectively (immediate, double points) — leads to the likewise fortified “Some Sell Their Souls,” giving a kinetic beginning to what unfolds from there as a record that owes no more of its overarching affect to impact than to mood. Underlying complexity has long been a factor for Beastwars, glossed over in part because they’re so outwardly heavy, so if The Death of all Things is to be their last outing, it’s all the more appropriate that should be the case here too. Frontman Matt Hyde (not to be confused with the L.A.-based producer) leads the returning lineup of guitarist Clayton Anderson, bassist James Woods and drummer Nathan Hickey, and his snarling, rasping, growling, howling, grunting approach continues to be a defining factor no less than Anderson‘s rolling riffs, the heft in Woods‘ low end or Hickey‘s snare cutting through to punctuate the morass. Andrew Schneider, who mixed, makes his impact felt there, while James Goldsmith, who produced, keeps the focus rightly on the largesse in the band’s sound. “Call to the Mountain” and “Devils of Last Night,” both seething with intensity, gripping in their catchiness and marked in their cloud-cover bleak vibe, set the tone for what’s to come, the latter capping with a move into an all-out payoff that seems to answer some of the tension created, but the chorus of “Some Sell Their Souls” becomes even more of a landmark for the early going of The Death of all Things, shorter but also more patient than “Devils of Last Night” and setting up a transition into the more subdued, melodic beginning of “Witches.” That initial impact — starting with “Call to the Mountain,” a condensed-epic very much in Beastwars‘ stylistic wheelhouse — is no coincidence, but neither is the shift that “Some Sell Their Souls” begins into the broader territory that “Witches” continues to cover. Even as “Witches” hits its apex, Hyde and Anderson pushing a surge of energy forward in the song’s second half, the dynamic has changed from the first several tracks, and centerpiece/side B opener “Black Days” moves further out with an upbeat rhythm, scorching guitar and a lyrical reference to pyramids in the sky, which of course graced the cover of the first album half a decade ago. A temporary slowdown leads to a raucous finish, and “Holy Man,” rages and sways in its beginning and finds solid ground in a second-half bridge of winding noise rock riffs, moving toward a drum-thudding finish that finds Hyde pushing his voice well past the breaking point before the rest of the song deconstructs, giving way to “Disappear,” which starts out like it’s going to work in loud/quiet verse tradeoffs but actually just gets loud and stays that way, building through its first verse to a weighted groove that it doesn’t again relinquish, lead guitar adding melodic counterpoint to the vocal howls in its ending, following another solid hook, maybe not accomplishing anything “Devils of Last Night” didn’t do on side A, but regrounding The Death of all Things in the core of Beastwars‘ songwriting prior to the brief acoustic sojourn of the penultimate “The Devil Took Her,” which brings in strings, keys/flute, quiet guitar and softer vocals for a genuine departure in modus if not mood from everything else on the LP. To the best of my knowledge, an acoustic Beastwars track is a first, but the resonant strings work well as a precursor to the rumbling beginning of the closing title-track, “The Death of all Things” finishing — how could it not? — as the album’s ultimate resolution, building in aggression through its first verse and into an echoing chorus that, once it starts, doesn’t seem to stop, just moves through different stages for the remainder of the song. “I’ll tell you something/It’s a brand new world,” Hyde intones amid repeated finishing lines, and for Beastwars, if they’re actually looking beyond the existence of the band itself, it may well feel that way. What they leave behind, however, is a three-album legacy of destructive and stylistically ambitious noise/doom/heavy rock that stood out early and became even more their own as they moved forward. One never wants to say never in rock and roll, but if Beastwars are done, then The Death of all Things is the epitaph that a group of their scope and of their sheer gravitational force deserves. Beastwars, “Witches” official video Tags: Beastwars, Beastwars The Death of all Things, New Zealand, The Death of all Things, Wellington	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line452
__label__wiki	0.706672	0.706672	UK publisher / ISBN: Atomeka/Titan Comics - 9781782760160 Contains adult content?: yes Categories: Anthology A1: The World’s Greatest Comics Alex Sheikman Bambos Georgiou D'Israeli Dave Elliott Kevin Eastman Michael T. Gilbert Sandy Plunkett Various writers Review by Frank Plowright With regard to behaviour of children, criminals and the addicted, social workers prioritise not establishing unrealistic individual targets. Doing so almost always results in disappointment and long term mistrust, referred to as setting someone up to fail. Plastering a subtitle of The World’s Greatest Comics in lettering starting at a half inch high on the cover is not only frightfully immodest, it’s setting the expectation bar for this anthology very high indeed. Setting it up to fail, in fact. The way A1 skims across style and genres is welcome, and the hardcover presentation resembling a British Christmas annual is nice. Certainly the content includes contributions from great innovative stylists such as Simon Bisley (9 pages), Alan Moore (15 pages) Bill Sienkiewicz (4 pages), and Jim Steranko (10 pages including text), and surely no-one would argue with the status of Jack Kirby (5 pages). Perhaps Scott Hampton (11 pages) and Sandy Plunkett (32 pages) are under-appreciated, but few of the named creators are working near their best, and not many of the remainder match them for talent or innovation. Kirby’s work is a sting in the tail nostalgia piece produced with Joe Simon in the 1950s, Bisley’s barbarian monsters are bashed out with barely a plot from Kevin Eastman, and while Plunkett’s illustrative pages (sample art left) are to drool over, his writing doesn’t come near to equalling it. Sienkiewicz’s piece is poetic and visually stunning, Alan Moore’s Mr Monster collaboration with Michael T. Gilbert deliberately over the top excess and fun, and Hampton’s biblical interpretation interesting. Steranko (sample art right) conveys his enthusiasm for ‘Frogs’ over two pages of small typed text explaining the thinking behind the strip, but it’s prettily drawn experimentation with technique and variable interpretation, rather than a compelling story. Hampton’s work is a snippet from a larger piece, and so is ‘The Weirding Willows’ using out of copyright children’s book characters in the manner of Fables with those from fairy tales, and the five pages of ‘The Odd Ball’ are a prologue. Alex Sheikman’s art is stylish, but what use is an isolated prologue? James Robinson and D’Israeli’s Grendel tale dates from 1989, and while nicely written and drawn, doesn’t transmit well to anyone not familiar with Grendel. Strangely, two of the most cohesive tales are those featuring superheroes. Dom Regan’s ‘Doctor Arachnid’ is a loving pastiche combining the influences of Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby to produce a very silly, fun and visually innovative piece. Bambos Georgiou strays into R. Sikoryak territory with Batman and Superman doubles discussing their public perception. Two illustrated articles also feature, one spotlighting the art of the barista, the other highlighting Image Duplicator. This was a 2013 campaign and exhibition organised by Dave Gibbons and Rian Hughes to accompany the Tate Modern’s Roy Lichtenstein retrospective. A dozen artists produce comments as to the ethical validity of in effect stealing coming art without credit, and their own Pop-Art homages with comment. According to the cover this is A1: The World’s Greatest Comics, but the title page considers it A1: Volume 1 and the indicia lists it as A1 Annual, so it can be located online under various titles. Under any title, sadly, it falls well short of being the world’s greatest comics. Like this? Try these Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby Spanish Fever Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line458
__label__wiki	0.592429	0.592429	2012 Vita Titles HARDWARE/ACCESSORIES Coming Games Media Ventures The Vita Cast Vitamag Starlight Inception By Brad Gruetzmacher - Starlight Inception is a game that was conceived in hope and born to controversy. Its Kickstarter campaign pitched it as “the rebellious stepchild of Wing Commander, X-Wing, and Freespace 2.” But when Escape Hatch Entertainment released the game, it was a buggy, glitched, and technical mess. The laundry list of problems I ran into while playing it was extensive, and I soon learned that the team at Escape Hatch were well aware of the problems and a had a fix in the works. After reviewing their list of problems they were correcting, I noticed that they were almost identical to the list of problems I was suffering. Now after having installed the enormous 2.28 gb patch, which brings the game to version 1.01, I returned to Starlight Inception to give it another chance. I grew up as an addict to space combat games. The Wing Commander series were some of the best gaming experiences I have, and I played so much X-Wing (and TIE Fighter… and X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter) that the keyboard commands have been seared into my brain. So when I first heard of Starlight Inception, my excitement was through the roof. Sadly, what we got was no where near what was promised, and while the sizable patch did fix some problems, there are still too many to allow this game reach its potential. Starlight Inception takes place during World War IV in which the United Star Force finds itself under attack from the invaders of the Non-Aligned Nations. You play as a rookie USF pilot just starting off your first training mission, but soon you find yourself in the middle of a heated space battle fighting for your life. Survival is your number one priority, and you quickly learn the ropes of how to handle your spacecraft in combat. When you finally get back to your carrier, you start to put the pieces together, and the story of the war gets played out as you fight your way through each of the campaign missions. Each mission begins with you onboard the carrier USF Midway, which you are free to roam about. You can visit the bridge, the engine room, or even a viewing lounge to look out at the stars around you. As a Navy veteran, I found the atmosphere the Midway eerily familiar. It was bleak, dark, and anything but beautiful. The Bridge looked more like an actual functioning bridge than what is often portrayed in science fiction. Eventually you’ll need to make your way to the Briefing Room where you get the details for your next mission. From there it’s down to the hangar where you get to select your ship for each mission and determine its load-out. As you complete missions, you are rewarded with Command Points which can be spent to upgrade your weapons, purchase new ships, or add new equipment to the ships you already have. The variety of choices are quite abundant, even if the number of Command Points you have aren’t. I never had enough to get more than one ship which could be respectably outfitted with the right weapon systems to get me through a mission. I wish I could “sell” one back in return for my points, but that is not an option. The missions can vary anywhere from strike attacks to bombing runs to reconnaissance trips. You get to choose whether to play from a cockpit view or a third-person view from outside your ship. I have always preferred the cockpit view, but it seems quite clear that this game is designed to play better from outside your ship. The crucial information you need, the instrument panel readings, and the view in general just aren’t up to par in the cockpit view. The update did make some things easier to read, but it also hampered some things as well. And it’s not just the display that caused me frustration, it was often the game itself. Too many times I would encounter game-breaking bugs that would make the game impossible to play. Even after the update, there were points in the game where it would become nearly impossible to proceed. Let me describe one such situation. It’s late in the game and my mission is to attack an enemy outpost. The enemy launches a number of fighters at my team, and after a bit of work, we’re able to defeat the first wave and move on to part two of the mission. As I approach the outpost, the framerate drops significantly. The game is still playable, but it is certainly not at an optimal level. I’m trying to cycle through my secondary weapons but the controls aren’t responding. I’m pounding Square to switch from one set of missiles to another, but the game doesn’t recognize my input. Suddenly I notice my damage meter is increasing. Apparently I’m being attacked, but there’s no other indication of it. I try to mash Square again to turn my shields on and eventually it works. I’m protected enough to find my attacker and destroy him. Only now my guns are depleted and despite the fact that I allocated extra resources for them to recharge, they are still at 0%. I wait and wait. Still nothing. I change it so that every bit of power my ship has is being funneled to the guns, and they still sit there empty. Normally they would recharge extremely quickly, so this has to be some kind of bug. I try to switch back to my missiles, but again the controls don’t respond. It’s too late anyway, and I’m dead. I start again from the last checkpoint and experience the same thing. Ironically, this was a mission I was able to get through bug-free before the update, and now it’s near impossible. The controls killed me. While they work correctly most of the time, I ran into too many instances where they wouldn’t recognize my input. Or there would be times when I would maneuver my ship and it would keep turning even after I had let go of the stick. Sometimes my ship would maneuver with a controlled precision while other times it would feel floaty. The problem is that it’s all over the place. I never knew what to expect. Outside of the main campaign, you are also able to fly patrol missions. These missions pit you against a number of waves of enemy ships as you try to protect your mothership. There’s also multiplayer which offers your standard fare of options such as Team Deathmatch or Capture the Flag. It was difficult for me to ever find a match, but on the rare occasion when I did, it worked really well. That is until a game breaking bug ended my session (somehow the Pause menu popped up and would not go away. I couldn’t control my ship, but my opponent could still keep killing me). But if playing in a Party Match, this has the potential to be quite a good experience. One of the main features that was improved in the update was an overhaul to many of the game’s visuals, and I can confirm that the graphics were notably improved. One level in particular was improved so much that comparing it before and after the update is like night and day. But even before the patch was out, much of this game was visually very beautiful. Flying out in space and seeing the Earth rise over the horizon was striking, but then you’d run into areas that looked like something from the first PlayStation. Generally though, he textures and the ships are very well done But the best part about this game, hands down, is David Arkenstone’s musical score. It’s the one thing that doesn’t need to be fixed or updated. It is quite simply phenomenal and ranks up there with the compositions of John Williams, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer. In fact, the sound in this game is pretty fantastic all around and whether it’s the roar of your ship’s engines or the sound of your weapons firing, Starlight Inception is a game that you should play with a good pair of headphones on. The real tragedy in this game is that there are moments when everything works as it should and it is amazing. Those times when there are no bugs, when nothing is broken and things play as they are designed to, Starlight Inception is actually a very good, very fun game that does manage to capture the spirit of those space combat classics it tries to emulate. While there were times when I would get frustrated with bugs, there were many more times when when I’d be flying from checkpoint to checkpoint, blasting enemy fighters to pieces, and loving every second of it. The problem is that those moments are offset by game-breaking bugs that lead to tremendous frustration and overshadow the good parts. But the developers have been vocal about supporting the game and have shown that they are dedicated to continuing to keep improving it. Hopefully one day they will be able to polish things to the point where the gem this game really is can shine. Sadly though it is not there yet, and while this first update was a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go before it is finished. With the game currently sitting at 4.7 gb on a memory card (and it is only available digitally) Starlight Inception remains as an unfulfilled promise. It has the sparkle of something great but it isn’t there yet. Note: the screen captures in this review are a mix of both before and after the update. Lasting Appeal Starlight Inception is a good space combat game that is often held back by a number of annoying bugs. The first update was able to correct a number of the game's flaws, but it didn't go far enough to fix them all. The game has the potential to be something special and amazing, but right now it can be too frustrating to play. ESCAPE HATCH ENTERTAINMENT Previous articleLounge Play #17 – Enemies Down, Building Up Next articleNew Citizens of Earth Trailer; The VP Brad Gruetzmacher http://thevitalounge.net Brad is a video game enthusiast and family man. He's been gaming since the days of the Intellivision, and while that indicates he's been doing this for quite some time, he doesn't intend to quit anytime soon. Currently he's trying desperately to convince his daughter that there are more games than just Minecraft (unsuccessfully so far). Akiba’s Beat Rodolfo Ferreira sigh* I don’t know what to say. I guess I was too excited for this update to come and now I’m in denial. That was a great review, Brad. Pretty much explanatory. Tell me, aside from the visuals difference, you mentioned a level you were able to get through it bug-free but not anymore. On the bright side, is there anything you FEEL this game does not misbehave the way it did BEFORE the update? Is there anything worth mentioning this game now does it right and you forgot to point out? I’ve brought this review to Garry’s attention on his post at the PSBlog. Just to make it clear, I feel like this game should be released on retail, covering the first update. But then, again, I don’t think there’s enough audience to cover the cost and some friends of mine seem to be afraid of trying this game because of what they’ve read. However, I still have some hope left and I believe this game will turn the table and see better days. Anthony Brinklow With the update it’s larger than the max cart size. vongruetz . Before the update, a lot of what was broken was pretty core stuff. There was a bug that prevented enemy AI from engaging you. That meant you could just waltz into a firefight and leave without a scratch because nobody would ever attack you. They did correct that, and it’s definitely a lot more challenging now. Also, the game was really slow. There is quite a bit of time spent traveling between checkpoints and before it would take obscenely long to get from point A to B. That also has been corrected. And smaller things like moving around the ship was really slow, and that has been sped up (though it still feels off). There were also glitches with trophies not popping and other weird and random things. One strange problem I had before the patch was I was in an asteroid and trying to navigate out. I found an exit and quickly left only to find out that the “exit” I used was actually a glitch in the game and I shouldn’t have been able to leave that way. My hope is that they can trim down the size of the game while fixing some of these problems that break the game. Like I said at the end of my review, when everything is working as it should, this game is really good. This update fixed somethings but it also appeared to create some new problems as well. Hopefully they keep working at it and get it running the way it should. But right now, space on my card is at a premium and asking someone to sacrifice 4.7gb of it for a game that is half great and half frustrating is probably a little too much. Lester Paredes For what it is, I enjoy the game. I sure hope they keep polishing it, though. Buckybuckster From what heard, they plan on continuing their efforts to improve the quality of the game. I hope so ’cause I really really REALLY want this game. After I heard the news about the major update, I was ready to pull the trigger. But after having read Brad’s thoughts on the upgrade, sorry to say I’m hitting the pause button again. I’ll wait to see what further improvements are made. I love this type of game so I really want my experience with SI to be a memorable and preferably a game breaking glitch free one. Can’t fault your line of reasoning. I’m happy to hear that they plan on improving the game. When it’s running on all cylinders, it’s so much fun. Sadly, the glitches pull you out of the game, but most glitches do that in any game anyway. The largest Vita game. I think that might still belong to Killzone Mercenary… Or Uncharted… But it’s definitely in contention for first place! Kyle Wakeling Killzone is under 3.8GB as of the latest patch, and so is Uncharted. This is the biggest game in English I know of, though the Japanese release of Samurai Warriors 2 HD is 5048MB (just shy of 5GB). I stand corrected. Does the Sly Cooper Trilogy count, seeing as it’s 3 games in 1? That’s 6 and a half or so gigs… lol. Borderlands 2 is listed at 4.9gb, and I’m pretty sure that is without all the added DLC. It’s not. I had it installed sans DLC (didn’t have the room) and it was 3.X GB (forget the exact number). Eschatch Hi Brad – We really appreciate the review and the great feedback present in it, and wanted to let you and your readers know that we plan on actively fixing bugs as they come up. Whenever you do an update as large as this one, it is inevitable that other things might break, but we continue to monitor reported bugs and are working to fix the new issues. I have a couple of questions from your review that could help us fix these issues: 1) The review states that: “The crucial information you need, the instrument panel readings, and the view in general just aren’t up to par in the cockpit view. The update did make some things easier to read, but it also hampered some things as well.” What specific visual elements are your referring to here? 2) I’m guessing from the screenshot that the mission you had difficulty with later in game was the one over Venus (09). Do you know if the problem occurred before or after you did a checkpoint restore? Again, thank you for the review and your continued support, and please keep tweeting issues – we have also set up an online bug database at http://www.unitedstarforce.commantis that anyone can participate in. Friends of the Lounge Random Reviews From The Past Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse – Episode One History Legends of War: Patton’s Campaign Thread / Thread Starter Last Post / Member What are you currently playing on your PS4? 682 Jan 19, 2020 18:06 Flying_Pig Andreas Stalin What Game(s) Are You Currently Playing on the Vita? 3195 Jan 03, 2020 04:12 Trent Terramax Happy New Year 2020 0 Dec 31, 2019 14:38 LimitedRunGames 8727 Dec 30, 2019 07:20 Billybobbean Tweeg Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! 2 Dec 26, 2019 20:12 Tweeg SONY Vita Related Youtube Channels 17 Dec 24, 2019 11:35 Terramax Terramax © 2016 The Vita Lounge with logo designs by Buramu	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line460
__label__wiki	0.803539	0.803539	I'll Never Get Anything Done... ...if YouTube keeps offering distractions like this (h/t Sheila). "Mo'" or Less In 1994 I walked from my Echo Park digs to Dodger Stadium to take my $15 nosebleed seat at "The Three Tenors." The concert began while the limos were still gridlocked at the entrance, and the folks who paid $1,000 for on-the-field seats were still filing in an hour into the show. It was a great night for populist kitsch, if not for opera, though a lot of operatic repertoire was sung. Three Mo' Tenors is, well, something else entirely. "Judas" Priest As someone deeply interested in theater and theology, and the intersection of the two (indeed, I think I've had several of my most "religious" experiences in and around live theaters), A Jesuit Off-Broadway is like catnip in book form. This fascinating and entertaining book is by James Martin, S.J., the priest who edits the journal America and who a few years ago found himself roped into the role of theological advisor, and soon company chaplain, for Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Public Theatre. I had the pleasure of meeting Fr. Jim recently (in conjunction with that big Time bombshell on Mother Teresa's "dark night" of doubt, about which Martin is something of an in-house expert), and also of attending a special benefit reading of his book at the Public earlier this week, at which members of LAByrinth and of the original Judas company were cast in the unexpectedly awkward roles of themselves, repeating quotes they'd given to Fr. Jim through the course of the play's development about their craft and their spiritual paths. Though it's not a dense or scholarly work, the book seamlessly and accessibly binds together reflections on Christology, interpretation of Scripture, the divergences and similarities among various spiritual traditions, the punishing vagaries of the acting life, the role of priests in unlikely places and, perhaps most movingly and fundamentally, the unavoidable bond between the sacred and the theatrical. I was particularly struck by the unsettling yet inspiring concept of "spiritual poverty," one of Fr. Jim's favorite ideas (indeed, this is likely the next book I'll check out). A Jesuit Off-Broadway also contains just about the best, most succinct description of how it feels to find one's vocation, in any walk of life: Eric Bogosian recalling his first stab at acting in college and saying simply, "I loved it so much that it hurt." Highly recommended reading, even if you don't share my enthusiasm for what David Cote would call wretched goddism. Me at Mo's I try as much as possible to keep the blogging and journalizing separate from the musicking and songsmithing, but I'd feel remiss if I didn't mention my appearance tomorrow evening, Wed., Sept. 26, at 9 p.m., at Mo Pitkins in the East Village, for a CD release show. In addition some of my usual bandmates, some of whom have flown across the continent to play with me, I'll be joined by a bona fide music star. End of plug. When Nerds Woo Damn, now I guess this proposal idea is already taken. They're Baaaaack "They" being the irrepressible Evidence Room crew, headed by the fearless Bart DeLorenzo. I wrote about the group breakup last year, and last time I was in town Bart updated me about directing the new Donald Margulies at South Coast, and hinted at something else coming soon. Now it's official: The Evidence Room will team up with the upstart Unknown Theatre (an up-and-comer that came up after my time in L.A., as far as I know) to present the LA premiere of Martin Crimp's Attempts on Her Life. It'll be co-directed by Bart and Unknown artistic director Chris Covics, and will star members of both companies. The press release I received mentions no date apart from "November," nor does it specify a venue (we might assume it'll go up at Unknown's Seward St. space in Hollywood), but it promises "a wild theatrical adventure not to be missed." No doubt. Updates will certainly up here. It's good to have the old gang back. "Sligo" A-Go-Go Adam Rapp growing up? Not. (Photo of Paul Sparks & Marylouise Burke by Sandra Coudert; h/t TheaterMania.) Axle of "Evel" L.A. composer/creator Jef Bek gets up his Evel Knievel rock opera at last. Wish I could be there to see it. I was in L.A. a few months ago, though, and talked to Jef about it. Rapp Raps Back Not really, actually. Given his most recent flogging by the NY Times, Adam Rapp is remarkably circumspect about critics, in an upcoming American Theatre profile (not online yet): Criticism is really unevenly distributed in this town. Obviously the power of the Times is discouraging. It's killing new plays, demolishing one after another. Charles Isherwood and Ben Brantley have a lot of power. I would like to think that Michael Feingold, Jeremy McCarter and David Cote and people who are really interested in new work would have an equal distribution of power. But we're so governed by the Times. Everyone is so afraid to talk about it, which is what I hate. Now that I've been demolished by them, I'm not going to be afraid to talk about it. On the subject of being "demolished," Rapp says "it's a good feeling...I feel like an underdog now...Having a certain amount of success can be a poison to anybody." The notoriously prolific Rapp, who will have had three premiere productions by the time 2007 rings out, also tells reporter David Ng that he's working on a trilogy "like Coast of Utopia," except not: All three plays are set "in the same decrepit hallway, except they each take place in a different time period." No sellout, that Adam Rapp. Half a Dead Sheep, Plus Grant's Desdemona Again, there's always entertaining reading in The London Review of Books. Catching up with a recent issue, in a review of Nigel Cliff's The Shakespeare Riots: Revenge, Drama and Death in 19th-Century America, I discovered a bit of audience feedback that makes the rude watering of Mike Daisey seem polite: At Cincinnati, during the performance of Hamlet, a sportive gentleman threw half the carcase of a sheep upon the stage: but this seems to have been a mere ebullition of amiable vivacity, not an expression of opinion. The review contains many such pearls. Cliff's book is about the trans-Atlantic rivalry between the Shakespearean actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, which climaxed in an infamous riot that left 26 dead in Astor Place. As the critic Michael Dobson notes, there's nothing to commemorate this atrocity at the spot. And I suspect there is no photograph or playbill to commemorate the following historical tidbit, in an image almost as hard to conjure as it is to shake: Awaiting action against the Mexican army in Texas in 1845, the young Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant played Desdemona. So that's who's in the tomb. Bad Children's Art Warning: This hilariously mean site almost made me choke on my sandwich. Time Out's Adam Feldman at Spotlight Live. Dude can really sing. The Ethics of (P)Reviews I made a point of staying out of this controversy, because I'm of two minds about it, and I know both parties. Today's piece by Terry Teachout, though it doesn't explicitly reference the Hunka/Jacobs kerfluffle, seems in this context a salutary air-clearing. Money graf: Old-fashioned print-media critics like [Chicago Tribune's Chris] Jones and me no longer have a monopoly on drama criticism. Not only are theater-oriented blogs, message boards and chat rooms thriving, but the Web sites of a growing number of newspapers now permit readers to post their own reviews à la Amazon.com, and to do so while the shows in question are still in previews. With playgoers "publishing" their opinions of new shows whenever they please, is there any reason for producers to keep on holding critics at bay until the last minute? Maybe not--and maybe that won't be such a bad thing. "Stones" to "Rock" My review of Marie Jones' new Rock Doves is here. I was disappointed, in a word; I was among the few critics in L.A. who liked the Taper production of Stones in His Pockets Give Him a "Break" My review of Danny Hoch's uneven but exhilarating Till the Break of Dawn is here. I also spoke to him for a brief TDF piece. Classics Dept. The weight of this sad time we must obey, Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest have borne most; we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long. The final quatrain of King Lear rang with particular resonance last night, on the 6th anniversary of 9/11, and not least because the actor playing Edgar in the RSC production at BAM, Ben Meyjes, is among the few apart from the show's billed star, Sir Ian McKellen, to stand out in Trevor Nunn's otherwise rather dreary, exasperating production. As for Sir Ian, I was thrilled to see him take on the role, but I felt none of the role's tragic heft. It's a very physical, very watchable, yet somehow hollow performance, in a production that has formidable scale but very little theatrical life. I'm afraid I was also underwhelmed by Chuck Mee's Iphigenia 2.0 at Signature Theatre Company. I like Mee's aesthetic in principle, and in practice I loved his Berlin Circle (later staged as Full Circle) and Big Love. But I felt, with the stakes and passions as high--as Greek--as they're pitched in Iphigenia, where's the language? So much of the dialogue is pedestrian, serviceable, or, as is Mee's wont, "found" text, and it's just not up to the task, frankly. Director Tina Landau hosts a good, jagged party, and Kate Mulgrew wrings a lot out of the very little she has. But why put an actor as good as Rocco Sisto in a military outfit and give him nothing particularly penetrating to say, and no obstacles to push against? And does anything Tom Nelis' Agamemnon say or do after his stirring opening speech make a lick of sense? Iphigenia 2.0 is a short jaunt next to Lear's long drag, but it felt similarly tedious. "Kinsey" Report My review of Mike Folie's new play Alfred Kinsey: A Love Story is here. My review of David Rhodes' solo show Rites of Privacy is here. Time Out's Adam Feldman seems to not disagree. An L.A. "Defense" Not to sound a monotonously boosterish note here, but amid the great news that the Lark Play Development Center's first "Playwrights of New York" (PONY) playwriting fellowship is going to go to Carson Kreitzer, I haven't seen mentioned the playwright's strong, dark, feminist play Self Defense (with the chillingly dismissive subtitle "the death of some salesmen"), which ran memorably at L.A.'s Actors' Gang in 2004 and provided an uncharacteristically meaty acting vehicle for the formidable Cynthia Ettinger. The piece was overshadowed for another reason: It was based on the heavily interpreted case of Aileen Wournos, the serial killer executed in 2002, which was also the subject of a few other media products around the same time.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line463
__label__cc	0.676644	0.323356	This is why Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be a solid Supreme Court Justice (Video) Poor Senator Sessions, he was up for an appointment as a federal judge in the 80s, but did not get it based on his racist viewpoints..... A Failed Nomination It was 23 years ago that a Judiciary Committee controlled by Republicans rejected then-U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions' nomination by Ronald Reagan for an appointment as a federal judge. During confirmation hearings, Sessions sought to rebut accusations from former colleagues that as a federal prosecutor, he was racially insensitive. At the time, Sessions said he was not a racist and was a civil rights supporter. But in the end, even Alabama Democrat Howell Heflin, who originally sponsored Sessions' nomination, voted against him. The committee vote was 10-8 against Sessions. Two Republicans and every Democrat opposed his nomination, including ranking Democrat Joe Biden. Labels: confirmation hearing, jeff sessions, senate, sonia sotomayor, supreme court confirmation hearing\|jeff sessions\|senate\|sonia sotomayor\|supreme court\|	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line466
__label__cc	0.725452	0.274548	Thought Crime Radio How To Datamine This Site TCR_Site_Index Kids Learning Helplessness and Bondage for Fun? June 25, 2017 Rich Winkel Leave a comment Seriously? Duct tape? What does this teach kids about giving up? About allowing themselves to be lured into dangerous situations? About being dominated and helpless? The parallel with imprinted isolation, sensory deprivation, stress and immobility (swaddling) routinely carried out against helpless babies in american obstetrical wards is remarkable, as is the CIA’s psychological torture technique documented in Alfred McCoy’s book “A Question of Torture”. Is this another instance of elite social engineering, preparing us for the “externalization of the hierarchy” in the same way our public schools are preparing kids to live in a police state? As far as I can tell this was introduced into the world in january 2001: http://www.beaconmbc.com/Audience%20Games.htm I came across a picture on the internet that was very concerning and disturbing to me. It was a picture of a little boy, about 4 or 5 years old, Duct Taped to a board, crucifixion style. Many scenarios flooded my mind. Was this a case of bondage, torture, satanic ritual child abuse, kidnapping, punishment? After further research, I discovered that it is part of a “game” called the Duct Tape Challenge that is popular throughout this country and the world, where the participant is tightly bound with duct tape, “Bondage Style”, then challenged to break free in a designated allotment of time. Upon further investigation, I found this form of “grooming” to be highly promoted in schools, colleges, daycare centers and group homes. Children are very impressionable and I must say creative because they go home and allow themselves to be taped to trees, chairs, ceilings, boiler room pipes, anything they can think of while recording it and posting to social media for the world to see. When you send your “little darlins” off to school, do you expect them to get an education and discover their creativity in a safe environment where they will be looked after and treated like the “Precious Gifts from God” that they are, or are you happy with the fact that they are being indoctrinated into accepting behavior that was considered unacceptable by past generations? The teenage brain is not yet fully developed: the prefrontal cortex is an area associated with inhibition of risky behavior and is the last to develop. The deeper brain structures respond to hormones with enhanced emotions often winning out over reason; meaning they impulsively act without thinking of the consequences of their actions. This is where “adult guidance” and supervision need to be present in the lives of our children. You can be sure, if I were to pick up my child after school and found him or her duct taped to a wall or pole with hands and feet bound behind their backs, defenseless, dangling off the ground, gagged with duct tape across their mouth….I would not consider that a modern day “game” but the subject of a law suit. This “Challenge” is “grooming” our youth into accepting victimhood. This is normalizing child abduction and child abuse of all types right up to pedophilia and Satanic Ritual Child Abuse. It is not acceptable for a parent or educator to promote “Bondage” in children. Period. Let the recent case of the abducted New Britain girl, who was repeatedly raped and held against her will for over a week, be a lesson to you. And for the Local Villagers that will bastardize me over exposing THIS truth, what are YOU hiding? Why so defensive? Independent thought and common sense are being genetically modified out of our specie by design, and replaced with “Subliminal Mind Control”. While school personnel are promoting this “Fun” activity, Dr Flaura Winston, scientific director of the Children’s Hospital of the Philadelphia’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention considers it “a dangerous social media trend with possibilities for deadly consequences”. Skylar Fish, 14, decided to take the challenge and cracked his skull open on a concrete floor, shattering his eye socket and cheek bone and caused him to have an aneurysm. He went into seizures, choking up blood and when the doctors finally resurrected him from near death, he was left with 48 staples in his head, a lengthy stay in Seattle Children’s Hospital, and his mother was honored with a mutant hospital bill and a GoFundMePage. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3417848/Boy-14-suffers-horrific-facial-injuries-left-blind-one-eye-attempting-duct-tape-challenge.html Adults are also taking part in the Duct Tape Challenge, making videos of their wives, girlfriends and children being wrapped into bondage with duct tape, putting them up on youtube and social media for the world to see. Key words here, “for the world to see”. They even narrate the capture and defilement of their children, mentioning them by name, within the narrative, leaving clues as to where they live. Fathers are filming the chasing and capture of their children through various rooms of the house, giving the world a layout of every door, window and staircase. Do you see where I am going with this? When you upload a video to youtube and you are treating your family members like cattle, sacrificial lambs to the slaughter, taping them up and gagging them, leaving them defenseless, you never know who is watching. People are posting “Bondage Pictures” of babies, even the family pet, to Facebook, Instagram and other forums of social media and they are being admired by persons of perversion; kidnappers, pedophiles, child molesters and perverts who get sexually aroused just to see pictures of people in restraints, offering them to the world as “prey”. John Clark, by the grace of God, rescued his 18-year-old daughter from human traffickers after she was “groomed” for 2 years on Snapchat. Feeling that the police were not working fast enough, he hired a private investigation firm and his daughter was one of the lucky ones. Dottie Laster, an advocate against human trafficking warns about children being groomed, lured and recruited on line based on pictures children post to social media. Once they are abducted, they are worth $150,000 to $300,000 per year on the sex market, so groomers are going to put in the time to get to know your child, where they live and frequent and that is all that is needed for a child to go missing. All it takes is the right picture posted to social media. A young girl bound and gagged with duct tape is good advertising. The internet has become the “Predator’s Playground”. The National Institute for Missing Children estimates 800,000 children go missing a year. Here is a visual for you. It is Summertime. Children are outside playing. A van pulls up and a man gets out and says, “hey kids, I am having a Duct Tape Challenge, who wants to play? And away they go. Your children are being “groomed” for this. They are comfortable with it. If the teachers take part in this, then strangers must be OK. It’s Fun! Kayla Hamm and her boyfriend took pictures of Kayla’s 2-year-old son after they duct taped him to the wall. The pictures were seen by a friend who showed them to the Beatrice, Nebraska Police Department who paid the couple a visit and asked Kayla to explain the pictures. Kayla said she thought it was a fun-thing to do, but prosecutor Randall Ritnour considered it child abuse and Gage County District Court Judge Paul Korslund said, “It’s a matter of common sense that a parent would protect her child from humiliation and abuse. And why that occurred is something we’re all asking ourselves.” Kayla was convicted of child abuse and her son was taken from her and prosecutors investigated a separate case to determine whether she should continue to retain custody. A Chicago father, Andre Curry, was arrested for child abuse after posting a photo to facebook of his two-year-old daughter bound with duct tape around her wrists and ankles and with duct tape across her mouth. But the pictures that disgusted me the most was that of a 2-month-old baby whose grandmother duct taped a pacifier to her mouth and across her face. If that was not bad enough, she photographed the baby in a roasting pan with carrots and potatoes and posted the pictures to social media, where it received a reaction of outrage and police and social services showed up at her door. Wait, it gets worse….. ….the police and social services left without making an arrest because the woman said she would never do it again. She said the pictures were a “joke” and her and her husband are HORRIFIED that people would make a big deal out of it….making her and her husband, now, the victims. She said her prop photos are getting blown out of proportion because it started as a joke and they were being silly and people know that they play around like that. I must say, to me, they sound like practicing Satanists. Putting your granddaughter in a roasting pan with vegetables is not my idea of being cute, but an indication that maybe the police need to investigate them and their silly ways a little better. The child’s mother said she has no problem with the photos. She, along with her parents, really need to be investigated to make sure they are psychologically fit to provide proper care for that 2-month-old baby. http://fox17online.com/2014/08/14/ohio-family-posts-pics-of-baby-with-duct-tape-on-face-and-in-roasting-pan/ People are even duct taping their dogs and posting the pictures to social media. And THIS the officials refuse to tolerate, and arrests are made without question or excuse. So, what does this tell us? Our society holds dogs in higher regard than our children? Parents get arrested for duct taping their children, but schools and educators do not? We really need to start thinking in a more responsible fashion and not just blindly follow current trends. We need to treat our children with respect instead of imprinting their minds that being tied up and gagged is acceptable behavior and fun. When I see these pictures and videos of the “Duct Tape Challenge” I think of little Johnny Gosch, his mother Noreen and what they went through in the 1980’s when little Johnny was kidnapped on his paper route and landed in a child trafficking ring in Nebraska, connected to the Franklin Credit Union Scandal. I think of seeing pictures of Johnny and other boys bound and gagged and restrained in a way where they could not move for hours and days. This is a tactic of child traffickers and Satanist, to bind the child for long periods of time to weaken their bodies and mind by putting strain on the muscles and joints and fracturing the mind, resulting in altering memory, just for starters. Being bound and gagged in this manner is considered a form of torture among other things. http://www.johnnygosch.com/ Parents, grandparents and institutions of learning who think duct taping children to the point where they cannot move or talk is fun, need to be investigated. Police departments that think a picture of a child on the internet bound and gagged is just innocent fun needs to be re-educated. There is so much perversion in this world being normalized and legitimized, that it is obvious to me that the Duct Tape Challenge was a “grooming” psyop to brainwash people into thinking this is acceptable and fun. And it is working. A few people in town got on Face Book and, in an unattractive way, wondered why I switched from environmental issues to political issues. The truth be known, they are all connected. How do you think the population got so “stupid” and perverse? People are being chemically “dummied-down” intentionally and “Mind Controlled” by the MSM and the educational system. Stay tuned……….. Posted by Donna Ziccardi http://livechemicalfree.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-devil-is-in-detailsmore-slang-from.html Previous PostNationalism vs Globalism is The New Cold WarNext PostThe Politics of Heroin by McCoy PDF Online I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use. — Galileo Galilei Soros-Linked Group Joins MSM To CENSOR And PURGE Youtube Climate Change Skeptics W.H.O. 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Austrian Wolfgang Halbig Wins Sandy Hook Lawsuit Video: Hitler’s Children Life and Debt: The IMF in Jamaica Think Tank: “Extraordinary Crisis” Needed to Preserve “New World Order” MSM journalists blast Obama admin for ‘politically driven suppression of news’ "The barbarism of American politics and culture is fed by the routine brutalization and brainwashing of babies practiced by American shock doctorin'."- Rich Winkel Rich is the author of two well-researched papers: Male Circumcision in the USA: A Human Rights Primer and Munchausen Obstetrics "The war to defeat the Illuminati is really a spiritual war. Political solutions will come after spiritual awakening takes place." - Kerth Barker Kerth is the author of several amazing books: Angelic Defenders & Demonic Abusers - Memoirs of a Satanic Ritual Abuse Survivor, Cannibalism, Blood Drinking & High-Adept Satanism, Mental Liberation in the Age of Thought Control and Psychic Development for Prosperity, Self-Defense & Political Influence. See more at Kerth's website. "All healing is essentially the release from fear." Patricia has written two books: The Rape of Innocence - Female Genital Mutilation & Circumcision in the USA and Knowledge, The Essence of World Scriptures. On her website, you will find numerous tools for healing mind, body and spirit. Additionally, see more about the New World Order folks at The Shame Campaign. "Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect." - John Zielinski John is a photojournalist and the author of several books on the Amish lifestyle and pioneering. He was instrumental in getting the Conspiracy of Silence documentary online which first exposed the global satanic child kidnapping and slavery network and its ties to the intelligence community. See the documentary film made about John and his work at Zielinski.See more at America's MIA Children, John's website. "America is under the mind control of the medical-political establishment and it begins with the disruption of the mother-baby relationship at birth." - Janel Martin Janel is the creator of a poignant movie about the father's disenfranchisement in the birth process, The Other Side of the Glass. Transparency in all things Listen to KOPN live Search ThoughtCrimeRadio Daily most popular posts PDF: "War is a Racket" by Gen. Smedley Butler ADRENALIZED BLOOD DRINKING ADDICTION AMONG THE GLOBAL ELITE The War on Empathy, Love and Family W.H.O. Scientists re vaccine safety - Adjuvants are dangerous Gen. 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__label__cc	0.553142	0.446858	Anonymous Grading Policy To the maximum extent possible, course grades assessed by exams are prepared by the faculty anonymously. Each semester new examination numbers are given privately to students. Spring exam numbers are used for the following summer session exams. When finished assigning grades to exam numbers, the faculty member gives the list of exam numbers and matching grades to his/her support staff member who transposes the numbers to names and records letter grades on the grade roster. In order to ensure anonymity of grades, faculty members do not have access to the student name/exam number list until after all grades are submitted for the semester. (Revised: August 12, 2015.) Pass/Fail Grades for Graduating Students Although faculty members are not required to submit letter grades for any graduating seniors prior to commencement, faculty members must submit pass/fail grades for students scheduled to graduate by 10:00 a.m. on the Friday before Commencement. To the extent it is both feasible and practical, faculty members shall give priority in grading to courses that include students scheduled to graduate. Honors at graduation will be announced tentatively based upon the information available at the conclusion of the fall semester. The final determination of Honors will be made only after all grades have been submitted after Commencement. In order to determine whether any student scheduled to graduate will have to enroll in a summer session course, faculty members will receive prior to the beginning of the examination period a list of examination numbers for those students for whom letter grades must be submitted by 10:00 a.m. on the Friday before Commencement. Deadline for Submitting Final Grades The deadline for faculty to submit final grades is determined each semester and published in advance. See Grades information for the date students can expect grades to be posted (usually 3-4 days after the grading deadline). Grade Posting After faculty members turn in their grades, staff members enter the grades on MyWashburn. Faculty and staff members are reminded that it is crucial to double-check all clerical aspects of determining and entering grades, including all mathematical computations as well as the translation from a student's exam number to the student's name. If a clerical mistake is discovered within 30 days of the posting of a grade, the grade is subject to upward or downward revision. Grade Changes Once grades for a class are posted, the faculty member teaching the class may not change a grade for a student in the class without the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Request for Change of Recorded Grade forms are available in the Dean's Office. A faculty member may change a posted grade: if there was a posting error, if the grade originally assigned was based on an arithmetic or other calculation error, or if a mistake was made in grading the exam or paper that does not reflect merely a change in judgment by the faculty member after rereading the exam or paper. E.g., if a faculty member failed to read part of an answer (written on the back of a page so the faculty member did not see it the first time), a grade change based on reading the overlooked part is permitted. However, if a faculty member concludes that a paragraph in an exam answer which was originally assigned 1 point could have been assigned 2 points, resulting in a change in the overall grade on the exam or paper, the initial judgment cannot be changed once grades are posted. Grade Review Procedure Should any student wish to challenge a grade received in any course the procedure shall be as follows: The grading system is one which normally involves a judgment determination. Students who want to go over their papers meticulously to discover one or two points may just as frequently find they have received undue credit elsewhere. Grade review is designed to prevent major deviations from appropriate grading standards and to process substantial complaints. The student must first discuss or attempt to discuss the reasons for the grade received with the faculty member (s) who determined that grade as a condition precedent to the filing of a petition. Should the faculty member refuse to discuss the grade with the student, or the faculty member be unavailable for such a discussion, or the student, having discussed the grade with the faculty member, is still not satisfied with it, then within thirty (30) days after posting of the grade, the student shall file with the dean in writing a petition requesting a review of the grade in question stating briefly and specifically the reasons for the complaint. On a showing of good cause by the student, the dean may extend the time limit for filing the petition. Upon receipt of a properly filed petition, the dean shall appoint a member of the faculty with the concurrence of the student and faculty member (s) to act as hearing officer. In the event the student and faculty member (s) cannot agree on the first two proposed officers, the dean will appoint an officer without the concurrence of the faculty member (s) and student. The hearing officer shall, without delay, furnish a copy of the petition to the faculty member or members involved and set at that time a date and place to meet with the student and faculty member or members involved. At this meeting which shall be informal, the hearing officer shall attempt to reconcile or adjust the complaint between the student and faculty member. Should the complaint be reconciled or adjusted, the hearing officer will report in writing to the dean the substance of that reconciliation or adjustment. Should such a reconciliation not be possible, the student shall submit a written summary of the grounds on which the student relies and the relief requested. The professor shall then furnish a written statement of the criteria used in grading the disputed material. The statements shall be furnished to the other party (ies) and to the hearing officer. The student's summary must present a prima facie case or raise a substantial question as to the appropriateness of the grade received or the appeal shall be dismissed by the hearing officer. If a prima facie case has been presented, or the student contests the hearing officer's finding of lack of substance, the professor (s) shall be notified of an appeal. The hearing officer shall report the impasse to the dean who shall nominate five (5) faculty members to hear the matter. These five nominees shall be made known only to the hearing officer. The hearing officer will then contact the student, who may challenge one of these; the hearing officer shall then contact the faculty member (s), who may strike one of the four remaining faculty members. Should either party fail or refuse to exercise a challenge, the hearing officer will, without consultation, strike such nominees by lot until three remain. These three shall constitute the Grade Review Committee. The hearing officer will reduce to writing the exact points in controversy between the parties and indicate his findings forwarding these to the Grade Review Committee and to the parties involved. The Review Committee shall also be furnished the written statement of the parties referred to in paragraph two of this section. The Grade Review Committee shall select one of its members as chairperson and shall determine by majority vote whether a prima facie case is presented. If it determines that such a case has not been presented on the evidence before it, the chair person shall forward the Committee's finding to the dean and to the parties involved. This shall terminate the proceedings. A dissenting opinion may be filed. If the Committee finds that a prima facie case has been made by the student, the chairperson shall without delay, set a time and place for a hearing. The hearing shall be had before the full Committee and the rules for such hearing shall be as follows: In such proceedings there will be presumption of regularity as to the grade bestowed and the student shall bear the burden of proving that the grade is improper by clear and convincing evidence. Oral testimony need not be received except to explain and amplify the written offerings. The proceeding will be informal. The amount of time allotted and the direction of the questioning shall be at the discretion of the Committee. An electronically recorded transcript of the proceedings may be made by the Committee for its use. This transcript will be erased after a decision is reached. The Committee may in its discretion ask either party (ies) to furnish additional evidence and all parties shall have the right to inspect such materials (except those of a confidential nature). A continuance may be obtained at the request of any party at the discretion of the Committee. The Committee shall then meet and determine the issues by a majority vote. The Chairperson will reduce the decision to writing and furnish copies to the parties. A dissenting opinion may be filed. The decision and any recommendations shall be forwarded to the dean and be binding on all parties. Anonymous Grading PolicyPass/Fail for Graduating StudentsDeadline for Submitting Final GradesGrade PostingGrade ChangesGrade Review Procedure Grading GuidelinesGrading CalculatorGrade Distribution by Course and Grade Posting Date(s)Honors at Graduation Return to Faculty and Staff Resources	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line470
__label__wiki	0.661634	0.661634	Interstate 75 in Georgia This article is about the section of Interstate 75 in Georgia. For the entire route, see Interstate 75. For the current state highway, see Georgia State Route 75. I-75 highlighted in red Maintained by GDOT 355.11 mi[3] (571.49 km) Existed 1963[1][2]–present Major junctions I-75 at Florida state line I-475 near Macon I-16 / SR 540 in Macon I-475 near Bolingbroke I-675 in Stockbridge I-285 near Forest Park I-85 in Atlanta I-285 near Smyrna I-575 / SR 5 near Marietta I-75 at Tennessee state line Lowndes, Cook, Tift, Turner, Crisp, Dooly, Houston, Peach, Crawford, Bibb, Monroe, Lamar, Butts, Spalding, Henry, Clayton, Fulton, Cobb, Cherokee, Bartow, Gordon, Whitfield, Catoosa Highway system Interstate Highway System Suffixed Georgia State Routes ← SR 74 SR 75 → ← SR 400 SR 401 SR 402 → Interstate 75 (I-75) in the U.S. state of Georgia travels north–south along the U.S. Route 41 (US 41) corridor in the central part of the state, traveling through the cities of Valdosta, Macon, and Atlanta. It is also designated—but not signed—as State Route 401 (SR 401). In downtown Atlanta, I-75 joins with I-85 as the Downtown Connector. The segment from SR 49 in Byron to I-16 in Macon is part of the Fall Line Freeway and may be incorporated into the eastern extension of I-14, which is currently entirely within Central Texas and is proposed to be extended to Augusta.[4] 1 Route description 2.1 1950s 2.5 After completion 3 Future 4 Exit list 5 Related routes I-75 co-signed with I-85 in downtown Atlanta I-75 is the longest Interstate Highway within Georgia. It enters the state near Valdosta, and it continues northward through the towns of Tifton and Cordele until it reaches the Macon area, where it intersects with I-16 eastbound towards Savannah. For northbound traffic, I-475 provides a relatively straight bypass west of that city and I-75's route. After Macon, I-75 passes the small town of Forsyth. The freeway reaches no major junctions again until in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The first metropolitan freeway met is I-675, then followed by the Atlanta "Perimeter" bypass, I-285. It crosses inside the Perimeter and heads north several miles towards the Atlanta city center. I-75 then runs concurrently with I-85 due north over the Downtown Connector through the central business district of Atlanta. After the two Interstates split, I-75 makes a beeline northwest, crossing outside the I-285 Perimeter and heading towards the major suburban city of Marietta. This section of I-75 just north of I-285 has 15 through lanes, making it the widest roadway anywhere in the Interstate Highway System.[5] North of Marietta, the final major junction in the Atlanta metropolitan area is the I-575 spur. I-75 then traverses the hilly northern Georgia terrain as it travels towards Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 180-mile-long (290 km) section of I-75 from I-475 to I-24 in Chattanooga is one of the longest continuous six-lane freeways in the United States (some segments along this corridor have as many as 16 lanes).[citation needed] Due to recent widening in south Georgia, the only four-lane section of I-75 in Georgia is bypassed by six-lane I-475; along this route there are at least six lanes from Florida's Turnpike in Wildwood, Florida to I-24 in Chattanooga. The entire length of I-75 in Georgia is part of the National Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Macon, Georgia 1955 Yellow Book with I-75 route The highway that would eventually become I-75 in Georgia was an unnamed expressway that was open in 1951 from the southern part of Atlanta to University Avenue. It was projected from University Avenue to Williams Street in downtown Atlanta. This expressway was open from Williams Street to what is now the northern end of the Downtown Connector. It was also proposed from the Downtown Connector to the northwest part of Atlanta.[13][14] By late 1953, this expressway was signed as US 19/US 41 as far north as Lakewood Avenue. It was under construction from the Downtown Connector to Howell Mill Road. It was proposed from Howell Mill Road to the northwest part of Atlanta.[14][15] By mid-1954, the expressway was signed as SR 295 from Lakewood Avenue to University Avenue. It was under construction from the Downtown Connector to US 41/SR 3E, just north of West Paces Ferry Road.[15][16] By mid-1955, the highway was under construction from University Avenue to Glenn Street. It was open from Williams Street to US 41/SR 3E in the central part of Atlanta.[16][17] By mid-1957, the highway was opened from University Avenue to Glenn Street. It was also open from Williams Street to US 41/SR 3E in the northwest part of Atlanta.[17][18] By the middle of 1960, a short segment southeast of Williams Street was open.[18][1] By mid-1963, I-75 was signed. It was open from the Florida state line to US 41/SR 7 in Unadilla. It was under construction from Unadilla to just north of the Crawford–Bibb county line. It was open from SR 148 in Bolingbroke to US 23/SR 42 north-northwest of Forsyth. It was open from Glenn Street to Washington Street in downtown Atlanta. It was under construction from US 41/SR 3 in the northwest part of Atlanta to its northern interchange with I-285. It was also under construction from SR 53 in Calhoun to the Tennessee state line.[1][2] Between 1963 and 1965, open from US 41/SR 7 in Unadilla to Hartley Bridge Road south-southwest of Macon. It was proposed from Hartley Bridge Road to I-16 in Macon. It was under construction from I-16 to its northern interchange with I-475 near Bolingbroke. It was open from Bolingbroke to near Forsyth. It was under construction from there to SR 155 south of McDonough. It was proposed from there to SR 54 in Morrow. It was under construction from Morrow to US 19/US 41 west of Morrow. It was proposed from that interchange to SR 331 in Forest Park. It was open from Forest Park to West Paces Ferry Road in northwest Atlanta. It was under construction from there to SR 120 in Marietta. It was proposed from Marietta to SR 140 in Adairsville. It was under construction from Adairsville to SR 53 in Calhoun. It was open from Calhoun to the Tennessee state line.[2][19] In 1966, the highway was open from the Florida state line to its southern interchange with I-475 near Macon. It was open from I-16 to US 23/SR 42 near Forsyth. It was open from Forest Park to its northern interchange with I-285.[19][20] In 1967, it was under construction from US 80/SR 74 to I-16 in Macon. It was under construction from near Forsyth to the US 19/US 41 interchange west of Morrow. It was open from Forest Park to SR 120 in Marietta. It was under construction from SR 120 to Allgood Road in Marietta.[20][21] In 1968, the highway was open US 23/SR 42 near Forsyth to SR 20 in McDonough. It was under construction from McDonough to SR 54 in Morrow. It was open from Morrow to Allgood Road in Marietta. It was under construction from US 411/SR 61 near Cartersville to SR 140 in Adairsville.[21][22] In 1969, the highway was under construction from its southern interchange with I-475 to I-16 in Macon. It was open from I-16 to Allgood Road in Marietta.[22][23] I-75 near Dalton In 1971, it was open from the Florida state line to Allgood Road in Marietta.[24][25] In 1973, it was under construction from Marietta to SR 92 in Acworth.[26][27] In 1974, the highway was under construction from Emerson to US 411/SR 61 near Cartersville.[27][28] The last segment of I-75 in Georgia, located between Emerson and Cartersville, opened on December 21, 1977.[29] Work to increase lanes from six to eight on I-20, I-75, I-85, and I-285 and ten lanes on the downtown connector involved 126 total miles and was phased over 13 years between 1976 and 1988. The improvement campaign also included elimination of sharp curves and grades, left-hand exits, excessive interchanges, and short acceleration/deceleration lanes. So as to offer a bypass around construction through the center of the city, the perimeter road (I-285) was completed first. The radiating expressways were then upgraded, and the last phase was reconstruction of the depressed sections through downtown Atlanta. By June 1983, some $252 million in discretionary funds had been used to complete most of the highways save for some major interchanges and the downtown section. The eight miles of the downtown section, which includes the 4.4-mile long downtown connector, was the most complicated section of the entire reconstruction. Work was started on it in 1984, and it included redesigning the massive interchange between I-20 and I-75/85 at Memorial Drive where much of the mileage was on structure. The downtown connector was to be widened to ten lanes, and this required quite a bit of right of way acquisition. Many bridges, including the 55 over the connector portion alone, had to be designed and built.[30] With completion of the Memorial Drive interchange in November 1988, one of the nation’s premier interstate urban expressway reconstruction projects of the late 20th century was completed. The metro Atlanta expressway system stands out for its lane capacity and high design standards. The $1.4 billion estimated cost price tag to rebuild the metro Atlanta interstates nearly equals what was expended on the construction of the rest of the statewide system.[31] After completion In addition to the general-purpose lanes added in the 1980s, provisions for high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and dedicated on-ramps at Williams Street, Piedmont Avenue, and Memorial Drive were built, and were subsequently converted to HOV usage in 1996 on the Downtown Connector. In 1996, HOV lanes were also added from I-285 on the south side of Atlanta to I-285 on the north side of Atlanta. In 1998, the portion of I-75 that from the Chattahoochee River north to the Tennessee state line was named the Larry McDonald Memorial Highway.[32] Larry McDonald, a conservative Democratic representative to Congress, was aboard Korean Air Lines Flight 007 when it was shot down by the Soviets on September 1, 1983. He was the only sitting Congressman to be reportedly killed by the Soviets during the Cold War. I-75 was also designated as the Horace E. Tate Freeway between I-85 to I-285 northwest of downtown Atlanta, in honor of Horace E. Tate, who was a State senator in 1974. I-75 and I-85 signs near downtown Atlanta Until 2000, the state of Georgia used the sequential interchange numbering system on all of its Interstate Highways. The first exit on each highway would begin with the number "1" and increase numerically with each exit. In 2000, the Georgia Department of Transportation switched to a mileage-based exit system, in which the exit number corresponded to the nearest milepost.[33] In March 2007, I-75 in Atlanta (the HOV ramp serving Northside Drive) was the site of the Bluffton University bus crash. On January 28, 2017, the new Peach Pass-only South Metro Express Lanes from SR 155 to SR 138 and I-675, opened.[34] On September 8, 2018, new Northwest Corridor Express Lanes from the I-285/I-75 interchange to Hickory Grove Road and from I-75/I-575 interchange to Sixes Road have opened, the lanes require a Peach Pass to use.[35] The I-75/I-16 interchange is being revamped with extra ramps to and from US 23/US 129/SR 49.[36] Exit list Note: exit numbers along Georgia Interstates were renumbered in 1999 and 2000 to be mileage based instead of being sequential.[37] mi[38] Old exit[39] New exit Florida state line 0.00 I-75 south (SR 93) – Lake City Continuation into Florida Lowndes 2.46 1 2 Bellville, Lake Park 7.68 2 5 SR 376 (Lakes Boulevard) – Lake Park 17.03 3 11 SR 31 – Clyattville, Valdosta, Madison, Florida 20.65 13 Old Clyattville Road – Valdosta 25.60 4 16 I-75 Bus. north / US 84 / US 221 / SR 38 Southern terminus of I-75 Bus. 28.87 5 18 SR 133 – Valdosta, Moultrie 34.94 6 22 I-75 Bus. south / US 41 south (North Valdosta Road / SR 7 south) Southern end of US 41/SR 7 concurrency; northern terminus of I-75 Bus. 46.24 7 29 US 41 north (SR 7 north) / SR 122 – Hahira, Barney, Lakeland Northern end of US 41/SR 7 concurrency Cook Cecil 52.13 8 32 Old Coffee Road – Cecil 60.38 9 37 Adel 63.18 10 39 SR 37 – Adel, Moultrie, Nashville 66.66 11 41 Rountree Bridge Road – Sparks 72.23 12 45 Barneyville Road 78.31 13 49 Kinard Bridge Road – Lenox Tift 88.45 14 55 Eldorado, Omega 95.02 15 59 I-75 Bus. (Southwell Boulevard) – Tifton 97.04 16 60 South Central Avenue Phillipsburg–Tifton line 98.59 17 61 Omega Road (SR 35 Loop west) to US 319 south / SR 35 south Eastern terminus of SR 35 Loop 99.60 18 62 US 82 / SR 520 to US 319 – Tifton, Sylvester 100.49 19 63A 2nd Street 101.10 20 63B 8th Street 103.09 21 64 I-75 Bus. / US 41 – Tifton 106.25 22 66 Brighton Road 111.50 23 69 Chula Brookfield Road 114.09 24 71 Willis Still Road – Sunsweet Turner 120.97 25 75 SR 232 (Inaha Road) 126.25 26 78 SR 32 – Sycamore, Ocilla 128.28 27 80 Bussey Road – Sycamore 132.08 28 82 SR 107 / SR 112 – Ashburn, Fitzgerald 135.10 29 84 SR 159 – Ashburn, Amboy Crisp Arabi 147.83 30 92 Arabi 156.06 31 97 SR 33 Conn. – Wenona, Sylvester Cordele 159.29 32 99 SR 300 (Georgia–Florida Parkway) – Albany 162.14 33 101 I-75 Bus. (16th Avenue East) / US 280 / SR 30 / SR 90 – Cordele, Abbeville 163.83 34 102 SR 257 (8th Avenue East) – Cordele, Hawkinsville 167.15 35 104 I-75 Bus. / Farmers Market Road Dooly 176.29 36 109 SR 215 (East Union Street) – Vienna, Pitts 180.36 37 112 SR 27 – Vienna, Hawkinsville 188.10 38 117 Pinehurst 194.42 39 121 US 41 / SR 7 – Unadilla 196.00 40 122 SR 230 – Unadilla, Byromville Houston 204.66 41 127 SR 26 – Montezuma, Hawkinsville 215.33 — 134 South Perry Parkway 217.04 42 135 US 41 / SR 7 / SR 127 / SR 224 (Larry Walker Highway) – Perry 219.98 43 136 US 341 / SR 7 – Perry, Fort Valley 222.41 — 138 Perry Parkway / Thompson Road (US 341 Byp.) Peach 228.30 44 142 SR 96 (Housers Mill Road) 232.81 — 144 Richard B. Russell Parkway 235.67 45 146 SR 247 Conn. – Centerville, Warner Robins 240.90 46 149 SR 49 / SR 540 west (Fall Line Freeway) – Byron, Fort Valley, Columbus Southern end of SR 540 concurrency No major junctions Bibb 247.44 — 153 Sardis Church Road 250.74 47 155 Hartley Bridge Road Collector-distributor lanes on southbound exit and northbound entrance 252.49 48 156 I-475 north (SR 408) – Atlanta Northbound exit and southbound entrance; southern terminus of I-475 257.61 49 160A US 41 / SR 247 (Pio Nono Avenue) Signed as exit 160 northbound 257.91 49A 160B Rocky Creek Road Northbound exit is via exit 160. 260.75 50 162 US 80 / SR 22 (Eisenhower Parkway) 262.07 51 163 SR 74 west (Mercer University Drive) / Little Richard Penniman Boulevard Eastern terminus of SR 74 264.06 52 164 US 41 Bus. / SR 19 (Forsyth Street) / Hardman Avenue – Downtown Macon 265.99 53 165 I-16 east (SR 404) / SR 540 east (Fall Line Freeway) – Savanna, Augusta Northern end of SR 540 concurrency; western terminus of I-16; I-16 exit 0 268.79 54 167 SR 247 (Pierce Avenue) 272.74 55A 169 To US 23 / Arkwright Road / Riverside Drive 275.50 55 171 US 23 / SR 87 / Riverside Drive 277.84 56 172 Bass Road Monroe 282.89 57 175 Pate Road – Bolingbroke Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former SR 19 Spur 286.40 58 177 I-475 south (SR 408) – Valdosta Southbound exit and northbound entrance; northern terminus of I-475 291.24 59 181 Rumble Road – Smarr 298.58 60 185 SR 18 – Forsyth, Gray 299.95 61 186 Tift College Drive 301.67 62 187 SR 83 – Forsyth, Monticello 303.39 63 188 SR 42 – Forsyth 311.81 64 193 Johnstonville Road 318.94 65 198 High Falls Road Butts 323.98 66 201 SR 36 – Jackson, Barnesville 330.85 67 205 SR 16 – Griffin, Jackson Henry Locust Grove 341.49 68 212 Bill Gardner Parkway – Jenkinsburg, Locust Grove, Hampton, Jackson 344.53 — 214 Bethlehem Road to US 23, SR 42, Locust Grove Potential new exit scheduled to open in 2025[40] 348.86 69 216 SR 155 – McDonough 347.62 — - I-75 South Metro Express Lanes South end of South Metro I-75 Express lanes 351.45 70 218 SR 20 / SR 81 – McDonough, Hampton 352.45 — - I-75 South Metro Express Lanes Northbound exit and southbound entrance 356.23 71 221 Jonesboro Road – Lovejoy 358.50 72 222 Jodeco Road – Flippen Former SR 351 361.49 73 224 Hudson Bridge Road / Eagles Landing Parkway 367.04 74 227 I-675 north (SR 413) to I-285 – Augusta, Greenville Northbound exit and southbound entrance; southern terminus of I-675 366.93 — - I-75 South Metro Express Lanes North end of South Metro I-75 Express lanes 367.91 75 228 SR 138 – Jonesboro, Stockbridge Clayton 372.29 — 231 Mount Zion Boulevard 374.67 76 233 SR 54 – Morrow, Lake City 378.44 77 235 US 19 / US 41 (Old Dixie Highway) – Griffin, Jonesboro 382.40 78 237 SR 331 – Forest Park 383.02 79 SR 85 (Frontage Road) – Riverdale Northbound exit only 383.43 80 237A SR 85 south – Riverdale Southbound exit only 384.13 81A 238A I-285 east (Atlanta Bypass / SR 407) to I-85 north – Augusta, Greenville, Charlotte Detour route to I-85 north[41] 81B 238B I-285 west (Atlanta Bypass / SR 407) – Birmingham, Chattanooga, Domestic Terminals, Columbus, Montgomery Fulton Hapeville 386.40 82, 84, and 85 239 US 19 / US 41 (Central Avenue / SR 3) / C.W. Grant Parkway / Porsche Avenue – International Terminal Additional ramps for direct HOV lane access to/from C.W. Grant Parkway; Exit 82 (northbound) and 84 (southbound) were to C.W. Grant Parkway formerly Aviation Boulevard and Exit 85 was to US 41. Today, they are all marked as exit 239. 384.63 83 - Frontage Road to Mountain View 389.61 86 241 Cleveland Avenue 390.51 87 242 I-85 south (SR 403) – Domestic Terminals, Columbus, Montgomery Southbound exit and northbound entrance; southern end of I-85/SR 295 concurrency; southern terminus of SR 295 391.51 88 243 SR 166 (Langford Parkway) – East Point 394.50 89 244 University Avenue / Pryor Street 396.19 90 245 Abernathy Boulevard / Capitol Avenue – Turner Field Northbound exit and southbound entrance 395.90 90A - Georgia Avenue East – Stadium, Grant Park Exits 90 A and B were northbound only and replaced in the 1980s by a single exit 90 (currently exit 245) which was moved several blocks south and not given direct access to Georgia Avenue. 395.90 90B - Georgia Avenue West – West End Exits 90 A and B were northbound only and replaced in the 1980s by a single exit 90 (currently exit 245) which was moved several blocks south and not given direct access to Georgia Avenue. 396.75 91 246 Fulton Street / Central Avenue – Downtown Atlanta 397.14 92 A & B 247 I-20 (Ralph D. Abernathy Freeway / SR 402) – Augusta, Birmingham I-20 exit 57 397.75 93 248A Martin Luther King Jr. Drive – State Capitol Southbound exit and northbound entrance 398.67 94 248B Edgewood Avenue / Auburn Avenue / J.W. Dobbs Avenue Northbound exit and southbound entrance 399.23 96 A & B 248C SR 10 east (Freedom Parkway) / Andrew Young International Boulevard – Carter Center Exit 96 A went to Freedom Parkway and exit 96 B went to International Boulevard before the 1980s when they were made into one exit. 399.31 95 248D J.W. Dobbs Avenue / Edgewood Avenue Southbound exit and northbound entrance 399.95 97 249A Courtland Street – Georgia State University Southbound exit only 400.36 98 249B Pine Street, Peachtree Street – Civic Center Northbound exit only 400.68 99 249C Williams Street – Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium No northbound exit (only northbound entrance, southbound entrance, southbound exit); additional ramps for direct HOV access: southbound exit and northbound entrance 400.79 100 249D Spring Street, West Peachtree Street Northbound exit and southbound entrance 401.00 100 249D US 29 / US 78 / US 278 / SR 8 (North Avenue) – Georgia Tech Southbound exit and northbound entrance 402.14 101 and 102 250 10th Street, 14th Street – Georgia Tech Northbound exit and southbound entrance; no northbound entrance to I-85 north; exit 101 went to 10th Street and exit 102 went to 14th Street before the 1980s. 402.69 101 and 102 250 16th Street, 14th Street, 10th Street Southbound exit and northbound entrance; exit 101 went to 10th Street and exit 102 went to 14th Street before the 1980s. 403.27 — 251A 17th Street – Midtown Northbound exit only 403.74 103 251B I-85 north (SR 403) to SR 400 north – Greenville, Charlotte Northern end of I-85/SR 295 concurrency; northern terminus of SR 295 405.38 104 252A US 41 / SR 3 (Northside Drive) Additional ramps for direct HOV lane access: southbound exit and northbound entrance 405.96 105 252B Howell Mill Road 409.21 106 254 Moores Mill Road 411.19 107 255 US 41 / SR 3 (Northside Parkway) / West Paces Ferry Road 413.22 108 256 Mount Paran Road Chattahoochee River 414.04 Lester and Virginia Maddox Bridge Cobb 414.65 — 258 Cumberland Boulevard 415.05 — - Akers Mill Road HOV-only ramps for northbound exit and southbound entrance 415.85 109A 259A I-285 east (Atlanta Bypass / SR 407) – Augusta, Greenville, Charlotte I-285 exit 20 109B 259B I-285 west (Atlanta Bypass / SR 407) – Birmingham, Montgomery, Tampa I-285 exit 20 416.18 — - I-75 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes South end of Northwest Corridor I-75 Express lanes 418.40 110 260 Windy Hill Road – Smyrna 420.97 111 261 SR 280 west (Delk Road) – Lockheed, Dobbins AFB Eastern terminus of SR 280 423.72 112 263 SR 120 – Marietta, Roswell Former SR 120 Loop 426.60 113 265 SR 120 Alt. – Marietta, Roswell Former SR 120 Loop 429.89 114A 267A SR 5 Spur north (Canton Road) Southern terminus of SR 5 Spur 114B 267B SR 5 south to US 41 – Marietta Southern end of SR 5 concurrency 432.45 115 268 I-575 north (SR 417) / SR 5 north – Ball Ground, Canton Northern end of SR 5 concurrency; southern terminus of I-575; southbound exit is via exit 269. 433.65 116 269 SR 5 Conn. / Barrett Parkway – Kennesaw Formerly Roberts Road 436.44 117 271 To north I-575 / Chastain Road 439.27 118 273 Wade Green Road – Kennesaw 441.28 — - I-75 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes North end of Northwest Corridor I-75 Express lanes Cherokee 446.09 120 277 SR 92 – Acworth Bartow 448.17 121 278 Glade Road – Acworth 456.38 122 283 Allatoona Road – Emerson 459.10 123 285 Red Top Mountain Road 463.20 124 288 SR 113 – Cartersville 467.03 125 290 SR 20 – Rome, Canton 472.50 126 293 US 411 / SR 61 – Chatsworth, White, Cartersville 477.23 127 296 Cassville–White Road 492.17 128 306 SR 140 – Adairsville Gordon 499.57 — 310 Union Grove Road 502.82 129 312 SR 53 – Calhoun, Fairmount, Rome 507.36 130 315 SR 156 (Redbud Road) – Calhoun 510.63 131 317 SR 225 – Chatsworth, Calhoun 512.85 132 318 US 41 / SR 3 – Resaca, Calhoun 515.46 133 320 SR 136 – Resaca, LaFayette Whitfield 524.53 134 326 Carbondale Road 528.77 135 328 SR 3 Conn. – Dalton 537.05 136 333 SR 52 / SR 71 (Walnut Avenue) – Dalton 540.68 137 336 US 41 / US 76 / SR 3 – Dalton, Rocky Face 549.04 138 341 SR 201 – Tunnel Hill, Varnell Catoosa 554.77 139 345 US 41 / US 76 / SR 3 – Ringgold, LaFayette 560.16 140 348 SR 151 – Ringgold, LaFayette 563.48 141 350 SR 2 (Battlefield Parkway) – Fort Oglethorpe 569.22 142 353 SR 146 – Rossville, Fort Oglethorpe Tennessee state line 571.48 I-75 north – Chattanooga Continuation into Tennessee 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Closed/former Concurrency terminus Electronic toll collection HOV only Incomplete access I-75 north at exit 156 in Bibb County in 2016, left 3 lanes are for the Interstate 475 bypass of Macon There are three auxiliary Interstate Highways related to I-75 in Georgia and a fourth that was proposed. I-175 was a proposed spur from Albany northeast to Cordele. The road was built, but not as a freeway; it is SR 300, the Florida–Georgia Parkway. I-475 is a western bypass of Macon, shortening the trip for through I-75 traffic. I-575 is a spur from near Marietta north to Canton and Nelson, and I-675 is a cutoff from I-75 south of Atlanta north to Interstate 285 (Atlanta's perimeter) - east of I-75. Additionally, there are three business routes of I-75 in the state. The first Business Loop I-75 (BL I-75) runs through central Valdosta mostly concurrent with U.S. Route 221. The second BL I-75 runs through downtown Tifton mostly concurrent with U.S. Route 41, and a third one that runs through Cordele. There was a former BL I-75 in Adel–Sparks. U.S. roads portal Georgia (U.S. state) portal ^ a b c State Highway Department of Georgia (1960). State Highway System and Other Principal Connecting Roads (PDF) (Map) (1960–1961 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to June 1, 1960.) ^ a b c State Highway Department of Georgia (1963). State Highway System and Other Principal Connecting Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to June 1, 1963.) ^ Adderly, Kevin (December 31, 2014). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2014". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved August 4, 2015. ^ "14th Amendment Highway". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2019. ^ Federal Highway Administration (January 2004). "Interstate System Facts". Highway Information Quarterly Newsletter. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2008. ^ National Highway System: Georgia (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 8, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ National Highway System: Valdosta, GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ National Highway System: Macon, GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ National Highway System: Atlanta, GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ National Highway System: Cartersville, GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ National Highway System: Dalton, GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ National Highway System: Chattanooga, TN--GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 10, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (1950). System of State Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to August 1, 1950.) ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (1952). System of State Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to January 1, 1952.) ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (1953). State Highway System and Other Principal Connecting Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to September 1, 1953.) ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (1954). State Highway System and Other Principal Connecting Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to June 1, 1954.) ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (1957). State Highway System and Other Principal Connecting Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved December 27, 2016. (Corrected to July 1, 1957.) ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1966). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved December 27, 2016. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1970). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved December 27, 2016. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (January 1973). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 27, 2016. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (January 1974). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map) (1974–1975 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 27, 2016. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (January 1975). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map) (1975–1976 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 27, 2016. ^ Lukachick Smith, Joy (December 21, 2012). "Interstate 75 turns 35". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Chattanooga, Tennessee. Retrieved June 16, 2018. ^ "http://www.dot.ga.gov/AboutGeorgia/CentennialHome/Documents/Historical%20Documents/HistoricalContextof%20GeorgiaInterstates.pdf" ^ "http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,968392,00.html" ^ "HR 1098 - Larry McDonald Memorial Highway; designate". Georgia House of Representatives. Retrieved December 10, 2018. ^ "Interstate Exit Numbers". Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 2, 2015. ^ Wickert, David; Joyner, Tammy (January 19, 2017). "New I-75 express lanes to speed up traffic — at a price". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 27, 2018. ^ {{cite web\|url=http://www.dot.ga.gov/DS/GEL/NWC}} ^ "I-16/I-75/ Interchange Project". www.dot.ga.gov. ^ Phillips, Noelle (December 1, 1999). "Interstate Exit Signs to Get New Numbers in Georgia". The Florida Times-Union. Jacksonville, FL. Morris News Service. Retrieved November 11, 2017. ^ MapQuest (2009). "Map of Interstate 75 in Georgia" (Map). MapQuest. MapQuest. Retrieved July 23, 2011. [dead link] ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (1980). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1980–1981 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. ^ [1][dead link] ^ "I-85 Bridge Collapse in Atlanta: What We Know, How to Detour Around Damages". USA Today. March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2017. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 75 in Georgia. Route map: KML file (edit • help) Template:Attached KML/Interstate 75 in Georgia KML is from Wikidata I-75 at the Interstate Guide Previous state: Florida Georgia Next state:	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line475
__label__cc	0.65599	0.34401	Popular Foods from the 1980’s When you think about the 1980s, often it’s all about fashion (neon and shoulder pads), music (Michael Jackson, Madonna, and new wave), and films (the John Hughes oeuvre). But quite a few of us do remember some signature food items from the 1980s. And like a few 80s items, some of these things can really take us back in time. Who can forget about the absolutely delightful promise of fro-yo? It’s like ice cream, except that you can eat as much as you want because it’s fat-free. Of course, it turned out to be an illusion since the sugar content was off the charts, and the toppings made it worse. Still, for a moment in time there was a “health” food which actually tasted sinfully delicious. This was a crazy combo of industrial white wine, carbonated water, and some weird flavor. In the 1980s, these flavors included berry, citrus, and apple. They were tasty, colorful, and cheap, which was perfect for the decade. Who cared about sophistication? For those who actually cared about looking sophisticated, sushi was the “cool” food for the elite. That’s why the Molly Ringwald character in The Breakfast Club brought sushi to school for lunch. The fad started in New York, and by the end of the decade it became common among the middle-class as well. Jell-O Pudding Pops You had to trust Bill Cosby during the 1980s, because he was the perfect dad. And when he told us to buy these things because they were frozen pudding on a stick, we bought. Ranch Dressing Dip Doritos started a new craze when ranch dressing was used as a dip to enhance its taste. Soon ranch dressing was enhancing the taste of just about everything—chips, crackers, and even chicken wings. Why throw away something you can market as a craze? Potato skins were either fried or baked, and then they were reinforced with tasty accessories such as chili con carne and sour cream. Tri-color pasta salad Pasta salad dishes were everywhere, and in some pot luck dinners maybe half the dishes were pasta salad. And in the 1980s, the more colorful they were the better they seemed to taste. Blackened Cajun Anything You add it to a fish dish or any type of seafood for that matter. Then you wash it down with wine cooler so that you were cool. Just put it on everything. New Coke This was popular in the sense that everyone knew about it. And also, everyone knew what a disaster it was. Coca Cola was so desperate to reclaim the top spot in the cola wars that it introduced a new formula for its beloved Coke. The “blind” taste tests confirmed that people liked the new sweeter taste better than the old one, but Coke forgot about the power of nostalgia and emotional connection to a beloved brand. But in a sense it was a success—the very thought that real Coke nearly disappeared caused a surge in sales that enabled Coca Cola to be #1 again. 80s History – 04/23/1985 Coca Cola Company Releases “New Coke” Formula Popular Slang From The 1980’s Popular Shoes Of The 1980s Popular Books Written In The 1980s Categories: The 80s Blog « Top 7 Movies of the 1980’s What Were the Top 5 songs of the 1980’s? »	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line482
__label__wiki	0.620089	0.620089	Sean Yin (Your Preferred Top Producer) Associate Division Director Masters(Architecture) & ACTA Certified, PROPNEX REALTY PTE LTD Home > Latest Market News > The Avenir condo to launch this Saturday News: The Avenir condo to launch this Saturday Early bird prices for one- to three-bedroom units start at $2,930 per sq ft (psf) and $3,030 psf for four-bedroom and four-bedder with family room. Image: Hong Leong Group Ultra-luxury condominium project The Avenir will launch for sale on 11 January, with early bird prices starting from $2,930 per sq ft (psf) for one-bedroom to three-bedroom units and $3,030 psf for four-bedroom and four-bedder with family room. Unit sizes at the 376-unit project range from around 527 sq ft for a one-bedroom apartment to 2,411 sq ft for a four-bedder. Jointly developed by Hong Leong Holdings Limited, GuocoLand Limited and Hong Realty (Private), The Avenir is located within the prime River Valley area in District 9. It sits on the former site of Pacific Mansion and is built on a sprawling 129,648.07 sq ft site. The freehold development is also minutes away from the CBD, the upcoming Great World City MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line and the Great World City Mall, which offers residents a host of dining and shopping amenities. READ: Property Trends: Will 2020 See The Start Of A City Fringe Condo Boom? Nearby schools include Odyssey The Global Pre-School, Eton House Pre-School and River Valley Primary School. The Avenir’s preview on 4 January was attended by about 400 visitors, who were “mostly Singaporeans from nearby District 10 and 11 areas, and foreigners from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong who are keen to invest in Singapore’s high-end property”, revealed Hong Leong Holdings’ head of sales and marketing Betsy Chng. “We are kicking off the new year with a brand-new project, and not to mention one of the most luxurious projects to date. Given the excellent attributes of this sprawling freehold site in an unbeatable location by an award-winning architecture designer, we believe The Avenir will be well-received come launch.” Scheduled for TOP on 1 August 2025, The Avenir’s sales gallery can be found at the junction of Chin Swee Road and Upper Cross Street. Looking for a property in Singapore? Visit PropertyGuru’s Listings, Project Reviews and Guides. Victor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email victorkang@propertyguru.com.sg Sean Yin (Your Preferred Top Producer) Associate Division Director Masters(Architecture) & ACTA Certified qizhi15@gmail.com L3008022J / R006541F	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line483
__label__cc	0.599825	0.400175	Just Say No to Vouchers by Williamson Strong \| Apr 17, 2017 \| Vouchers, Williamson County Schools \| What are vouchers? Vouchers are a form of privatization, i.e., turning over public tax dollars to private entities to educate kids. This is the standard definition – see, for example, the use of terms here or here. As we have stated repeatedly, we believe that the way... Vouchers: The Real Religious Indoctrination Bill by Williamson Strong \| Feb 5, 2016 \| Vouchers, Williamson County Schools \| The idea that teaching about world religions in seventh grade is a program of indoctrination would be funny if it weren’t a funded campaign of fear, wrapped in bigotry, inside of ignorance (hat tip: Winston Churchill). But let’s focus on something everyone agrees... On Saving Kids, Williamson County, and Voucher Myths The voucher bill will be decided by a full vote of the House on Monday at 5 p.m. Pro-privatization groups have spent almost a million dollars on campaign contributions to elected officials and pro-privatization candidates over the last several years; they have spent... Williamson County Legislative Delegation on Vouchers (Plus Fact Checks) by Williamson Strong \| Jan 31, 2016 \| Vouchers, Williamson County Schools \| Williamson Inc. held a Public Affairs Roundtable on Friday, 1/29. It was facilitated by Dave Crouch and Williamson Inc. President and CEO Matt Largen and attended by Senator Jack Johnson and Reps. Glen Casada and Charles Sargent. Rep. Jeremy Durham did not attend. We... Sargent’s Committee Votes on Vouchers Today This afternoon at 3:00, the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee chaired by Brentwood’s Rep. Charles Sargent will hear the bill to institute a voucher program that would allow taxpayer funds to go to private schools. The fiscal note would pull $221 million out of...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line491
__label__wiki	0.629233	0.629233	The Life and Opinions of Andrew Rilstone Duel With Daredevil Villains: The Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime Supporting Cast: Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant. Guest Stars: Matt Murdoch/Daredevil, Foggy Nelson, Karen Page This is the first issue since #12 that Flash and Liz have not appeared in. Daredevil identifies Spider-Man as 17 years old; 5ft 10 “and in excellent health.” Spider-Man says that Ringmaster makes “Thor sound like a teenager”, even though Spider-Man and Thor have never met. Jameson announces that he is not going to spend so much time attacking Spider-Man from now on. Nothing follows from that in this issue, and next issue he is back to attacking him as usual. Peter Parker’s financial position: Peter Parker hasn’t sold any pictures to Jameson “for days” The Ringmaster has a science hat which enables him to mind-control large numbers of people. He refers to it as “hypnotism” but it actually “creates an electronic energy flow which magnifies all the thoughts of the one nearest the hat and projects them outward with irresistible impact.” However, anyone can resist the irresistible impact simply by shutting their eyes. He also has a Circus of Crime, including clowns and human cannonballs and a lady with a big snake. He once tried to capture and exhibit the Hulk, which went about a well as you’d expect. Someone called the Ringmaster of Death had an disagreement with Captain America during the war, but we’re assuming that was his dad. (He had a rather fetching swastika on his purple hat.) Unlike Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, the Green Goblin and Kraven, the Ringmaster has no particular interest in Spider-Man. Having the power to command huge groups of people to do exactly what he wants, he has very reasonably decided to focus on small-time property crime, and come up with a very practical scheme. He gets lots of people to come to his circus; he uses the Science Hat to send them to sleep; and while they are asleep he steals their wallets. Simples. Being naughty, the Ringmaster puts up posters saying that Spider-Man will be guest starring in his circus, to ensure a full house, and even claims that the proceeds are going to charity. But “he makes one small miscalculation! He didn’t stop to think what might happen if Spider-Man himself saw the ad”. Duh! Almost as silly as missing out on becoming Supreme Crimer because it didn’t occur to you that a cave in New Mexico might have a big green monster living in it. Spider-Man does see the ad, and decides that he’ll surprise everyone by putting in an appearance at the charity gig. And who should be in the audience but newish hero Daredevil, still resplendent in his original yellow uniform. Daredevil is, like, blind. Did I mention what you had to do to avoid the power of the Ringmaster’s mind control spirals? Stan Lee loves to have characters from one comic book appear in another comic book: partly because he wants to weave his titles together into a single Marvel Universe; partly because he wants to promote less popular titles in better selling ones; and partly because it’s fun. Up to now, the guest appearances in Amazing Spider-Man have largely been told from Spider-Man’s own point of view. The Human Torch and the Fantastic Four are less “special guest stars” as occasional members of his supporting cast. The Human Torch presents to us, as he does to Spider-Man, as an arrogant, entitled, rich kid — even if we readers know how brave and heroic he can be in the pages of his own comic. The Hulk is just a monster living in a cave. “You think I’m a brainless fool! If you only knew the truth!” he explains. If you don’t happen to be a reader of the Mighty World of Marvel, then you have no more idea that Spider-Man about what that “truth” might be. This issue, on the other hand, seems to be have been conceived mainly as a promotional tool: to appraise readers of the Amazing Spider-Man of the unique selling points of Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. We are introduced to Matt Murdoch, his alter-ego Daredevil, and we have his powers carefully explained to us. We get that Matt is blind, but that he can get by because of his super-enhanced other senses. Spider-Man never finds this out. We see quite a bit of Matt’s relationship with Foggy Nelson and Karen Page. But we see proportionately less of Peter Parker: Aunt May nags him for three frames about Mary Jane; Jonah huffs and puffs a bit, and Betty does her Jealous Lady turn. (“If you want to go to the circus without me that’s all right! But you could have told me! I don’t care if you’re taking some other girl…!!” Note that she still says “some other girl” when she met Liz last issue. And why, for flips sake, does Spider-Man have a ticket for the circus when he’s starring in it?) The title of the episode is not Ruck With the Ringmaster but Duel With Daredevil. It is unthinkable that Daredevil should appear in Spider-Man's comic without the two of them having a fight. With some characters fights are easy to arrange: Spider-Man and the Human Torch are two school boys who scuffle every time they meet; and obviously the Hulk smashes anything he see on general principals. Sometimes, Stan has to work a bit harder to arrange a Big Misunderstanding. In Tales to Astonish #57, Egghead sends a message to Hank Pym via his Ants that Spider-Man is about to attack him. ”He won’t suspect the report is a trap — he’ll believe his ants!…The two them are sure to destroy each other…never dreaming that I am the real enemy!” There is no problem in getting Spider-Man to tackle Daredevil: indeed one wonders if the reason for using a minor Hulk villain like the Ringmaster as the antagonist was precisely so that he could use his Science Hat to force the Man Without Fear to fight the Web Spinner. But mind control and amnesia are two of the most boring tools in the writerly trick basket. There is a certain amount of fun to be had in watching two heroes leap to the wrong conclusions about each other: but it’s not that much fun to watch Spider-Man hitting Daredevil because the Ringmaster's Hat has reduced him to a spider-zombie. The two heroes fight for a page or two until Daredevil steals the Science Hat and makes Spider-Man snap out of it. Daredevil then beats a tactful retreat and leaves Spider-Man to fight the other members of the Ringmaster’s circus by himself — well, it is his comic. Neither the fight nor the repartee is as much fun as they usually are ”We’ll beat you! We’re the kings of the high trapeze” “Well, here’s where you lose your crowns!” At the beginning of the story, Spider-Man bumps into Matt Murdoch while stopping a burglary (Matt had been planning to stop it himself); Spider-Man notices Matt in the audience of the circus; and Matt even applauds, in Daredevil’s voice, when Spider-Man defeats the Ringmaster's friends. Spider-Man knows that Matt is blind; he knows that Daredevil is the only one unaffected by the mind control; and the only way he knows to remain unaffected is to shut his eyes. “It all happened so suddenly that only a blind man could have been unaffected” lampshades Spider-Man “Well, naturally that can’t be the answer.” Oh, deary dear me. There is nothing actually dreadful about this story, but it feels awfully like a filler between the four “villains” issues and the magisterial triptych with which we are going to wind up our second spider-year. “If you don't say this is one of the greatest issues you’ve ever read, we may never talk to you again” enthuses Stan on the splash page. In that case, we’d all better shut up, hadn’t we. Posted by Andrew Rilstone Labels: COMIC BOOKS, Comics, Mr Stan Lee, Mr Steve Ditko, SPIDER-MAN Mike Taylor Thursday, 05 January, 2017 Strong agreement. Spider-Man is very rarely boring, but this issue manages it. The Ringmaster is second only to The Enforcers in being a completely inadequate bad-guy for Spidey to fight. (Honourable third place: Kraven.) The difference is that the Enforcers issues at least have something else going on. This time, not so much. Andrew Rilstone Saturday, 07 January, 2017 I think that teams of villains are hardly ever interesting. The Masters of Evil in the Avengers and the Frightful Four in the Fantastic Four were always unbearable; the villains either spent the issue explaining their plans to each other, or, worse, bickering. Mike Taylor Saturday, 07 January, 2017 Fair comment. The problem with the Fantastic Four is that there are four of them, and it never seems quite fair when they all gang up on (say) the Submariner. Happy Christmas To All Our Readers... Shooting In the Dark Too Long Have you seen the new Star Wars movie Andrew... I’m going tell you right wing authoritarian nativi... Please E-Mail Feedback To andrew.rilstone.gentleman@gmail.com politics Doctor Who Comics God Music Mr Stan Lee Mr Steve Ditko Star Wars Daily Express MOVIES Books MARK's GOSPEL Films Colston C.S Lewis Richard Dawkins Dave Sim Mr Joseph Campbell Tolkien Saddam Hussien TELEVISION Bob Dylan Giles Fraser the Beatles Arrr.... Fascism Mr Donald Trump Puppies Mr. Harry Potter	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line499
__label__cc	0.680454	0.319546	DOMA and Prop 8 Unconstitutional When you wake up in the morning (hey, it was still morning) and your in-box is full of joyful announcements that the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8 [both PDF links] have both been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, that’s a damn fine way to start a day. My usual demeanor is pretty cynical, I’ll be the first to admit — the things people do to one another, around the world and particularly here in the US, have contributed to that throughout my life. One of the most ridiculous, hateful, fearmongering trends in recent years has been the insistence by so many social conservatives that same-sex marriage is bad, wrong, evil, unnatural, and a threat to “traditional” marriage. The people who support this vile drivel have been masking their hate and fear and general negativity about the issue by insisting that they’re trying to “defend” marriage. Even with many thousands of gay and lesbian people getting married in the US in states where it’s been legal, even with the hundreds of thousands (maybe millions?) of gay and lesbian people getting married in countries around the world where it’s legal — including Canada, right next door — fearful, scowling folks keep insisting that gay marriage is somehow dangerous, that it threatens traditional man-woman marriage. You know what? My traditional marriage doesn’t need defending, certainly not by people like them. When Jim and I were living in California, about 40,000 gay couples got married during the five months that it was legal, if I remember the numbers correctly, and hey, we’re still married! Imagine that! All those people, men marrying men and women marrying women, and there was never a morning when either Jim or I woke up and said, “Hey, damn, I feel this overwhelming need to divorce you and marry someone of my own sex!” We have a great marriage, it’s as strong as ever, and all those gay people joyfully marrying each other did nothing whatsoever to damage our marriage. Heck, we got a double dose of this dangerous threat to our union when our new home state of Washington legalized gay marriage last year — you’ll be happy to know I’ve still felt no impulse to divorce my husband. One of my favorite sayings to come out of this situation is, “The only threat to traditional marriage is traditional divorce.” Halle-freaking-luiah. If you want to defend the institution of marriage, how about taking all the money and energy and other resources that’ve been poured into trying to prevent gays and lesbians from marrying and instead use it to, I don’t know, offer free counseling to couples whose marriages are actually in trouble? That’d be a constructive focus for the beliefs of the social conservatives, one that’d help a lot of people while hurting nobody, unlike DOMA and Prop 8 and related efforts, which are purely destructive and have caused a lot of hardship and misery. Just a suggestion for any defenders of marriage who are trying to figure out what their next move should be. So, the Feds now recognize any legal marriage, no matter what the plumbing of the married people looks like. And gay people are free to marry once more in California, which is awesome. This news actually chips away a tiny bit at my natural cynicism. If the other 37 states ever get with the 21st century and let gay couples marry, I might actually turn into a complete optimist! Let’s work toward that, shall we? Posted on June 26, 2013 Categories Cool Stuff, Excitement, Issues If you’ve just wandered in off the internet, hi and welcome. 🙂 I do these posts every month, so if this post isn’t dated in the same month you’re in, click here to make sure you’re seeing the most recent one. Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, “Until Filled” markets are at the bottom. There are usually more details on the original site; always click through and read the full guidelines before submitting. Note that some publishers list multiple antho guidelines on one page, so after you click through you might have to scroll a bit. 30 June 2013 — Strange Critters: Unusual Creatures of Appalachia — ed. Frank Larnerd, Woodland Press Format: Trade Paperback, ebook Payment: five cents per word (upon publication) plus contributor copy. No reprints Story length: Up to 2500 words No multiple or simultaneous subs Deadline: 12:00am Saturday, June 30th, 2013 E-mail submissions to: strangecritters@hotmail.com RTF, DOC, or DOCX attachments only. I am looking for horror stories featuring legendary, mythical, or imaginary creatures of Appalachia. Stories based on established local lore are preferred, but exceptions may be made for exceptionally crafted creatures. I am NOT looking for stories with zombies, vampires or other popular monsters. Submitted stories can be set in any time period, but must take place in the Appalachian region. Although the anthology is mainly targeted for adults, we DO NOT want stories containing language or content unsuitable for children. Submissions should also avoid unflattering Appalachian stereotypes. Accepted Manuscript Formatting: Double-spaced. Use Times New Roman (12). Italicize what you want italicized. Single space after sentence-ending punctuation. Be sure to include your name, address, and email on your manuscript. [Click through and check the comments for some discussion of what the editor means by “Appalachia,” geographically.] 30 June 2013 — Lost Worlds — Third Flatiron Anthologies Give us dinosaurs, planets and pyramids, paranormal, space opera…. Third Flatiron Publishing is an e-publishing venture based in Boulder, Colorado. We are looking for submissions to our quarterly themed online anthologies. Our focus is on science fiction and fantasy and anthropological fiction. We’re looking for tightly plotted tales in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Please send us short stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Fantastical situations and creatures, exciting dialog, irony, mild horror, and wry humor are all welcome. Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Role models for the type of fiction we want include Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur C. Clarke, Dan Simmons, Connie Willis, Vernor Vinge, and Ken Kesey. We want to showcase some of the best new shorts available today. Click through to the “Submissions” tab for preferred formats, etc. For each issue, we will also accept a few very short humor pieces on the order of the “Shouts and Murmurs” feature in The New Yorker Magazine (600 words or so). These can be written from a first-person perspective or can be mini-essays that tell people what they ought to do, how to do something better, or explain why something is like it is, humorously. An SF/Fantasy bent is preferred. Your story must be original work, with the digital rights unencumbered. Beginning with the Summer 2013 issue, accepted stories will be paid at the flat rate of 3 cents per word (U.S.), in return for the digital rights to the story. All other rights will remain with the author. We no longer offer royalties, as we’re now into our second year. 31 July 2013 — Long Hidden — ed. Rose Fox and Daniel José Older; Crossed Genres Publications Below are guidelines for submitting stories to Long Hidden, and the submission form. Please read the guidelines carefully before submitting. Direct all queries to questions@longhidden.com. Do not send story submissions via email, and do not send queries through the submission form. Who can submit We welcome stories by authors from all walks of life. We especially encourage submissions from members of marginalized groups within the speculative fiction community, including (but not limited to) people of color; people who are not from or living in the U.S.A.; QUILTBAG and GSM people; people with disabilities, chronic illness, or mental illness; and atheists, agnostics, and members of religious minorities. The protagonists of your story do not have to mirror your own heritage, identities, beliefs, or experiences. We also especially encourage short story submissions from people who don’t usually write in this format, including poets, playwrights, essayists and authors of historical fiction and historical romance. Submission deadline and publication schedule All submissions are due July 31, 2013. If it’s still July 31 in your time zone, you’re good. Acceptance notices will be sent by October 1. The anthology is tentatively slated for a February 2014 release. Pay and rights We pay USD 5¢/word for global English first publication rights in print and digital format. The author retains copyright. Payment is upon publication. Story criteria == Length: 3000-7000 words (FIRM) == Your story must be set between the years 1400 and 1920 C.E., and take place primarily in our world or an alternate historical version of our world. (Travel to other worlds, other dimensions, Fairyland, the afterlife, etc. is fine but should not be the focus.) == Your protagonists must be people who were marginalized in their time and place. By “marginalized” we mean that they belong to one or more groups of people that were categorically, systematically deprived of rights and/or economic power. Examples in most times and places include enslaved people, indigenous people, queer people, laborers, women, people with disabilities, the very young and very old, and people who do not share the local dominant religion, language, or ethnicity. Many people belong to multiple marginalized groups, and many are marginalized in some ways and privileged in others. Your story should acknowledge the complexity and intersectionality of marginalization. == Your story must contain a significant element of science fiction, fantasy, horror, or the weird, without which the story would not work or would be a substantially different story. == All submissions must be in English. == No reprints. No Simultaneous submissions. We will not accept any story containing the following: == Gratuitous or titillating depictions of violence. == Gratuitous descriptions of bodies or body parts, or people described only in objectifying ways. == Horror that relies on shocking or grossing out the reader. Stories that are all about how someone non-marginalized became an enlightened champion of marginalized people. == A protagonist from a societally or technologically powerful group who happens to be temporarily or situationally powerless (e.g. a peasant who’s really a prince, a representative of the British East India Company shipwrecked on Ceylon). == Depictions of marginalized people as being doomed to hopeless misery. == Depiction of any group, no matter how powerful, as universally, inherently, or irredeemably evil. If you decide to incorporate one or more of the following elements, please do so with caution and awareness of the ways that they can be problematic or difficult to write about. == Violence, particularly sexual violence. We recognize that sexual violence is frequently used as a weapon against marginalized people, so we are not issuing a blanket prohibition against it, but please consider very carefully whether you need to include it in your story; and if you decide that you do, please consider very very carefully whether your story needs to show the violent act itself. == Consensual sexual encounters. We’re not averse to sexual or erotic content, but it needs to further the story and incorporate awareness of the ways real-world power relationships affect sexual behavior and decision-making. == Stereotypes and clichés. == Alternate history that drops magic powers or anachronistic technology into a historical setting. == A protagonist who is the only marginalized person in the story. == Revenge fantasies. == A setting that’s already very commonly used in speculative fiction, especially one that’s often associated with stories featuring members of privileged/dominant/colonizing groups, e.g. Victorian England, the American “Wild West”. What we do want Your story doesn’t need to have all these elements, but we’re especially interested in stories that have at least some of them. == Intersectionality. == Accurate depictions of life on the margins. == Thoughtful, sensitive incorporation of religion, superstition, and folklore. == Depictions of historically accurate societal attitudes in the context of an authorial voice that does not condone or espouse bigotry. (For example, your female characters will probably have to deal with societal sexism, but your descriptions of them should not rely on sexist stereotypes.) == An understanding of how economic, technological, political, and religious influences shape a time and place, especially in alternate historical settings. == Research bibliographies and suggestions for further reading. == Integration of friendships, family relationships, and community into the story. == Protagonists who make conscious choices and take conscious action. == Side characters who are real people. == Personal triumphs and successes. == Making us laugh, think, cheer, and weep. To submit a story to Long Hidden, please fill out the form below. Be sure to: == Address your email “Dear Long Hidden editors” or “Dear Mr. Older and Ms. Fox” or “Dear Rose and Daniel”. All submissions should be addressed to both editors. See this post for why we feel the need to emphasize this. == Include your story’s year and location at the beginning of your submission. == Attach your story as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file, with your name, the story title, and the wordcount on the first page. [Click through for submission form.] [Also, see here for a more detailed discussion of what they’re doing with the book, what they want, and what writers they’ve invited already.] 1 August 2013 — Dying to Live — Diabolic Publications == All stories must be in doc. or docx, .rtf format. == All stories must be anywhere from 2000 to 8000 words long. == Please use 12 point font and double space your text. == We are looking for dark Vampires, of the old fashioned kind! Erotica is acceptable as long as the vampires drink human blood, bite, kill and so forth. We are not looking for love story type vampires. Stories that will not be accepted are stories with child rape, molestation, or pedophilia. == Allow at least 6 weeks before inquiring if your story will be included if you have not heard from us. You will receive an email if your story has been accepted. == NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS and NO MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS Submissions should be sent electronically as an attachment to: submissions@diabolicpublications.com In the subject line of the email, include your name, the title of the work you are submitting, and the edition you are submitting for “Dying to Live”. In the body of the email, include your contact information (Real Name or official pen name, not your online name), the word count of the work you are submitting, and a brief biography. Make certain to use an email address that you have access to all the time as correspondences from us come through email only! We only accept electronic submissions at this time. PAY: Made by Paypal only, if you don’t have a paypal account please get one. Fiction: US$.03/word, payable upon publication. Plus, one copy of the edition in which the work appears when edition is published as a paper copy. Reprints: US$.01/word, payable upon publication. Plus, one copy of the edition in which the work appears when edition is published as a paper copy. RIGHTS: Exclusive First World English Rights for print and First Electronic Rights for two years from date of print publication. Rights are then no longer exclusive and revert back to the author after the two year period. 1 August 2013 — I Delight in What the Book Forbids: Stories of Gay Muslim Fantasy — ed. Steve Berman; Lethe Press The title refers to a line from th acclaimed Arab poet Diwan Abu Nawas and, it is our hope, to inspire both prose poems and short fiction that is both positive in its treatment of Muslim men and expands upon the rich mythology of the Arab world: jinn, the garin, rocs, and ghuls among others. Whether these gay men seek adventure, treasure, or love, the stories should be rich in their surroundings and culture (whether ancient, medieval, or contemporary). Stories should deal with gay or bisexual men and between 2,500 and 10,000 words. Pament for original fiction is 5 cents a word; reprints receive 1 cent a word. All authors receive a free copy of the book. Consider some of the stories by Alex Jeffers when looking at what I want. Submissions should be sent to sberman8@yahoo.com no later than August 1st. 1 September 2013 — Ether World — Diabolic Publications LLC == All stories must be in doc., docx., or .rtf format. == All stories must be up to 4000 words or less. == Please use 12 point font, Times New Roman and double space your text. == We are looking for original science fiction in which some facet of future science or technology is integral to the plot. The science needs to be physical, sociological or psychological. The technology can be any form such as electronic engineering, biogenetic engineering and so forth. All stories must be strong and realistic, with believable characters that may or may not be human. == You will receive an email if your story has been accepted or rejected as soon as a decision has been made. == NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS, NO MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS, NO REPRINTS! On the subject line of the email, include your name, the title of the work you are submitting, and the anthology you are submitting for , in this case the “Ether World”. We require a written and signed agreement which will be sent with an acceptance email. Fiction: US$.03/word, payable upon electronic publication. Plus, one copy of the edition in which the work appears when edition is published as a paper copy. Reprints: US$.01/word, payable upon print publication. Plus, one copy of the edition in which the work appears when edition is published as a paper copy. RIGHTS: Exclusive First World English Rights for print, and First Electronic Rights for two years from date of publication. Rights are then no longer exclusive and revert back to the author after the two year period. UNTIL FILLED — Membrane — Dreadful Cafe — First Listed May 2013 Unreal. Imaginative. Intense. An escape from the safe. These stories will propel the reader—by wormhole or peephole—through the fantastic, the criminal, and the insane. Sometimes strange, always original, the stories we publish are of the highest production standards, from thrilling premise all the way to professional editing. We are now soliciting query letters for Membrane, our first anthology. All genres are eligible, but preference is given to stories that cross more than one and which reflect the flavor and theme described above. Manuscripts must be between 2,000 and 30,000 words and not previously published by anyone but the author. Self-published works are accepted and encouraged! Please refer to our Submission Guidelines. Upon acceptance of your completed manuscript, Dreadful Cafe pays for non-exclusive, unlimited, 5-year publishing rights on the following schedule: Short Stories (2,000-7,000 words) — $125 Novelettes (7,001-15,000 words) — $250 Novellas (15,001-30,000 words) — $500/Negotiable It’s your work. We are simply paying for the rights to publish, market, and sell your completed manuscript as part of this or any other Dreadful Cafe anthology. You are encouraged to continue marketing on your own. However, you will be unable to enter into any exclusive arrangement with other parties once you have sold rights to us. Also, note that we may give your story away for free as part of our marketing efforts, and that we may use edited excerpts from your story for the same. This applies to both electronic and print versions, both in the US and abroad. We may, at our discretion, hire an editor (at our expense) to work with you on your manuscript. Payment follows final completion and acceptance of the edited manuscript. Dreadful Cafe reserves the right to reject your manuscript at any time and for any reason, including elimination from future editions of the published anthology. No royalties or warranties are given or implied. Estimated Publication: Pre-holiday 2013 Query Submissions Open: April 1, 2013 Query Submissions Closed: TBD The Dreadful Cafe is committed to socially responsible publishing. All after-cost proceeds from this anthology will go to support St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, because life is too short not to have fun and too precious not to do good. We encourage you to support the many local charities in your community. Posted on June 14, 2013 Categories Anthology Market Listings The Perfect Metaphor Still on the Resnick/Malzberg thing. I’ve been trying to figure out how to model what could possibly have been going on in these guys’ heads, because they’re not stupid, whatever they might’ve been displaying recently. Ferret Steinmetz hit it perfectly. When you do something very difficult in an Xbox game, you get an Achievement. It’s a fizzy little thrill, not unlike winning a scratch-off lottery ticket: you vanquish a difficult boss and there’s a blip noise, then an alert at the bottom of the screen: ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED. You’re told the name of your special Achievement. It is added to your profile, and is yours forevermore. There appear to be a lot of feisty old dudes who think they’re awesome at this equality thing. Here’s the thing: by 1970s standards? I’m sure all of these gentlemen were enlightened. Compared to the treatment women, gays, and blacks got from mainstream society at the time, these dudes were well ahead of the curve. And at the time, they deserved all the credit for going above and beyond ordinary treatment. Still do, in a certain sense. The problem is, in their heads, they Achievement Unlocked. They became Good To Girls, or Friend To The Negro, or Comfortable With Homos. And that badge could never be removed. Once they’d proven their magnificent tolerance in the crucible of the Issues of the Day, they never had to question their position again. That’s it, right there. Steinmetz nailed it completely. Click through to read the whole thing. I hope Resnick and Malzberg do, and that it makes a lightbulb go off in their heads. Posted on June 4, 2013 Categories Issues On Free Speech Far too many people these days seem to think that freedom of speech means freedom from being criticized, freedom from consequences, freedom from verbal retaliation. We need only look at the response of the two guys whose columns triggered the current kerfuffle over the SFWA Bulletin for an example of this — apparently people criticizing their columns is censorship, oh noes! One of my favorite quotes on this subject comes from Jim Hines, who said, “Freedom of speech doesn’t protect you from the consequences of saying stupid shit.” Everyone who’s ever whined that their free speech was being curtailed because people responded by saying mean things about them needs to tattoo Jim’s quote on their forearm or something, someplace where they can see it every day. Tobias Buckell just linked to this great post by Ken White on Popehat, the legal blog. It’s right on point and well worth reading. It starts like this: Let’s be clear — the right to free speech is the right to express oneself without state retaliation. It is not a right to speak without social retaliation. Speech has consequences. Among those consequences are condemnation, vituperation, scorn, ridicule, and pariah status. Those consequences represent other people exercising their free speech rights. That’s a feature of the marketplace of ideas, not a bug. Yet too many people seem to think that free speech includes not only a right to be free of consequences imposed by the state, but a right to be free of consequences imposed by other people. Therefore they attempt to portray criticism as a violation of their rights. This, of course, finds no support in the law, and is patently unsustainable as a philosophy besides — it nonsensically elevates the rights of the first person to talk over the rights of the second person to talk. There’s more; click through and check it out. Posted on June 1, 2013 Categories Annoyances, Issues BayCon Redux I’m alive, barely. I came home with Con Crud from BayCon and have spent most of the last few days unconscious, which is the best way to spend a period of physical misery IMO. I’m feeling almost alive again, yay. The convention was fun. I saw some friends I only (or almost only — depends on the year) see at BayCon, and that’s always cool. Even if the convention itself wasn’t really that great, I’d still go to see old friends. Lois McMaster Bujold was the writer GOH, and I went to a couple of her panels, a reading and an interview. For the reading, she read a couple of chunks of a novella in the Vorkosiverse, which she said might not ever be published because of structural issues, so those of us in the room might well be the only fans who ever get to experience even a piece of it. That’d be a shame — it’s from Ekaterin’s POV (which was apparently one of the problems, but anyway) and was about how the guy who developed the butterbugs modified a strain of bugs to eat radioactive foliage and such, and concentrate the “hot” matter in their feces, which the bugs were trained to deposit in central collection areas. So basically, the idea was to release these bugs into Miles’s glassy crater (which isn’t so glassy anymore, but is still very radioactive) and let them do their thing. Clean up the glowy poop periodically and shoot it into the sun, or dump it down a particularly active subduction zone, whatever you want to do with it, and eventually the land will be habitable again. Of course there’s a kink in the cable, and things get interesting, and that’s about where she stopped reading. 🙂 I hope she fixes the problems some day, because this was the beginning of a fun story. I’ve heard Ms. Bujold speak before, and I’ve always enjoyed listening to her. She’s a good reader, too — I dragged my husband to one of her readings at a WorldCon back when, and that persuaded him to start reading the Vorkosigan books. If you have a chance to see her, take it. The masquerade was small this year, but there were a lot of cool costumes. My favorite was Erin Mittman, who did “Dess from the Midnighters, by Scott Westerfeld.” I’ve never read that book, so I have no idea how close she was to the original. But what I loved was her prop work — young girl in a black costume, it was decent, whatever. But she had this long spear she carried, and the spear had a length of fishing line at the pointy end, attaching it to a big, black fly/spider-like monster made as a balloon animal. For her presentation, she “fought” the monster, and it looked awesome. 😀 The balloon creature was light and floaty, so at times it sort of hovered, and at times it darted around, depending on what she was doing with her spear. It was the best fighting-a-monster act I’ve ever seen at a masquerade, where the monster wasn’t another person in a costume. Major kudos to Ms. Mittmann; I hope we see more of her at future cons. Best Workmanship went to Shael Hawman, for “Knit Klingon.” I think she was the woman who did the crocheted Wonder Woman costume last year, but I’m not sure. This was great, though, and I actually liked it more than the WW costume. The announcer said that everything above her boots was either knit or crocheted, and it looked awesome. Best in Show was a black woman named J.B. (that’s all that’s in the newsletter, unfortunately, and I don’t remember whether more of a name was announced during the competition) who was an “Intergalactic Amazon Warrior.” The costume was decent, and I liked that it wasn’t low cut or slit up to here or anything; it was a warrior costume, not a “sexy-whatever” costume playing for catcalls. What was really cool, though, was her presentation. She had a sword (looked kind of like a katana, although I didn’t get a close look) and she had a dance/kata routine she did with it that looked really good. A lot of costumers can’t move very well, and look awkward or self-conscious, but J.B. must have practiced this, and it looked very good. Another one I hope to see more of in the future. Luckily my con crud didn’t hit until I was on my way home, so I had a great time at the convention itself. Ironically, I actually did some writing at the convention (although not quite enough to make my quota for the week) but I haven’t managed any at all since I got home. :/ I hope to fix that tonight and tomorrow, although I’ll probably blow my quota again. That’s okay; I’m way ahead for the year so far, and if I had a day job, I’d definitely have taken these days off, so I don’t feel bad about taking them off writing too. Still hacking and light-headed, Posted on June 1, 2013 Categories Travel	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line502
__label__cc	0.689475	0.310525	Almanas Vitauts available 4 items Picnic by the tree Still life with a black radish In paradise garden Vitauts Almanas (1965-2007) Was born in 1965 and lives in Riga ( Latvia ). He first started draw at the age of four. His happiest memories of childhood are those of being allowed to paint. While enrolled at The Janis Rosental's Art School ( a secondary school )- 1976-83, and then subsequently at The Latvian Academy of Arts in 1983-89. Almanas intensely studied the works of masters. Content only when he is working, he has become a maverick in the artistic community of Riga, most often seen around town wearing a white brocade vest and ruffled " poet's " shirt. A loner by nature, Almanas's paintings reflect this. Although the artist does cast the members of his family for the figures in his paintings, he most often uses himself as the subject. Almanas estimates he has painted over 1,000 self-portraits. " When you paint another person they try to influence you, your art. I paint self-portraits both from memory and using a mirror. This way I can interpret myself both physically as well as my state of mind." The paintings of Vitauts Almanas are an extension of his being, his environment either real or surreal, and a fascinating look into the mind of the Latvia's leading " New Generation" artists. Primarily a figurative painter, Almanas uses the figure to recreate the impact of an unconscious moment. The look cast by the subject, the intensity of a gaze or the portrayal of a single fluid gesture invite the viewer to take a closer look. So subtly composed are the paintings that one does not at first artist is a master of the theatrical. Having worked in the opera for short period of time, Almanas approaches each new piece with the eye of director and producer. The figures, like all good actor, are composed and calm in playing their parts. Even in the works portraying broad, sweeping motion, each movement comes off as practiced elegance. And in fact, Elegant" is a term that can be applied to the painting of Vitauts Almanas. The colors and the figures often hint at 17th century Dutch masterpieces. Romantic background setting, an air of nonchalance, and the play of rich drapery all create a mood of faded grandeur. The effect is a strange juxtaposition of the present onto the past. To emphasize this, Almanas has simulated the technique of the masters; rich glazes and varnishes cast a soft golden light and create a rich texture of several often transparent layers. Even his more abstracted pieces have a barogue feeling. " L believe that one cannot create anything new without understanding what has been creates in the past. I am constantly studying and leaning. I feel a need to work through myself every thing that has happened before me". Group Exhibitions: Riga, Latvia; Vilnius, Lithuania; Moscow, USSR; Berlin, Germany; Vienna, Austria; Sydney, Australia. Personal Exhibitions: Latvia: Bauska-1984, Ogre-1984, Baldone-1986, Jelgava-1988, Dobele-1988, Aluksne-1988, Jurmala - 1989; Germany: Belin-1990. Selected collections: London, England; Dusseldorf, Cologne, Bremen, Germany; Paris, France; Bratislava, Slovakia; Warsaw, Poland; Budapest, Hungry; Pome, Italy; Helsinki, Finland; Stokholm, Sweden; Ottava, Canada; Tokyo, Japan; Tel-Avia, Israel; Sydney, Melburn, Australia; New York, USA.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line505
__label__wiki	0.669292	0.669292	Kalinda Sharma In this CBS legal drama, Archie plays the award winning role of Kalinda Sharma, the enigmatic and sexually manipulative private investigator. Archie’s portrayal of KALINDA continues to be a fan favorite, and gain critical acclaim earning her SAG, Emmy and Golden Globe nominations with an Emmy win in 2010. Known for wearing her knee high leather boots and using weaponry such as a baseball bat and sledgehammer, Kalinda has become iconic as she continue to be one of the most intriguing and provocative characters on TV. View awards and nominations She’s giving the most original performance in prime time. Panjabi is a stealthily insinuating presence – and striking.” – People Magazine Millions who watch TGW are obsessed with Panjabi’s ass kicking investigator, she was the Academy’s logical choice. Panjabi’s Kalinda has fascinated audiences in a way that few charecters do.” – The Daily Beast No wonder Kalinda has emerged as a viewer favorite ….and no wonder Archie Panjabi, who last year won an Emmy for her portrayal of Kalinda, can hold her own in a robust cast of actors. With her implacable shrewdness, sass and sexuality, Kalinda heats up every scene she is in.” – Associate Press Archie Panjabi as the private investigator Kalinda is the show’s secret weapon.” – Orlando Sentinel	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line513
__label__cc	0.741557	0.258443	I Can't Do It When You're Watching Me! A curious post "Luck and Skill in Trading..." from Peter Webb on his vendor blog who says, "Of course, you can’t guarantee that you get it right and also talking and trading is pretty hard. When trading you need no distractions to be able to trade effectively. A room full of people is a major distraction!" I wonder how traders in financial markets manage to trade sitting next to each other in huge trading rooms with all the noise, hustle and bustle, let alone the former open outcry traders pushing and shoving in their trading pits? Come bonus time and a trader doesn't get any extra for his year's work can he say to his manager, "I would have made more but everyone was looking at me!" [EDIT: Two can play at this game. Financial traders have noisy squawk boxes, television screens and other traders shouting orders into phones whilst they themselves trade. 14 winning trades in a row is nothing if you have been trading for a long time. I have tossed a coin and gotten 14 heads in a row but that doesn't make me a genius tosser. Just a tosser!] Jospeh Buchdahl discusses luck and skill in his excellent book Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks and, as usual, he backs his statements up with facts and figures rather than anecdotes. What Joseph more than amply demonstrates is that at the top of the game, be it in sport or gambling on sport, is that as the skill gap closes the luck factor increases. Soccer has always been a little backward in going forward, which you can read about in Soccernomics. Sport science and big data has only recently entered the realm of that sport. Putting aside Leicester's outlier in the 2015/16 season (Leicester has since mean reverted) the vast sums of television money that now buys players and support staff means a bunching up at the top of the Premier League by those teams owned by the super-rich. There could well be a lucky moment or two this season that decides who takes the league title. In trading too, with all the available data and the technological improvements to process that data it gets harder every year to find an edge. The future will probably see markets predominantly filled with algo-traders and high-frequency operations, less of the old-school manual traders "scalping" a tick or two. As with pit traders in finance, the manual trader in sports will become marginalised. Reactions to late-breaking information will be more rapid than today and as in the Premier League it will be the wealthy operations with the latest technology that truly profit. Another snippet from Mr Webb's post mentions, "If you assume that my ability to get a winning trade is just that of a coin toss, a 50-50 chance, then what is the chance of me getting all 14 traits (trades) correct?" I can't help but think that the little imp has been reading my website again and suffering from a little cognitive bias in jumping to a conclusion that isn't there. I did say in my article Scalping and The Winning Combination that in a directionless market a (noise) trader has only a 50% chance of success. If a market has direction then the chance of trading market movements is no longer 50/50 but then I did say, "If they had asked, 'In an upwardly trending market.' then I might have said something different." Topics: trading You could trade on the delayed data key and have the live data on another screen. Stream the parts of the screen that wont show this to the other room. I'd get 100/100 like that ! James 19 October 2016 at 10:15	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line517
__label__wiki	0.719424	0.719424	Click below for more information Home Page - Index Authorities Assessed Apostolic Traditions Emperors General Church Councils Early Christian History What Jesus Believed Who Founded Christianity? Creation of Doctrine Origin of Ideas & Practices The Concept of Orthodoxy Origin of the Priesthood Maintaining Deceptions Suppress Facts Selecting Sources Fabricating Records Retrospective Prophesy Ambiguous Authorities Ignore Injunctions Invent, Amend and Discard Manipulate Language Re-branding a Sky-God Making One God out of Many How Mary keeps her Virginity Fabricating the Nativity Story Managing Inconvenient Texts Traditional Battlegrounds Modern Battlegrounds Rational Explanations Religion in General Christianity in Particular Divine Human Beings Ease of Creating Religions Arguments for and Against Popular Arguments Philosophical Arguments Moral Arguments Supernatural Arguments Practical Arguments Record of Christianity Penal Reform Treatment of Women The Physically Ill The Mentally Ill Persecutions of Christians Persecutions by Christians "Heathens" Schismatics Cathars Inquisition Victims Freethinkers Blasphemers Apostates Pantheists Unitarians Deists Meddling in Governance Interference in Politics Church Law and Justice Exemption from the Law Unofficial Exemption Financial Privileges Control Over Education Freedom of Enjoyment Attitudes to Sex Sex Within Marriage Sex Outside Marriage Dark and Middle Ages 20th and 21st Centuries Medical Records Compared Violence & Warfare God's Wars Churches' Wars Christian Atrocities Cultural Vandalism The Classical World The Wider Modern World Possible Explanations Marketing Religion Marketing Christianity Continuing Damage Christian Discrimination Moral Dangers A Final Summing Up Bad News Blog Religious Quotations Christianity & Human Rights Christian Prooftexts And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; even as I received of my Father. Up to the fifth century AD, Christians seem to have had an inkling that there was something morally questionable about torture and killing. Christian torturers and executioners generally delayed their own baptism until just before death. The Church assured them that any sins of which they might have been guilty were thus washed away, and no lasting harm was done to their immortal souls. For the next 1,000 years and more, when Christianity was at the height of its power, the Church regarded brutality and killing as perfectly acceptable, and no such precautions were thought necessary. Mutilation, branding and flogging were commonplace. The Church found it acceptable for people to be flogged for the most trivial offences, even for things that today are not considered offences at all. Amongst them were vagrancy, drunkenness, drinking on a Sunday, having an illegitimate baby, even contracting smallpox. Torture had been used as punishment and as a method of eliciting information in ancient times, but thinkers like Seneca and Cicero had recognised both its injustice and its futility as a means of discovering the truth. Such ideas did not impress Christians, and as we shall see (page 410) the Church was responsible for introducing torture into almost all European penal systems, without any of the original roman safeguards. In England the provisions of Magna Carta (which had been denounced by the Church) had been interpreted as representing torture to be abhorrent to the principle of English freedom, and the common law did not permit its use. When two inquisitors were sent to England in 1310 to extract confessions from Knights Templar, they insisted on using torture. The king allowed some torture to be applied "according to ecclesiastical law", but apparently not enough to satisfy the inquisitors. The Pope (Clement V) wrote to King Edward II: We hear that you forbid torture as contrary to the laws of your land; but no state can override Canon law, Our Law; therefore I command you at once to submit these men to torture ...Withdraw your prohibition and we grant you remission of sins* In the seventeenth century James Felton defied Archbishop Laud's threats of torture on the rack, and the matter was referred to the courts. As a result the common law was confirmed, and torture was definitively declared to be unlawful in England. In 1689 the Bill of Rights explicitly prohibited its use, so now it was banned by statute as well. Elsewhere, torture was a favourite method of extracting confessions for offences both real and fabricated. In 1252, Pope Innocent IV explicitly sanctioned its use in his bull ad extirpanda. Inquisitors and their assistants were permitted to absolve one another for applying torture. It was applied liberally to obtain whatever confessions were required, and sometimes just to punish people that the Church authorities did not like. Voices raised against the use of torture were all secular. Early critics like Juan Luis Vives, Johann Graefe and Montaigne were regarded by the Church as its enemies. In 1740 Frederick the Great abolished torture in Prussia, and around the same time Voltaire lent his voice to opposing the use of torture in France. Despite the opposition of the Churches, secular powers succeeded in abolishing torture: in Italy in 1786, in France in 1789, in Spain in 1812, and so on. Pope Pius VII nominally banned the use of torture by inquisitors in 1816, but a blind papal eye was turned to its continued use for another 20 years or so. Paschal I (pope 817-824) blinded his opponents before beheading them. He was made a saint. Hadrian III (pope 884-885) was also keen on blinding his political opponents and once had a woman whipped naked through the streets of Rome. He too is now a saint. Over the centuries the Roman Church tortured, flogged, branded and killed countless thousands of people, many of them for crimes that no longer exist. Mutilation was a common punishment throughout Christendom. For example a crusader who struck another and drew blood was liable to have a hand chopped off. Other offenders suffered the removal of limbs, or of the nose, ears, lips, tongue or genitals. Branding was used to disfigure bodies, arms, hands, cheeks and foreheads. Bishops" courts in England passed sentences of whipping and branding even on their own clerics. The great English saint Thomas Becket was one of many who had recourse to the branding iron*. Mental incapacity was no defence. James Naylor imagined himself to be Christ and entered Bristol on a donkey in imitation of Jesus" entry into Jerusalem. Although obviously insane, he was brought before the House of Commons in 1656 and narrowly escaped being sentenced to death. Instead he was sentenced to a selection of lesser punishments. He was pilloried outside the Houses of Parliament, then whipped through the streets of Westminster to the City of London, receiving 310 lashes from a whip of seven knotted cords. He was then pilloried again at the Old Exchange. Later, his tongue was bored through with a hot iron, and he was branded on the forehead with the letter B (for blasphemer). He was then sent to Bristol where he was publicly whipped again, then returned to London for an indefinite sentence of hard labour in solitary confinement. He died soon after his release a few years later, a more merciful Parliament having taken pity on him. For many centuries Christian missionaries secured conversions by offering a choice between adopting the Christian religion and instant death. By the late Middle Ages this was seen to be a little harsh. Christian missionaries now routinely used torture to secure converts and to punish those who did not live up to requirements. Such practices had been assumed to have been abandoned during the Enlightenment, at least by Protestants, but a flurry of cases was exposed in Victorian times. In 1880 it was disclosed that a Free Church of Scotland mission to Nyasaland maintained a pit prison in which a man had died after receiving 200 lashes. A few years later a Nigerian woman died having had red pepper rubbed into her wounds after a beating. Such cases caused a scandal among European sceptics. Churches became more cautious about their methods, but such techniques may well have been used into the twentieth century. While the Church held sway, it supported all manner of absurdity and horror. It was the custom for Christian teachers to punish a servant lad when a royal pupil had misbehaved. (This is the origin of the term whipping boy.) As long as someone suffered, justice was somehow thought to have been done. Such an inequitable concept was comfortably accommodated within the Church. Corporal punishment has always featured strongly in church schools until recent times, but it was not confined to schools. When society shared common Christian mores, corporal punishment was widespread: it was practised extensively in Christian seminaries, monasteries, convents, orphanages, mental hospitals, armies, navies, prisons and homes. Birching was practised in British prisons until 1968. The sjambok is a heavy leather whip used extensively in Africa, It is traditionally made from an adult hippopotamus hide. It is also known as a litupa, imvubu, kiboko and as mnigolo. In the Portuguese African colonies and Congo Free State it was called a chicotte, from the Portuguese word for whip. There it was sometimes rendered even more lacerating by adding nails. A strip of the animal's hide is cut and carved into a strip 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) long, tapering from about 1 inch (25 mm) thick at the handle to about 3/8 in (10 mm) at the tip. This strip is then rolled until a tapered-cylindrical form is acheived. The resulting whip is both flexible and durable. The sjambok had a variety of uses, from cattle driving to flogging slaves. In the Belgian Congo, the instrument was also known as fimbo and was used to force labour from local people through flogging, sometimes to death. A slave is whipped with a chicotte Congo Free State c. 1905 Slavery was practiced at this time under the Catholic monarch Leopold II of the Belians. Countless slaves were flogged to death there, often for failing to meet their rubber production quotas. Read more at Christian atrocities For more than 1,000 years Christianity set the standards. During that time many suffered physical abuse. Prisoners were tortured in bishops' torture chambers. Noses were split, ears cropped, tongues bored, backs whipped, foreheads and cheeks branded, limbs crushed or cut off. It was not only prisoners who suffered. Slaves were thrashed to death. Uncooperative potential converts were physically coerced. Christian husbands beat their wives. Canon law specifically permitted wife beating, so it took place at every level of society. All this has changed through the gradual adoption of secular ideas, and the Churches have now ceased to oppose such changes. Now we learn from the mainstream Churches that Jesus has always been against all kinds of beastly behaviour. William Empson's observation that Christianity is a “religion based on torture” was palpably true in his own day but is now only obvious to historians. Today, the recieved Christian view on physical abuse is identical to the one developed by secular liberal social workers - though there is still a steady stream of child deaths attributable to severe beatings administered by Christian parents, whose defense is that they are merely following traditional practices and biblical injunctions. A Spanking Stick, still available on Christian websites. This one is advertised on www.kingidentity.com and is printed with biblical texts. More social issues: Buy the Book from Amazon.com Buy the Book from Amazon.co.uk § As Sir Edward Coke put it in the early seventeenth century in his Third Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England (1654) "there is no law to warrant tortures in this land". The practice was not as laudable as the theory, for Thomas Cromwell had already introduced torture into England, having seen it used in Continental Europe. Statute law takes precedence over the common law. Specific statutes could therefore be passed (e.g. for the Court of Star Chamber). Alternatively, the accused could be removed to other territories under the monarch's control (e.g. to Scotland, or to French possessions). In some cases the Royal Prerogative was invoked, or the common law was simply ignored. But the important point is that ecclesiastical law, which did allow torture, was not generally admitted in England. §. Pope Clement V had sent two inquisitors (the Abbot of Lagny and Sicard de Vaur) to investigate charges against the Knights Templar. These were the first and only inquisitors to operate in England. Barber, The Trial of the Templars, pp 199. §. Letter from Pope Clement V to King Edward II of England. Regestum Clementis Papae V, nunc primum editum cura et studio Monachorum Ordinis S. Benedicti (Rome, 1885-92) year 5, no. 6670, pp 84-6. The English translation is quoted from G. G. Coulton, Medieval Panorama, Cambridge University Press (1947), p 380. Clement was asking for the Templars to be taken to Ponthieu, in Edward's French territories, where the inquisitors could work normally. It seems likely that the inquisitors could not get the results they wanted in England because the civil authorities were insisting that the rules be followed, and that the tortures applied should not cause permanent injury or violent effusion of blood. These rules were routinely ignored in France, and nearly all French Templars either died under torture or else confessed to charges put to them. For a full account of this whole sad business see Barber, The Trial of the Templars, especially pp 197-199. §. Pollock and Maitland, The History of English Law, vol. 1. p 444, citing Herbert of Bosham, Materials for History of Becket, iii. 265 (whipping) and Fitz Stephen, Materials, iii. 45-6. • © • Further Resources • Link to Us • • Contact •	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line524
__label__cc	0.618498	0.381502	Northgate’s Big Beer Birthday Bash Northgate Brewing celebrated its second anniversary on Saturday, January 31st in grand style with a Big Beer Birthday Bash at its taproom and brewery. Located at 780 Harding Street SE, in Minneapolis, the brewery has enjoyed explosive growth over the last two years brewing selling a variety of English- and American-style beers. Adam Sjogren proudly stands in front of his brewhouse equipment and celebrates the second anniversary of Northgate Brewing. As is a common refrain in craft brewing, home brewers Adam Sjogren, Todd Slininger and Tuck Carruthers turned their passion for brewing into a profession. But it wasn’t a straightforward path to founding and running their brewing business. Carruthers was burned out in his commercial real estate job and was seeking a career change. He left his real estate job and attended brewing school at the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illnois. Enrolled in the international program, he studied brewing in Munich, Germany. Whether it was serendipity or fate, Sjogren and Slininger had developed a business plan for launching a brewery and they pitched it in a business class that Carruther’s wife was attending. She notified her husband of their plan, and the three founding partners came together. The three special second anniversary brews sold at Northgate for Big Beer Birthday Bash. Northgate started out with a meager 7-barrel system in 780 square foot location in Northeast Minneapolis. But soon after the three partners launched their brewery, they discovered that the facility would not support the demand for their beer. Northgate moved to the Harding street address that affords the operation 7,400 total square feet, and it allowed them to triple brewing capacity. At the present time, the brewery operation houses a Specific Mechanical 20-barrel brewhouse, and it has additional space to expand. Adam thanks Northgate patrons for making the brewery a success and then the bagpiper played on. When asked about the company’s aggressive growth, Sjogren said, “I was surprised. Our original business plan started with a smaller space and it was a three-year plan, but it only took months. I think that our style of beer is not common in this market and we wanted to bring the beers to market that we liked… the English-style beer because there was no representation here [Twin Cities]. So when we started, we were either going to be smart or stupid. For the coming year, we are going to continue making the best beer we can make. But we are going to control our growth and never let it get away from us. And we are going to explore the bigger side of English-style beers.” To celebrate the auspicious anniversary, Northgate offered a three-bomber pack with a sifter and bottle opener for $35. The anniversary pack included Fiddle Smasher Scotch Ale, Russian Imperial Stout, and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Old Ale. The crew at Northgate served its fans in the packed tap room. A fun and festive atmosphere permeated the tap room, which was near or at capacity most of the day. Morris dancers and the Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League entertained those in attendance. Rousing bagpipe music added to the ambiance of the event and was fitting for the brewery that specializes in British-style ales, bitters and stouts. The brewing operations were on display during the anniversary celebration. A wide selection of their English and American ales were on tap, including Wall’s End (the self-described flagship English Brown Ale), Parapet ESB (English Pale Extra Special Bitter), Maggies Leap (Sweat Stout), Golden Smash (single malt and single hop IPA), Red Headed Piper (Irish Red Ale), Stronghold (porter), Get Together IPA (American Session IPA), and Winter Soldier (American Amber Ale). By Paul Johnson February 4, 2015 January 1, 2018 Categories: Beer Blurbs Leave a comment ← BeerGuysTV Podcast – Leech Lake Brewing Blindside Pale Ale Beer Guys TV Podcast – Hop Drop and Roll →	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line527
__label__wiki	0.506153	0.506153	Home • FAQ • Search • Register • Login Sound of the World presents Otro Mundo (Another World) (July 2009); <br> Honky Tonk (Nov 2nd) 107 posts • Page 2 of 8 • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 8 by richardh » Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:47 pm A Freddy Fender track? But which one? Sir Douglas Quintet "New York Nitty Gritty" ? richardh Location: Tunbridge Wells by Charlie » Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:36 pm Neil Foxlee wrote: Why not make this a proper competition, with whoever comes up with the most tracks (or possibly artists) that are on the CD winning a free (signed?) copy? That rules me out then... OK, you are on, and no more hints about what is on and what is off by NormanD » Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:32 pm Charlie wrote: ....no more hints.... OK. If you read the following closely - a Radio Times article from 1973, thank you Alan - you might find one possible clue Location: 77 Sunset Strip by Neil Foxlee » Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:51 pm One paragraph of this reveals some things I never knew before. But what's with the scare quotes around 'expert' on American pop music? Last edited by Neil Foxlee on Sun Jul 19, 2009 6:33 pm, edited 3 times in total. Neil Foxlee Location: Bay Area (Morecambe, not San Francisco) I don't know how you intend to judge this comp, but I won't nick anyone else's where they've mentioned an artist and specific title, so I'll just go with the following, including ones I mentioned earlier: Mac Gayden (sp OK?) - "Morning Glory" Bobby Charles - "Small Town Talk" Freddy Fender - "Wasted Days, Wasted Nights" Doug Sahm - "Mendocino" Soul Stirrers - "Jesus Gave Me Water" or "Hem Of His Garment" Prof Longhair - "Tipitina" Dr John - "Right Place, Wrong Time" Dr Hook - "Cover Of The Rollin' Stone" Louis Jordan - Choo Choo Ch Boogie' Billy The Kid Emmerson - "Red Hot" Junior Parker - "Mystery Train" The Showmen - "It Will Stand" or "Country Fool" The Coasters - "Shoppin' For Clothes" Junior Kimborough - "In The City" Ry Cooder - "Dark End Of The Street" (Chicken Skin live album) Muddy Waters - ?? Little Richard - ?? Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa Tommy McLain - "Sweet Dreams" or "Before I Grow To Old" Maria Muldaur - ?? Kate & Anna McGarrigle - "Complainte Pour Ste Catherine" or "Kiss And Say Goodbye" To avoid the competition becoming like Mornington Crescent, I think Charlie will need to come up with some rules and/or procedure. One way of doing it would be for people simply to come up with lists by a certain date, but that would involve a lot of duplicate posts and a lot of work checking them all off. An easier alternative might be for Charlie to note who was first to come up with correct answers as they're posted, and to tot up each of those people's scores. So, Charlie could keep tally thus: Track 1 Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett. NormanD - T (i.e. the first to come up with the correct track) Track 2 Title/Artist. Poster's name - A (i.e first to come up with the correct artist) At the cut-off date, Charlie would then see who had the most T's, using the A's for any tie-break. Does that make sense? PS Mind you, that might mean Norman having a head start for being so quick off the mark, and Charlie having to reveal the tracks as they were correctly guessed, and then periodically posting an update (perhaps in a separate dedicated thread). Back to the drawing board? (Alternatively, Charlie could give a score to each track-list as it came up, though this would mean complete lists rather than odd suggestions. How many tracks are there?) Last edited by Neil Foxlee on Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:08 am, edited 1 time in total. by will vine » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:35 pm Blimey, I can't believe I've only just seen this thread and I'd be surprised if Norman hasn't already won the competition but, though I can't go back and check what's been mentioned I'll add my twopennyworth. Any of these? Lights Out....Jerry Byrne I Ain't Never.... The Blue Ridge Rangers I Can Help...Billy Swan Gonna Buy Me a Jukebox In the Night....Junior Parker Rough Kids....Kilburn and the High Roads How Long...Ace Piggy Back Sue / The Swan....Jona Lewie Coast To Coast....Ducks Deluxe Peace Love and Understanding...Brinsley Schwartz Street Gang......Ronnie Lane Sweet Dreams...Tommy McLain will vine Location: The Real Deal by Charlie » Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:15 pm Not sure if I can be as scientific as Neil suggests, but I can be as self-contradictory as always, so I'll confirm that Norman has three right and Will none, although both have pretty much filled up Vol 2 which I haven't dared to tempt fate by even listing for myself. Second chances are allowed. There are a couple of tracks on my album which regular listeners may wonder about, but in general I think I have been true to the reality of what I played the most, and several artists that I did play regularly but have not been mentioned here yet. Nothing is included from Another Saturday Night, which is more or less a required companion album. by Rob Hall » Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:46 pm Well, if it's a contest, can I revive my earlier suggestion of Graham Parker and Dire Straits? As for which tracks, I'd go for the two used on "Honky Tonk Demos": "Between You And me" and "Sultans Of Swing". Further guesses: The Electric Bluebirds? Nick Lowe? Location: Home, home on the range by will vine » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:51 pm Second Try......a list where I've tried to avoid earlier suggestions, (but I haven't checked back as I write). A mixture of considered bets, live outsiders, and desperate wishful thinking. I'm guessing we're betting without the classic rock'n'roll, r'n'b. soul etc. Mississippi You're on My Mind......Jesse Winchester Once Around The Dancefloor.....Linda Hargrove? All Aboard / Cincinatti Fatback......Roogalator Victim of Life Circumstances....Delbert McClinton You Brought The Woman Out in Me.......Evie Sands Yellow Moon / Change is Gonna Come.....Neville Bros. Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way? .....Waylon Jennings Getting So Exciting.......Lee Kosmin Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor.....Grady Martin? Georgia Girl.....Freddy Weller Nine by Nine.....John Dummer Bues Band Rock'nRoll You're Humbuggin' Me.....Rocket Morgan The Shag (is totally cool).....Rod ??? Brand New Cadillac......Vince Taylor Lucky Number.....Lene Lovich One Fing 'n'anuvver....Chas and Dave Little Did She Know......Kursaal Flyers Seaside Shuffle....Terry Dactyl Breaking Glass.....Nick Lowe God Save The Queen....Sex Pistols I can't remember whether Tabou Combo tracks were played on Honky Tonk pointing the way to future programmes / compilations. And could such a compilation be complete without... Sail along Silvery Moon.....The Billy Vaughan Orchestra by davidt » Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:55 pm Something from Don Covay's Superdude album perhaps? "I was checking out" Lies JJ Cale Cut across Shorty - Nat Stukey. One of those Injun 45 re-issues. Perhaps "lay your head on my shoulder" Alvis Wayne. Seeds and Stems - Commander Cody live set from Steve Goodman. So many gems to choose from. Will 2 volumes be enough :-? Perhaps we should compile retrospective playlists all linked to tracks on youtube. davidt Location: Pinner, Middlesex. England. UK by NormanD » Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:54 pm Can I add to David's Don Covay suggestion: "It's Better To Have & Not Need" by will vine » Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:26 am will vine wrote: I can't remember whether Tabou Combo tracks were played on Honky Tonk pointing the way to future programmes / compilations. Another good sign off track would be..... Almost Saturday Night........John Fogerty final thoughts, Saturday Night special.......Sundown Playboys Brownsferry Blues.............Delmore Bros. The minimart song............Jimmy Buffett by Charlie » Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:30 am will vine wrote: I'm guessing we're betting without the classic rock'n'roll, r'n'b. soul etc. Now why would you guess that, Will? Leaves several holes you could fill if you didn't make that assumption. will vine wrote: Mississippi You're on My Mind......Jesse Winchester Jesse & Delbert, yes, but different songs Johnny Horton sang Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor, which still sounds great; not on, though Neville Brothers Yellow Moon album was 1989 will vine wrote: Rock'nRoll Billy Graves sang 'The Shag' (which was 'totally cool') and I did love it but haven't included it. Rocket Morgan's track was and still is great, but that's not here either. As I said before, you are doing all my work for Vol 2, if it were to exist. will vine wrote: Poptastic Chas 'n' Dave were very close, with that very song. Lucky Number was a year later, becoming a hit for Oval (on Stiff) in 1979 soon after I stopped doing Honky Tonk. Now for this you get all the bonus points in the bag, Will. Hoping we can get permission to use it, this would be the last track on the album. will vine wrote: And could such a compilation be complete without... Did I ever play this? I do like it. But I thought you were going to suggest the title track. by will vine » Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:25 pm Charlie wrote: Unearthing and celebrating the previously uncelebrated great records was a lot of what Honky Tonk was about. The great bedrock of rocknroll, country, and blues that supported the floodlit Elvis, Jerry Lee, & co. was the joy of it, as was the highlighting of the new and developing talent, some of which emerged into the same floodlights. No records are made to be anything other than high profile and Charlie did his best to create hit records, not to develop a line in uncelebrated "classics," which arguably is what my list contains. I guess I was looking for nuggets rather than solid gold. It's all relative of course, Waylon, Delbert McClinton, John Fogerty are hardly obscure but -you know what I mean- Almost Saturday Night, one of the most stirring rock records ever, and you're never gonna hear it on the radio again, not even a "Golden Oldies" station. You never heard it much back then, 'cept on Honky Tonk. As to filling holes with the solid gold.....who knows?....but I'll have an each way treble on Dr. John, Fats Domino, and something featuring James Burton. 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__label__cc	0.623146	0.376854	search close instagram twitter facebook it Food for Good Segni di gusto instagram twitter facebook it Home / News / I’m back on the road to seek the discovery of substantial cooking with ‘Truckers Greatest Restaurants /Camionisti in Trattoria’, from May 10th airing on DMAX. I’m back on the road to seek the discovery of substantial cooking with ‘Truckers Greatest Restaurants /Camionisti in Trattoria’, from May 10th airing on DMAX. “It’s time to embark on a new journey! The destination? An authentic, substantial and traditional cuisine. There is only one group of people that truly knows what I’m looking for: truck drivers. I want to find out if the famous myth that wherever they stop, is where you can find good food, is true…” Premiering on DMAX- Starting Thursday 10th May at 21:25 I will be back on the road to seek the discovery of the true Italian cuisine, to uncover the legendary traditional restaurants most popular amongst the truck drivers. “Follow the truck drivers and you’ll find tasty food at a cheap price” will be my mantra in the TV series “CAMIONISTI IN TRATTORIA” I want to show you incredible locations, travelling throughout the Italian peninsula, and stopping in those special venues that are easily recognizable due to their full parking spaces occupied by all articulated lorries. Such locations include restaurants in proximity to the road networks that offer the best quality/price ratio, often secret locations, authentic gems that are only noted by a restricted and passionate clientele. In each episode, I travel across long distances accompanied by 3 different truck drivers, I get on board of their vehicles and when it hits lunch time, I let them bring me to their favourite place. Once arrived in the diner, I meet the chefs and the owners, I visit the kitchens and I let them tell me about their specialties. After that, I taste the menu advised by my truck driver. Driver after driver, diner after diner, this show is my chance to find out and show off the world of truck drivers, their stories, and how they live, day by day, on the road. At the end of every episode, the truck driver and the host which will have given me the best and most substantial experience, will receive a very personalised, ironic and non-conventional version of the classic calendar which never fails to be part of any respectable truck. Camionisti in trattoria is a gastronomic story, but mostly a portrait of our country as seen by those who know it km in and km out. Camionisti in trattoria is a NonPanic production – curated by Massimo Righini Directed by: Marco Manes – Executive Producer: Anna Crocetta DMax is available on Channel 52 of Cable TV, on channels 136 and 137 on Sky and on channel 28 of Tivùsat. The series will also be available on Dplay (on the website www.it.dplay.com – or by downloading the app on the App Store or Google Play). Paralympics 2016: Chef Rubio lands in Brazil to break barriers gathering together his Italian background to mix with o sabor brasileiro September 6th til 17th, 2016 – RIO August 2016 With a menu full of surprises and no limits for contents here are just a few hints of what Chef Rubio will be doing at Casa Italia during the Paralympic Games in Rio: the best regional Italian specialities made with fresh ingredients from Rio’s local food The Italian CHEF RUBIO to guest at the award winning restaurant PISELLI SUD 31st August 2016, the Italian CHEF RUBIO to guest at the award winning restaurant PISELLI SUD Sao Paulo – Wednesday, 31st August 2016 Sips and bites of tasty tzaziki and gazpacho matched with themed alcoholic and soft drinks will kick off the Italian Chef Rubio’s dinner on the 31st August, at the award winning restaurant Signature Week: Chef Rubio guest at Cico’s Italian Restaurant Adliya, Bahrain 21st – 24th of December 2016, Cico’s Italian Restaurant, a well established and award winning Italian eatery in Adliya, has become the center of attention in town for the month of December after confirming that they will be hosting the Star of the Discovery Channel, Chef Rubio. Mr. Ali Faieq Alzayani, whose father founded the restaurant ® © 2020 Chef Rubio Privacy \| Legal disclaimer	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line532
__label__wiki	0.833256	0.833256	Quick Links >>> Brett Vincent Contact Management/Agency Clients Comedy Terms and Phrases... On Tour... Udderbelly Festival Southbank Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013 Edinburgh Festival 2012 Edinburgh 2006-2010 Posters Marcus Brigstocke presents Unavailable For Comment Underbelly, Bristo Square 31st July – 24th August at 2.40pm Making its debut at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe is a brand new topical improv show presented by Marcus Brigstocke. ’Unavailable For Comment’ will be performed daily throughout the Fringe at the Underbelly in Bristo Square at 2.40pm. Top comedy guests will be forced to answer for every failing in today’s society. Marcus' guests won't know who they are or what mistakes they'll be asked to defend until their Paxman-esque host makes it clear... Just like real guests on Newsnight and Question Time - they will have to improvise / bullshit their way out of trouble and they won’t be released until they do. Imagine the most toe-curling interviews you've ever seen on TV. Live, improvised, outrageous, libellous and utterly hilarious. Book early! Boris Johnson speared through the chest by Eddie Mair…Michael Howard thrown to the lions by Jeremy Paxman…George Entwhistle crushed beneath John Humphries’ chariot of truth…Richard Nixon armed with a small net, beheaded by David Frost... What is it about seeing serious people destroyed in the public arena? Every week we watch our political masters crumble before the best of television’s heavyweight journalists on Newsnight, Question Time and Loose Women. If you’ve ever had the feeling that the people on these programs are just making it up as they go along, you’re right. They have to. They don’t know what they’re going to be asked. They can’t switch sides or back down. They can’t stop and they can never say ‘I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to that, please can I go home now?’ In ‘Unavailable For Comment’ Marcus will attempt to unravel his comedy guests in the same way. Just like Newsnight, the host knows what he’s talking about and none of his guests do. Marcus' guests won't know who they're playing or what mistakes they'll be asked to defend or conceal until their host makes it clear – often with hilarious and surprising outcomes. Not to be missed! Daily guests to be confirmed at a later date www.marcusbrigstocke.com / Twitter: @marcusbrig Venue: Underbelly, Bristo Square Address: Bristo Square, EH8 9AL Date: 31st July – 24th August (excluding 5th & 6th August) Time: 14:40pm Box Office: 0844 545 8252 / www.underbelly.co.uk Ticket Prices: £13 Little Howard's Big Show for Kids WRITER’S GUILD AWARD Winner - Best Children’s TV Script 2011 (Little Howard’s Big Question) TUBORG MUSICAL COMEDY AWARD Nominee 2007 (for comedy songs) BRIGHTON FRINGE AWARD Nominee - Best Children’s 2006 (Little Howard And The Magic Pencil Of Life And Death) BUXTON FRINGE AWARDS Winner - Best Family Show 2006(Little Howard And The Magic Pencil Of Life And Death) CHORTLE AWARDS Nominee - Best Innovation, 2004 (The Big Howard Little Howard Show) PERRIER AWARD Nominee - 2003 (The Big Howard Little Howard Show) BBC NEW COMEDY AWARD Winner – 2001 (Animation for Polar Bears In A Snowstorm) FRINGE CHOICE AWARD Winner – 1999 (Comic Song Mrs Grimshaw) VENUE: Gilded Balloon Teviot - Dining Room, 13 Bristo Square, EH8 9AJ DATES & PRICES: Previews: NEED!!! August @ £ TICKETS: 0131 622 6552 / www.gildedballoon.co.uk Little Howard is the world’s only live interactive animation. He’s won so many awards and fantastic reviews and he’s only just celebrated his 6th birthday (for the tenth year in a row)! He’s also a published author and has done lots of television stuff, like The Royal Variety Performance, The Slammer (CBBC) and Little Howard’s Big Question (BBC1) – yes, he’s even had his own television show! Yet Little Howard is true to his roots and live theatre is still his first love. But life is tough in showbiz; Little Howard’s big new act keeps going wrong, Roger The Pigeon has spent all their money on cookie cutters, his comedy counterpart Big Howard has been diagnosed with being clinically unfunny and there’s a slug in the backstage toilet. And it’s about to get worse: a sinister figure arrives and Big Howard and Little Howard have to put on the best show of their lives to keep themselves out of jail! And so, this August, they will be returning to the Fringe with one of the most unique family comedy shows ever. Little Howard is the creation of Howard Read and together they have enjoyed a nomination for the prestigious Perrier Award, three smash hit series of their acclaimed BBC1 show Little Howard's Big Question, interviews together on This Morning (ITV1) and Radio 1, published two books (Little Howard’s Unpleasant Lullaby and Little Howard’s Big Book), performed for the Queen and toured all over the world together. When Little Howard has gone to bed, Big Howard has been busy creating critically acclaimed characters on TV and radio for the likes of Richard Briers, Rik Mayall, Mark Gattis, Una Stubbs, Rula Lenska and Tim Brooke-Taylor. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and various programmes on Radio 4 and animated on several tours for Ross Noble. Oh, and he’ll also be at the Fringe in his own show, Hide and Speak, but Little Howard doesn’t know that yet… www.littlehoward.co.uk / www.getcomedy.co.uk PRESS ON LITTLE HOWARD ★★★★★ “The best kids show we've seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival" FAMILIES ONLINE ★★★★ “A great children’s show with plenty for adults to laugh at too” SUNDAY EXPRESS ★★★★ “It’s Impossible not to be won over by this extraordinarily inventive, spectacularly silly show” MAIL ON SUNDAY ★★★★ “Appeals to both kids and adults but, like The Simpsons, it’s almost wasted on the youngsters” CHORTLE ★★★★ “It's silly, it's clever, original and unlike anything else you'll see on the Fringe” BRITISH COMEDY GUIDE "Genius" RADIO TIMES "One of the best kids shows on television" THE SCOTSMAN "Witty, clever, at times breathtakingly funny comedy" THE SUNDAY TIMES "A huge hit, clever, silly and just the right side of rude" THE TELEGRAPH Ben Van der Velde's Chain Letter Venue: Underbelly Bristo Square – Clover Dates: 3rd -25th August (except 12th) Previews: 31st July – 2nd August Ben Van Der Velde debuts his hour show at this year’s Edinburgh Festival with a show titled ‘Chain Letter’ at the Underbelly’s Bristo Square Clover Room. Overwhelmed by the quick-fire world of texting and social media, Ben decided to re-discover the lost art of letter writing and start his own chain letter, but not one of those annoying passive-aggressive ones. This letter was five foot six, had curly hair and called Ben. Four letters were dispatched to long lost friends and Ben followed their trails. Find out what happened next... (P&P Not included) As one of the UK circuit's most promising acts, Ben Van der Velde seamlessly engages with every audience, creating an enthused energy with his absurd takes on everyday life. Playful and quick-witted, he delivers his collection of ridiculous tales from Goth fishing to waxing Stuart Little, there is no subject too daft for Ben’s radar! Mixing his invention with trademark off-the-cuff interaction, ‘Chain Letter’ showcases Ben’s talent for blending storytelling and well-researched anecdotes in the vein of Dave Gorman and Chris Addison. Ben’s first foray into comedy was back in the warm-hearted, frozen-toed wastelands of Newcastle, showing off his skills as a character actor in his primary school’s production of Snow White and the Seventeen Dwarves, playing dwarves 12-16 (Grumpy, Clumsy, Yuppy and Woozy.) Twenty years on he still struggles to shake off at least two of those titles. He first came to the Edinburgh Festival as a founder member of the acclaimed Oxford Imps, spinning nonsense yarns with other Imp alumni such as Robin & Partridge and Rachel Parris. In 2008 Ben graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama, leading him to work with the likes of the West Yorkshire Playhouse and exciting new company Parrot {in the} Tank, as well as starring in a short film which was a finalist in the Straight 8 film competition at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2011 Ben was named Comedy Cafe New Act of the Year and subsequently garnered coveted hosting roles in 2012 that included the Big Value Comedy Showcase shows at the Edinburgh Festival and the comedy tents at both Bestival and Festival No.6. Ben is a regular circuit MC having also delivered his skilful wit for Really Lovely Comedy and the Free Beer Show where he has compered for top acts such as Omid Djalili, Reginal.D.Hunter, Sarah Millican, Tom Stade, Brendon Burns, Jim Jefferies and Andrew Maxwell, making him one of the most sought after hosts on the circuit. CRITICAL PRAISE FOR BEN VAN DER VELDE: “…Highly promising” TIME OUT “…a sharp and crafty gagsmith, with wittily obtuse takes on an impressively wide range of topics bringing flair and confidence to them all.” CHORTLE "…exquisite comic timing...wonderfully clownish physical comedy." BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE "a stunningly quick wit." SPOONFED Benny Boot: As Seen On TV VENUE: Clover, Udderbelly Pasture, Bristo Square DATES & PRICES: Previews: 31stJuly – 2nd August @ £6 3rd-4th, 7th-8th, 13th-15th, 19th-22nd & 26th August @ £10 / £9 5th-6th, 9th-11th, 16th-18th, 23rd-25th August @ £11 / £10 TICKETS: 0844 545 8252 / www.underbelly.co.uk Hailed by critics and comics alike as one of the UK’s greatest and most original joke writers, Benny Boot’s unique style and unconventional comedic delivery proved irresistible to Fringe-goers and he sold out every single seat during his month run at last year’s Fringe. This year, Benny pre-empts his imminent fame by recording a live one-hour TV special from the 2013 Edinburgh Festival. He has a producer, he has a venue, and he now has access to the latest hi-tech equipment available in the TV industry. The cameras will be at the ready and the networks will be fighting over the rights to own the next Michael McIntyre as Benny delivers another highly original hour of cleverly-crafted jokes and continues to blur the line between reality and hyper-reality. Benny stormed the Altitude Comedy Festival in 2012 and 2013 and was instantly branded the next ‘comic’s comic’. His peers became his fans and the likes of Tim Minchin, Jimmy Carr, Andrew Maxwell, Marcus Brigstock and Terry Alderton are all now firmly part of Benny’s ever-growing fan club. A stalwart performer at many of the major comedy festivals around the world, Australian born Benny’s debut Edinburgh solo show, Set Up, Punchline, Pause For Laughter, deconstructed the comedians’ performance. Benny was a UK finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and recently performed on Dave's One Night Stand. And, of course, he will soon have a one-hour TV special to his name. www.facebook.com/benny.boot / www.getcomedy.com / Twitter: @bennyboot COMEDIANS ON BENNY “I love Benny! Once again he was the crowd favourite at the Altitude Festival this year” ANDREW MAXWELL (March 2013) “Benny is absolutely brilliant. He’s so original that I just love watching him again and again!” TERRY ALDERTON (March 2013) “I loved seeing Benny storming the Gala shows at Altitude, glad I didn’t have to follow him” MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE (March 2013) "Benny Boot is the real thing. Charming, disarming, and proper fcking funny" TIM MINCHIN (March 2012) "Benny Boot offers something unique. I'm not sure exactly what it is, as I couldn't concentrate - I was laughing too damn hard" RUFUS HOUND (March 2012) PRESS ON BENNY ★★★★★ “Uncontrived comedy gold... one of the best joke writers of his generation” CREAM OF THE FRINGE ★★★★★ “Boot possesses an incredible sharpness of wit” EDINBURGH GUIDE” ★★★★ “Two days later I am still laughing out loud” THE SKINNY ★★★★ “I was laughing so hard that my brain turned off” PPSF.CO.UK ★★★★ “Boot’s mind is a fecund and strange place and he has some of the most memorable jokes of the Fringe to prove it” SPOONFED “Probably one of the best joke writers in the country, some of the most imaginative, perverse and downright clever routines I’ve heard” THE SCOTSMAN “He may come from down under but we should be loath to let them have him back… Brilliant gags” Andrew Maxwell: Banana Kingdom E4 Udderbelly, Bristo Square 31st July to 26th August (not 12th) "One of the most significant comedians working in the country today" ** The Independent Double-Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and Festival favourite Andrew Maxwell returns to this year’s Edinburgh Festival with his brand new show Banana Kingdom featuring his fearlessly intelligent array of topical observations, delivered in his animated and inclusive style. "Fiercely funny and utterly invigorating” The Times As well as his continued dominance on the live circuit, Andrew is currently working on Public Enemies for BBC Radio 4, which will transmit this Autumn. It’s a series of challenging stand-up shows where he uses his trademark intelligence and political incisiveness to dig behind the clichés and assumptions about four 'slow news' bugbears that are vilified and consumed with equal vigour in British society: Nationalism, The Internet, Drugs and The Food Industry. Last September Andrew presented an extremely well received documentary for BBC3, Conspiracy Coach Trip (Renegade Pictures), which focussed on the 7/7 Bombings, Creationism and UFOs. Andrew also recently starred in Sky’s John Bishop’s Only Joking, BBC’s Live At The Apollo, Dave’s One Night Stand and he hosted BBC3’s Live Edinburgh Comedy Marathon. Andrew has also appeared on Have I Got News For You, Mock The Week and Celebrity Juice, as well as Radio shows including: Radio 4’s News Quiz, It’s Not What You know… and Dilemma. "Stand up. is rarely this politically well-informed or thought-provoking" * The Scotsman “All you can do is revel in the mischief this comically-attuned Dubliner makes…utter magic’ * The List “A social sage for the fast changing world….a wealth of first-rate material’ *** Fest ADELAIDE FRONT ROW CRITICS CHOICE – Flanders & Swann 2013 MALCOLM HARDEE ACT MOST LIKELY TO MAKE A MILLION QUID – Nominee 2012 THE ADVENTURISTS AT THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY SHORT FILM AWARD – Winner 2011 MALCOLM HARDEE CUNNING STUNT AWARD - Nominee 2011 SPIRIT OF THE FRINGE AWARD – 2007 CHORTLE AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN COMEDY – 2007 THREE WEEKS EDITORS AWARD - 2005 WORLD RECORD HOLDER – 2005 (rowing the English Channel in a bath) WORLD RECORD HOLDER – 2003 (paddling paper boat 160 miles down Thames) SPIRIT OF THE FRINGE AWARD - 2000 PERRIER AWARD BEST NEWCOMER – Nominee 1999 VENUE: The Green, Pleasance Courtyard, 60 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ DATES & PRICES: Previews: 31st July-2nd August @ £7 19th – 26th August 3rd-4th, 9th-11th, 16th-18th, 23rd-25th August @ £12.50/£11 2:30pm 5th-8th, 15th, 21st-22nd August @ £11 / £10 12th-13th, 19th-20th, 26th August @ £9.50 / £8.50 TICKETS: 0131 556 6550 / www.pleasance.co.uk Fringe Legend multi award-winning, Perrier-nominated comedian, author, explorer and extreme unusualist, Tim FitzHigham, is back in a brand new show. This year he will be bespoke speaking about his most mystifying challenge to date. The Spirit of the Fringe award winner’s previous missions and brilliantly bad ideas have seen him paddle the Thames in a paper boat, row the Channel in a bathtub, live a year as a medieval knight errant, vigorously explore the Kama Sutra, Morris Dance from London to Norwich, take inflatables down Olympic black skiing runs, paddle logs up the Amazon and generally re-create the world's weirdest wagers. His unswerving devotion to his bad ideas and the shows they create has seen him fracture a couple of fingers and a toe (twice), break a rib, re-mortgage his house, contract a flesh eating microbe, collapse of dehydration, be blinded in one eye for six months, spend several nights with the Leith Police, survive minor concussion and be hospitalised with a bone-marrow eating infection among a further catalogue of injuries and stunning disasters. No one chases the punch-line to a story this hard. Tim’s much-loved 2011 show Gambler went on to sell out at the Melbourne and Adelaide Comedy Festivals in Australia, a sell-out tour of Switzerland and Radio 4 aired a pilot of the show in February this year. His CBBC programme Super Human Challenge aired from January this year and took him from Iceland to LA to Dubai, seeing him climb the outside of the Doha Torch building in Qatar, run across Death Valley, pull a double decker bus full of rugby teams, swim with Sharks, get frostbite running across Europe’s largest ice cap bare foot and in nothing but his pants, attempt to catch arrows, balance on chairs on the edge of the Grand Canyon and make the astonishing discovery that Tim has the highest resting tolerance to G-Force ever measured. Add to this his two rather bizarre World Records, the fact that he is a Freeman of London, a Freeman of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames, the Commodore of Sudbury Quay, the Pittance of Selby Town, Waterman to the Mayor, Unitary Authority of Swindon and has a toilet named after him, and that pretty much sums up why he is so amazing live (and so amazingly still alive). Tim will also be appearing in the perennial hit of the festival fringe, award-winning Flanders and Swann, which is back this year for one week only! www.fitzhigham.com / www.getcomedy.co.uk / Twitter: @timfitzhigham PRESS ON ‘STOP THE PIGEON 2012’ ★★★★★ “Some of the most refreshing stand up and entertainment I have seen… delightful and wondrous” BROADWAYBABY.COM ★★★★★ “Exorbitant story-telling… never have I seen a comedian so focused and engulfed in his own pursuits” PPSF.CO.UK ★★★★ “Its joyous, it’s absurd, it’s the perfect comedy” EDINBURGH FESTIVAL MAGAZINE ★★★★ “A riveting tale… keeps you on the edge of you seat” THE SKINNY ★★★★ “Delightfully eccentric… God bless Tim FitzHigham – the Fringe would be noticeably blander without his ridiculous capers” THREE WEEKS ★★★★ “Engaging mix of wild-eyed enthusiasm and bemusement at his own madness” THEATREGUIDELONDON.CO.UK “The perfect British Eccentric” DARA O’BRIAIN “Fitzhigham is completely unhinged, completely without hinges” EDDIE IZZARD Terry Clement: Din Times 8 CANADIAN COMEDY AWARD – Best New Stand Up Comedian – Nominee 2004 COCA - Comedy Artist of the Year Award – Nominee 2005 MENTAL BREAKDOWN - Lying in a Foetal Position - Winner 2008 VENUE: Iron Belly - Underbelly, 56 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1EG DATES & PRICES: Previews: 1st-2nd August @ £6 3rd-4th, 7th-8th, 13th-15th, 19th-22nd, August @ £10 / £8 A cult figure in his native Canada, 2013 newcomer Terry Clement tackles comedy from a psychedelic distance, combining elements of surrealism, dada, and old school humour methods. His uncompromising style pushes the boundaries of reality, taste and humour in this highly original hour of progressive comedy, which is as much a theatrical presentation as it is a stand-up show. It is difficult to describe on a press release exactly what Terry does. Alternative? Yes. A mixture of psychedelic performance art and Blue Collar observations strained through a Picasso filter and rolled onto a Gysin Canvas.? Perhaps. Din Times 8 is at times scary, silly and almost always hallucinatory, transcending traditional thinking and pricking the audience's sense of reality. Though this is his first ever appearance at the Edinburgh Festival, Terry has performed at various festivals including the Cape Town Comedy Festival in South Africa and the countless Music Festivals, as well as appearing on The World Stands Up (Comedy Central). He was also nominated for the Canadian Comedy Award and a COCA Comedy Artist of the year award. www.terryclement.com / www.getcomedy.com / Twitter: @terryclement / Instagram: @terryclement WORLDWIDE PRESS ON TERRY "Far more complex than the simple shock comedy described above. The effort he puts into his performance is really something you have to see for yourself" TORONTOIST “If Peewee Herman, Andy Kaufman and Sam Kinison had a love child then boom - Mr Clement. Be prepared to be shocked, in awe of him, and enthralled by his act” THE COMEDY GREEN ROOM "Off the wall and really edgy… Clement’s onstage persona is very theatrical" THE VARSITY "Strange and unexpected, but it was smart, innovative and made me laugh very hard" JH5 “The qualities I appreciate in him are the originality, complexity, and fearlessness he brings to his work” Mark Breslin, Yuk Yuk CEO "One hundred per cent of the crowd was enraptured by a distinctive blend of performance and surrealist drama" OVERTONE (South Africa) ★★★★★ "It took a while to get but once I did I was so happy! Perfect timing, great delivery" KittenPeddler384 (Terry's Ebay Feedback) Howard Read: Hide and Speak TIME: 9:30pm - 3rd-4th, 7th-8th, 13th-15th, 19th-22nd, 26th August @ £10/£9 5th-6th, 9th-11th, 16th-18th, 23rd-25th August @ £12/£11 AGE RESTRICTION: 16+ Multi award-winning comedian and animator Howard Read is one of the most original artists to perform at the Fringe and the first to ever use animation in live comedy. Hide and Speak is a totally unique comedy experience where Howard’s own latest technology makes it possible for several cartoon characters to literally come to life and improvise with a live audience. There’s even a free whistle if you can work out how he does it… Howard is best known as the other half of the animated six-year-old virtual stand-up comic Little Howard, who will also be appearing at the Fringe this year, and together they have appeared on some of the biggest TV shows on three continents, performed in front of (and insulted) The Queen, been nominated for The Perrier Award as well as winning and being nominated for numerous other awards, and had three series of the award-winning and critically acclaimed Little Howard’s Big Question on BBC1, BBC2 and CBBC. Their unique live shows, adaptable to both adult and family audiences, have toured the land and the comedy festivals of the world. They also create unique bespoke events for charity events and corporate clients. When Little Howard has gone to bed, big Howard has been busy creating critically acclaimed characters on TV and radio for the likes of Richard Briers, Rik Mayall, Mark Gattis, Una Stubbs, Rula Lenska and Tim Brooke-Taylor. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and various programmes on Radio 4, animated on several tours for Ross Noble and written two children’s books. Be the first to see this amazing show before it goes global! Book early! www.howardread.com / www.getcomedy.co.uk / TWITTER @howardread PRESS ON HOWARD READ “Witty, clever, at times breathtakingly funny” THE TIMES “Breaking boundaries in stand-up comedy” EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS “Genius” RADIO TIMES “Incredibly, achingly funny” THE DAILY MAIL Glenn Wool: This Road Has Tolls ASSEMBLY ROOMS – GEORGE SQUARE 9.50pm (Ends 10.50pm) 31st July – 26th AUGUST 2011 (not 12th or 19th) Fringe Favourite Glenn Wool is back in Edinburgh this August with a brand new show This Road Has Tolls. Premiering at his favourite festival, this show will be Glenn at his best. “Another year, another lap around the world for this tetherless vagabond. When people ask me what it’s like, living a life on the road, I tell them, it’s a wonderful way to spend your mid-20s, while my driver’s license ruefully reminds me that I'm in my late 30s. I don't regret my decisions but I will say that even Google Maps will warn you, when you type my average year’s travel into their engine, that This Road has Tolls.” A whole bunch of fresh tales from this comedic nomad as he continues to be a truly international comedian are guaranteed to be hilarious and leave you looking at your own travel experiences in a whole new light. What the papers say about Glenn Wool "One of the best hours of comedy I have ever seen" The Scotsman "When you watch Glenn Wool, you realise the heights that a talented performer can reach simply by standing on stage and telling stories. This is an un-missable show from a master of the craft" The Arts Desk "Wool remains one of the most smart, charming, blazingly theatrical storytellers around" Daily Telegraph "Wool's new show is a masterpiece of comedy, which will have the audience helpless with laughter" The Scotsman LISTINGS INFORMATION – GLENN WOOL in THIS ROAD HAS TOLLS Assembly Rooms, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LH Box Office: 0131 623 3030 www.assemblyfestival.com Venue press office: 0131 623 3026 press@assemblyfestival.com Edinburgh Fringe Box Office: 0131 226 0000 Dates: 31st July – 26th August at 9.50pm (ends 10.50pm). No show 12th or 19th Tickets: 31st July, 1st and 2nd August Previews: £6.00 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 26 £12.50 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 £14.00 5 and 6 Two for One Felicity Ward: irregardless WINNER – TIME OUT BEST LOCAL ACT – SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL 2012 NOMINEE – BEST SHOW – MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2012 NOMINEE - BEST COMEDY – ADELAIDE FRINGE FESTIVAL 2012 NOMINEE – BEST NEWCOMER – MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2009 WINNER – MERVYN STUTTER’S SPIRIT OF THE FRINGE AWARD 2009 WINNER – BEST NEWCOMER – MELBOURNE AIRPORT AWARD 2008 VENUE: The Dairy Room, Udderbelly Pasture, Bristo Square 3rd-4th, 7th-8th, 13th-15th, 19th-22nd, 26th August @ £11/£10 5th-6th, 9th-11th, 16th-8th, 23rd-25th August @ £13/£12 In 2012, Felicity Ward stole the hearts and the stars of the critics with her deeply personal but hilarious show The Hedgehog Dilemma. The critical acclaim arrived en mass and the outstanding reviews rolled in from start to finish. But amongst the accolades, the self-congratulations and the tearstained Angus beef burgers, she realised that when it comes down to it, this is still a ridiculous job. Who else gets a round of applause before they even walk into their office? Who makes people pay for them before they’ve started work? Comedians! That’s who. In this straight-up stand-up show, she takes you through big intros, autotune, her love for junkies, the butchering of language, anxiety attacks, holding a duck and big finishes. She's putting her cards on the table and her dick on her sleeve. Is that how the saying goes? First seen on the Australian comedy scene in 2005 in Ten Network’s popular sketch show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour, Felicity has since gone on to become one of Down-Under’s favourite funny people, appearing in ABC’s prominent music comedy quiz show Spicks and Specks, Thank God You’re Here (Channel 7), Good News Week (Channel Ten), and has her own stand-up comedy special as part of ABC2’s Warehouse Comedy. In 2008, she won Best Newcomer for the Melbourne Airport Award and has since been reeling in awards and nominations. 2012 was her year, with The Hedgehog Dilemma receiving a nomination, if not the award, at every major Australian festival. She has toured internationally from London to LA to Hong Kong to Singapore, and last year co-starred in Working Dog Productions’ (the makers of The Castle and The Dish) Australian comedy feature film Any Questions For Ben? In her brief time in the UK last year she appeared on Russell Howard's Good News (BBC) and from the Edinburgh Fringe was invited to perform The Hedgehog Dilemma in LA at the Hollywood Improv. Since then, she’s appeared at many of her prestigious family barbeques. www.felicityward.com / www.getcomedy.co.uk / Twitter: @felicityward / Instagram: @felicityward PRESS ON THE HEDGEHOG DILEMMA ★★★★★ “Will drive you to tears of laughter” BIG ISSUE ★★★★★ “Not only a belly-aching comedienne but a quality actress too” BROADWAYBABY.COM ★★★★★ “Ward is a consummate performer… for straight up stand up, [Felicity Ward] will be difficult to beat ” INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY ★★★★1/2 “A brilliant display of stand-up… she’s got the lot” LONDONISFUNNY.COM ★★★★ “Original, sharp, slightly barmy comedy” EDINBURGH FESTIVAL MAGAZINE ★★★★“Very very funny... Ward is a force of nature” CHORTLE ★★★★ “This is sharp comedy with a lovable core… thoroughly appealing” FEST MAG ★★★★ “A filthy, high speed hour of breathless laughs” THE LIST ★★★★ “Hectic, energetic and extremely funny”ONE4REVIEW.COM ★★★★ “A spiky ball of fun to embrace” THE SCOTSMAN ★★★★ “Extremely animated and compelling” THE SKINNY ★★★★ “An excellent clowning-cum-confessional character comedy romp” SUNDAY TIMES ★★★★ “Ward exuded charm from the outset… the audience were mesmerised by her wry and sparkling commentaries” THREE WEEKS ★★★★ “Tremendously entertaining and charmingly funny” TIME OUT “Felicity Ward has an admirable exuberance about her” THE STAGE “One to watch” THE TIMES - these images are not blippable... Keith Farnan: Feat Itself VENUE: Underbelly – Belly Dancer, 56 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1EG 3rd, 4th,7th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 19th-22nd August @£9 / £8 5th, 6th, 9th-11th, 16th-18th, 23rd-25th August @ £10.50 / £9.50 One of the Fringe’s most insightful comics, Keith Farnan, returns to the festival after a year off, this time exploring Fear Itself, a rather appropriate theme for many people involved in Edinburgh… The world is fuelled by fear. Global fears; plague, war, asteroids, a robot uprising. Everyday fears; dying, meaninglessness, random violence, spiders. In all this, the key ingredient is uncertainty. Dithering leaders do not instil confidence. The indecision of a doctor does not inspire hope. Wavering lovers fail to arouse joy. But despite our days being filled with worries we continue to function and, without this uncertainty and fear, there is no love, there are no triumphs. There is nothing worthy without fear. Dammit. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said we have nothing to fear but fear itself, and then America dropped two nuclear bombs on a civilian population creating quite an addendum to the list of things to be frightened of. Nowadays, the world doesn’t need North Korea to throw a tantrum to be afraid. People can be terrified all on their own, especially if they have a fear of loneliness. However, there are some who are willing to do whatever it takes to overcome fear and embrace uncertainty. Then, there are others who attempt to make a living out of both. Keith Farnan is the latter. Irish born and bred Keith Farnan’s solo shows have always been extremely thought-provoking, be it about sex traffic, racism, the Death Penalty or the economy, and each show has gone on to sell out to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival as well as London’s Soho Theatre and the Royal Festival Hall. Keith has appeared on Michael McIntyre ‘s Comedy Roadshow (BBC), One Night Stand (BBC), Live from Amsterdam (Showtime), Montreal’s Just For Laughs , and presented his own comedy documentary for RTE, Money, Money, Money: Keith Farnan versus the Economy. He has featured on a variety of radio shows including Loose Ends (Radio 4), The Guessing Game with Clive Anderson (BBC Scotland) and Colin Murphy’s Great Unanswered Questions (BBCNI). He was writer of one of the Irish Times Tiny Plays and received a commission to write his own play, The Last Stevedore. He has also written for Time Out London, Hot Press and The Irish Post. www.keithfarnan.com / www.getcomedy.com / TWITTER: @KeithFarnan PRESS ON KEITH… ★★★★★ “Incisive, brilliant comedy…We should be shouting from the rooftops about him” WHATSONSTAGE.COM ★★★★★ “This is political comedy at its best, perfectly balanced, deadly serious and very funny” THE SKINNY ★★★★ “Farnan has taken the age-old women are from Venus, men are from Mars line and given it a sharp, funny and very relevant spin” CHORTLE ★★★★ “Facts to gasp at and jokes to die for… Farnan will make you think hard and laugh even harder” ★★★★”Think Michael Moore with a wit so sharp your arteries will be emptied before you’ve even finished laughing” SCOTSGAY “Artful, satirical…with a lightness of touch and a hefty helping of roguish Celtic charm” THE SUNDAY TIMES “Utterly charming and highly intelligent…” THE STAGE Pete Cain: Everybody Out VENUE: The Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, EH2 2LR DATES & PRICES: Previews: 1st-2nd August @ £9 / £8 3rd-11th, 13th-25th August @ £10 / £9 TICKETS: 0131 558 7272 / www.thestand.co.uk The UK has an immigration problem; the infrastructure clearly cannot cope with the amount of people that are here, and to make the situation worse the government admit they don’t actually know how many people are in the country because they stopped counting them in & out years ago. But fear not! Pete Cain has a brilliant solution to this and all our other social, economic & political problems. This August, Pete Cain, one of our most thought-provoking comics, is advocating kicking Everybody Out of the country so they can be counted back in. However, not everyone will be allowed back in. His new immigration policy stipulates that only “nice people” will be re-admitted. Colour, creed, race and religion are irrelevant; you’ve just got to be nice. Bankers, politicians and other criminals needn’t bother applying. Pete is aiming to make Britain “Great” by building a utopian society for the people and not the ruling classes. This brand new show is an intelligent, light-hearted look at the UK’s immigration policy through the eyes of a wickedly funny, incorrectly political, radically reasonable, cynically seasoned stand-up. Pete Cain has been performing on the UK comedy circuit for 10 years and supported Jim Jefferies’ 2010/11 UK tours. In 2009 he co-wrote, produced & directed the cult sketch show “No Signal” for the FX channel. He’s also won a multitude of awards during his time working as a senior copywriter in a number of London’s top advertising agencies. He’s a nice bloke too. www.petecain.com / www.getcomedy.com / Twitter: @petecaincomedy PRESS ON PETE “Dark but delicious” THE SCOTSMAN “His stories are real and brilliantly funny. Definitely not for those of a delicate disposition, but sharp, dark and funny” THREE WEEKS "What an outstanding comic: sharp, inspired writing and he even looks funny” THE INDEPENDENT “Get a ticket to see Pete Cain” EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS “Very clever, very funny… turned the rowdy crowd around so they were hanging on his every word” CHORTLE Brett Vincent is one of the leading Managers, Agents and Promoters of Comedy in the UK	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line533
__label__cc	0.52939	0.47061	The Week That Was (10/1 - 10/5) My Answer is Eight: "Or how many renditions of Pearl Jam’s 'Alive' can one person own [the answer is never too many. Each performance is unique and wonderful in its own way. Those songs stay.]" - Digital Boy, "Touch Me, I’m an iPod," Ramblings of a 21st Century Digital Boy, 10/2/07. I have eight versions of the song, including the original studio version from Ten, the slightly remixed version from Rearviewmirror (the greatest hits compilation), live versions from the officially released bootleg concerts from Buffalo (May 2, 2003), Seattle (November 6, 2000), Katowice (June 15, 2000), and Paris (June 8, 2000) shows, a version from the actual 1992 bootleg Black & White, and the version from the 1991 Stanley, Son of Theodore alt-rock compilation (which I believe, actually, was the first commercially available PJ live song). Francis Bacon Definitely Manipulates Me: "Art always aims at manipulation. An artwork that fails to manipulate you fails as a work of art. Unlike an argument, art tries to get you to believe or do something without making explicit this purpose. Manipulation can be straightforward: skillfully generated perspectives, natural colors and light effects helped to make the painted look real. True manipulation, of course, wants more. You are not just to mistake the painted for the real thing, you are supposed to believe certain things, feel certain things, do certain things about it." - Madamechauchat, "Art as Manipulation," Atoms to Zeppelins, 10/2/07. Art, and its creation, is a fascinating topic. However, this post prompts me to ask whether a purported artist must have an intent to manipulate separate and apart from his initial intent to create in order to bring true art into the world? I do not believe the writer is using "manipulate" and "create" as synonyms in this context, at least not fully. Certainly, there is some manipulation in the task of filtering an image or concept from the mind's eye to the canvass, the printed page, or celluloid. But must the purported artist seek to manipulate subsequent viewers of the work and must that intent be conscious? Does the Impressionist, or the video documentarian for that matter, truly desire to manipulate those who will see the work at a later date - at least beyond the act of committing a scene or series of event to the medium of choice? (The writer quoted suggests the use of light and shadow "to make the painted look real" as examples of such manipulation, but if that is manipulation, then is not every thing the artist does some act of conscious or unconscious manipulation, rendering the word "manipulation" meaningless in the context?) These are interesting questions, and it leads me back to a discussion I used to have in the 1990s: Who, or what, is an artist? Is it anyone who creates something that said creator dubs art? Is it anyone who claims to perpetrate some form of aesthetic manipulation? Surely not. There must be some objective component, in addition to the subjective one, in the inquiry. Caveat: I doubt there can be a totally satisfying objective definition of "art" or "artist" but surely it cannot be as easy as saying that a puported work of art or artist is one because the creator says it or he is one. Site Maintenance and Updates: Monday's post on the 1992 Housto local music compilation album, Infected: The Twelve From Texas, prompted many an email to me, as its author, from members of the bands that appeared thereupon and other Houston music scenesters of the day. I have made a number of revisions and posted several addenda to include information I had not yet obtained at the time of the original posting. The post now boasts new interviews with band members and images (including scans of the original 1992 Public News reviews of the album and the February 1992 record release party). Someone also sent me the 1992 Vatican night club advertisement for the record release party, as well. Speaking of music posts, I also updated my September 10 post on The Morgans to include an email I received from British radio personality Nigel Barker, another one of the band's members. Posted by Ransom at Friday, October 05, 2007 Labels: The Week That Was Need To Increase Your ClickBank Banner Traffic And Commissions? Bannerizer makes it easy for you to promote ClickBank products with banners, simply go to Bannerizer, and get the banner codes for your picked ClickBank products or use the Universal ClickBank Banner Rotator to promote all of the ClickBank products. Crawlspace #1: XXXombies Little Children (2006) Johnny Cash in Austin, TX (December 8, 1994) The Week That Was (10/21 - 10/26) Cormac McCarthy's The Road Off Duty IV The Cultural Legacy of Ratt Stephen King's Cell Los 4 Fantasticos (The Fantastic Four) A Brief History of the Dead The Week That Was (10/8 - 10/12) Dragones y Mazmorras (Dungeons and Dragons) Es La Hora De Las Tortas! R.E.M. - Automatically Live (1992) 1992 Lollapalooza: Red Hot Chili Peppers 1992 Lollapalooza: Ice Cube 1992 Lollapalooza: Soundgarden Los Fraguel (Fraggle Rock) Infected: The Twelve from Texas (1992)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line548
__label__cc	0.73053	0.26947	Find Local Solicitors Thompsons Solicitors Scotland / Dundee - Thompsons' solicitors are on hand to help the victims of accidents make personal injury claims in Dundee. If you are employed in or around Dundee and have suffered a working injury or occupational illness, you can make a personal injury claim. With Thompsons you can rest assured that unless you win, you make no financial outlay whatsoever – no small print and no exceptions. https://www.thompsons-scotland.co.uk advicecentre@thompsons-scotland.co.uk V.E. White & Co England / Rochester - A friendly but professional firm with offices in Strood, Gillingham and Rainham. V.E. White & Co have decades of experience across numerous legal sectors enabling them to provide a quality, personalised service rather than a simply clinical approach. Busy clients can request early morning, evening or even Saturday appointments. https://vewhitesolicitors.co.uk/ enquiries@vewhitesolicitors.co.uk Autologistic Solutions Ltd England / Oldham - For 18 years Auto Logistic Solutions have helped drivers following an accident by listening to their needs, removing the hassle and stress, and ensuring their customer's rights are upheld. Their aim is to be people's first choice for vehicle accident management. https://www.autologistic.co.uk/ enquiries@autologistic.co.uk SBW Law England / St Helens - As a Personal Injury and Housing Law specialist, SBW Law always fight for and recover the maximum compensation possible for their clients. Founded in 2006 with a 'Client is King' mentality they offer jargon-free advice, experienced lawyers, and no win no fee arrangements. https://sbwlaw.co.uk/ info@sbwlaw.co.uk Backhouse Solicitors Ltd England / Chelmsford - Backhouse Solicitors are a family owned firm offering expert help and advice to both companies and individuals across Essex, London and the South East of England in all areas of law. They offer a 30 min free initial consultation to discuss your case and potential costs. They also promise same day responses to queries and provide online case tracking. https://www.backhouse-solicitors.co.uk/ info@backhouse-solicitors.co.uk Lyons Solicitors England / Bristol - With 3 offices across Bristol, Lyons are an established and progressive law firm providing personal and cost-effective legal services to both commercial and private clients. They have a highly successful Personal Injury team and expert knowledge in Divorce, Wills, LPA's, Probate, Conveyancing and Inheritance & Life planning. http://www.lyonslaw.co.uk/ duncanshaw@lyonslaw.co.uk Springhouse Solicitors Ltd England / Winchester - Springhouse specialise wholly in employment law, achieving the best results quickly, confidently and without fuss. They can usually resolve cases without the expense of going to a tribunal. https://www.springhouselaw.com/contact/winchester/ enquiries@springhouselaw.com Ashwood Solicitors England / Manchester - Ashwood Solicitors are a friendly and approachable law firm offering a wide range of legal services across England & Wales. Their dedicated and experienced team of lawyers promise to resolve your case in the most effective and efficient manner possible. http://ashwoodsolicitors.co.uk/ info@ashwoodsolicitors.co.uk Rutherford Sheridan Ltd Scotland / Glasgow - Rutherford Sheridan are a modern law firm specialising in Immigration/Asylum, Criminal, Family and Children’s Law. They have a wealth of knowledge to ensure clients get the best outcome. They promise to fight for your rights and always keep you informed. Consultations can be done via Skype, Whatsapp, and social media as well as the regular methods. https://www.rutherfordsheridan.co.uk/ melissa@rutherfordsheridan.com 0141 248 3320 Accident-at-Work.legal England / St Germans - As independent consultant lawyers with over 14 years' experience, the Accident-at-Work.legal team specialise in work related accidents. Based in Cornwall but covering the whole of England/Wales, they offer no win, no fee arrangements and are happy to work outside of regular business hours when needed. https://accident-at-work.legal/ claims@accident-at-work.legal Stirling Ackroyd Legal LLP Greater London / London - As one of the few boutique law specialists, Stirling Ackroyd Legal offer expert advice on a personal and commercial basis. They are a multi-disciplined legal services provider that can communicate with their clients in over 25 different languages and expertly handle a range of straightforward or complex matters. They provide clear, practical advice resulting in the best outcome for their clients. https://www.stirlingackroydlegal.com/ enquiries@stirlingackroydlegal.com Peters May LLP Greater London / London - Peters May is a boutique family law firm specialising in divorce, children, civil partnerships, cohabitation agreements, same sex dissolutions, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Lawyers Juliette Peters and Jessica May have over 35 years' experience between them and will work as a team with you in order to achieve the best results. https://www.petersmay.com/ enquiries@petersmay.com Ian Yonge Employment Solicitor England / Haslemere - With over 30 years experience, Ian Yonge can advise on a wide range of legal solutions whether contentious or not. He understands the commercial realities of business life and aims for fixed fees where possible. Weekend and out of hours work where necessary. First email or telephone advice free. http://www.ryongeemploymentsolicitor.co.uk/ iyonge@Legalisp.net Thamina Solicitors Greater London / London - Thamina Solicitors provide high quality legal advice and representation personalised to suit both businesses and individuals. They promise clients a cost effective and stress free process. http://thaminasolicitors.com/ info@thaminasolicitors.com Levy & McRae Solicitors LLP Scotland / Glasgow - Levy & McRae operate 24/7, 365 days a year acting for both private and commercial clients. Over the last 140 years they've handled a wide range of challenging and complex cases. They take time to understand each client's needs and objectives before offering expert and pragmatic advice. http://www.lemac.co.uk/ info@lemac.co.uk Slater and Gordon LLP Wales / Cardiff - One of the UK's largest and well known law firms with offices in a number of locations throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Their mission is to give people easier access to world class legal services. With over 90 years' experience, they represent clients across a wide range of case types from personal injury claims to commercial matters. They promise an open, friendly and responsive approach, resulting in constructive advice & innovative solutions. https://www.slatergordon.co.uk/contact-us/cardiff/ enquiries@slatergordon.co.uk Ventura Law Greater London / London - Ventura Law provide no nonsense, proactive and practical advice for individuals and businesses across a range of legal matters. As part of a network of experienced professionals, they have a wealth of resources to handle your case. Various funding options are available to help. http://www.venturalaw.co.uk/ joanna@venturalaw.co.uk HUMD Solicitors England / Manchester - HUMD strive to be different and better, challenging the way legal services are delivered for both individuals and businesses. They recruit the right people with strong professional and objective outlooks. Whether a local or international matter, they will always create a pricing structure suitable to the client's individual needs. http://humdsolicitors.co.uk/ hammad@humdsolicitors.co.uk Ross Coates Solicitors England / Ipswich - Ross Coates Solicitors are a professional, friendly and straight talking firm able to handle a range of legal issues. They boast high success rates and offer a free 15 minute consultation with an actual solicitor to discuss your case before proceeding. https://www.rosscoates.co.uk/ dara.singh@rosscoates.co.uk The Johnson Partnership England / Sheffield - As the largest criminal law firm in England & Wales, The Johnson Partnership specialise in every area of defence including Motoring Offences, Fraud, Youth Crime, Driving Bans, Violent Crime and more. Available 24/7 and able to work under Legal Aid if applicable. http://www.thejohnsonpartnership.co.uk/ mail@jpsheff.co.uk Leanne Allcock-Mead Solicitors England / Maldon - L.A.M Solicitors specialise in resolving disputes for both individuals and businesses. They will act quickly and effectively in order to maximise the chances of success with minimal stress. They can also assist with oaths, affidavits, and statutory declarations. https://www.lamsolicitors.com/ leanne@lamsolicitors.com Wilkin Chapman LLP England / Lincoln - With seven offices and over 450 staff across the region, Wilkin Chapman are a large firm with a wealth of experience and resources. However they still promise a friendly and jargon-free service at highly competitive rates. https://www.wilkinchapman.co.uk/ info@wilkinchapman.co.uk England / Grimsby - Wilkin Chapman are a large firm with a wealth of experience and resources yet still promise to be approachable, jargon-less and provide competitive rates. They have seven offices across the region with 44 partners and 450 staff covering a huge range of case types AY&J Solicitors Greater London / London - UK immigration rules are complex and constantly changing. AY&J Solicitors are experienced specialists helping people to get their UK visas and create a better life for themselves and their family in the UK. They're conveniently located in Central London just a two minutes from Chancery Lane station. https://ayjsolicitors.com/ contact@ayjsolicitors.com Taylor Rose TTKW England / Preston - Mohammed Hussain specialises in residential and commercial conveyancing with the huge resources of Taylor Rose TTKW behind him. He can help first time buyers, investors, landlords and companies with their property needs. https://www.taylor-rose.co.uk/our-people/profile/mohammed-hussain mohammed.hussain@taylor-rose.co.uk Pointon & Co Solicitors England / Newcastle under Lyme - The solicitors at Pointon & Co have a wealth of experience in personal injury matters, giving them an edge when it comes to negotiating settlements. They promise the personal and client-focused service you'd expect from a small firm. They also provide appointments outside of regular business hours or at your home if needed. http://www.pointonsolicitors.co.uk/ karen@pointonsolicitors.co.uk D W Harris Solicitors Wales / Swansea - Over the past 70+ years David W Harris & Co have helped people with their legal matters. They now have four offices in Pontypridd, Talbot Green, Pencoed and Swansea. They cover a wide range of case types and pride themselves on their friendly staff and straightforward advice. https://www.dwharris.co.uk/ neil.startup@dwharris.co.uk Wales / Pontypridd - David W Harris & Co Solicitors have four offices across South Wales: Pontypridd, Talbot Green, Pencoed and Swansea. Over the past 70+ years they've gained a wealth of experience covering everything from General Litigation to Buying/Selling a home. They pride themselves on being friendly with straightforward advice. Progress Law Solicitors England / Halifax - Progress Law is an innovative, reputable and long-established firm of solicitors with over 50 years experience across a wide range of legal issues. They promise plain-English advice, and every client is assigned a dedicated person to deal with their case from start to finish. No win, no fee arrangements available where applicable. https://www.progress.law/ info@progress.law Shaw & Co Solicitors England / Newcastle upon Tyne - Shaw & Co have over 20 years experience handling Personal Injury matters both locally and nationwide. Their specialist solicitors have won millions of pounds in compensation for clients and they operate on a No Win, No Fee basis. https://www.shawandco.com info@shawandco.com Former police officer wins £840,000 compensation after "stitch-up" - www.guardian.co.uk Compensation for exploding breast implants - www.independent.co.uk Claim compensation for no-show delivery drivers - www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line552
__label__wiki	0.719002	0.719002	The Wrong Earth: An Interview with Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle The Wrong Earth is a series by Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle that is published by Ahoy Comics. Dragonflyman, from bright, sunny Earth-Alpha, somehow switches Earths with Dragonfly, from grim and gritty Earth-Omega. This traps them in each other's separate worlds, which are just all wrong for both of them, even right down to how the police treat them! Inspired by the evolution of superhero comics, the comparison of the Silver Age to the Modern Age, and almost specifically Batman, The Wrong Earth is a fun ride and a promising start to an epic saga. With the first TPB collection coming this week, we spoke to the creators to see how The Wrong Earth came about, the ideas behind it, and where it's going. DUY: How did the idea for The Wrong Earth come about? Whose idea was it? Who pitched it to whom? TOM PEYER: I had an idea forming, but it wasn't quite there until Jamal came aboard. He brought a tremendous amount of energy to this, as you can see from the art. JAMAL IGLE: I actually bumped into Stuart Moore outside of a pie place in my neighborhood that we both frequent. He said that Tom had a project he wanted to talk to me about. So, Tom gave me a call and he told me the basic pitch and I was immediately onboard because it sounded like fun. It's pretty clear that Dragonflyman/Dragonfly are modern analogues of different versions of Batman. But while Dragonflyman seems to be a direct riff on a very specific version of Batman (Adam West), is there a specific version of Batman that Dragonfly is based off of, or is he a composite of modern versions of Batman from the mid-80s and onwards? JAMAL: For me he’s an amalgam of a few different takes. I think more than any other version is the Zack Snyder take from Batman v. Superman, in terms of tone. Dragonfly, to me is a guy who’s just tired. He’s been fighting for so long that the line between good and evil is very blurry. TOM: Part Affleck-Batman, part Punisher and Wolverine and many other characters that have been in comics since the '80s. There have been a lot of heroes since the '80s who would just as soon kill you as look at you. They're all in there. Same with Dragonflyman. From the '30s through the '70s, most super-heroes were Boy Scouts. This is in many ways a Batman satire, and in other ways a look at the ways all super-heroes changed through the ages. JAMAL: My approach is much more rooted in the mid 2000’s aesthetic of comics like Marvel’s Ultimate Universe and The Authority, but also Jim Lee’s work on Batman: Hush and Tim Sale’s The Long Halloween. The more absurd and outlandish elements of those things are what I use as a point of reference. How do you guys work together? Full script? Marvel method? Does Tom just project a bunch of ideas into Jamal's brain, entrusting Jamal to magically project it onto the paper? TOM: I write full script. Sometimes we talk things out a bit first. JAMAL: It’s a full script, but the way Tom writes still gives me a lot of leeway to inject my ideas into the pages. We did talk over the broad strokes of the story but our thinking is very similar in many regards. Does The Wrong Earth have a definitive end in sight? If so, how many issues or series of miniseries are we eyeing? TOM: I know how it's going to end, but I like to leave room for improvisation, too. I don't want to say how many issues there might be, because I reserve the right to change my mind. Around 30 years ago, we saw Crisis on Infinite Earths launched under the premise that multiverses confuse audiences. With the success of movies such as Into the Spider-Verse and TV events such as CW DC's Elseworlds, do you think this maxim is no longer true and that audiences today are more ready for multiple variations of a character than ever before? JAMAL: I think most people of a certain age remember the "Mirror Mirror" episode of Star Trek or the TV series Sliders. Even if they didn’t have a name for it, the idea of doppelgangers and evil twins has always been a fertile playground in terms of storytelling. I think it’s more that the whole multiverse thing has been concept has been explored in pop culture since the the 1950’s and it’s just that it’s now been given a name. TOM: I have to say I never warmed up to the post-Crisis monoverse. I don't like to see comics walking away from imaginative ideas. Frankly, I never bought the "readers are confused" rationalization. It felt to me like they were trying to make DC into another Marvel, which made me sad. We already had a Marvel. Of course, that was a long time ago, and everything gets reused eventually, including the multiverse. In The Wrong Earth, the two protagonists seem headed into different directions — emphasizing the naivete of Dragonflyman and the more jaded, Macchiavellian tendencies of Dragonfly — you seem to be making a statement about the overall quality of comics in comparison to yesterday. How do you guys view the overall state of comics today compared to yesterday? What could be improved and what has today done better? TOM: The comics of any decade are usually better drawn and better written than the ones from the decade before, and that is of course great. But there have always been diamonds in there, and ways of approaching material I wouldn't like the world to forget. We're still benefiting from the Phantom Zones and Danger Rooms and Super-Gorillas of the Silver Age, and I think we will for a long time to come. JAMAL: I think the overall quality of what’s being produced has never been higher. The struggle seems to be shelf space and a print industry in transition. All of publishing is struggling to find a place in a vastly changing media marketplace. We have more companies now than we’ve had in a very long time, since the collapse of the speculation boom, so the dollars to be made are being stretched thin. Couple that with a struggling economy and it can be challenging to gain a foothold in the industry. I think there’s room for growth, but it’s going to have to be outside of the direct market, and unfortunately we’re still trying to keep comic shops from closing while trying to change the business model. Deuce seems to be a Harley Quinn analogue, except she's on Earth-Alpha, the analogue of the more naive, Silver Age Earth, and Harley Quinn did not show up until the Modern Age. Additionally, she shows a cruel streak that seems more in place for Earth-Omega. So the question is, without spoiling anything, is it possible that any of the characters we've already met are not actually denizens of the particular Earth they're introduced in? JAMAL: Well, I see Deuce as more Catwoman/Bonnie Parker than Harley, even though she shows up playing the dumb blonde in issue one. There is a secret to Deuce that will get played out in the second half of the story but I don’t want to spoil things too much. Her insights speak to it more than her being from any particular Earth. TOM: I suppose anything's possible. With Deuce I was thinking more of the Batman '66 molls, and Diana Rigg on The Avengers, and I think Jamal added some Laugh-In-era Goldie Hawn. The Wrong Earth, in individual issues, has a lot of backup content, including short comics, short stories, and interviews, some of which have to do with The Wrong Earth universe and some of which don't. Can we expect these to be republished in the TPB? TOM: The TPB has the backup comics stories by Paul Constant, Frank Cammuso, Gary Erskine, and Tom Feister. Jamal contributed some process pages; a glimpse of my early proposal is in there, as are all of the covers; and Tom Scocca wrote a terrific introduction. And for fun, what particular episodes of Batman 1966 are your favorites? TOM: Just about any first-season episode is one of the best, because that was when they were spending money to make it look like a comic book. The first Catwoman episode is a standout, as is the first Riddler. Any Penguin episode. And it's second season, but I love the Liberace one. He really gave Aunt Harriet goosebumps. JAMAL: I’m more partial to some of the season one episodes like "Hi Diddle Riddle," "Joker Trumps an Ace", and "True or False-Face". You can get The Wrong Earth here: Featured In: Duy, Interviews, Jamal Igle, The Wrong Earth, Tom Peyer Season-Ticket Characters The 5 Best Toylines of the 1980s The Wrong Earth: An Interview with Tom Peyer and J... Spider-Rama: Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 MCU Roundtable: Avengers: Endgame Part 2	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line556
__label__wiki	0.716491	0.716491	Crest Solutions respects the privacy of all visitors to our website. This Cookie Policy outlines our policy concerning the use of cookies on www.crestsolutions.ie. We may update our Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect any changes in technology or legislation which may affect the way in which cookies are used by us and how you as a user, can manage them. Cookies are small text files sent from a website and stored in the user’s web browser while user is browsing a website. When users visit the same website again, the browser sends cookies back to the website allowing the website to recognise the user and remember things like personalised details or preferences. More information about cookies and details of how to manage or disable them can be found on www.aboutcookies.org. Please note that if you choose to opt-out of receiving cookies, you may lose some features and / or functionality of www.crestsolutions.ie. Which cookies does Crest Solutions use? When you use the www.crestsolutions.ie website, the following types of cookies can be set on your device: These cookies enable services for which you have asked specifically. Some examples of these cookies include: Identifying you as being signed in to a website and keeping you logged in throughout your visit Remembering the content of your shopping cart while browsing an eCommerce website. These cookies don’t usually contain any personally identifiable information and are typically set by websites to provide services such as eCommerce and log in facilities. Our CMS, Drupal, uses session cookies that can not be disabled. These cookies are used to collect statistical information about visitors of the website and the pages they view. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. The information these cookies collect is aggregated and used anonymously. We use these cookies to understand what content is popular which helps us to improve our website. For more information on how to manage cookies, including opt-out of performance cookies please visit: www.aboutcookies.org These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced and more personal features. Some examples of such features include: Remembering your preferences and settings such as redirect to mobile version of the site when you are browsing with a smart phone Remembering your favourites when browsing particular websites Remembering when you've voted in a poll or rated a something so that you don't do this more than once during your visit. If you have an account on a particular website, a cookie on your computer lets the website remember your user name and email address so you don't have to enter it again when you are commenting or writing a review. Other examples of services that use these type of cookies include PollDaddy, Pluck, or WordPress. For more information on how to manage cookies, including opting-out of functional cookies please visit: www.aboutcookies.org Targeting and advertising cookies These cookies are used to deliver advertising that is more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with our permission. They remember that you have visited a website; this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers. Often targeting or advertising cookies will be linked to site functionality provided by the other organisation. Some examples of services that use these types of cookies include Google AdSense or DoubleClick. If you wish to opt-out of targeting and advertising cookies please visit:www.youronlinechoices.com/ie/your-ad-choices Other third party cookies Some cookies that have been set on our websites are not related to Crest Solutions. When you visit a page with content embedded from, for example, YouTube or Facebook, these service providers may set their own cookies on your web browser. We do not control the use of these cookies and cannot access them due to the way that cookies work, as cookies can only be accessed by the party who originally set them. You should check the third party websites for more information about these cookies.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line557
__label__wiki	0.526405	0.526405	Centra Scotland Green Network Trust Celebrates Ladybird Diversity in Scotland A ladybird biodiversity campaign is being launched in central Scotland to celebrate the diversity of the colourful beetles and to raise awareness of the importance of the creatures to the environment. Led by the Central Scotland Green Network Trust (CSGNT) and funded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Inner Forth Landscape Initiative, the ‘Love Our Ladybirds’ campaign aims to raise awareness of, and protect ladybirds through promotional activities and events, providing educational resources for schools and by undertaking practical habitat creation or enhancement projects for different species in suitable areas. Scientifically known as Coccinellidae, there are over 40 different ladybird species across the UK, with 15 in Scotland. Six of these are commonly found in Scotland including the seven-spot ladybird and two-spot ladybird, with another nine rare or with localised distributions. All ladybirds have their own habitat, hibernation and food requirements and all share the same life-cycle. Some ladybird species in Scotland are thriving whilst others are decreasing due to lack of suitable summer and winter habitats, loss of food plants and predation from the invasive Harlequin ladybird. To help conserve the range of ladybirds found in central Scotland today, CSGNT, along with partners including SNH and Inner Forth Landscape Initiative, is encouraging local primary schools in Scotland to apply for a ‘Love Our Ladybirds’ kit. The packs are aimed at primary four to primary seven pupils and comprise of a range of valuable educational tools, including teaching aids such as ladybird identification guides, activities to help protect the beetles and information on how to create the optimum habitats within the school grounds, as well as hibernation hotel kits. Emilie Wadsworth, Biodiversity & Heritage Officer at CSGNT, said: “Ladybirds provide a valuable service to our eco-system and it is vitally important that we protect the biodiversity of the species currently found in Scotland. Often known as a gardener’s friend, most adult and larvae ladybirds are excellent predators of aphids and other pests. “Working alongside our partners, the ‘Love Our Ladybirds’ drive offers a range of educational tools for local primary schools in Scotland including teaching aids on identifying ladybirds, as well as suggestions for how provide suitable habitats within the school grounds, in order to attract more species, and hibernation hotel kits for pupils to create.” Arthur Keller, Operations Manager at Scottish Natural Heritage, said: “This project will help children discover how important a role small insects like ladybirds can play – and how much difference each of them can make to help ladybirds thrive. Ladybirds also show that looks are deceptive – they make a big contribution to a healthy ecosystem by getting rid of aphids and other pests which eat plants.” For further information please visit the ‘Love Our Ladybirds’ campaign page. To apply for a ‘Love Our Ladybirds’ schools pack, suitable for primary four to primary seven pupils, please contact Emilie Wadsworth at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line559
__label__cc	0.739856	0.260144	Christophi & Associates LLC visit website \| send email Christophoros Christophi graduated the Law Department of Leicester University with an LL.B (Hons) and LL.M in Labour Law in 1996. He was called to the Cyprus Bar in 1996 having passed third in the October 1996 Exams. He worked as a pupil advocate in Phoebus, Christos Clerides and N. Pirelides & Co from June 1996 till June 1997 and then as an Advocate till January 1998. In February 1998 he accepted a job offer by Andreas Neocleous & Co to undertake the set up of the firm Locations - Addresses Street Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue 20 City/Village Nicosia District Nicosia Country Cyprus P.O. Box Postal Code 1075 Contact Name Christophoros Christophi E-mail info@lawyer.com.cy Phone # 22456250 Fax # 22662215	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line560
__label__wiki	0.695768	0.695768	Fairfax: Lanier Middle Cleans Up at Environmental Action Showcase Even the Arts get in on the eco-friendly act. From left -- Lanier seventh-graders Aaron Harich and Jovanna Pineda were proud to display their chandelier, made over four weeks with about 150 recycled plastic water bottles, with the encouragement of Art teacher Kirby Kennedy. Photo by Andrea Worker. Photo by Andrea Worker And the winners are … From left -- Nadia Wilborne, Lila Stern and Sabina Nguyen show off their First Place Prize winnings. The Lanier seventh-graders impressed the judges with their “Classes Planting Grasses” project. Photo contributed From left -- Mariam Schfik, Ryan Phillips and Keivon Chamanara, all eighth-graders at Lanier Middle School in Fairfax show off their third place winnings in the “Caring for our Watersheds” competition at the School Environmental Action Showcase” The trio are determined to end the use of throw-away plastic bottles at their school – and elsewhere. They are raising funds to add more water bottle filling stations at Lanier, after the success of the stations they installed last year with the help of the prize money they earned at the 2015 Showcase. There were more than five hundred students representing schools from Alexandria City, Arlington, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Loudoun County and Prince William County at the 2016 School Environmental Action Showcase (SEAS), co-hosted by NoVA Outside and George Mason University and making its fifth appearance on GMU’s Fairfax campus, in the Center for the Arts building. Even in that sea of young people, the sheer numbers wearing burgundy T-shirts with “Caring For Our Watersheds” emblazoned on the fronts, made the 5-team strong contingent from Lanier Middle School in Fairfax a real standout in the crowd. THE SEAS EVENT is all about giving young people the opportunity to celebrate the work that they are doing in their schools and in their communities to positively affect the environment. The lobby of the Center was filled with colorful informational booths and demonstrations designed and staffed by the students, providing details and illustrating the projects that each group undertook in their environmental stewardship journey. So far, so typical, you might say. Ah, but wait. In addition to the static exhibition of their work, each team also made a 5-minute presentation to their fellow attendees, teachers, parents, and a panel of judges from up on stage in the auditorium, since many of them were participating in one of two competitions – “Caring for Our Watersheds” and KidWind - that are part of the showcase proceedings. Lanier’s “Ban the Bottle Part 2” team was there in hopes that their efforts would earn them a prize in the “Caring for our Watersheds” competition and funding toward their mission to end the use of plastic water bottles in their school. Eighth-graders Ryan Phillips and Keivon Chamanara were part of last year’s “Part 1” team who used their second place finish to help purchase water filling stations for the school’s lower level. With the addition of fellow eighth-grader Mariam Schfik, the “Part 2” trio have been continuing the efforts and are working to fund additional water filling stations on the upper level at Lanier. “We’ve made a good start,” said Ryan, “but we found that most of the plastic bottle waste is coming from the upper level. The students and staff don’t have the time to come down and fill up downstairs, so we need to bring the stations to them and keep all of that plastic out of our landfills and watersheds.” The “Ban the Bottle” gang are also raising funds by selling non-plastic reusable water bottles at school functions. “It’s extra encouragement,” said Mariam. The youngsters also hope that the “Caring for our Watersheds” logo on the bottles will help remind the community at large that our over usage of plastic is harmful to our world. The “Caring for our Watersheds” competition (sponsored by agricultural company Agrium) is a program of Earth Force, an international nonprofit whose mission is to engage young people to “play a central role in building environmentally resilient communities.” Kristen Mueller, spokesperson with the organization, notes that through their network of partners, the young people get “hands-on, real-world opportunities to practice civic skills, acquire a deep understanding of the environments and develop skills…to become lifelong leaders in addressing community issues. Earth Force uses a Community Action and Problem-Solving Process.” That means that those young competitors had to follow a six-step instructional model, taking them from building team work and community, a community environmental inventory, issue selection, planning, budgeting, implementation, going public, and planning for the future. That checklist made for some very admirable and thought-provoking presentations. So, how did Lanier Middle School wind up with so many students participating in this obviously challenging activity? Many of the students, and the parents present at the event that we polled, pointed to one major factor; Lanier Science, Math, Special Ed teacher, and Eco-Club leader, Faiza Alam. Alam leads 30-40 students twice a week in eco-friendly projects. Their crowning achievement is probably their maintenance of the school’s courtyard, built during facility renovations. “It was pretty much a landfill when they finished, so I said ‘Give it to me!’” laughed Alam. With her Eco-Club volunteers, they started from scratch. “It was, and is, a real hands-on learning experience.” Pollinator and vegetable gardens and other eco-happy spaces now define the once “useless” space – all maintained by the students with by-their-sides assistance from Alam. THE HARD WORK and the passion for their projects paid off for the Lanier students. Seventh-graders Nadia Wilborne, Lila Stern and Sabina Nguyen were awarded first place and $1,000 for their “Classes Planting Grasses” project. All five teams placed in the winning Top Ten, even with some stiff competition from the impressive works by other schools. “Ban the Bottle Part 2” went home with a third place and another $800 towards their goals. For more information about getting young people involved in environmental sustainability and improvement projects with resources for kids, parents, educators and communities, check out www.earthforce.org and www.novaoutside.org. Lanier Middle School Given National Honor ‘Leaders and Stewards for the Future’ in Fairfax Lanier Middle Teams Earn Two First Place Awards at Environmental Action Showcase Northern Virginia Students Work Together to Save Environment Langley Leads Recycling Efforts	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line561
__label__wiki	0.852583	0.852583	Reel Bad Cinema: The Ship of Monsters (1960) review LA NAVE DE LOS MONSTRUOS 1960 (THE SHIP OF MONSTERS) Lalo Gonzalez "Piporro" (Lauriano), Ana Bertha Lepe (Gamma), Lorena Velazquez (Beta) Directed by Rogelio A. Gonzalez The Short Version: Ai yai yai. This overstuffed burrito is the perfect meal for those days when you want to try something different. Spanish speaking Venusians search the galaxy for donors to breed Venusian males (I thought they were from Mars?) after atomic tests somehow managed to wipe them all out. By now, we all know Venus is too hot to handle, and so is voluptuous Ana Bertha Lepe and the sultry Lorena Velazquez. This wild west set SciFi-Comedy-Horror-Musical is reminiscent of Gene Autry's serial singing cowboy science fiction fantasy THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1935), and stars Mexican singing-comedy sensation Eulalio Gonzalez "Piporro". Spectacularly silly, audaciously bad, yet wholeheartedly entertaining, fans of Mexi-mad movies should welcome SHIP OF MONSTERS to invade their DVD players. Gamma and Beta are two Venusian women in search of male specimens throughout the galaxy to repopulate their planet after atomic bombs have inexplicably wiped out all males on their home world. After appropriating four alien species from other planets, they're forced to land on Earth for repairs. The two women discover lots of men, and take particular notice to singing, tall tale-telling cowboy, Lauriano. Both girls go gaga for their manly troubadour, a conquest is plotted, several song and dance numbers are belted out, monsters are unleashed, and love is found among the stars between a robot and a jukebox. Can you prove that it didn't happen?! Unlike the interplanetary mantra of Larry Buchanan's MARS NEEDS WOMEN, it turns out that Venus Needs Men. Judging by some of the prospects our scantily clad space girls pick up, Venus needs men so badly, there's a willingness to mate with anything that can plant a seed. There's been quite a few science fiction films with a sexist slant depicting alien women either desiring to kill men, or to mate with them. The latter (and a bit of the former) applies here, and it's quickly surmised these lunar lovelies have (mostly) lousy taste in mates. Among their gallery of potential populators are four monsters; actually, four of the most bewildering concoctions you'll ever see this side of a Japanese Tokusatsu series. Apparently bestiality is okay on Venus when it comes to rebuilding a civilization. To call THE SHIP OF MONSTERS one of the most bizarre films to emerge from Mexico would seem redundant, but accurate. It's one of the most bizarre films, period; and that might sound like an understatement when describing this B/W oddity as a SciFi-Western-Monster-Musical. It's one of those movies you just have to see for yourself to experience it in all its ludicrous glory. Clearly a product with 'For Domestic Use Only' stamped all over it, it's still a load of fun, and the constant stream of wacky elements gives Ed Wood and his ilk a run for their money. The plot, what little there is, is an excuse to trot out SciFi movie stock footage, assorted monsters and robots at regular intervals, and also to showcase the comic and singing prowess of Mexican idol Eulalio Gonzalez "Piporro"; so nicknamed for a sidekick character from a popular radio show he made famous in the late 40s that blossomed into a big screen career by 1951. As the lovelorn Lauriano, this singing cowboy would feel right at home with other musical men of the prairie like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Tex Ritter. Speaking of Autry, it would appear this motion picture was heavily influenced by his first lead role in 1935 with the serial THE PHANTOM EMPIRE. In it, Autry plays a modern day singing cowboy whose dude ranch is invaded by the subterranean residents of the Mu Empire! Encounters with laser guns, robots and an evil queen ensues. Eulalio Gonzalez (billed here as Lalo Gonzalez "Piporro") had a similar career trajectory to guys like Autry. He was a radio performer in addition to being an actor, singer and songwriter. His immense popularity and impressive slate of awards left a greater impression on the Mexican populace than the famous singing cowboys of yesteryear had on these shores. Out of 69 feature films, THE SHIP OF MONSTERS seems to be his only monster movie. It's easy to see why he was so well regarded. He's got an enormous amount of energy, a fine actor and singing voice, and he delivers his lines with gusto. The monsters, as crude as they are in design, are definitely unique. Apparently the film crew were proud of their creations as these creatures get their own billing in the credits! Still, to see multiple suits for monsters in a Mexican horror film was a rare occurrence; and some of those seen here cropped up in later films such as SANTO AND BLUE DEMON VS. THE MONSTERS (1970). The rogues gallery of galaxy invaders are: Uk (a hulking, cyclopean beast); Utirr (a hairy, bug-like monster); Tagual (an alien short in stature, but with an enormous, bulbous brain); Tor (the multifaceted robot helper to Gamma and Beta); and Zok (a living, talking skeleton with fangs). The monster suits for Uk and Tagual were reused for SANTO AND BLUE DEMON VS. THE MONSTERS (1970), while Tor the robot had already been seen in 1958s anemic THE ROBOT VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY. Unlike the two monsters, the robot has been slightly modified with some new features including a viewing screen on his faceplate and the ability to teleport. Halfway through, the film adds another monster when it's discovered Beta is actually a vampire! Yes, just when you thought this movie couldn't get any kookier, they throw a vampire into an already crowded recipe. But on Venus, like on Earth, vampirism is punishable by death, so Beta escapes and releases the monsters to do her bidding, and this is where the zaniness kicks into overdrive. Being cooped up in suspended animation makes a monster horny, and they each begin putting the move on Beta after she coerces them to help her conquer the Earth. So they each are intent on conquering her, too; yet Beta secretly longs for her singing cowboy even though he has eyes for the not so duplicitous Gamma. What is essentially a kids movie has this uneasy sexual subtext simmering underneath the films cheap exterior. This less than stellar invasion culminates in a four way battle royal that ends in moderately gruesome fashion; Lauriano gets the girl, and Tor the robot gets the jukebox of his dreams. The two machines break out in song as they leave Earth's atmosphere, and that's the end. Director Rogelio Gonzalez would strike again the same year with another stock footage enhanced science fiction comical opus with the slightly less bonkers, but no less ambitious CONQUISTADOR DE LA LUNA (1960). The curvaceous Ana Bertha Lepe can also be seen as Virginia, the spunky reporter in three Santo adventures all shot in 1961, SANTO VS. THE KING OF CRIME, SANTO IN THE HOTEL OF DEATH, and SANTO VS. THE DIABOLICAL BRAIN. The middle portion of her career is dotted with all sorts of campy genre credits that include two Yeti movies -- EL MONSTRUO DE LOS VOLCANES and EL TERRIBLE GIGANTE DE LAS NIEVES (both 1963), and NEUTRON TRAPS THE INVISIBLE KILLER in 1965. She died October 24th, 2013. The stunning beauty of Lorena Velazquez does not go to waste in THE SHIP OF MONSTERS. She and Ana Bertha appear to enjoy themselves swapping out slinky outfits and swimsuits from one scene to the next. Winning the Miss Mexico Pageant in 1960, she was soon off to a busy career in Mexi-horror cinema. She's played luchadora super heroine Gloria Venus in at least three 'Wrestling Women' movies; the Queen of the vampires battling Santo in SANTO CONTRA LAS MUJERES VAMPIRO (1962); and versus Santo again as the Queen of the witches in ATACAN LAS BRUJAS (1964). She also co-starred in the elaborate Santo fantasy-adventure EL HACHA DIABOLICA (1965). Velazquez again played an alien beauty in EL PLANETA DE LAS MUJERES INVASORAS (1966). Her younger sister, Tera Velazquez had a long career in the industry, but did few genre pictures. As impoverished as the whole enterprise is, there's a bounty of imagination on hand that surpasses other Mexican films with a SciFi slant (SANTO VS. THE MARTIAN INVASION for example). THE SHIP OF MONSTERS would never be mistaken for a good movie, but while it's terrible, it's terribly fun at the same time. It's really hard to not be entertained by this film. It's 83 minutes of sheer nuttiness backed by a shoestring budget, yet it succeeds on ambition alone. The performances are entertaining -- "Piporro" gets into his role, as does Lorena Velazquez, who is highly sensual even when she's not trying to be. The significance of this films star will be lost on most viewers, but a good time is assured for those who can appreciate these sorts of low budgeted movies. This review is representative of the Lionsgate DVD paired with EL RATA (1966). Labels: Mexi-Horror, The Ship of Monsters Reel Bad Cinema: The Ship of Monsters (1960) revie...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line562
__label__cc	0.527271	0.472729	No tick yet for the regime Registering today in Suva. pic Fiji Live The unelected government's voter registration campaign started today in Suva, Lautoka and Lamabasa - aiming to process 600,000 people in eight weeks. But as the following two contributing pieces from bloggers below rightly remind us, it has a long way to go convince all voters the talks to form a new Constitution and elections will be fair and ultimately in the interests of the people. If the Bainimarama Government is serious about hosting Fiji’s first real democratic elections then it has to come clean on a number of issues. -The Auditor General’s report must be published and made public -The interim government must immediately cease harassing media outlets that it deems are not operating within the confines of the arbitrary Media Decree -All citizens must be allowed to voice their opinion on national issues regardless of whether they were former politicians, businessmen, religious leaders or the ordinary citizen -Organisations wishing to hold meetings should be allowed to do so without fear or intimidation by security authorities -Relatives of the interim government that gained positions in the civil service, statutory bodies or government-affiliated or state-owned enterprises must immediately step down in the interest of transparency and good governance -The interim PM must declare specifically where and when funds from his flood appeal account were spent because reports by sources within NGOs and aid organisations have revealed that many are still fighting to survive having lost not only their homes but also their only sources of livelihood -The interim government must cease using preferred media outlets to disseminate information to the general public in the spirit of fairness, transparency and good governance. This only serves to restrict the flow of information to the public that need to be updated on issues pertinent to nation building -The security forces should immediately cease acting as thugs and intimidators and refrain from harming, threatening or harassing any citizen at the whim of government officials. All citizens should feel safe, confident, free and part of a nation they call home without fear of reprisal. In return for these conditions, the people of Fiji must, in the spirit of nation building, peace and progress: -put Fiji first when making decisions, be it corporate, civil, municipal or national -be willing to forgive and forget all that has happened since 1987, 2000, 2006 as forgiveness is the first step towards genuine reconciliation -work together for the benefit of all, putting aside differences and differing views on what should have happened, may have happened or did happen. -learn from the mistakes of the past and not allow situations to develop where military takeovers or coup de etats will be used as the means to correct political, social or economic discrepancies in the country -put their hands up when there is a need for community involvement in nation building issues or crisis and get involved for the love of the country and its people because what we build today will benefit our children of tomorrow. If we can achieve this then Fiji will truly be a democratic nation – perhaps even moreso than other countries that claim to be free and fair. Until the interim government takes the first steps and we the people embrace forgiveness and move forward, there can be no real peace and prosperity in Fiji. God bless us all. A CHALLENGE TO POLITICAL LEADERS, THE CONSTITUTION COMMISSION AND THE PEOPLE The Constitutional Commission has begun its preparatory ground work. I am a citizen of Fiji. I know this blog is well read and stirs debate hence my posting on it. I would really appreciate comments from the readers in the comments section. 1. No immunity provisions in the new or modified 1997 constitution This should be the starting point of any constitution preparation. All constitutions since 1987 have had to include this reprehensible clause to allow usurpers of democracy to have post parliamentary freedom via the constitution. Any such immunity provisions in the new constitution will allow the current dictator to escape legal proceedings and will provide intending usurpers of democracy encouragement to commit further acts of treason. The military commander Frank Bainimarama must not be given any immunity. He must be subject to the rule of law post elections. Having said this I think it is also necessary to say that no other military officer should be subject to criminal proceedings post regime change. They were only following orders. These officers also should not be subject to civil proceedings unless their actions were beyond and in breach of their appointments. If they were following orders then were the orders legally justified? Were they following it knowing it was not right for fear of recrimination or other sanction? If this were so then criminal culpability would not attach to these soldiers but civil proceedings could be brought by concerned persons or agencies. Bainimarama should be subject to criminal and civil proceedings post regime change as he was head of the military and he signed the warrant to first overthrow the Chaudhry and then the Qarase elected governments. His actions should also be subject to a judicial inquiry on terms drawn up by the new President post elections. The objects of the judicial inquiry should be to expose those persons who aided and abetted the regime like Nazhat Shameem, Aiyaz Khaiyum, Shaista Shameem, Nur Bano Ali, Dixon Seeto, Romanu Tikitikoca, Nalin Patel, Sharvada Sharma and Anthony Gates. Bainimarama should then be handed to the International Criminal Court for prosecution for crimes against humanity. The inquiry can serve as a Truth Commission and its outcome delivered to Parliament (as the peoples voice) to decide what action is to be taken against those found to have aided and abetted Bainimarama. Such an inquiry will also bring civil servants and other whistle blowers to spill the beans on the Bainimarama regime. The President Epeli Nailatikau should also be subject to this inquiry as all decrees after the late President Josefa Iloilo were signed by him. He must also account for his actions as the President during the relevant times and if found to be criminally liable should also be tried in a court of law just like dictators such as Saddam Hussein, Hoshni Mubarak and Augusto Pinochet were tried. Constitution not to be abrogated There should be no reserve or residual powers in the constitution given to the President. Parliament is to be supreme and we must ensure that lack of clear language in the constitution does not give an opportunity for future military rulers to manipulate the President into suspending or abrogating the constitution. The constitution must be the supreme law of the land. It must be a living document and should only be amended by Parliament and must contain impeachment provisions for a recreant President. Constitution to limit public spending and the role of civil service Any successor to the 1997 constitution must contain measures on public pending as percentage of GDP. Governments in the past and the current interim administration have been irresponsible with fiscal spending. Public spending must also be commensurate with the needs of the people and development funds must be allocated and accounted for in the context of priority and need. Greater emphasis and budget must be allocated areas which need development and where investment of public funds will yield a return. A further consideration must be that the civil service must be apolitical and not be ‘loyal to the government of the day.’ The civil service is funded by the public and its duty is not to parochial political interests but to the country at large. All public spending must be accounted for the auditor general be given greater powers of audit. Retirement age must be restored to 65. The judiciary must be independent. All post 2006 decrees must be relooked at by Parliament and repealed or sanctioned by Parliament. Magistrates and judges must deliver judgments within 3 months of hearing cases or be asked to show cause by Parliament why the offending judicial officer should not be disciplined. This must be a constitutional prescription. All judicial officers must be appointed on merit and all Magistrate and High Court judicial officers must be locals. All appellate and Supreme Court judges must be expatriate to avoid any issue of conflict. All judicial officers sacked after the 2006 takeover and after abrogation must be compensated, except for Nazhat Shameem who became a paid consultant to FICAC a month aftet the abrogation and has continued to receive lucrative government consultancies. Parliament must be representative of the people. Its composition must be free of any discriminatory practices. Seats must be contested on equal suffrage. Persons over 65 must not be eligible to contest parliamentary elections. It is not a post retirement profession. Parliament must appoint the President, in consultation with the GCC. The GCC This body must be restored to its former seat of deference in the social and cultural affairs of this country. Its views and not sanction of the appointment of the President must be sought. The State must establish a school of traditional leaders under the GCC secretariat as it is vitally essential that the Fijian chiefly system is preserved and one way of doing this is to groom young Fijian traditional leaders. All State land must be leased only to Fiji citizens. No State land must be leased to foreigners and all land leased to foreigners under the interim regime is to be re possessed without any compensation. Foreigners knew that the regime was illegal after the Court of Appeal ruling yet continued to do business and as such they must be prosecuted and property accumulated to be confiscated and retained by the State. This will discourage other persons who may be contemplating supporting this interim regime. Native land must be held in trust for Fijians and administered by a new and independent entity. The NLTB has too much baggage and is not the entity to take native land into the 21st century. Native land must be professionally and commercially managed with maximum return to the landowners. A certain percentage of say 1% should go towards an indigenous scholarship fund. Media must be free from any constraints on publication or ownership. What people need is to be well informed and such information or news to be free from any government distilling or censorship. Any guidelines of media ethics must be determined by Parliament as the voice of the people and the remedy for private rights breaches of inaccurate news reporting lies under the Defamation Act and for public rights breaches – a duly constituted body by Parliament can decide the appropriate course of action. The role of the military must be microscopically examined by the constitution review team. I suggest that military expenditure be reduced over a 3 year time frame from its current bloated levels to no more than $20 million a year. For this the military will need to be downsized and made more professional and marketed as peace keepers for troubled regions in the world under the aegis of the United Nations. For this the UN should be asked to nominate a commander for our military to instil discipline and better practices. All military officers over 50 years should be retired with a package equivalent to their taxable salary. All officers over 45 years must be offered a package equivalent to 7 years of their taxable salary. This may be criticised by some or many but it is a measure that has to be taken to downsize the military without punishing the officers. All political parties who have a threshold of more than 20% of seats in the elections should have their political offices funded by the tax payer. Elected politicians have a duty to all citizens and not just their party. To provide such a non-partisan electoral service constituency offices must be funded by the tax payer - with proper checks and balances. This practice is synonymous in civilised democracies and Fiji should aspire towards such practices rather than practices in dictatorships such China and Indonesia. Constitution Commission There must be a full time constitution commission office to receive input from the various organisations and the public. It can also make certain recommendations to Parliament for consideration on constitutional matters. I hope my suggestions are considered in the spirit in which it has been put to make Fiji a better place with no more threats to freedom by the military. A concerned and loyal citizen Name and address withheld for obvious reasons kite flyer said... I agree 100 percent! All in favour sat Aye. The Ayes have it! Facist State said... Let none of us pretend otherwise. Fiji under this illegal human rights abusing repressive junta is now a facist authoritarian state. It is in power because it has thugs with guns. No other reason. Fiji will never return to democracy and freedom until all those involved in the 2006 coup, and all those who have benefited from this treasonous criminality, are brought to justice. Compromise and forgiveness are rubbish. There is no reconcilitation ever, EVER, for dictators, their families and their supporters. Key figures, if found guilty, must hang. And if the junta groupies Davis and Walsh don't like the above - too bad. Nobody is interested in the views of those who support gun toting thugs who depose legitimate governments and commit horrendous human rights abuse. In the list of the people who have aided and abetted the regime there is one Sharvada Sharma. Who is he and how has he qualified to be on the list?What is his slimmy role? All the others are of couse well known and there is no question regarding their qualifications to be in the list. Are we going to have such problem like this here in Fiji? Reader: "BRITISH CONSTITUTION GROUP CHAIRMAN ROGER HAYES ARRESTED, CHARGED, TRIED IN SECRET ..." Posted By: hobie Date: Monday, 2-Jul-2012 23:45 http://www.namastepublishing.co.uk/british-constitution-group-chairman-roger-hayes-arrested-charged-tried-in-secret-british-court-and-imprisoned/ BRITISH CONSTITUTION GROUP CHAIRMAN ROGER HAYES ARRESTED, CHARGED, TRIED IN SECRET BRITISH COURT AND IMPRISONED At 0930 this morning, in scenes reminiscent of Stasi East Germany, 2 police cars and 4 policemen from Merseyside Police arrested British Constitution Group Chairman Roger Hayes at his Wirral home and drove away. The first his family heard of him was at 18:30 this evening via a telephone call from a Warder in Liverpool prison, to say that Roger had been tried and sentenced to prison. At no time were the family or any other members of the public informed of his arrest, and it is understood that he was tried in a secret court without a Jury. Denied the right to argue his case, denied the right to a Jury, denied the right for the public to see justice being done, Roger was imprisoned in the secretive gulag system that Britain has become in 2012. Roger's "crime" is that he has been refusing to pay his Council tax, because along with other state taxes, a proportion of the tax revenue gathered is being sent to the European Union, used to fund unlawful wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, and promote terrorism right around the world. To pay tax under these circumstances is, at the very least, unlawful under Section 15(3) of the Terrorism Act 2000. As such the present government of UK in Westminster is complicit to terrorist action and war crimes and therefore the payment of taxes to an unlawful, criminal regime is itself a criminal act - one in which Roger refused to participate. In addition to his stance on taxes for unlawful purposes, Roger has also been campaigning for the Lawful Bank - a monetary initiative in which money can be issued to the public as credit, rather than as crippling debt under the existing corrupt and fraudulent International Monetary System. As Chairman of the British Constitution Group, Roger Hayes has been an outspoken public speaker warning the British public that their rights and freedoms under Common Law and the Constitution are being stripped away and replaced by a dictatorship of secret courts operating under Administrative and Statute Law. There is no doubt that his success in alerting ever more people to the dangers of the British / EU dictatorship being built by a criminal element now masquerading as British politicians, has caused the State to imprison Roger. His challenge to the fraudulent banking system, as evidenced by the criminal acts of Barclays bank and todays resignation by arch Bilderberger and BBC advisor Marcus Agius, will also have made Roger enemies within Britain's wide criminal banking cabal. Roger's family are shocked both at his arrest, and at the realisation that Britain is now sliding into a police state, where husbands, fathers and other good people can be lifted off the streets and imprisoned. There is now no doubt that Britain is further under the control of domestic terrorists in Westminster. We ask that all those who value their freedoms and liberty call Merseyside Police for further information and an explanation of their actions, and also call Liverpool prison to establish Roger's physical safety and well-being. Merseyside Police Tel: 101 local or +44 (0)151 709 6010 in UK. Liverpool Prison Tel: +44 (0)151 530 4000 Crimestoppers (UK only) Tel: 0800 555 111 Good thinking but baini/khaiyum wont give up power. too much too loose. we dont have constitution according to the regime than how come we have voter registration/others. under khaiyum bs decree. i cant understand the logic. fiji needs to restore back the 1997 constitution and hold election and let elected mp do changes according to the wish of the voters within legal means. we know the 1997 constitution is still alive. ex army said... Remember they are totaly in control and they can forge the numbers required....who cares...trhe only thing are for us to stand against these thugs and and take our goverment back. An American friend told me I should read the article "In Fiji, a Detour on the Road to Democracy" by Matt Siegel published July 2,2012 in The New York Times, International Herald Tribune and reproduced July 3 in Fiji Today Open Forum. The article was quite informative. It told me a few things I didn't know even though I am a keen observer of Fiji politics. What struck me however was the public comments on the article in Fiji Today. None of the commentators - who I take to be Fiji people mostly - were prepared to put down their proper full names. I went to some other articles in Fiji Today and found the same thing. People not prepared to put down their names. Why is this still the case some 5 and half years after the 2006 coup? With the constitutional review public consultation process and the electronic voter registration project underway for the elections scheduled for 2014 isn't the country firmly on the road to returning to democracy? So why do people still fear revealing their true identity? Why the fear of freedom of expression? Is there something they know ? Siegel's story was posted on C4.5's Facebook earlier today. Bloggers can find it there. https://www.facebook.com/Coupfourpointfive Fiji Gone Wrong said... Electoral Registration of Voters Decree comes into effect Publish date/time: 03/07/2012 [17:07] As the Electronic Voter Registration process kicks off today, the Electoral Registration of Voters Decree has also come into effect. The decree states that the Electoral Act 1998 is repealed however a political party registered under the repealed Act will continue as a registered party until such time further laws are made in relation to the registration of political parties. It is also stated that the Minister responsible for Elections will perform the functions and exercise the powers of the Electoral Commission until such time as the commission is appointed by the President. The decree also confirms that the Permanent Secretary responsible for Elections will perform the functions of the Supervisor of Elections until such time the Supervisor is appointed by the President. The Electoral Registration of Voters Decree said a person who has reached the age of 18 years and is a citizen of Fiji shall have the right to be registered as a voter. Any person who is serving a prison sentence of 12 months or more and any person declared to have a mental disorder under the law in Fiji shall not have the right to be or shall cease to have the right to be registered as a voter unless the circumstances cease to exist. Story by: Vijay Narayan Mr Rajend Naidu if you cant read the politics Aust and NZ want to implement in Fiji than you should not be commenting any person with a mental disorder, including megalomania, shall not have the right to rule over the decent,law abiding citizens of fiji. any person currently in power who displays this mental disorder shall cease to hold power straightaway and be taken in for an expert medical examination by a penal consisting of prof ghai, prof nandan, prof crosbie and graham davis will act as the report writer. you are right Kite Flyer...the previous government had a mental disorder called "Racism",that's why they were so dangerous to run the country.Fiji would have gone down the drain.How can a man run a country when he could not even run a bank successufully REWA DAIRY SOLD TO CJ PATEL. KHAIYUM MATE AJIT KODAKODA /SANDEEP PATEL COMAPNY. THEY WILL SELL ALL GOVT ASSETS AND OTHER STATE COMAPY AND MAKE THE COMM ON THIS . Ideally a good article but unrealistic. While we're at this, prepare for 3rd world war beginning now in Syria! Director of Immigration said... Graham Davis buys dual citizenship for $3,385 from his pet regime Bloggers, that regime lackey masquerading as journalist Graham Davis has commented on Speigel's story in his Grubsheet. But here is more interesting revelation - he did a piece criticising C4/5 over a blogger's comment on art of bomb making - and Crosbie Walsh and Fiji Sun reproduced it - Graham Davis than entered into a long exchange with a blogger "Immigration Officer" revealing how low this man can sink in abusing others because he is proud to have become dual citizen of Australia and Fiji Graham Davis buys Fiji citizenship for $3,385 from pet regime - see exchange Immigration Officer Posted July 2, 2012 at 5:47 PM Graham, you say you hold dual citizenship – please tell us when and how you got Fiji citizenship – the Dual Citizenship Act did not come into force until 2009 The Citizenship unit consists of two officers and a support staff and is located at the ground floor, Immigration Department HQ, 969 Rodwell Rd, Suva. With the abrogation of the 1997 constitution Fiji Citizenship is now being governed by a Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009. This is Decree No 23 and was introduced in July 2009 and is deemed to have come into force on 10th April 2009 – for more information refer Public Notice. Fiji citizenship can be acquired by: Every Child born in the Fiji Islands on or after the date of commencement of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009 (10 April 2009) becomes a Fiji citizen at the date of birth unless one parent has diplomatic immunity and neither parent is a citizen. Citizenship by registration covers six categories of individuals: The first category covers children born outside the Fiji islands on or after 10th April 2009 if at the date of the childs birth either of the Childs parents was a citizen – section 8(1) of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree2009 The second category covers children under 18 years of age of a foreign nationality that are adopted by Fiji Citizens – section 8 (2) of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009. The third category covers children who were under the age of 18 when either parent became a Fiji citizen – Section 8(3) of the Citizenship Decree 2009. The fourth category covers persons who would have qualified under the previous three categories but they have reached the age of 18 years. These applicants cannot be granted citizenship unless they have been lawfully present in Fiji for a total of three (3) of the five (5) years immediately before the application – Section 8(5) of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009. The fifth category provides for former adult Fiji citizens who wish to regain their Fiji citizenship. With the introduction of the multiple citizenship policy former citizens wishing to regain their Fiji citizenship need NOT renounce their other citizenship – Section 8(6) of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009. The sixth category provides for spouses of Fiji citizens. Applicants must have been lawfully present in Fiji for a total period of three of the five years immediately before the application – Section 8(7) of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009. By Naturalisation A foreign national can apply for Fiji citizenship if he or she has been lawfully present in Fiji for a total of five (5) of the ten (10) years immediately before the application is made. With the introduction of the multiple citizenship policy applicants do NOT need to renounce their other citizenship – Section 11 (2) of the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009 Graham Davis “Immigration Officer”, it’s frankly none of your goddam business but in the interests of transparency, I’ve paid my $3385 like everyone else in Category Five. Graham Davis buys Fiji citizenship for $3385 form pet regime When did you renounce your Fiji citizenship? If I understand correctly, Fiji had never allowed its citizens to hold dual citizenship until 2009? Oh, Graham, in the name of transparency, please tell us when you became Fiji citizen? Did you ever hold a Fiji passport? And why you gave it up in the first instance? Davis was born in Suva, Fiji,[3] the elder son of the Rev Peter Davis, who served as President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and, later, New South Wales Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia.[4] He spent his early years on the island of Lakeba in the Lau Group and attended Buca District School, Savusavu, and Drasa Avenue School, Lautoka, before being sent to Newington College, Sydney (1966–1971) as a boarder o Graham Davis Posted July 2, 2012 at 10:27 PM “Immigration Officer”, I’ve given you my response and that’s it. I repeat. It’s none of your business what my citizenship status is. Nor is it your business what Peter Thomson or anyone else in the country does. You have copied and pasted the standard form from the Department of Immigration website and tried to make something of it. Qori. I have a question for you now, Mr/Mrs/Ms “Immigration Officer”. What country were you born in, what citizenship do you hold and where do you live? I personally don’t give a toss. But seeing as you asked first, how about an answer? 2. Reply Jiale You are the one who have been so eager to defend Graham – let him answer those questions – it matters, and it is a very simple YES or NO – did Graham ever hold a Fiji citizenship, and if so, when, and when did he give it up, and when did he reclaim it Let him answer – keep out of it if you have no answers – I didnt start it – it was none other than Graham who was waving his dual citizenship into that chap Mark Mannings face o Reply When you give me your real name, “Immigration Officer”, we can have a rational conversation about these matters. But I don’t box with shadows. Nor to I answer to those who hide behind pseudonyms. Your belligerence tonight is pathetic. And you have the audacity to demand answers from me from your coward’s castle? I intended to give you nothing more than I’ve given you. But because I have nothing to hide, here are the facts: I was born in Fiji, was a citizen from Independence and carried successive Fiji passports until the early nineties, when I was obliged to give up my Fiji citizenship when the Australian authorities wouldn’t renew my permanent residency. Thanks to the Bainimarama Government, I can have my Fiji citizenship back. Furthermore, I’ve paid the requisite amount to regain what would ordinarily be my birthright anywhere else. I’ve done what anyone else in my position would do and received no favours from the system, if that’s what you really want to know. That’s the true story whether you like it or not. Now bugger off. Graham Davis buys Fiji citizenship for $3385 It seems Australian citizenship instilled in you no manners – unless you are high on Fosters – calling those who are engaging you into a debate “morons” etc and allowing your supporters to do the same – here you are, accusing C4/5 of all sorts of things. Hang onto the Fiji dictator, your mate! If you want to use abusive language as publisher of Grubsheet, than rename it Grubshit! Moron: disused term for a person with a mental age between 8 and 12, and a common insult for a person considered stupid. And I thought I was being pretty charitable under the circumstances. Posted July 3, 2012 at 12:03 AM No wonder you are publishing Grubshit, and aiding and abetting treason. It has become clear that you and others were behind the introduction of the Citizenship Decree 2009 to obtain that Fijian passport, and you in particular, by writing those pro-regime and Bainimarama pieces – no wonder you hated the last democratically elected government. You dolt! Yes, that’s right. When you “pro democracy” types try to get up one passage and are thwarted, you merely turn your attentions to another. Sodomisers of one sort or another whichever way you portray yourselves. Buenas Noches, companeros. Ni vakacegu mada.  Reply terry tavita Posted July 3, 2012 at 7:02 AM tsk..tsk..that’s very low.. My personal opinion is that those who are found guilty of treason should be given the proper treatment ie the hangman's noose. Please hang them in Rt Sukuna Park for every one to see. Those on my list would be Bainimarama, Khaiyum, Shameem , Gates , Sharon etc. Let them all hang so that people will learn a lesson. As far as I'm concerned the Election is all bullshit. Qarase's SDL is the rightfully elected government and the government should be returned to him before anything else is contemplated, whether Election or what. What we should be doing is asking Qarase to lobby the Forum Countries to activate Biketawa immediately and have the ANZUS forces come to Suva and enforce it. Then we hang all these losers. -Valataka na Dina. Oh hahaa..Davis is such a con journo..a joke..if I had fijis interest at heart I would completely give up my australian passport cause my loyalty lies in fiji and not australia..and if I were the immigration officer I would strip him off his fiji passport cause I wouldnt want a big mouith LIUMURI making statements about my country..Go to hell you freaking white piece of shit... Graham Davis buys Fiji citizenship for $3385 and calls pro-democracy fighters bunch of Sodomisers One wonders why all these chineese at the airport have blue passports and dont speak a word of english..so much for the anti corruption charade of lies..lies and more lies by these illegal thugs..and one still wonders where the hell is Leweni nowadays..and by the way..the minister for immigration too corrupt..has a girl vonolagi as a toygirl and buys her iphones and all the gadgets and gives her money on the side too..what a joke.. Guess what Compol's wana be son in law is moving around with the other militrary big guy in the group profiling cops who ask questions and a poor friend of mine was photographed asking questions today, first victim. The team is in Western telling all the cops to become yes man or be ready to be kicked out so the families and all his legal and illegal son-in-laws get a job. Never seen such a stupid presentation about trying to aim for the sky. Graham Davis application should be investigated - no wonder the para 5 is so loosely worded - when did he get the passport - after those TV interviews with dictator Graham Davis got his matey Peter Thompson to accept Fiji citizenship and be posted to UN as regime's mouthpiece to the world You are an award winning international journalist and experienced TV interviewer (having interviewed PM Bainimarama on several occasions), so it will be very easy for you to fill out the form below for Fiji Immigration and Naturalization Department. (1) When did you become Fiji Citizen? (2) When you left for Boarding School in Australia, what passport did you hold on that journey in 1966 (3) From 1966 until 2009, what was your nationality? (4) The fifth category provides for former adult Fiji citizens who wish to regain their Fiji citizenship under the Citizenship of Fiji Decree 2009. When did you renounce your Fiji citizenship to become an Australian citizen? (5) Peter Thompson – It has been said of Fiji’s UN Rep: “Having lost his Fiji citizenship by becoming an Australian and a New Zealander after the 1987 military coup, he regained his original citizenship in 2009, following a Fiji government decree authorising dual citizenship”. In your Grubsheet blog you wrote: “Almost half a century on, Grubsheet is pleased to have played a minor part in re-establishing the connection when – after an interview with the Prime Minister- we talked about the old days in the West and I mentioned that Peter and I got together regularly in Sydney to talanoa about Fiji. Bainimarama’s eyes lit up and while he didn’t say so at the time, he evidently began mulling over the possibility of using Peter in some senior role. Soon afterwards, Peter began a private mission – financed by veteran Fiji businessmen Mark Johnson and Dick Smith – to try to bridge the gap between Fiji and its Australian and NZ critics. He went to Port Moresby to enlist the support of the PNG leader, Sir Michael Somare, and the initiative produced the first meeting of the respective parties for some time. That was in 2009. Three years on and Ambassador Thomson is chairing the United Nations General Assembly. It’s a triumphant personal story, the Kai Valagi (European) civil servant removed at gunpoint and forced to leave Fiji now sitting as moderator and adjudicator at the pinnacle of global affairs. But it’s also one of the triumphs of Bainimarama’s determination to use the best people- irrespective of race – to present Fiji’s face to the world. To see my old mate sitting there on the UN podium – Fiji Water bottle by his side – fills me with pride, as it surely must others who hope that Fiji’s best days as a united, prosperous, multiracial nation lie ahead.” Do you know when Peter Thompson became a Fiji citizenship? In his case he did have Fiji citizenship which he renounced or as you say “lost” it after the 1987 coups? Again, Graham, did you ever, like Peter Thompson, hold Fijian citizenship? If so, when you gave it up? And, when it you reclaim it for $3385 dollars under the new citizenship decree Protest Voter said... I wonder if this grubshit has the right now to vote in the promised 2014 election - I am sure Graham Davis is looking for a job in Fiji with his "sodomisers" - he is also being paid by the regime to write those shitty columns for propaganda rag, the Fiji SUN. Please folks spread the word on the ground in Fiji that this traitor refused to give up his Permanent Residency in Australia and has only now become a lover of Fiji Australian High Commissioner said... Give up your Aussie passport, Graham and return to your Fiji now I was obliged to give up my Fiji citizenship when the Australian authorities wouldn’t renew my permanent residency. Now Graham Davis has finally got that Fiji passport as he claims, which is his birth right, he should give up the Aussie passport, which he had taken out for convenience sake, to bring up his family in Australia CID Inspector said... His permanent residency was refused by the Aussies because he was under investigation for alleged sodomy of a choir boy in his old boarding school, from files in the Immigration Department - go look it up at Rodwell Rd in Suva - unless he has removed them when he visited Fiji to collect his new passport from Bainimarama. That is why he calls pro-democracy fighters a bunch of sodomisers. Hunter for Torturer Supporters said... Defender of Torture, Graham Davis GD has commented on Siegel's NY Times article in Grubshit - endorsing the beatings of opponents - he will, won't he - eternally grateful for a NEW Fiji passport after buying it illegally for $3385 under the illegal constitutional decree The same applies when it comes to roughing up regime opponents, something that Siegel insists on describing as torture. He and Grubsheet had a spirited exchange on the subject during our own meeting in Suva, when I pointed out that these were isolated outbreaks of violence rather than an institutionalised state process to punish or extract information. “Fiji doesn’t have formal processes of torture like the United States with its water boarding”, I opined. “It’s more instances of spontaneous beatings – known locally as buturaki – which have always been a feature of Fijian life”. It was an observation that didn’t impress my interlocutor and frankly, I don’t blame him. Shoeshine Boys Association said... C4/5 - can you please send the photo of this new $3385 illegal Fiji citizen so that he could give him a good "buturaki" the next time he is here - we dont need sodomisers in Fiji - and dont blame us for doing it - its a feature of Fijian life - the illegal President got one from us lately - we will polish this unwanted Aussies face black! TO the one who wants to know How can a man run a country when he could not even run a bank successfully? That's a question Frank Bainimarama should answer. He is the one who illegally installed him in power as interim PM after the Speight coup. And, no more racist in army now? No more racist in Bainimarama's govt. You forget Alipate Qetaki, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, Filipe Bole were all part of Rabuka's racist coup! They are now with Bainimarama. leopards changing their spots?! Does anybody know where Ratu Mara is - is he dead or alive - we waiting for his evidence.Is it true that he has new girl called Padoo who is paying for his expenses in Tonga.Maybe Rajesh Chor Singh wants to answer this. dua na ka na vakaloloma kei na dredre keimami sotava tu qo na lewei Viti. There's no hope here, maybe next thousand years. Something wrong here. If you go to Grubsheet, Graham Davis is actually attacking the regime for beating people up. Honest, go and have a look. You've only run part of what he said to make him look bad. Yes, he looks bad anyway. But isn't the bigger story that this regime apologist is crying "enough". To Kite Flyer Yes Mr Bainimarama did install qarase as PM after the speight coup but look what qarase was doing...there were so many scams going on while qarase was running the country,,i know the three you mentioned were in rabuka;s racist government...and previous governments did allow racism to thrive but Mr Bainimarama has put a stop to it.No more racism...lets all join hands and support the current government in taking the country forward. To all the critics of this government...remember,your barking from the sideline wont do you any good..so if you cant beat them,,join them Daniel Lakh 1104PM. I laugh at you faceless /gutless bugger. Why can you put your name mate. Well for info padoo doesnt pay anything and i am not a chor like you. pls if you have prove than sent it to me and c4.5. If not just the f up. Its funny your bring padoo in this ,we didnt bring your mrs in comments. we are not coward like you. Ratu Mara is in auss or tonga . what your concern he can buy you . he doesnt need anyones money. He fight for democracy like us and put our name . why cant you put your name mr lamusona. well good luck. People like you are cowards and we dont care about your bs comments. Yes, I agree but the general thrust of Graham Davis article was counter-propaganda against Siegel's article - when did this man become Fiji citizen - I have never had that one has to give up his citizenship to acquire permanent residency - that illegal matey of his Khaiyoom held PR in Australia - so GD's protestations ring hollow. Yes, he is the remainder of his comment It was an observation that didn’t impress my interlocutor and frankly, I don’t blame him. Because whatever you call them, there’s no excuse for the beatings that have taken place in custody and the onus is on the regime to ensure they are not repeated. When the New York Times publishes a photograph of the scars that Suva identity Ben Padarath carries from his own beating up at the camp, the military really has no-one to blame but itself. We have never read anywhere where Graham has condemned and chastised the military for scores of beatings and torture of the opponents Graham Davis is also asking the regime to make a note of Netani Rika's comments to Siegel - saying it will raise the ire of the government - Rika has every right to speak out The sole critic prepared to be identified is Netani Rika, the former Fiji Times editor – famously forced out of the job – who is now the Reverend Akuila Yabaki’s researcher at the Citizen’s Constitutional Forum. Not surprisingly given his staunch opposition to the regime, Rika declares himself “not optimistic” about 2014, opining that a lot of the government’s plans are “superficial” and the stage is being set for effective military rule for another ten years. That puts him at odds with Yabaki – his boss at the CCF – who has publicly declared himself optimistic about a successful outcome. It will be interesting to see how Yabaki deals with Rika’s comments. The celebrated clergyman has been anxious to portray the CCF as politically independent and an “honest broker” when it comes to the constitutional process. Although he wasn’t identified as a CCF employee in the NY Times piece, Rika’s comments – in direct contravention of Yabaki’s analysis of the reform process – will certainly raise eyebrows in Suva and raise the ire of government. Listen up people, don't lose your cool? Keep the faith! We're gonna get through this catastrophy and we will together come out strong on the plus side! The Bai regime is on it's way out, they've ran out of ideas-bullshit ideas-and they can't manage the country enourmous economy. Khaiyum is nothing more than a bullshit artist.He tries to use people for all his scams,but it failed and came back to bite him in the ass? he's just a big scam scientist and when thing goes wrong, he reacted by burning the place down.He's trying a new propaganda, to make it appears that Bai is not sick-stroke & heart-attack, by coming up with the Media decree. Notice how he manipulate the Fiji Time to print a story and an old picture of Bai presenting mosese Tikoitoga a medal which was done last year 2011, but get the Fiji times to say it was yesterday? So the asseole is running out of tricks too!So hey people, we're going to take this thing home real soon? So don't lose hope and keep up your courage,cause when all is said and done, you and I are the only people that matters,and are ready to fight the fight, to free our beloved Fiji!!! The kind of assassination of character going on here is not doing anyone and the country any good.. I mean the kai palagi from overseas is reading this and already having a -ve image of Fiji... Come one folks, a little bit of facts and restraint on ur part will do us all some good.. paula raqeukai said... vinakavakalevu freedom fighter for the truth statement of our beloved nation...and truth will set Fiji free from the current tyranny rulers...it is vitally important at this important time of our history that we should all be united together as TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE LIVING GOD JESUS CHRIST and TELL THE TRUTH...LOVE OUR ENEMIES AND TELL THEM TO FEAR GOD ONLY AND REPENT THEMSELVES FROM ALL THE WRONGS they had caused our nation and its people...through the power of the Holy spirit we should forgive them and set-up a truth commission for the sake of all victims and culprits of the 2006 coup...He is coming SOON then we expected and He will repay us with ALL the good and the bad deeds we had done in this world...my plea to the current tyranny rulers... "please repent while the TIME is still on our side before its TOO LATE.....GOD BLESS FIJI...EVER FIJI... Daniel Lakh, Go wipe Bainimarama's bottom. You sound like a nutcase. There was no corruption by Qarase until proven guilty by the courts.Instead the scam you are talking about was the work of self serving civil servants like Kunatuba and Sorovakatini who were entrusted with the government programs in collusion with greedy businessmen like Bhika. You must be a bitter Indian for not receiving any helped from the government but there were a lot other Fijians who were deprived from their fair share of government assistance and I am one of them. But let me tell that most of us (Fijians not Indians) regard Qarase still as our leader and we will remain with him - no matter what. You can join Bainimarama in prisons soon with the "perceived" progress you sing about - you Bastard. Rajesh@11.04pm - you fail to realise that Ratu Mara is using money taken from your ancestors (maybe not yours but other Fijians) and you till defending him - Ratu Mara helped rape deomcracy in 2006 and you were with him - then you and him dont get your way and become democracy crusaders - you people are the same as Bani and Asswipe - all opportunist. We at SDl dont want you, Mahen,Beddos and NFP doesnt want you so I guess you should hide in NZ with your loser friends - Fiji doesnt need you to get democracy back. Ratu S Fiji total population is 837000 how come we have 660000 over 18- voting age. 177000 is under 18 in fiji. doesnt tie up. I smell a rat here . The electronic voter registration has finally started. It seems to be a very complex and detailed process compared to the previous ones. It requires a lot of detailed personal data such as finger prints, eye scans, IDs, birth cert etc. It stiffles the election process and too many details are unnecessary. I think Fiji is becoming a big brother state. Now my main concern is do I register and be tagged OR not register and not have the chance to vote out these culprits who are running the regime now. the debate on whether Graham davis is/was eligible for Fijian Citizenship refers?? Quite clearly he was/is. His qualification for eligibility : sucking up to the mob in power by 1. acting as the regime's propagandist under the pretense of "fair and balanced" journalistic reporting 2.glossing over any wrongdoing on the part of the regime( no shit's happening in the country anymore!) 3.attacking all pro-democracy campaigners as people without merit and genuine commitment. Now that he is a Fijian I think it's just a matter of time before Graham Davis will be bestowed with one of those meaningless medals that are given for service to country (read sucking up to the ruling mob) @ RAJESH 10.52, you said: "Fiji total population is 837000 RAJESH" Areh wah! Your figures do add up. But whether they're accurate is another story. Do you know what the current statistics are? I thought Fiji kids under 18years was in the vicinity of 310,000? Can you find out for us? NOT REGISTERING THIS TIME said... Rajesh, the one child policy of China was adopted which explains the 177000 under 18 year olds. Maybe you could explain how SDL had 820,000 votes cast at the last elections when the population was 842,000....any bright suggestions? Daniel Farkh Lakh said... Daniel Farkh, get out of Aiyarsehole's asshole because you're talking shit as usual. Rajesh you did prove me right by not catching the first flight out of Auckland. You are nothing but a BIG talker but no action. Fiji is way much better off without likes of you. I know that you are doing us a favor by not coming to Fiji. Now do us another favor, just shut your big mouth and not say anything. Just be seen in Auckland but not heard. From 2007 statistics (available on the net) population was 837,000 and interpolation from age bands gave an approx population of under 18s of 307,000. Based on 2007 statistics voting population of over 18s would then have been around 530,000. The extra 130,000 consist of those that will become of age in 2014 and the 120,000 Chinese waiting to get their blue passports that are due in the next batch. Rajesh @10.52 - I am surprised you can calculate, maybe you can explain how SDL had more votes than voting population and your electrol friend produced twice the number of ballot papers in the last election. That rat smell you claim is you - the traitor that turned on SDL at SDL, went to Bani and turned on him and now he want a place on our path to democracy - I smell a real opportunist rat. Seems to me this was an article to read & digest but LOW when i got to the GCC part of the article and read of the young Chiefs bit that they should be trained to take over, what a load of rubbish! The young generaton of Chiefs are a bunch of dopes to begin with! If you want Chiefs to run the show forget about having ELECTIONS and forget about having a half wit 'democracy'. Chiefs yes but when it comes to politics many times in recent generations they have failed the country and all the races in Fiji not only the iTaukei. The iTaukei cannot be put into bondage for ever, if Chiefs want to be in politics then the sweat of your brow is a starting point! There will be many of those who cannot speak any of the our official languages (English, Hindi, and Fijian) who will be voting too come election 2014. Those are the ones holding their new blue Fijian passports but can only speak Chinese. Or maybe there will be a decree from the decree maker Aiyaz that Mandarin, Cantonese, and Chinese will also become our official languages in our beloved Pacific Island. Or maybe, just maybe, that there will be a decree that our own iTaukei language and all our dialects will be annulled and voided. As for Davis, hopefully he will give away his Aussie passport now that he holds the Fijian one. I doubt that he will because he does not trust Bainimarama either. Mr Davis you cannot register to vote. Ok. @ 5.49p.m. Agree with you, i saw no point responding to that nonsense about propping up a feudal system which has no relevance in today's times. Inanycase, 'chiefs' are meant to serve the people as leaders so why are they not leading from the front during times like these when the people need their 'leadership' most? Lo and behold! 120,000 chinese? We are going to witness upcoming generations with surnames such as ah, le, we, ni, oh, po, so... short, sweet and simple. Freedom Fighter, I respectfully disagree with your proposal that the people of Fiji should forgive and forget all that has happened since 1987, 2000, and 2006. Forgiveness is not the first step in national reconciliation but the last. The first step is to achieve understanding. After all, how are we to forget what happened before we even know what happened? Among other things, Bainimarama's role in orchestrating the seizure of Parliament in 2000 needs to be laid bare and the nature of Chaudhry's involvement in 2006 clarified. When it comes to truth and reconciliation, we need to have the former before the latter. The next step is justice. Perpetrators of crime need to compensate their victims as a partial atonement for their past misdeeds. All aggravating and mitigating factors need to be taken into account. Personally, I believe a few individuals deserve to be hanged for treason, but I'll leave that up to an impartial court served by competent counsel. The point is that without justice, true progress and reconciliation are not possible. For that reason, I reject the idea of amnesty for anyone. All who committed crimes must answer for their crimes, with punishment commensurate to the gravity of the crime. After justice is served, and the guilty have paid their debts to society, then by all means we should try to forgive, just as we wish to be forgiven our own trespasses. But forgive and forget? No, I say forgive and remember. The names of those who committed, and are even now committing, treason should live on in infamy, and their fates should be grim enough to serve as object lessons to deter anyone thinking about following in their footsteps. s/ Dakuwaqa A concerned and loyal citizen has offered some ideas for constitutional reform and invites comments. In reply, I offer the following points: The Constitutional Commission has no validity. It was constituted by an illegal and treasonous regime without the consent, or even the advice, of the Fijian people. The 1997 Constitution remains the law -- its purported abrogation notwithstanding, given the unlawfulness of that 'abrogation'. All measures for changing the Constitution must conform to the modalities stipulated by that constitution. Anything less is unlawful and invalid. I agree that immunity should not be on offer, in view of the gravity of the crimes (e.g., treason and murder) involved. I quite disagree, however, with the notion that only Bainimarama should be subject to criminal proceedings. Every officer needs to be held to account. I believe they should stand before a military court and also be compelled to give testimony to a Truth & Reconciliation Commission independent of the President and Parliament and headed by a lawfully appointed Chief Justice. The Constitution is by definition already the supreme law of the land. It does not confer reserve or residual powers on the President. In democratic theory, such powers are quite extraordinary and exist only where a true emergency prevents the operation of the Constitution, leaving only extraconstitutional remedies. Reference to extraconstitional measures does not belong in a constitution. Fiji's lawfully elected Members of Parliament can address questions related to budgetary allocations, limits on public spending, and changes in the roles or retirement ages of civil service employees. These do not belong in a constitution, with the possible exception of a balanced budget requirement. I've similar views about your proposal regarding time limits for legal proceedings. The Chief Justice should be in charge of disciplining judges. I agree on principle that judges sacked by the regime after 2006 should be given some compensation. The only repayment for those reappointed by the regime after the so-called Abrogation should be gaol time. I wholeheartedly support the idea of equal suffrage, but incorporating such changes in the Constitution can only be done after the re-establishment of lawful government and in accordance with constitutional procedures. I see no reason why Fiji's oldest and presumably most experienced citizens should not be allowed to serve in Parliament. I don't see how the idea of excluding those aged 65 and over is consistent with a desire for Parliament to be representative. Promotion of new leadership is better accomplished through term limits, not ageism. The role of the GCC is constitutionally defined. Redefining it can only be done legally by a lawful government and in accordance with constitutional procedures. Until then, we should all support, and learn to spell, 'antidisestablishmentarianism'. I don't support the idea that all state land can only be leased to Fiji citizens or that foreigners should be prosecuted for having entered into transactions with the regime. I do advocate the repudiation of all obligations incurred by the illegal regime. The media should be subject to no more than the normal enforcement of libel laws and a formalised method of peer review. Fiji's military should be halved and halved again, its officer corps purged of traitors, and all ranks re-educated and sworn to uphold the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic. Fiji should re-focus on improving its law enforcement and maritime security efforts. Courts martial should mete out exemplary punishment to the top coup plotters. And the only retirement package offered to purged officers should be a choice of prison time or suspended sentences in return for giving state evidence as witnesses. A few years ago I might have advocated greater clemency. The regime should understand that it is steadily depleting reserves of generosity with every fresh example of its arrogance and treason. Antidisestablishmentarianism! Messy Fiji said... Do the crime do the time. key hierarchy and officers who have engaged in acts of treasons in toppling an elected government should be punished. Hosni Mubarak is doing his time, albeit screaming and faking illness and near death as he does it, but do it he must. Dual nationality makes sense for some people and is one of the handful of regime initiatives I would support. If Calamity Davis had a hand in this, then I think it should largely tally to his credit. Clearly, Fiji means a lot to Davis. It may not mean enough to trump his attachments to Australia, but that's understandable, given that as a Fijian citizen he could hang for treason in a post-Bainimarama Fiji, whereas he remains safe in stable Australia. In retrospect, it seems that Davis' sad and strange departure from journalistic standards in favour of overt advocacy on behalf of the regime can be traced back to the period when it issued the nationality decree. I don't think for a moment that this was a quid pro quo arrangement -- my opinion of the guy hasn't sunk THAT low -- but it might help to explain why he should be so favourably disposed towards what remains, after all, a dictatorial regime suppressing press freedoms and engaging (systematically, I might add) in human rights abuses. Davis' petulant responses to Immigration Officer's persistent questions shows his personal sensitivity on the issue. Again, this is understandable, given the fact that his loyalties to Fiji and to Australia are questioned in both countries. The question of Davis' citizenship seems to be Fiji's version of the Birthers Movement pertaining to Obama. It's a bit instructive regarding Davis' hierarchy of loyalties, and it gives some insight into the man's troubled psyche. But in a more positive vein, and in defence of the man, it also shows Davis' genuine and continuing personal and emotional investment in Fiji, however misplaced. Now, whether he cares enough to be hanged for it is another question. Perhaps time alone will tell. s/ Dakuwaqa, seriously, this kind of armchair psychology is way over the top. Even George Speight wasn't hanged so why would I be, even if you and your ilk emerge victorious from the grave. I wasn't petulant about explaining my citizenship status. I objected to the interrogatory way "immigration officer" pursued his inquiries. He certainly didn't like the answers I gave him. I don't understand what the problem is with this. There are so many i'taukei in Australia benefiting from dual nationality that surely one kai valagi doing so isn't going to make a difference. Unlike some people, I abandoned my Fiji passport when I became Australian in deference to the law at the time. But I can't see anything wrong with getting it back when those rules changed. People go on about me paying heavily to do so but everyone is paying to do so, even i'taukei Australian citizens. All this stuff about treason and hanging is ridiculous. Yes, I support the regime because of its multiracial program but I also point out its failings when necessary. I don't call for SDL and Qarase supporters to be hanged. Some of you need to take a deep breath and get back into the game. You have a chance to stand for office in 2014. Why not take it? All this anger and hysteria is self defeating. Calamity, let's leave it to C4.5's readers -- my 'ilk', you call them -- to decide for themselves whether your responses to Immigration Officer were petulant or not. They can also gauge for themselves your sensitivity about your immigration status. Your reply seems awfully defensive about it, especially considering that I defended you on the issue. Fiji's 1997 Constitution prohibited George Speight's hanging. If that constitution is dead and history, as you claim, then it cannot afford you the same protection now, can it? In legal terms, your argument amounts to estoppel. In other words, you can't have it both ways. This stuff about treason and hanging is ridiculous, you say, but are you prepared to tell that to a judge with the same sang froid? It's very big of you not to call for Qarase and SDL supporters to be hanged, but then, why should they be? They haven't committed treason. I see no moral equivalency here. You fail to recognise that the regime's multiracial programme is a hoax. Bainimarama cynically adopted it in order to lure FLP support, give an aura of moral legitimacy to his naked power grab, and mask his failed attempt to seize power in the unabashedly ultra-nationalist putsch of 2000. Speight was Bainimarama's patsy in that coup attempt. The facts of Speight's case need to be reviewed in court and re-evaluated in this light. International groups such as the Human Rights Watch have said for the record that they don't see evidence of the regime trying to 'rebuild Fiji into a non-racial, culturally vibrant and united, well-governed, truly democratic nation'. How is it that you do, or is it simply a willing suspension of disbelief? Now that you're a Fijian citizen again, you're eligible to run for office yourself. For my part, I harbour no personal political ambitions. Nor do I believe Fiji will have meaningful elections in 2014. I hope I'm proven wrong. If, however, I'm proven right, will you be a mensch and acknowledge publically that you've been blind to the true nature of this regime? Anger and hysteria? Well, if C4.5 is truly 'the cyber home of violent racists and the just plain mad', as you characterise it, put me in the latter category. I'm just plain mad about the harm a gang of traitors is daily inflicting on the people of Fiji. I am indeed angry -- as you should be, too, as a Fijian, since it was Fiji's lawful government that these goons overthrew and Fiji's constitution they've rubbished. But since instead you're a vocal supporter of this gang, make no mistake -- as a Fijian citizen, you're now liable for future prosecution on charges of treason. Don't just take my word for it, Calamity. By all means consult a competent attorney. By the same token, mate, if my armchair psychology is over your head, seek professional help. Thanks Graham good reply to Dakuwaqa-QIOLEVU-deep-sea psychology? Yes, you're right about the need for people to calm down,shift the anger and hysteria out the door and take the chance to run for parliament in 2014. Thanks for a great advise-i think that i might just take your advise and go for it in 2014? What have i gotta lose? Just a few broken ribs, a broken jaws,fingers&toes,possibly an eye sight and a few tooth? But,hey these are body parts i don't need anyways? Armchair Psychologist said... Yes, Graham. I think you laid a good lick on Dakuwaqa that time. The old shark might be smarting from that one. Oops! I take it back, Graham. Dakuwaqa looks untouched, but you're a pathetic mess. Dakuwaqa, thanks for defending C4/5's ilk. Yes, I see where Calamity is now a major contributor to the website, even whilst bashing all other contributors. Thanks for your stand for democracy, the Constitution, and, yes, antidisestablishmentarianism. Kite Flyer it is not whether we need a new constitution or not, the fact is we are getting a new constitution. There is buts or ifs about that. So let us just accept it and go on with our lives. No use to debate about it. We can't do anything or let that be the cause for us to stop living. Graham, like it or not, Dakuwaqa is right about the fact that you should talk to a lawyer. Treason is a heavy rap.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line566
__label__wiki	0.537562	0.537562	South of France, where the Rhône flows into the sea, is an almost desert country called Camargue, where still live wild horse herds. Exclusive trip in Camargue The Ile de Camargue is a vast plain, enclosed by the two arms of the Rhone and the Mediterranean Sea. Between the Petite Camargue to the west and east Crau, no point of the delta reached over 4.50 m. The ceaseless fight of the Rhône and the sea, conjugated to the action of the man constituted during ages a mosaic of circles and landscapes of an exceptional wealth. To the north, the man made his mark by developing agricultural activities. The construction of the dam to the sea in 1859 helped contain saltwater lifts. Finally, containment Rhone 10 years later, limited the Rhone floods that flooded regularly arable land. Gradually, grain fields, asparagus, vineyards and intensive rice were substituted for the Camargue primitive landscapes. For an exclusive travel in Camargue and discover an authentic Camargue bulls guardian, go further south. The sansouire, ponds and marshes dominate the landscape, although they gradually regress against the expansion of agricultural areas, salt producers, urban and tourist. The protection of this natural area yet determines the diversity and ecological balance of the fauna and flora of the Camargue and the existence of natural pastures essential to maintaining the traditional breeding bull and horse Camargue. Created in 1970 and managed by a foundation, the Regional Park leads a global action for the protection of areas and species and supporting traditional economic activities. It includes 86,300 hectares in the towns of Arles and Saintes Maries of the sea.The facilities set up for the attention of visitors allow the discovery of the fauna and flora of the Camargue: observation towers, text panels, trails thematic guided tours ... the Camargue is a true animal paradise, especially for birds. More than 300 species have been recorded there. The Camargue is a major migratory bird relay in Europe. 11 Avril 2017Our journey, in vineyards...2148 v.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line585
__label__cc	0.73812	0.26188	Posted on February 4, 2012 by danthewanderer At first glance it seemed like a Thai version of one of those armeggedon disaster type movies. Vehicles and boats strewn haphazardly against semi destroyed buildings, bodies motionless in the mess and rubble with anyone alive visibly panicked and traumatized; maybe a flash flood or tidal wave? I’m amused at the outward emotion shown by the locals standing beside me – have they not seen a movie before! The ‘movie’ is in Thai and my inability to speak the language has delayed my eventual realisation….it’s not a movie….its real! THAILAND ISLANDS Koh Phi Phi – an island nightclub – sleep all day and party all night! Sobered up long enough to hike to the high point of the island and a little secluded beach on the other side complete with eclectic accommodation. We had our favourite small bar/restaurant from which we had brunch each day and early evening drinks and befriended the owner and his handful of staff. We enjoyed the quiet diversion away from the loud bars and nightclubs that dominate the island; one night we never left and slept on the floor of the young barman’s family residence. On our departure we bid farewell to the owner and his staff and promised to return – I did return some weeks later – under incredibly tragic circumstances! Nearby Koh Lanta is the ying to Koh Phi Phi’s yang…quiet, casual, undeveloped…Tracy Chapman/Jack Johnson, instead of dance remix; cushioned bamboo decks and bar stools in the sand, in lieu of strobe lights/mirrors and busy dance floors. Tropical downpour Was not planning on completing my scuba dive open water on this island, but at the insistence of someone I met whilst here and the service from the professional Dutch owned dive company on the island, I relented. Two days in the classroom/swimming pool and two days on the reef; enjoyed it immensely and stayed on the island to do more diving after completing the course. I loved the whole diving experience – despite a painful ear infection a day or so after leaving the island – the coral, the fish, a whole new beautiful world. I switched coastlines, crossing the mainland peninsula to another island – Koh Phangan. It’s here on the west coast of this small island where I would spend one of the most relaxing weeks of my life. The USD$4 per night bungalows right on the water’s edge complete with an incredible timber bar and decking jutting out from the beach and over the brilliant blue warm ocean waters. Days spent alternating between swimming, hammock time, watching a movie, game of cricket/badminton; even taking out the canoe and catching some squid. Late every afternoon a CD of someone’s choice would begin playing from behind the bar and like the pied piper we would follow the sound to the source and saddle up to the bar for another late night of beer and $10 whisky buckets. Koh Phangan is infamous globally for it’s longstanding ‘full moon party’ located on the south-eastern side of the island. Hiring motorbikes we ventured over during daylight hours to the beach where the event is held. Size of the speakers from the various venues facing the beach are astounding. Easy to see how a number of people have drowned at the Full Moon with this side of the island facing the open ocean and its accompanying swell. Chose not to partake in the Full Moon festivities, but did attend the lessor frequented ‘half moon party’ in the jungle island interior. The islands of Thailand have ‘trapped’ many a traveller and before I fall any further under their mesmerizing spell have one more island to visit….Koh Tao. Nigel and Julie have been my companions since Koh Lanta and unbeknownst to me, I find them waiting for my arrival at the Koh Tao jetty with spare motorbike for transport back to our accommodation. Koh Tao revolves almost entirely around the dive industry with seemingly every 2nd building a dive shop of some description. The day after my arrival the monsoon started in earnest with driving rain and gale force winds, so diving was not permissible with all boats including the ferry back to the mainland unable to venture out. During a break in the weather managed to circumnavigate the island on foot exploring its beautiful coastline with many tiny secluded beaches separated by rocky points. A near miss from a falling coconut frightened the life out me! Dive instructors I spoke with, feel the reefs surrounding the island are being ‘loved’ to death with far too many divers for a small area and dive companies preoccupied with the quantity of divers they attract and scant regards to the quality of their experience. Feel very fortunate that I took the opportunity to complete my certificate whilst on Koh Lanta. KANCHANABURI, THAILAND To get to Kanchanaburi from the islands it should be a simple matter of boarding a bus or train north to Bangkok and from there take required transport west, but after such a long period of relative tranquility on the islands, was keen to avoid the chaos of Thailand’s capital and so I disembarked from the train at a city called Nakhon Pathom some 70 kilometres from Bangkok from where I could catch a bus to Kanchanaburi. It was early evening, the sun having long disappeared over the horizon yet the train station was teeming with people. After several attempts at asking for directions to the bus station, I’m delivered via a short motorbike taxi ride to a large bus shelter. Directly opposite me is the entry to the city’s predominate temple and as it so happens, tonight there is a festival or celebration in full swing. I discover later that this is the worlds tallest Buddhist monument! If I was trying to avoid large crowds by detouring Bangkok, I had failed dismally. This particular bus depot appears to be ground zero with thousands of people arriving and departing the temple via bus and I’m right in the middle with my backpack and no idea. I engaged some schoolchildren in conversation who inform me that ‘Bus 81’ will take me to Kanchanaburi. I wait another hour – nothing. My wait however was anything but boring; I feel like I’m in the middle of a mardi gras parade, its bordering on ridiculous! This whole time an elderly Thai lady – who can’t speak English – has been sitting beside me selling drinks out of an old esky. Suddenly she indicates to me to watch her esky on her behalf and disappears! Now I’m babysitting a bloody esky, although I did sell one drink. Just as suddenly she returns, grabs my arm and says ‘quickly go’ and points to a guy sitting on a motorbike taxi. ‘Go where?’ I ask. She again says ‘quickly go’ and points to the motorbike. The guidebook indicates there is no traveller accommodation in the city, so with seemingly few options and some trepidation I jumped on the motorbike. He soon drops me off beside a 5 lane highway on the city’s outskirts and says ‘wait here’ and rides off. Back at the temple I may have been lost but at least I felt safe! Its after 10pm, dark, I’m alone and a little ‘scared’ – why couldn’t I have just gone to Bangkok like anyone else! Within minutes a bus slows while approaching, I try to read the bus number on the front – 81! I all but jump in front to ensure it doesn’t pass me by. The driver looks me up and down and says ‘Kanchanaburi?’ I want to run up the steps and hug him! That elderly lady with the esky has come to my rescue; I want to go back and thank her for her kindness but I’m not leaving this bus. Kanchanaburi is a very popular tourist destination both for its location and surrounding activities, but for an Australian it has a far greater significance. For here is located the bridge over River Kwai- some may remember the movie – and my visit coincided with a quite spectacular night-time light and sound show complete with fireworks. Further along the infamous Burma-Thailand railway is ‘Hellfire Pass’ and the nearby museum built by the Australian Government. Bridge over River Kwai in Kanchanaburi Cemetary in Kanchanaburi Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi Another museum in town pays tribute to ‘Weary Dunlop’ the Aussie Medico who saved so many lives from the cruelty imposed by their Japanese captors. The cemetery in the centre of town has seven acres of plaques remembering the 8000 Allied troops including 2000 Australians that will forever rest here. I had little prior knowledge of the events that transpired here during WW2 and subsequently have been shocked at what I’ve seen and learnt whilst here. As mentioned, Kanchanaburi has other attractions including Erawan waterfalls, although the psycho monkey that tried to attack me with teeth bared was a little terrifying! Of course no visit to Thailand would be complete without a Thai cooking course, although not sure what I will remember by the time I return. Erawan waterfalls A short distance out-of-town near a disused quarry, a small group of monks have been raising orphaned tiger cubs. Called the Tiger Temple, the LP guidebook discourages anyone from visiting and the necessary signing of an indemnity form prior to entering is a little disconcerting; but the opportunity to get close to one of the planets most amazing creatures is too great. Five adult tigers weighing around 180-200 kgs all out in the open; the elderly monk motions to me and I walk towards him. Taking my camera, he whispers ‘dont stand on their tail’ and points towards the nearest tiger who is sitting on the ground nearby. I carefully kneel next to it – very mindful of the tail – and try to smile for the camera. As I move from one to the other I can’t believe the size of their head and feet. One of the most incredible amazing experiences, to physically touch this magnificent animal whilst unrestrained has been a childhood dream – no matter how terrifying! LOPBURI TO SUKHOTHAI, THAILAND Having learnt little from my previous attempt to detour Bangkok, I boarded a ‘local’ bus for the 300+ kilometres and more direct route to Lopburi, rather than via Bangkok as one normally should and would. The ‘local’ buses were standing room only – I was the only foreigner I saw all day – they stopped every couple of minutes to let people on or off, and rattled that loudly its astounding they still function. Its amusing when you see someone wearing a t-shirt printed with text in a language they don’t speak, such as the kind female bus conductor with the shirt that read front and back….’fuck off wankers!’ Lopburi is often referred to as the ‘monkey city’ for it is virtually overrun with them, hanging off power lines, above shop awnings, on the footpath, cars, in shops – everywhere! Walking down the street one evening, watched a monkey seemingly on purpose disconnect power to a shop, at which point the owner burst out onto the street wielding a slingshot and yelling at the offender – was evidently not the first time this had happened – very funny. For something different I took the train north to Phitsanulok – the only available seating is in 3rd class section – not recommended! Sukhothai was Thailand’s first capital and the 45 sq klm of ruins give us an insight into life here some 700 years before. Walking and cycling around the ruins whilst enlightening, is a poor cousin to Angkor Wat. The two-hour bicycle ride through the nearby rice fields, with farmers waving and children yelling ‘hello’ and running up to you for a high-five as you ride past was probably more enjoyable. As were the two nights in the nearby guesthouse, so much so an older French gentleman left after the first night in protest of our nocturnal activities. MAE SOT, THAILAND My intention for visiting Mae Sot – a small town on the border with Myanmar (Burma) – was to do a ‘visa run’ and extend my Thailand visa for another 30 days. Looking back, Mae Sot was probably a defining moment of this trip, one of those times and places you look back on later in life, as though someone has led you there, meant to be. Mae Sot was a window into Myanmar life and their people fleeing the injustices within, to seek a better life in Thailand and beyond. It was here that the seed was planted for a journey that would eventually take me to this mysterious country some three years later. I made a conscious effort whilst here to discover all I could about the plight of the Burmese refugees, even to the point of visiting a refugee camp hospital on the edge of town. Sought out people working here as volunteers in different capacities and talked at length with three such people who told me of the incredible adversity facing these people. Myanmar military will march into a village and steal and rape at will, before taking their land. Picked up a newspaper to read only last week of village burnt to the ground, including their entire rice crop. Thailand government won’t acknowledge their existence. As a result they are unable to attain work. If they do attain work, employers will often refuse to pay wages. Met an English man trying to start a school in one of the refugee camps where the majority of parents work in a clothing factory for AUD$1.50 for a 15 hour day! He is yet to find out the clothing manufacturer and expose their practices. To find out more: www.burmachildren.org While in Mae Sot I was told of some good hiking outside of a village – Um Phang – not far from here. What I was not informed of, was that I had to share the back of a ute for four hours with 19 adults and 6 children whom were mostly refugees with a small tolerance for motion sickness. The road winding its way through some 1200 turns in the 120 kilometre trip through a spectacular mountain range. The two-day trek included rafting down a very scenic river, elephant ride and a visit to Thailand’s largest waterfall – Thi Lo Su waterfall. Comprised of several tiers, one of which we took the opportunity to scale and launch ourselves from, splashlanding in the freezing water some eight metres below. Rafting near Um Phang Thi Lo Su waterfall CHANG MAI / PAI / MAE HONG SON, THAILAND Considered the capital of north Thailand, Chang Mai with it’s surrounding lush jungle and mountain ranges, has become a very popular trekking destination. I participated in a two-day trek, the highlight was a fun and challenging two-hour trip down a river standing on a bamboo raft. Unfortunately the trekking in this area is very underwhelming – made worse if like us, you’re accompanied by an obese Italian – and would really only appeal to those who are first time hikers. On my second day here I am re-united with Ronan whom I’d met in Georgetown Malaysia, Hans from my stay in Sukhothai, and Trish and Jim whom I hadn’t seen since Kanchanaburi. At the night markets one can find an incredible number and variety of unique souvineers and hand made products from the surrounding local villages and an opportunity to test your bargaining skills. As punishment for not pre-booking a bus ticket for the four-hour journey to Pai, I had the only available ‘seat’ – nursing my backpack whilst seated on the engine cover next to the driver of a crowded local bus. The day after arriving in Pai, I accompany Trish, Jim and Hans – through sheer luck I had booked into the same guesthouse as them – on a two-day rafting trip. We encountered some rapids on our 70 kilometre journey down the Pai River, but on the whole it was reasonably tame. The scenery however was outstanding – the best I’d seen on the whole trip – jungle either side of the steep-sided valley, no people or villages and an overnight camp in the jungle adjacent to the river. In the morning I awake to the calls of gibbon monkeys echoing through the valley and I imagine them swinging through the forest with their long lanky arms. On our meander down the river we pass a rock wall along one side of the river; the rock surface along with several nearby trees were blanketed in a thick, black, seemingly soft, and spongy covering. On closer inspection we realised the composition – thousands even millions of daddy long leg spiders! Spider covered tree! Pai began life – at least to the western world – as a popular hippy hangout. In Australia it would be called ‘Nimbin’. To emphasise the alternative vibe here, the live band playing nightly at Pai’s most popular bar, is predominately reggae. Pai sits in what appears to be a bowl-shaped valley, distant mountains peering down from all points of the compass. Each day is greeted with a thick fog which finally lifts around mid-morning, promising warmth after the near freezing night-time temps. With Xmas only days away, it will be my coldest, but can’t think of a better place to spend it. Nights are late and long, spent conversing and laughing with good company. During the day I take the opportunity to hire a bicycle or motorbike and explore the rice fields and surrounding villages. I heard of a recent ‘incident’ involving a local tourist, whom having partied hard at a local Xmas party, staggered outside to his motorbike. Unable to stay upright on the bike, two passing police officers steadied him on the bike and gave him a push start down the road! In fitting with the vibe and atmosphere that is Pai, there is no shortage of places to get inked. I enter a small tattoo place recently opened by a friendly 22-year-old Thai guy who offers to draw up a couple of designs for me. I return the next day – Xmas day – with Trish, who offers moral support and approval of my soon to be permanent artwork. I book in for boxing day, before heading out to celebrate my first Xmas abroad till well into the night. I awake mid-morning Boxing Day to find my timber and bamboo bungalow shaking as though its having an epileptic fit. It eventually stops and I’m left wondering the cause and whether the hazy events of the previous night were the catalyst for such a strange occurrence. I take the opportunity to hire a pushbike and ride to the nearby hot springs. With no hot showers, they provide an excellent alternative. I return in the early afternoon in readiness for my tattoo, but notice something different. The streets seem eerily quiet – perhaps everyone is recovering from a big Xmas. As I walk down the street, I can see people fixated and pointing to their TV’s. I’m initially curious, but a hungry stomach is my immediate preoccupation and I seat myself at a table in a nearby bar. The staff eventually take my order, but seem distracted – again with the TV. I can do nothing until the food arrives, so I join them in front of the screen. At first glance it seemed like a Thai version of one of those armeggedon disaster type movies. Vehicles and boats strewn haphazardly against semi destroyed buildings, bodies motionless in the mess and rubble with anyone alive visibly panicked and traumatized; maybe a flash flood or tidal wave? I’m amused at the outward emotion shown by the locals standing beside me – have they not seen a movie before! The ‘movie’ is in Thai and my inability to speak the language has delayed my eventual realisation – its not a movie – its real! A massive tidal wave has hit the south coast of Thailand. The shaking of my bungalow this morning was an earthquake! No longer hungry, I stare alongside the others at the events unfolding, it doesn’t seem feasible, how could we have felt the tremor here, so far from the source of quake? I remembered my tattoo appointment; he was there waiting for me. With the events that were unfolding I considered backing out, but with a deep breath I sat in the chair and nervously watched him prepare. I’d like to say it was pain-free, but I’d be lying. I was ecstatic with the finished product and proudly showed the others my newly adorned artwork. Given the circumstances of the day and the week-long pre-Xmas celebrations,an early night seemed appropriate – but it was another 3.00am finish – on waking the next morning I knew it was time to move on. Goodbyes are always difficult when travelling and none more so than now. I board the bus with a sense of melancholy, replaying the events of the previous week – the scenery, tsunami, Xmas, tattoo and the friends made – a time to forever look back with fondness. Mae Hong Son another four hours west is similar in size to Pai and even more picturesque. A beautiful location nestled deep in the mountains close to the Myanmar border. The town surrounds a small lake which offers a tranquil place to relax and unwind. Mae Hong Son’s remoteness appears to keep tourist numbers low, but is not without its attractions. Nearby hill tribe villages are home to the ‘long neck’ women who wear brass rings around their neck – weighing up to 5 kg – giving them a giraffe like appearance. I’m told it’s a depressed shoulder bone that results in the ‘long necks’ – in any case, it looks very uncomfortable. The mountains surrounding Mae Hong Son offer wonderful hiking opportunities, although the low tourist numbers can make it difficult to find someone to hike with. Fortunately Yuko, a Japanese girl I had met on the ‘long neck’ tour the previous day, was keen to accompany me, and we negotiate a guide for a two day overnight hike. Longneck village Early the following morning and a short drive out of the village, we set off on the trail. A trail that for virtually the entire day would only ascend. I had never walked for so long in a day, let alone consistently uphill. When we booked the hike the previous day, our guide stated that whilst it would be a demanding hike, the rewards were worth the effort. Being a typical male, I nodded that I was fine, and Yuko did the same, but nonetheless I was little concerned that she would be up for it. By the end of the first day, I was exhausted; Yuko had hardly raised a sweat. Only I could team up with someone who has spent 6 years working as a dive instructor around the world – including Australia – and logged over 2000 dives. A regular hiker who has climbed Mt Fuji several times, drinks, swears and incredibly for someone from Japan; does not own a camera. They say never to judge a book by its cover. By late afternoon we are deep in the jungle and atop a high mountain ridge; I hear voices and the sounds of chickens moments before the realisation that we have come across a very small village. Consisting of about 10 huts on an area half the size of a football field, Yuko and I are introduced to a family and the room they have made available for us. As the sun sets and evening meal is prepared, I walk through the village waving to those staring whilst dodging chickens and pigs. I feel some envy at their self-sufficient and uncomplicated existence, not to mention the unimaginable views looking back down the valley; but then I’m reminded of something our guide told us on our arrival in the village – ‘They lost a calf to a tiger about six months, so please dont wander outside the village’. I awake soon after sunrise to my million dollar views and again here the unmistakable sounds of gibbon monkeys chattering in distant trees. We descend down the valley guided by a mountain stream – that we crisscross on several occasions – as it snakes its way through jungle covered gorges and ultimately our destination at Mae Hong Son. This is the Thailand I imagined, the hike had far exceeded our expectations and a far better alternative to that offered at Chang Mai. That evening, Yuko and I take the opportunity to observe Mae Hong Son and the amazing scenery that surrounds, from the large rocky outcrop that towers over the village; atop which is a temple the locals utilize for daily prayers. The overnight bus trip to Chang Mai is initially in close proximity to the Myanmar border. As a result the trip is punctuated with frequent military roadblocks and intimidating M16 toting army personal boarding the bus to check passenger identification. Our 4am arrival in Chang Mai is too early to check-in, so leaving our pack with the security guard at our favourite guesthouse, we wander the streets in the dark. Initially annoyed at our inability to gain access to a bed, I observe a group of barefoot monks in their flowing red robes receiving their morning alms at a nearby market. Despite my sleep deprivation, the dark and cold, I cant help but admire their committment and am grateful for the opportunity to witness this daily ritual. The King of Thailand’s grandson was killed in the tsunami, so official celebrations for tonight’s New Years Eve celebrations have been cancelled. However with fireworks and crackers already purchased, unofficial celebrations raged on in the streets around us, seemingly little regard to those in cars and motorbikes. A day tour to Thailand’s highest mountain – very near to Chang Mai – is well worth it for its spectacular views. In true Asian style, a road leads right to the 2565 metre summit – my new personal best. Once again I run into Hans at the same guesthouse owned by an Aussie (John) and his Thai wife. The relaxed laid back atmosphere offered by John and his wife is quite addictive, so much so I stay for a week with a core group of about 9 others for a very memorable and hilarious week. John in a previous life was president of a motorcycle club in Melbourne. He infected us enough with his passion of motorbikes to convince us to take on the crazy traffic of Chang Mai and a 110 klm loop through the mountains west of the city. A fun, scary day punctuated with incredible views and many laughs; photos of which were put on a cd with a copy made for all of us to immortalize in years to come. A night on Johns rooftop balcony for beer and prawns – at seven stories high one of the highest vantage points in Chang Mai – to kick back and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the city around us. Another night at a local bar to watch John and his mates play in a band; one of those nights you wish wouldnt end. End it did with the local police refusing to accept anymore more money to further extend the curfew. CHANG RAI, THAILAND I meet two other Australian guys at my guesthouse in Chang Rai which is near an area known as the ‘Golden Triangle’ in Thailand’s far north. We each hired a motorbike and guide and set off exploring the nearby mountain ranges and villages between here and the Myanmar border. We inadvertently stumbled upon a Nestle owned coffee plantation, and our guide spoke with the plantation workers who seemed concerned at our appearance. As he quickly made his way back to bikes, we asked “What did they say?” “We’re in Myanmar!” “What, How?” “I havent been down this road before, but they said the Myanmar military is active in this area and will hear the bikes. We need to get out of here!” Before returning to Chang Rai we visit the opium museum and the infamous ‘Golden Triangle’ district. The three of us visit a local discotheque/nightclub, in all honesty didn’t think we had a chance of getting past security in our backpacker attire. An amazing night of dancing and drinks; three Australians and nearly 200 Thai’s, we seemed to be the centre of attention. Temple in Chang Rai The guys leave the next day, but my confidence on the motorbikes is sky-high, so I hire a bike and head off on my own back into the mountains. I’m pulled over shortly after leaving town by two police officers standing on the side of the road adjacent to an intersection. Despite the cool air, I break into a nervous sweat, pondering my ‘charge’. They ask several questions, nothing related to the bike or my lack of licence, experience etc. They conclude the conversation with a smiling goodbye and sensing my lack of skills on the bike, stop traffic in all directions to ensure my safe passage through the intersection. Seems they just wanted to practice some English. High up in the mountains I come across a village where the main street runs directly along a razorback back like ridge, dropping steeply into a valley on either side, views for perhaps hundreds of miles, stunning location. I leave the bike and walk up 721 steps to a temple on a high point overlooking the town, only to find another road leading all the way to the temple from another direction – needed the exercise. 500 kilometres in two days on the motorbike. I’m really enjoying the feeling of freedom from the bikes. Although next time I ride at 1500 metres above sea level will remember to take something warm to wear. This entry was posted in Where to visit in Thailand and tagged best beach in Koh Phangan, best budget accommodation in Chang Mai, best scuba dive sites in Thailand, Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand, bridge over River Kwai, Burma-Thailand railway, burmese refugees in Mae Sot, Chang Mai, Chang Rai, Doi Inthanon National Park, Erawan waterfalls, Golden Triangle Thailand, half moon festival at Koh Phangan, Hellfire Pass, Kanchanaburi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Tao, long neck villages in Thailand, Lopburi, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sot, Nakhon Pathom, Pai, rafting in Pai, rafting in Thailand, scuba diving at Koh Lanta, Sukhothai, Thai cooking course in Kanchanaburi, Thailands best islands, Thi Lo Su waterfall, tiger temple in Kanchanaburi, travelling in Thailand, trekking in Chang Mai, trekking in Mae Hong Son, trekking in Um Phang, Um Phang, what to see in Chang Rai, what to see in Kanchanaburi by danthewanderer. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line587
__label__cc	0.72477	0.27523	vanessavb@datare.co.za Computerised Roadworthy (CRWTV) Vehicle Intelligence Data System (VIDS) The Data Explosion The ZiZo difference The ZiZo Data Lake Vehicle Intelligence Data System Plate Cloning Chaos This story was featured on Carte Blanche on 2 August 2015 and is available in full on their web site at http://carteblanche.dstv.com/player/906204 Over 350 different types of licence plates are legal in South Africa and it’s estimated that one in five plates on Gauteng roads is cloned. Just how easy is it to buy and use illegal number plates? As our undercover cameras expose the clone cons, Carte Blanche also gets exclusive access to a new JMPD methodology that stops drivers with cloned or illegal number plates in their tracks. The example below, shown on Carte Blanche shows two nearly identical vehicles, that both have the same license plates, that were spotted by cameras in different parts of the country. This data is fed into the VIDS – Vehicle Intelligence Data System from Data-Re, and a calculation is done to determine whether it is possible for the vehicle to have been in both the locations at the times they were spotted. In this instance the VIDS system determined that the vehicle would have had to travel 306km in 41 minutes, and would therefore have been doing an average speed of 743 km/hour. Using parameters that have been built into the VIDS system, it was determined that the speed was impossible and one of the vehicles, most likely had a cloned license plate. How is it possible to do this? The volumes of data collected every day are huge? How can we possibly analyse the volumes of data collected on a daily basis, to identify these cloned license plates. Using our incredibly powerful and efficient ZiZo technology, the volume of data collected every day becomes much easier to analyse. ZiZo is built on a pattern-based architecture, and identifies any patterns it finds within the data, and stores these patterns ony once. The example shown below illustrates how much data is duplicated across, date and time, GPS and location data, and even the license plates. ZiZo very uniquely, de-duplicates this data and only stores unique patterns. Therafter the data is loaded into memory, which allows for exceptionally fast analysis. This is possible on conventional hardware due to the reduction in the physical volume of data that needs to be analysed. The results are then posted back to the VIDS platform and fed through to the various SAPS systems. ZiZo can be applied to many other situations. It is very well suited to dealing with huge volumes of data, from multiple and disparate data sources. Contact us at vanessavb@datare.co.za if you would like to discuss the use of ZiZo within your own organisation. Data-Re (SA) (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 95, Balgowan, 3275, Kwa-Zulu Natal Privacy policy \| This site is © Copyright Data-Re 2018, All Rights Reserved. Website by Mint anchor	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line590
__label__wiki	0.548852	0.548852	In first, spacewalk conducted by two women: NASA TV By AFP Oct 18, 2019 in Science US astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir became the first all-female pairing to carry out a spacewalk Friday, following a spacesuit flub earlier this year that caused the historic mission to be aborted. "Christina, you may egress the airlock," spacecraft communicator Stephanie Wilson told the pair shortly after they began their mission to replace a power controller at 1138 GMT. The first such mission was supposed to take place in March but had to be canceled because the space agency had only one medium-sized suit, with a male-female combination performing the required task at a later date. Traditionally male-dominated NASA's failure to be adequately prepared was denounced in some quarters as evidence of implicit sexism. Koch is leading Meir, who is making her first ever spacewalk. The two will replace a faulty battery charge/discharge unit (BCDU). The station relies on solar power but is out of direct sunlight for much of its orbit and therefore needs batteries, and the BCDUs regulate the amount of charge that goes into them. More about US, Space, NASA US Space NASA	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line596
__label__cc	0.742845	0.257155	Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® Shared How Martin UAV is Providing a Vast Array of Customers With Access to Unmanned Ariel Systems Los Angeles, CA – December 5, 2017 — Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® announces an exclusive interview featuring Martin UAV. There is a growing demand for access to cost-effective unmanned aerial systems for a variety of purposes within a wide range of industries. Martin UAV is meeting this demand by offering custom unmanned aerial systems for the purpose of law enforcement, first responder applications, military needs, aerial mapping, photography needs, agricultural mapping and much more. “Phil Jones, Chief Operating Officer at Marin UAV explains how the military has been using drones or unmanned flying devices for anywhere from 10 to 15 years. He goes on to explain that as the technology becomes more commonplace in the military, it will become more and more integrated into commercial business use as well, which is what is occurring today. We are excited to hear more about the products and services offered by Martin UAV from Phil Jones, along with Blake Sawyer, EVP Global Sales & Development at Martin UAV. We can’t wait to learn how this technology is being implemented and is working to make life easier and safer in a variety of fields.” Vice President of Programming JL Haber The Mission of Martin UAV: The mission of Martin UAV is to provide their customers with cost-effective access to aerial information. They specialize in providing versatile and robust Unmanned Aerial Systems that will support even the most demanding collection needs. The technology currently being employed by Martin UAV has been decades in the making, representing years of development and research. This means the UAV products provided by Martin UAV are on the cutting edge in terms of performance and technological advancements. For more information, visit martinuav.com and tune in to Bloomberg International on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 3:00pm HKT. About Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® is a weekly half-hour show featuring global executives sharing their business insights and framing the opportunities shaping their industries. Hosted by business mogul and one of the world’s greatest corporate leaders, Kathy Ireland interviews some of the brightest minds in business today. The show broadcasts on Fox Business Network as part of their sponsored content line up and globally on Bloomberg International. Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® extends beyond the weekly on-air program with digital content delivered on various video platforms and across social media. Visit www.tvwwb.com for detailed airing schedules or check local listings. Company Name: Worldwide Business with kathy ireland Contact Person: Gila Stern \| Communications Director Email: GStern@productiondivision.com Website: http://www.tvwwb.com/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line597
__label__wiki	0.576769	0.576769	Samsung's Note 7 may be no more, company 'adjusting' production By James Walker Oct 10, 2016 in Technology Samsung is rumoured to be suspending production of its explosion-prone Galaxy Note 7. It comes amid reports that replacement devices are also bursting into flame, despite being marked as "safe." Samsung said it is "adjusting" its manufacturing. This morning, the media widely reported that Samsung is temporarily halting production of the Galaxy Note 7 to give it a better handle on the critical situation. The company confirmed in a statement to the BBC that it is "adjusting" its production schedule "to ensure quality and safety matters." Industry insiders have stated Samsung is actually suspending manufacturing altogether. Samsung started an official recall of the phone last month. Customers are able to exchange their phones for a new Note 7 or an alternative replacement device. According to Samsung, 90 percent of Note 7 owners have opted for a new Note 7. The past week has indicated Samsung may not have fixed the battery problem though, despite its assurances that replacement phones are safe and will not set alight. There are now three confirmed incidents of replacement Galaxy Note 7 handsets catching fire while in use. Samsung has been criticised for appearing to cover-up the reports. It has since admitted it is investigating claims that new Note 7 phones are still liable to explode, saying it "will share findings as soon as possible." In one reported incident, a Southwest Airlines flight was evacuated in Kentucky last week after a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 began emitting "popping noises" in the cabin. The phone began to smoulder and burn its casing shortly after its owner got on the plane. The handset was a replacement device. Some U.S. mobile networks have now ceased selling the Note 7 altogether. As of today, AT&T and T-Mobile have issued "deny sale" notices through their companies that prevent new customers acquiring the phone. The networks will no longer replace returned Note 7s with a new device. Instead, the customer will be given a phone of comparable quality or a full refund. "While Samsung investigates multiple reports of issues, T-Mobile is temporarily suspending all sales of the new Note7 and exchanges for replacement Note7 devices," said T-Mobile. The Note 7's continued problems are now threatening to damage Samsung's brand and reputation. The South Korean company prides itself on quality and innovation, developing some of the most feature-filled phones in the industry. The Note 7 was set to be another hero device with its unique S-Pen stylus and iris recognition technology. The battery problems are believed to have been caused by tight deadlines and the intense pressure placed on Samsung's engineers to launch the Note 7 early. It's thought the company rushed the phone to market to beat Apple's iPhone 7, seeking to capitalise on the media reports of a "disappointing" iPhone launch. Along the way, it made a critical mistake, designing a battery bay slightly too small for the battery. As the cells expand during regular use, excess pressure gets placed on the battery terminals, causing a fire. "Based on our investigation, we learned that there was an issue with the battery cell," Samsung said at the start of September. "An overheating of the battery cell occurred when the anode-to-cathode came into contact which is a very rare manufacturing process error." It is currently unclear when Samsung will resume production of the Note 7, if at all. With carriers suspending sales and waves of negative press already threatening to consume the handset, Samsung could be forced to abandon what was once its most prestigious flagship device. The company may not risk the launch of another Note-branded phone next year. More about Samsung, galaxy note 7, note 7, Smartphones, Mobile Samsung galaxy note 7 note 7 Smartphones Mobile	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line598
__label__wiki	0.887658	0.887658	Home > Warriors All-Stars > Review: Warriors All-Stars (Sony PlayStation 4) Review: Warriors All-Stars (Sony PlayStation 4) Where the hell is Lady Sun, Koei Tecmo? Or Oichi, Meruru, Casty from Ar Nosurge, Firis, one of the girls from Blue Reflection, and any number of my other favourite characters? This game is terrible! I jest, of course. Warriors All-Stars actually has a stellar cast, and I’m happy to say upfront that it’s my favourite Warriors game that has ever been produced. It’s rare that Koei Tecmo produces a game that I don’t like, and generally speaking I like the games in great part because I love the characters. So the idea of bringing together heroes from all the company’s various IPs into one giant mash-up was always going to appeal to me on a very deep level. Even putting aside the many licensed games that Koei works on, the characters of which clearly weren’t available (so, no Arslan or Guts from Berserk, sadly), it’s a testament to the sheer depth of Koei’s IP that a roster of close to 30 feels thin. But what is there is delightful, on every level. Warriors All-Stars brings together characters from the following franchises: Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, Toukiden, Dead or Alive, Deception, Atelier, Nioh, as well as a couple of incidentals that either haven’t been localised into English (Koei runs some popular dating games in Japan for ladies that it hasn’t seen fit to localise yet), or are truly obscure now – Opoona and Nobunyaga make an appearance, for example. As you can probably assume given the links between these franchises are almost non-existent, the plot that has been built into Warriors All-Stars to explain how they're all together is utterly nonsense; basically they’re all summoned into a fantasy world to help out a fox-faced noble take the throne, and battle others that have the same idea and their own team of heroes. But, while it’s nonsense, the way that each major battle focuses in on one or two different characters does allow Koei to highlight their personalities, and that’s all that’s really important. For characters from franchises who had previously had minimal backstory, this has been an opportunity to get a better sense of them. Marie Rose and Honoka from Dead or Alive 5, for example, came as roster additions only after the original release of the initial game, and so had a minimal role in the broader plot as a result. Their role in Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 following that was simply to look gorgeous while wearing their bikinis. This is the first time that either character has had a core role in an actual plot, and I quite appreciated that. I also liked the opportunity to get to know some of the characters from Koei’s Japan-only franchises for the first time. Darius from Harukanaru Toki no Naka de, especially, is a character I found immediately interesting. And of the other characters, well, I love most of them, so another opportunity to bop heads with Arnice or Sophie, while listening to them talk in character, was most welcome indeed. Warriors All-Stars, as a love letter to fans of everything Koei Tecmo, is also quite delightful in the little references that it throws in along the way for the most committed fans. Anyone who has played enough Atelier games, for example, knows that characters have a weird (and completely unexplained) habit of saying “taru!” (barrel!) every time they see a barrel. A few years ago I was actually talking to the producer of the series about this and, yes, Gust, the developer of the Atelier series, is quite aware that people actively look forward to seeing how each character exclaims “taru!” when he or she spots a barrel. So in Warriors All-Stars, in the main hub between battles, there is, of course, a barrel just sitting there. And every single character has a different way of saying “taru!”. Nobunyaga says it with such complete disdain, which would sound sinister if it was Nobunaga Oda, and not a cute cat with Nobunaga’s voice. Marie Rose, meanwhile is so utterly cute about it, and can Koei please for the love of God give her the lead in her own game next. Most amusing of all, though, is William from Nioh. Good ol’ Bill actually speaks English in a world where all the other characters speak Japanese. That’s in keeping with his character from Nioh itself. But when he sees a barrel, he breaks out the most ridiculously deadpan “taru,” complete with his thick Irish accent. Yes this barrel nonsense sounds like a tiny, little, silly thing, but as a fan of Koei stuff and I giggled stupidly as I checked each and every character’s “taru” as I unlocked them. This is fanservice in the best possible sense. I’m not even going to pretend that this game will appeal to people outside of the Koei faithful. It really won’t. Those people could pick up any other Warriors game and enjoy it far more, because the context will make more sense. You don’t need to care who the characters are in a Samurai Warriors game, because the action and history itself is the focus. But Warriors All-Stars is all about the characters. If you don’t know what a Laegrinna or Arnice is, then you’re just not going to care that they’re there taking down Lu Bu one moment before having a hotspring adventure with a Marie Rose the next (oh yes, I’ve had that dream), and then watching a Plachta and Mitsunari Ishida play beach volleyball shortly after. It also won’t matter that after battles you’re winning the same resources that you collect in games like Trinity: Souls of Zill ‘Oll or Ninja Gaiden. It’s just not going to matter to you. But this merging of worlds is delightful for those of us who have spent ungodly amounts of money and time immersing ourselves in Koei worlds in the past, and it’s done with such an eye for detail that you really get a rich sense of the kind of company that Koei has built into one of the most important Japanese developer/publishers out there. The only companies that even comparable, in terms of the raw value that their franchises hold for fans, is Square Enix (which for some reason refuses to do these cross overs), and Nintendo. Warriors All-Stars is every bit to Koei and its fans what Smash Bros. is to Nintendo. And that’s why I was surprised at first that the roster actually is slight when compared to other Warriors games. To this day I still break out an older, but similar character mash-up in Warriors Orochi 3, which had a near endless stream of characters to play with. And I really, really wanted to team Lady Sun up with Marie Rose and Meruru when I first hear that Warriors All-Stars was in development. Alas, that was not to be. But that very short moment of disappointment quickly faded, because I realised that in Warriors All-Stars ever character has a very distinct fighting style, whereas in Warriors Orochi 3 they generally all behaved similarly. On the higher difficulty settings it’s important to actually understand how each character strings combos together, and then optimise those attack patterns. Warriors games are always derided for being “button mashers” but I defy anyone to try to use the same button presses with the heavy, slow William as you’d use for the nimble Marie Rose, or the range-orientated Nobunyaga. It just can’t be done. There are characters that are what you’d called “overpowered.” Plachta is a demon in battle, for example, and I certainly found the game fundamentally easier with her. But that’s the beauty of the game not having a multiplayer focus – balance between characters doesn’t matter. What’s important is that if you play well and you can get through the game with any character, and I certainly found the challenge of mastering some of the less effective characters enjoyable. What they all share is visually entertaining super attacks and plenty of personality in their quips as the battles progress. What is slightly more disappointing is the limited character customisation. Coming from Spirit of Sanada, which was nearly a JRPG in how you could develop characters, customisation in Warriors All-Stars doesn’t extend far past equipping “cards” which are awarded at the end of battles and can upgrade various statistics and abilities of each character. There’s some strategy in how limited these cards can be. There are a lot of different power up options, but only room on a card for a tiny few of them. So you do need to be really strategic about how you merge them together between battles to power them up. But then, that is a system that we’ve seen in plenty of Warriors games now, and that is something I’m getting tired of, as a die hard fan of the genre. What’s more interesting is the way you can take four allies into battle with you. They’ll fight on their own volition for the most part, but you can also call on them to perform super attacks, or alternatively, pair briefly with you to unleash devastating combos on enemies. Each character has their own version of support, and mixing and matching an optimal team, and then understanding how to best make use of those abilities is a fun learning curve. As with all Warriors games, the basic enemies are distractions, to the point that you’ll spend most of your time ignoring them altogether. Enemy heroes are far tougher and you’ll need to make good use of every resource you’re got available to you to push through them. Additionally, battlefields have “bases” that you need to capture by defeating a certain number of enemies so the “commander” appears. Knock him out and the base changes to your side. These bases have a variety of effects, but it must be said that they’re minor, and tend to be important locations more because that’s where the missions and boss enemies tend to be than there being any strategic impetus for capturing them. Some may find the flow of levels to be overly simple, especially when compared to the likes of Arslan or the Empires sub-series, but I’m fine with it, since the game’s about the heroes anyway, so Koei’s done the right thing in keeping you on the move to these highlights. Warriors All-Stars is a gorgeous game. Enemies themselves are delightful, having been pulled from the various franchise themselves. Bopping the jelly-like punis in the Atelier series has always been a delight. Now you do it on a mass scale. The cute-yet-sinister toy soldiers from the Nights of Azure games is another highlight. The levels are also taken from the franchises; you’ll be battling it out on Zach’s beach from Dead or Alive one moment before invading a castle straight from Nioh the next. The level designs are, again, nothing we haven’t already seen in Warriors games, but seeing those designed dressed up as fanservice for people who have played the games they’re based on is a thrill. Warriors All-Stars is a delight. It’s explicitly a love letter to the Koei Tecmo faithful, and it doesn’t pretend to be otherwise. Does this mean it’s for everyone? No. Not even close. I haven’t played a Warriors game that assumes knowledge of the base material from which the game comes from for quite some time. But that was always going to be the case and those fans that this game is designed for will know what they need to. So the real question is whether Koei Tecmo fans would like a Warriors game – Koei’s most enduring approach to game design – that pulls beloved characters from almost all of their favourite franchises together? The answer to that is: “Of course they will.”	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line599
__label__wiki	0.704632	0.704632	NLDS Series Against Cardinals Starts Tomorrow - Scheduled Autograph Signings, Game Give Aways and Other Stuff! Welcome to the playoffs. The NLDS series starts tomorrow afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinal, and several olde-tyme Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans. Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this series. BTW, I only have full details for Fridays game at this time. As soon as I receive details for Saturdays game I will update this post (likely Friday night). I will be out of town on Saturday, so I'll miss the game (but will hopefully get updates). If you're a Kings fan then you know where I'll be. You can listen to the games on the Dodgers radio network at AM570. Vin Scully will call the first three innings and the final three innings of each Dodger postseason game. Steiner and Monday will call the middle three innings. The Dodgers’ Spanish-language radio broadcast on Univision America KTNQ 1020 AM will be led by Jarrín with Valenzuela, color commentator, who will call all postseason games along with Yñiguez. The games also can be heard in Korean on Radio Korea AM 1540. “Dodger Talk” on Dodgers Radio AM570 will also continue throughout the postseason and will feature Jorge Jarrín, Kevin Kennedy and David Vassegh. If you are driving to any of the games please purchase your parking tickets in advance. Prices for advance purchase is $10 and parking at the gate is $20 for the Division Series. The Dodgers also will offer premium parking in advance at $35 and for $50 at the gate for Division Series. For further information on Dodger parking, visit www.dodgers.com/parking or call the Dodgers’ ticket office at 323-DODGERS. Dodger Express Shuttle: As always, fans can use the Dodger Express shuttle bus to get to the games. It will run from the usual location at Union Station and also expands to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in the SouthBay. Go here for more information. Umpire Info: In case you were curious the umpire crew chief for the series will be Dale Scott, who will be on the field with Eric Cooper, Rob Drake, regular season crew chief Jerry Layne, Jerry Meals and Alan Porter. CB Bucknor, Chris Conroy, Ed Hickox and Brian O'Nora will serve in the Replay Center during the Division Series. Extreme Loaded Dog: BTW, the Extreme Loaded Dog concession stands will be making the Playoff Dog, an all-beef hot dog on a Pretzel Roll topped with Pastrami, pickle spears and Oktoberfest mustard. It will be available Monday through Wednesday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels. See a pic of it on the right. Friday, October 3rd at 3:37 PM Adam Wainwright vs. Clayton Kershaw Tonight's game starts at 3:37 PM. Auto gates open at 12:37 PM, and stadium gates open at 1:07 PM. It will be televised on FoxSports1. The first 50,000 fans in attendance will receive a blue rally towel. See it on the left. Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda will throw the ceremonial first pitch tomorrow. One hundred fifty members of the Armed Forces representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard will unfurl a giant flag in center field prior to the national anthem. Mother, daughter, sister, actress, dedicated philanthropist, NY Times best-selling author and five-time GRAMMY award winning artist Wynonna Judd will perform the national anthem. Former Dodgers Al Ferrara (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Tim Leary (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 1:00 PM to 3:15 PM. Pregame entertainment will also include face painters in the left-field pavilion plaza and musical entertainment in the right and left-field reserve plazas. Dodgers Radio KLAC AM 570’s Petros and Money show will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza from 3:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Colonel Matthew Ruedi. Ruedi is the 916th Support Brigade Commander at Fort Irwin National Training Center in San Bernardino County. He has served deployments to Kosovo and three deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will hold a silent auction on the Club level by the Vin Scully Press Box. The auction ends at 5:15 p.m. with more than 25 items up for bid, including a Vin Scully autographed baseball, Clayton Kershaw autographed photo and Yasiel Puig framed autographed LA Dodger jersey. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region. There will also be a BBQ Beef Brisket Burger (one-third pound burger topped with American cheese, Think Blue BBQ beef brisket, Stout BBQ sauce and fried onions and pickles) available at Elysian Park Grills on the Loge, Reserve and Top Deck levels and Field level Dodger Dog Stands at sections 22 and 23. A Think Blue BBQ “Grand Slam” Playoff Platter (beef brisket, pulled pork, roasted corn, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread) is avaialble at Think Blue BBQ at the left-field pavilion plaza. A Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich, Lasorda’s gelato ice cream smashed between two chocolate chip cookies, will be available at Tommy Lasorda’s Trattoria located at the right-field pavilion plaza. Saturday, October 4th at 6:37 PM Lance Lynn vs. Zack Greinke Tonight's game starts at 6:37 PM. Auto gates open at 3:37 PM, and stadium gates open at 4:07 PM. It will be televised on the MLB Network. To be updated when information is available! Sorry! I lied. I posted up information for Game 2 in a new post. Go here to check that out. The Dodgers are giving out different rally towel for the game. By ernest at Thursday, October 02, 2014 0 comments Links Labels: Al Ferrara, Cardinals, Extreme Loaded Dog, homestand Info, Tim Leary My Choices for the 2014 Baseball Blogger Alliance Post Season Awards - It Might Surprise You The Baseball Bloggers Alliance is a five-year old organization that brings together hundreds of Baseball blog writers from throughout North America to foster communication and collaboration. We are encouraged to use one another to deepen our understanding of the game and the teams that play it. It is for this reason that I enjoy being a part of the group A side benefit to membership is having an opportunity to vote on end of the year awards; much like the more established BBWAA. Take note that, like the BBWAA, we are tasked with choosing the best three for the manager, rookie and reliever awards, the top five for pitcher, and the top ten for MVP. I have included a little write up for my top pick for each award. Check out my choices for the years best in the National League. The Willie Mays Award is given to the top rookie each year. Jacob deGrom. This man came out of nowhere to take the spotlight from highly touted prospect Billy Hamilton. Jacob deGrom had a phenomenal rookie season on a team that provided little offensive support. He finished the season with a 2.69 ERA, an impressive FIP of 2.67 and had a struck out per nine innings ratio of 9.2. DeGrom was also the NL Rookie of the month in July; where he went 4-1 with a 1.39 ERA and threw 38 strike outs in 32.1 innings. Jacob deGrom, Mets Billy Hamilton, Reds Ender Inciarte, Diamondbacks The Goose Gossage Award is given to the top reliever each year. Craig Kimbrel. If there is any one player who deserves to be considered Kershaw-like at his position it is Craig Kimbrel. For the fourth straight season he lead the National League in saves, and posted an ERA under 2.00 for the third straight year (leading all other top-flight relievers). In 2014 he recorded 47 saves, a 1.63 ERA, a WHIP of 0.91 and a batting average against of just .139. Even more amazing, he gave up only two home runs in 63 appearances. BTW, if you haven't seen the video of the fans in Philadelphia making fun of him just this past Saturday then you're missing out. To see what I mean go here. BTW, even with those fans making fun of him he still recorded a save. Craig Kimbrel, Braves Kenley Jansen, Dodgers Trevor Rosenthal, Cardinals The Walter Johnson Award is given to the top pitcher each year. Clayton Kershaw. I think it's safe to say that there is no doubt about this pick. Clayton Kershaw has been an absolute beast this season. Even after missing over a month worth of games to start the year, Kershaw still lead the Majors in wins with 21. He also lead in ERA with 1.77, WHIP with 0.857 and complete games with 6. When you also consider that he threw his first career no-hitter this season and pitched 41 scoreless consecutive innings this choice becomes even more obvious. There was not a better pitcher in all of the Major Leagues. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers Johnny Cueto, Reds Jordan Zimmerman, Nationals Adam Wainwright, Cardinals Zack Greinke, Dodgers The Stan Musial Award is given to the top player each year. Clayton Kershaw. You can call me a homer all you want, but this was clearly one of those seasons where not a single non-pitching position player established themselves as the leagues best. So, it's only appropriate that a pitcher of Kershaw's class be considered for MVP. After all, no batter came close to eclipsing Kershaw's 8.0 WAR for the season, and no player was more impactful to their teams regular season success. Consider this, when Clayton started his 41 inning scoreless innings streak on June 13th the Dodgers were 8 games back of the Giants. By the time the streak was over they had a 0.5 game lead in the division. Of note, back in late-July there was a series of incidents during a game against the Cardinals where Hanley Ramirez was hit by a pitch around the head by the infamous Joe Kelly. Kershaw, seeing the lack of respect that pitcher had for his own abilities and the Dodgers, retaliated in the most professional of ways. He threw a purpose pitch in the perfect spot - on Matt Holliday's bum. No harm, but a slight foul. Then later on he said this: “But what I will say is, though, it’s tough when you see Hanley get hit like that so many times. It’s one thing to miss in[side], but when you’re missing up and in at a guy’s face like that, that’s really scary. … When you throw that hard, you need to have a better idea where the ball’s going.” That's the kind of message your best player, a leader and the MVP candidate has to make. Enough is enough, and nobody is better at delivering that kind of message than Clayton Kershaw. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins Andrew McCutchen, Pirates Buster Posey, Giants Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers Anthony Rendon, Nationals Anthony Rizzo, Cubs Josh Harrison, Pirates Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers The Connie Mack Award is given to the top manager each year. Don Mattingly. I know exactly what you're thinking. This Ernest guy is a huge HOMER... Like, big time! And, for the most part, I kinda am... But keep this in mind, when I first thought about who I believe should win this award Don's name did not first come to mind. In fact, I considered just about every winning manager in the National League before I finally realized what an incredible job he really did this season. Not only did he have to contend with the expectations of a team with a huge payroll, but he also had to do it with a ownership filled with Wall Street behemoths looking over his back. Furthermore, he had to juggle huge egos in the clubhouse. No other manager had to deal with what he had to; while at the same time improving on his record from last season. Do you remember back in early June when the Dodgers were treading water and playing .500 ball? They were 8.5 games back of the Giants and most national prognosticators were already calling the division for our foes up north. Well, Don gave a rather exasperating press conference in Chicago after finishing up a lackluster roadtrip and declared that the Dodgers were "shitty." S-H-I-T-T-Y-! He complained that the club just wasn't very good and that selfishness had taken hold in the clubhouse. His public shaming of the Dodgers was not seen by the players as Don's failure. Instead, they appeared to realize it was all on them, and they responded by taking out their bats. Over the next five games they scored 29 runs, and went on to erase a 10 game deficit in the standings to overtake the Giants less than a month later. I call that a BIG BRASS BALLS move by a skipper willing to risk his job to motivate the club the only way he thought they would respond - by kicking their proverbial butts for all to see. And you know what, it worked. For that alone he deserves to be the Manager of the Year. Don Mattingly, Dodgers Matt Williams, Nationals Clint Hurdle, Pirates Links Labels: Adrian Gonzalez, BBA, Clayton Kershaw, Don Mattingly Blog Kiosk: 10/2/201 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends The October edition of Dodger Insider magazine is now available. Check out the cover featuring Matt Kemp above. Jon Weisman at the Dodger Insider blog has details about what's inside. Below are some links to check out: You gotta check this out. Jon Wesiman put together a list of the Top-50 best Dodger plays of the second half of the season, and he has video for all of them. Go here to check them out. Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Clayton Kershaw a finalist for four Players Choice Awards." Just a reminder, the Dodger Express shuttle bus will be picking up fans in the South Bay for the upcoming playoffs. It'll pick up fans at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center. Go here for the Dodger press release that has information. Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Carl Crawford could be ‘X-Factor’ for Dodgers in NLDS." Crawford is coming off his best season (119, according to wRC+) since his final year in Tampa Bay (2010, 134 wRC+). He’s also coming off an incredibly torrid September in which he slashed .448/.473/.716. In fact, Crawford has been the best hitter in baseball over the last month, again according to wRC+. For a guy who slashed just .163/.245/.209 in July, that’s almost unbelievable. Via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register, "Dodgers' Jansen grateful he was convinced to become a pitcher." “The arm was beautiful,” said Dodgers vice president for player personnel Vance Lovelace. “He was a big-bodied catcher who’d drop to his knees and he had an 80 throwing arm (the highest scouting grade). It wasn’t hard to see. It was, ‘OK, if you don’t hit pretty soon. We’re going to make you a pitcher.’” GCRL shares even more Steve Garvey oddball Baseball cards here. I wonder if this recent ruling will have any effect on MLB and the Dodgers. From what I understand, though, it primarily applies to the NFL. Via Travis Waldron at Think Progress, "FCC Votes Unanimously To End TV Sports Blackout Rule." Via the LA Daily News, "Bryan Stow again sues the Dodgers, accuses team of conspiring to deprive him of adequate care." The suit alleges the team and ACE (Stow’s insurer) are fraudulently trying to recover $3.4 million from the plaintiff regarding his health care. Representatives of Anthem and the Dodgers could not be immediately reached. Panini's 2014 Hall of Fame 75th Anniversary Baseball card set is coming out next, so they released some preview pics on their blog to check out. Go here to see those. Above are cards of Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese. Links Labels: 2014 HOF, Blog Kiosk, Bryan Stow, Carl Crawford, Jackie Robinson, Kenley Jansen, Matt Kemp, Pee Wee Reese, Steve Garvey, Vance Lovelace NLDS Series Against Cardinals Starts Tomorrow - Sc... My Choices for the 2014 Baseball Blogger Alliance ... Blog Kiosk: 10/2/201 - Dodger Links - Some Odds an...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line603
__label__cc	0.642681	0.357319	Foulsham & Geddes Conveyancing & Property Sydney Sydney Conveyancing and Property Law Services Our property lawyers and conveyancers have been conducting property transactions and practising property law for over 40 years. Our Sydney CBD based property law team have a broad range of experience, from simple residential property conveyancing to compulsory acquisition and complex property developments. We provide a premium property conveyancing service for our clients covering residential, commercial and industrial properties in Sydney, wider NSW and Queensland. Building & Construction Law Building reports and inspections Commercial, Industrial & Retail Leasing and Sales Compulsory Acquisition (for instance, Westconnex) Contract preparation, advice and negotiations Conveyancing (NSW & QLD) Land & Environment Mortgage and security documents drafting and advice Mortgagee sales Security of Payment – Building & Construction Stamp duty, GST and capital gains tax Strata, company title and community title Strata disputes Sub-division Structuring property transactions Our property law and conveyancing experience equals piece of mind Whether it’s buying your first home or investment property, or simply the latest addition to your property portfolio, our property law team will ensure you have an efficient, seamless and stress-free experience. Our lawyers and conveyancers will advocate for you every step of the way, from initial discussions and communicating with other stakeholders, right through to settlement day. Our conveyancer settled over $200 million in property transactions in 2015 alone Although it’s easy to find a conveyancer on the cheap, the surest way to protect your investment is to engage our team of experienced lawyers and conveyancers to do the work. With the median house price in Sydney topping over $900,000 in 2015, for many people, purchasing a property will be the single biggest transaction they will undertake in their lifetimes. Even if this is not your first purchase, your property investments are your most valuable assets. Our Sydney Property Law & Conveyancing Team Dougal Geddes Property Lawyer Dougal has over 35 years’ experience providing expert property law advice, including conveyancing, asset protection and succession planning. Jacob Carswell-Doherty 5 years experience in property related litigation & dispute resolution. Jacob also oversees all of the firm’s QLD property transactions. QLD Conveyancing Litigation & Dispute Daniel practises in a variety of areas but has a particular passion for property & conveyancing law. Litigation & Disputes Property & Conveyancing Law Articles Foreign beneficiaries and discretionary trusts Free conveyancing quotes Compensation to business – compulsory acquisition of land – Westconnex What is conveyancing? Conveyancing is the process of transferring the title of a property from one person or entity to other. The elements of a conveyance include: 1. Drafting Contract for Sale of Land 2. Finding a buyer to sign the contract and pay a deposit. 3. Identify all relevant information about the property so buyer is informed. 4. Determine exact purchase price amount. 5. Determine and pay stamp duty. 6. Attend settlement and complete the sale. What is the difference between a conveyancer and a lawyer? A conveyancer is someone who has a licence to act in property transactions in NSW. A conveyancer cannot give legal advice about more complex areas of property law. A lawyer can act in property transactions and give legal advice. What is stamp duty? Stamp duty is a tax payable to the NSW State Government when any Contract for Sale of Land is signed by both parties. Stamp duty must be paid before the transfer can be formally registered. How is stamp duty calculated? There is a formula for the calculation of stamp duty which is based on the value of the property. The Office of State Revenue has a stamp duty estimator which can be found using the following link: OSR Stamp Duty Calculator What are special conditions of contract? The usual contract for sale of land contains standard terms and conditions. If the parties want to vary the standard terms, or add additional terms to the contract, this is done by including ‘special conditions’. Who prepares the Contract for Sale? The conveyancer for the seller usually prepares the contract. Who is a Vendor? Vendor means the person or entity selling the property. What does 'Title' to a property mean? In NSW the State Government maintains a register of land titles. This body issues titles to the owners of land and updates its register every time there is a conveyance of an interest in property. What does a conveyancer mean by 'searches'? In order to fully investigate all relevant information in relation to a property, the conveyancer for a purchaser must conduct a number of searches. How long does a conveyancer take? Completion of the contract must take place within the time stipulated on the front of the contract. In most cases, settlement must take place 42 days after the contract is signed by both parties. NSW Law Society – Guide to buying a home NSW Law Society – Guide to selling a home 12/32 Martin Pl, Sydney NSW 2000 2 9232 8033 F: 9223 7337 fg@fglaw.com.au \| M - F 8:30 - 17:00 Your journey. Your lawyer.™ © Foulsham & Geddes 2016. Liability is limited by a Scheme approved under the Professional Standards Legislation. Legal practitioners employed by Foulsham & Geddes Pty Ltd are members of the scheme. Commercial Lawyer Sydney	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line611
__label__wiki	0.743048	0.743048	Multimedia‎ > ‎News‎ > ‎ Carbery Beara GAA Games Development News 06/02/12 posted 6 Feb 2012, 10:20 by Unknown user [ updated 6 Feb 2012, 10:23 ] Physical Development Workshops On Monday night last, the Physical Development series continued at Castletownbere CS, where a sizeable attendance was present for a coaching workshop hosted by development squads’ tutor, Liam O’Reilly (above). A number of Beara youth players ran through a series of exercises from the U14 county programme, on a night which began and ended with discussion on appropriate physical coaching for 13-18 year-olds. However, there was also clear reference to the importance of fundamental movements for child players, as well as the windows of opportunity for speed development etc. This series concludes on tonight, Monday night at Goleen, where the 40 participants at the West Carbery Award 1 Youth football course will attend. Indeed, this will be the fifth of six nights for the course which concludes in Bantry on Thursday night. Meanwhile, a second series of physical development workshops is scheduled for next month Club Coaching Sessions On Friday night last, an enthusiastic collection of U10 and U12 hurlers from Pedlars underage club assembled at the astroturf in Ahamilla for a hurling coaching session. Here the focus was on a series of warm-ups, both with and without the ball, striking on the dominant side (running) and non-dominant side (walking), as well as games, where the emphasis was on bursting into space and striking on the run. This group will continue this programme for a further six weeks under the capable hands of coaching officer Stephen O’Leary and various club coaches. A similar programme is also running at various age levels at Ballinacarriga Community Centre and on the previous Friday night, we visited to observe a magnificent scene with all age levels being catered for in football and hurling. Munster Club Nursery Programme On the following morning, it was off to Bandon, where the Munster Council Club Nursery programme continued with a workshop for U12 mentors, players and parents. Here, we were joined by County Urban Coordinator John Neville (pictured above) and the two-hour session incorporated a SWOT analysis of club coaching structures, an indoor practical session on the grip and swing and finally a fundamental movement / hurling skills session at the magnificent wall ball facilities at the same venue. At the request of those present, a Foundation level coaching course will now follow for incoming club coaches, later this month and John will return at a future date for further club nursery sessions. Meanwhile, on tonight Monday, he switches his attentions to Clonakilty where the first night of the host club’s nursery programme commences with a discussion forum for U8, U10 and U12 coaches. Beara Foundation Courses On today, Monday, a one-day Foundation course runs at Castletownbere CS for transition year students from 9-4pm, while on tonight a Foundation course for club coaches will run at Eyeries for Urhan GAA club This course concludes on the following Monday night. Thanks to local contacts, Kathleen Dwyer (TY coordinator) and Ciaran O’Sullivan (Urhan Juvenile Chairman) for their help in organising both courses. Upcoming Foundation Courses On Saturday, February 18th a one-day Foundation Course will run at Kilbrittain and further courses will soon follow, throughout the latter half-of this month. Carbery Beara GAA Games Development 2012 Mid-term Coaching Sessions, Monday, Feb 13th- Friday Feb 17th Mid-term break will see another busy week for the Carbery and Beara underage teams in both football and hurling (see table below).On Monday, the astroturf facilities at Clonakilty GAA club will host sessions for the U14, U15 & U16 football squads for 2012, while on Wednesday, the hurling squads at U14, U15 & U16 will train (see panels below – players will be contacted directly). Meanwhile, on Thursday, activities will switch to Adrigole, where the Beara football teams for 2012 will assemble at various times. Finally, on Tuesday and Friday, it’s back to Ahamilla for U13 ‘ Emerging Players’ session in football and hurling, respectively. Players are asked to bring appropriate footwear (runners or multi stud) and please also ensure that all hurling bands are covered with insulating tape. The wearing of club colours is recommended. Please also bring €2 to cover the cost of astroturf rental. For the U13 sessions, NEW PLAYERS (that haven’t attended previously) are asked to bring a note with the following details: name; club, date of birth, parents’ names & parents’ mobile numbers. Players who attended previous sessions will be contacted directly. Please note that all players, U14, U15 & U16 level who are interested in playing with divisional teams or county squads in 2012 MUST ATTEND the relevant sessions next week OR INFORM US BY TEXT that you are UNAVAILABLE, BUT INTERESTED in attending future sessions. Contact Kevin O’Donovan, Carbery Beara GDA for further details; Ph. 086-7753567 or kevin.odonovan.gda.cork@gaa.ie Date / Venue Monday, Feb 13th Clonakilty GAA astroturf Carbery Beara U14 football Group 1 ‘East’ (born 1998) Pedlars, Clonakilty, Argideen Rangers, Ol Plunketts, St. Brogans, Kilbrittain, Ahan Gaels, Newcestown, Barryroe, St. James, Kilmeen, Carbery Rangers, Castlehaven, Kilmacabea Carbery Beara U14 football Group 2 ‘West’ (born 1998) Gabriel Rangers, T MacCarthaigh, Muintir Bhaire Og, Cl na nGael, Ilen Rovers, Bantry, St. Colms, O Donovan Rossa, Mizen Rovers, Sam Maguires, Castletownbere, Glengarriff, Adrigole, Urhan, Garnish. Carbery Beara U15 football (born 1997) Tuesday, Feb 14th Clonakilty GAA astroturf Carbery U13 hurling (born 1999) All clubs Wed, Feb 15th Clonakilty GAA astroturf Carbery U14 hurling (born 1998) Thursday, Feb 16th Caha Centre astroturf, Adrigole Beara U14 football (born 1998/99) Beara Minor football (born 1994/95) Friday, Feb 17th Carbery Beara U13 football Group 1 (born 1999) Clonakilty, Pedlars, Argideen Rangers, Ol Plunketts, St. Brogans, Kilbrittain, St. Marys, D O Mathunas, Newcestown, Barryroe. St. James. Carbery Rangers, Castlehaven, Gabriel Rangers, T MacCarthaigh, Muintir Bhaire Og, Cl na nGael, Kilmacabea, O D Rossa, Mizen Rovers. Ilen Rovers, Bantry, St. Colms, Sam Maguires, Kilmeen, Castletownbere, Glengarriff, Adrigole, Urhan, Garnish. Carbery Beara U16 football panel 2012 (#42) Jason O'Shea, Adrigole; Kevin O'Donovan, Ahan Gaels; Cathal O'Donovan, Argideen Rangers; Sean O'Leary, Tim Cronin, Bantry; Damien O'Brien, Carbery Rangers; Colm O'Driscoll, Conor Nolan, Michael Hurley, Csaba O'Mahony, Castlehaven; Cian O'Donovan, JP Maughan, Joe White, Eoghan Deasy, Eoin O' Neill, Clonakilty; Eddie O'Sullivan, Stephen Holland, Colm Og; Chris Moynihan, Gabriel Og; Carthaigh O'Driscoll, Garnish; Gearoid O'Sullivan, Stephen O'Sullivan, Glengarriff; Darren O'Donovan, Mizen Rovers; Alex Hasset, Ilen Og; Diarmuid O'Callaghan, Martin Collins, Kevin Whooley, Euan Tobin, Kilmacabea; Damien O'Gorman, Liam O'Brien, Eamon Barrett, Kilmeen; Murt Kennelly, Jason Jordan, Cian Healy, Luke Meade, Cathal Clarke, Newcestown; Cathal Nyhan, Eoin O'Brien, Pedlars Cross; Eoin Lavers, Jack O'Connor, Sam Maguires; Jonathan Mulcahy, Edward Ahern, St. Brogans; Conor Lowney, Urhan Carbery Beara U15 football panel 2012 (# 53) John O'Sullivan, Sean Buttimer, Gearoid O'Donovan, Ahan Gaels; Eoin Lawton, Argideen Rangers; Shane McCarthy, Killian O'Sullivan, Tim Foley, Paddy O'Shea, Philip Dowling, Owen O'Flynn, Shane Keevers, Arthur Coakley, Bantry Blues; Jack Cahalane, Barryroe; Cathal O'Rourke, Cian Daly, Carbery Rangers; Ronan Walsh, Patrick Bohane, Conor Cahalane, Finbarr Maguire, Chulainn O'Neill, David Whelton, Castlehaven; Colm Hayes, Cl na nGael; Tiernan O'Connell, Sean McEvoy, Tiernan O'Connell, David Lowney, Zach Harrington, Conor Scally, David Walsh, Clonakilty, Gary Murphy, Declan Dunne, James Kelly, Castletownbere; Cian Hurley, Gabriel Rangers; Sean McCarthy, Eoin McElhinny, Glengarriff; Tom Bushe, Liam Coombes, Ilen Rovers; Brian Keohane, Darren Santry, Barry Kirby, Oige Scannell, Shane Scannell, Kilmeen; Ryan O'Callaghan, Mizen Rovers; Timothy O'Sullivan, Sean O'Donovan, Cathal Cadogan, Newcestown; Daniel O'Brien, Colin Crowley, Luke Murray, Pedlars Cross; Joseph O'Mahony, St. Brogans; Connor Ellis, St. Colms; Cian McPeake, St. James; Sean McCarthy, Tadhg Mac Carthaigh. East (#48) Alan O'Sullivan, David Cronin, Jamie Lucey, Dillon Warren, Ciaran Tanner , Mathew Draper, Dylan Scannell, Cian O'Mahony, Ahan Gaels;Bill Fleming, Dylan Harrington, Argideen Rangers; Robert Hegarty, Ciaran Prendergast, Carbery Rangers; Cathal Maguire, Liam Bohane, David McCarthy, Ryan Foley, Colin O'Driscoll, Castlehaven; Cathal O'Regan, Mark White, Sean O'Donoghue, Darren Coakley, Liam O'Donovan, Parac Halligan, Padraig O Riain, Jason O'Donovan, Clonakilty; Darren Whooley, Tiernan Kerrisk, Ciaran French, Sean French, Kilmacabea; Fionan McCarthy, Kevin Keohane, Joseph O'Donovan, Cathal McCarthy, Kilmeen; Colm Dineen, James Kelleher, Peter O'Riordain, Shane Collins, Shane Scanlon, Newcestown; Ben Murray, Sean Ryan, Pedlars; Luke Fleming, Aaran Burns, Mark O'Regan, James Daly, Eoin O'Sullivan, Aidan Coughlan, St. Brogan's, James Taylor, Sean O'Reilly, St. James'. West (#48) James Lavin, Barry O'Sullivan, Jack McCarthy, Daniel Murray, Russel Barry, Ronan O'Mahony, Patrick Casey, Bantry Blues; Oisin Murphy, Castletownbere; Niall Bowkett, Clann na nGael; Jack O'Sullivan, Tommy O'Sullivan, Darragh Henshaw, Garnish; Tadhg McCarthy, Paudie O'Sullivan, Thomas O'Donovan, Fergal O'Sullivan, James Murphy, Glengarriff; Micheal Keohane, Sean Minihane, Ilen Rovers; Padraig Reidy, Padraig Downey, James O'Driscoll, Tadhg Cullinane, Jason Whitley, Mizen Rovers; Michael O'Driscoll, Gavin Johnston, Daniel Shannon, Muintir Bhaire; Dylan Hourihane, Cillian Lane, Shane O'Driscoll, Jack Cowap, Paul Minihane, Sean Fitzgerald, Padraig O'Neill, Osacar Egan, Patrick O'Sullivan, O'Donovan Rossa; Mark Buckley, Padraig O'Mahony, Paul O'Mahony, Sean Hudson, Adrian Cronin, Sam Maguires; Tom Daly, Tadhg Mac Carthaigh; Philip O'Shea, Jack Shea, Cillian O'Shea, Daniel O'Neill, Ciaran Sullivan, Urhan. Carbery U16 hurling panel 2012 (#27) Kevin O'Donovan, Ahan Gaels; Cathal O'Donovan, Argideen Rangers; Sean O'Leary, Tim Cronin, Bantry; Connor Madden, Barryroe; Cian O'Donovan, Emmet O'Gorman, Eoghan Deasy, Jack Williams, Duncan Lehane, Eoin O' Neill, Clonakilty; Damien O'Gorman, Liam O'Brien Kilbree; Martin Collins, Kilmacabea; Darren O'Donovan, Mizen Rovers, Jason Jordan, Luke Meade, Murt Kennelly, Cian Healy, Darragh Curran, Cathal Clarke, Cillian O'Mahony, Newcestwon; Colm O'Driscoll. O'Donovan Rossa; Eoin O'Brien, Pedlars Cross; Edward Ahern, St. Brogans; Kevin Horan, Aaron Hayes, St. James. John O'Sullivan, Sean Buttimer, Gearoid O'Donovan, Ian O'Sullivan, Ahan Gaels; Eoin Lawton, Argideen Rangers; Tim Foley, Shane Keevers, Sean McCarthy, Bantry Blues; Jack Cahalane, David Kiely, Ted Kearney, Barryroe; David O'Donovan, Brian Callanan, Michael O'Mahony, Carbery Rangers; David Lowney, Tiernan O'Connell, Sean McEvoy, Conor Scally, David Walsh, Zach Harrington, Clonakilty; Barry Kirby, Shane Scannell, Oige Scannell, Darren Santry, Brian Keohane, Kilbree; Joshua O'Donovan, David O'Neill, Evan O'Donovan, Patrick O'Mahony, Kilbrittain; Eoghan Sheehan, Ryan O'Callaghan, Jed Little, Mizen Rovers; Sean O'Donovan, Gerard Collins, Timothy O'Sullivan, Cian Goggin, Cathal Cadogan, Brendan O'Mahony, Newcestown; Daniel O'Brien, Luke Murray, Colin Crowley, Pedlars Cross, Joseph O'Mahony, Eoin McCarthy, Aaron Ryan, Timothy McCarthy, Senan Healy, St. Brogans, Cian McPeake, Peter Walsh, St. James. Alan O'Sullivan, David Cronin, Jamie Lucey, Ciaran Tanner, Jack Hurley, Mathew Draper, Dylan Scannell, Cian O'Mahony, Joseph Forbes, Dillon Warren, Ahan Gaels; Bill Fleming, Dylan Harrington, Argideen Rangers; James Lavin, Barry O'Sullivan, Ronan O'Mahony, Jack McCarthy, Daniel Murray, Tadhg McCarthy, Bantry Blues; Robert Hegarty, Carbery Rangers; Cathal O'Regan, Mark White, Sean O'Donoghue, Padraig O Riain, Liam O'Donovan, Darren Coakley, Clonakilty; Ryan Lombard, Dylan Twohig, Ciaran Byrne, Tadgh Kearney, Shane Sweetman, Kilbrittain, Darren Whooley, Tiernan Kerrisk, Ciaran French, Kilmacabea; Fionan McCarthy, Kevin Keohane, Joseph O'Donovan, Cathal McCarthy, Gearoid McCarthy, Kilbree; Padraig Reidy, Padraig Downey, Tadhg Cullinane, Jason Whitley, Mizen Rovers; Shane Scanlon, Colm Dineen, James Kelleher, Peter O'Riordain, Newcestown; Ben Murray, Darren O'Donovan, Sean Ryan, Pedlars; Fiachra Harrington, Lee Keane, Aaran Burns, Mark O'Regan, Brian O’Connell, St. Brogan's; James Taylor, Sean O'Reilly, Jack Oates, Peter Whelton, St. James; Cillian Lane, Paul Minihane, O'Donovan Rossa; Adrian Cronin, Mark Buckley, Sam Maguires.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line617
__label__wiki	0.761831	0.761831	Edwin Mulitalo \| Mormon Footballers This famous Mormon football player served his Church duties early before starting his professional football career, only joining an NFL team five years later in 1999. But this celebrity Mormon footballer isn’t just known for his performance on the pitch, he’s also a known figure in the community for work he does with children and other youth groups. Jake Gibb \| Mormon Olympians The American Olympian, and famous Mormon athlete, Jake Gibb represented his country at the Olympic games in the volleyball event.... Gordon Smith \| Mormon Politicians Gordon Smith is the famous Mormon politician who was representing Oregon for the Republican party as a senator. Most notably, this celebrity Mormon politician was the... Johnny Longden \| Mormons in Rodeo and Horse Racing An English Mormon horse racer, Johnny Longden became a famous Mormon when achieved the milestone of 6000 race wins over the course of his career as... Jason Brown \| Infamous Mormons	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line624
__label__cc	0.662806	0.337194	EltasZone Narrow wins the order of the day Packers to reportedly retain defensive coordinator Mike Pettine despite nightmare performance vs. 49ers Milwaukee Bucks TV Viewership Is Highest It's Been In Nearly 20 Years UNLV vs. Nevada odds, line: 2020 college basketball picks, Jan. 22 predictions from proven computer model Home > Posts tagged "2019" Goffin On Final Prep For ATP Cup: ‘It’s Something Big’ by el-admin - December 30, 2019 018 The start of the ATP Cup — and with it, the ATP Tour season — is just four days away, and players in Sydney are ramping up the intensity. Several No. 1 players were practising on the grounds of the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre on Monday, fine-tuning their games in Murray Withdraws From Aussie Swing Andy Murray will have a late start to his 2020 campaign. The Brit announced his withdrawal from the ATP Cup and Australian Open due to a recent setback in the off-season. “I’ve worked so hard to get myself into a situation where I can play at the top level and ATP Cup: Captain Roig Praises Nadal & ‘Spectacular’ Spanish Team "Hey, I have to choose the captain because it’s up to each team’s No. 1 player. Would you like to do it?" "Of course! If you want me to do it, I’d be delighted. Go for it." The brief conversation between Rafael Nadal and Francisco Roig was all it took for Roig Krawietz/Mies: Becker Influence The Key At ATP Cup Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies will be part of the German team at the inaugural ATP Cup, to be held from 3-12 January. They will join Alexander Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff and Mats Moraing in Group F in Brisbane. ATPTour.com caught up with Krawietz and Mies, who successfully transitioned from the ATP Paes Announces 2020 Will Be His Final Season Leander Paes, the 46-year-old Indian who has amassed 767 tour-level doubles wins and 54 tour-level doubles titles during his illustrious career, announced Wednesday that 2020 will be his final season. "I am looking forward to the 2020 tennis calendar where I will be playing a few select tournaments, travelling with The Best Stats Of The Decade On 4 January 2010, when the first ATP Rankings of this decade were published, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic topped the list. As this decade comes to a close, Nadal is No. 1, Djokovic is No. 2 and Federer is No. 3. Ten years have come and gone, ATP Cup: Schwartzman & Pella Ready To Lead Argentina Diego Schwartzman and Guido Pella see each other every day in the off-season. But they are much more than just training partners making their joint preparations for 2020. The top two Argentine players in the ATP Rankings enjoy a friendship that goes back to the early days of their tennis Roger Federer Named GQ’s Most Stylish Man Of The Decade Roger Federer has long been stylish with his game and his fashion, both on and off the court. And the Swiss superstar finished the 2010s with a big award in the style department, being named GQ’s Most Stylish Man of the Decade on Friday. The award was decided by the Del Potro, Djokovic, Federer & Nadal Lead 2019 Charity Efforts The ATP Tour's players make a massive impact on the tennis court, with their efforts at tournaments inspiring countless people throughout the world. But they also perform important duties off the court through philanthropy, whether through their own foundations or by helping others with their charity work. ATPTour.com looks at Players Of The Decade: Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal entered this decade as one of the best players in the Open Era, but the current No. 1 in the ATP Rankings is now considered one of the greatest of all-time after a whirlwind of unforgettable moments over the past 10 years. The Spaniard continued his dominance on clay jimmy on Russian offers $16M to keep boxing in Olympics jimmy on Spence is too much for him to handle, but Garcia shows big heart jimmy on Here are the seven trades that need to happen before the 2019 NFL Draft Rosabel Beteille on Contact Us Archives Select Month January 2020 (657) December 2019 (901) November 2019 (936) October 2019 (1029) September 2019 (973) August 2019 (1004) July 2019 (1131) June 2019 (1001) May 2019 (1160) April 2019 (958) March 2019 (296) February 2019 (21) January 2019 (16) December 2018 (16) November 2018 (17) October 2018 (20) September 2018 (18) August 2018 (18) July 2018 (15) June 2018 (18) May 2018 (16) April 2018 (17) March 2018 (18) February 2018 (14) January 2018 (20) December 2017 (21) November 2017 (26) October 2017 (27) September 2017 (13) August 2017 (13) July 2017 (32) June 2017 (40) May 2017 (12) April 2017 (22) March 2017 (15) February 2017 (17) January 2017 (27) December 2016 (16) November 2016 (33) October 2016 (20) September 2016 (25) August 2016 (28) July 2016 (10) June 2016 (16) May 2016 (12) April 2016 (15) March 2016 (14) February 2016 (10) January 2016 (12) December 2015 (13) November 2015 (11) October 2015 (15) September 2015 (12) August 2015 (13) July 2015 (10) June 2015 (10) May 2015 (11) April 2015 (11) March 2015 (13) February 2015 (9) January 2015 (7) December 2014 (3) August 2014 (1) December 2013 (1) September 2013 (2) June 2013 (1) March 2013 (2) December 2012 (1) November 2012 (1) October 2012 (3) September 2012 (2) August 2012 (1) June 2012 (3) May 2012 (2) April 2012 (1) March 2012 (1) January 2012 (5) December 2011 (8) November 2011 (4) October 2011 (2) September 2011 (3) August 2011 (1) May 2011 (1) March 2011 (2) February 2011 (1) September 2010 (1) March 2010 (1) February 2010 (1) July 2007 (1) Categories Select Category Basketball (2,954) Boxing (458) College Sports (728) Cycling (317) EltasZone (3,943) Football (2,704) CAF (182) Premier League (1,760) World Cup (364) Golf (8) NFL (1,062) Swimming (1) Tennis (953) Uncategorized (15) Popular Categories Select Category Basketball (2,954) Boxing (458) CAF (182) College Sports (728) Cycling (317) EltasZone (3,943) Football (850) Golf (8) NFL (1,062) Premier League (1,760) Swimming (1) Tennis (953) Uncategorized (15) World Cup (364) Narrow wins the order of the day January 22, 2020 Packers to reportedly retain defensive coordinator Mike Pettine despite nightmare performance vs. 49ers January 22, 2020 Milwaukee Bucks TV Viewership Is Highest It's Been In Nearly 20 Years January 22, 2020 UNLV vs. Nevada odds, line: 2020 college basketball picks, Jan. 22 predictions from proven computer model January 22, 2020 Updated Injury Report for Spurs game: Four Pelicans now probable, two questionable January 22, 2020 Craig Kimbrel Earns Save in Cubs Debut vs. Former Team Braves June 27, 2019 0135 Hope and heart: emotions stirred in Liverpool at season’s crescendo \| Donald McRae Is Djokovic Chasing Federer’s Slam Record? You Betcha! Southern comfort: SEC lifts booze ban at games Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal Live Stream: How to Watch Wimbledon 2019 sports@eltaszone.com eltaszone.com EltasZone World Sports Leader 3978 Windgrove Crossing Suwanee ,30024 © 2019 EltasZone World Sports leader Powered By Eltas EnterPrises INC Internet Publishing Company Since © 2005	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line632
__label__wiki	0.581215	0.581215	Nidderdale The Hardcastle Family Genealogy Page Hardcastle Garth After crossing the river Nidd you get to a small village called Hardcastle Garth. It is described in Hartwith-cum-Winsley in the parish of Kirkby Malzeard. This place was in hands of the Hardcastle' family for about 400 years until 1850. Hardcastle Garth was bought by Robert Hardcastle of Hardcastle Garth and his son Christopher from Sir Ingilby of Ripley Castle in about 1574. Hardcastle Garth was a favourite meeting-place of the "Quaker"-movement. Origin and Yorkshire Settlement The Hardcastle' family appears to have been originated from Northumberland and Durham in Saxon times. The family originally owned a very ancient tower in the neighbourhood of the "Hadrian's Wall" from which they first took their name. The literal meaning of Hardcastell originates from the Latin word "Castellum", which means castle or tower. This name existed in counties of Northumberland and Durham before 1358. During the Scottish raids in the 13th century the family fled south and settled in Nidderdale in Yorkshire. "Fountains Abbey" was searching tenants for their granges. Family Hardcastle went to life on a grange in Bewerley (on the hill between Pateley Bridge and Greenhow Hill, near the source of the river Nidd). This grange has derived it's name from the Hardcastle' family as this family-name existed before the first mention of this grange. The first person mentioned there was Richard de Hardcastell in 1358. The name de Hardcastell indicates that Richard came from a place called Hardcastell. My name is Michael Ronald Hardcastle and I have created these pages to help others with their genealogy. They are dedicated to my beloved family, friends, companions and to my dear parents, who would have been pleased. The Family Arms from the 12th century were duly registered in the British Heraldry as sable on a chevron argent between three castles or towers, as many leopards's faces gules, crest a lady attired azure holding in her right hand the sun, and in her sinister the moon. The latin inscription "TURRIS FORTIS MIHI DEUS" means "God is my strong tower" (in English: Hardcastle). "Happy the man who can recall his fathers With Joy, who with their deeds and greatness can Regale a hearer, and with quiet pleasure Beholds himself at the close of that fair Succession." From: Iphigenie in Tauris, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, translated by Charles E. Passage (Waveland Press, 1963) Mein Pilgerweg (German) Tagebuch meines Pilgerwegs nach Santiago de Compostela vom 14.04. - 18.05.2007 Jetzt auch als Taschenbuch ... Member of the Guild of One-Name Studies The Roots of the Hardcastles Hospizarbeit (German) Buchprojekt "Der Schwellengänger" Maintained by Michael Ronald Hardcastle.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line639
__label__wiki	0.626666	0.626666	You send email ... we'll do the rest iHance Vision Demo Take a guided tour with us and find out how iHance can improve your efforts. iHance wins Developer Hero Award 2008 at the salesforce.com Dreamforce Conference SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – November 5, 2008 iHance Inc. today announced that Chief Technology Officer John Hart won the Developer Hero Award at Dreamforce '08, salesforce.com's user and developer conference. "This is the second consecutive year in which John Hart has been acknowledged for his pioneering work on the Force.com Platform. The resulting AppExchange solution, iHance Absolute Automation, has been adopted by over 300 corporate customers worldwide" said Christopher da Cunha, Chief Executive Officer of iHance. "Equally important, unbiased customer feedback posted to AppExchange has been phenomenal. Many consider Absolute Automation to be the most important productivity App on AppExchange" added Mr. da Cunha. "Force.com has enabled us to develop and commercialize innovative solutions in record time," said John Hart, iHance's CTO. "Apex Developers like John Hart are crucial to the success of the Force.com platform, and we are pleased to recognize John for his contributions to this success," said Clarence So, senior vice president of marketing, salesforce.com. About iHance Inc. Founded in 2001, iHance Inc. delivers patented sales 2.0 solutions that enable sales and marketing professionals to instantly identify and connect with their best prospects online. Over 200 corporate customers worldwide have adopted iHance solutions including iHance Vision and Absolute Automation. iHance is a privately held company with offices in San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington. For more information about iHance please visit our website at www.iHance.com or call 415-617-0015. About the Force.com Platform and AppExchange Force.com is the only proven enterprise platform for building and running business applications in the cloud. The Force.com platform powers the Salesforce CRM applications, more than 1,000 ISV partner applications like those from CA Technologies, FinancialForce.com and Fujitsu, and 185,000 custom applications used by salesforce.com's 87,200 customers such as Japan Post, Kaiser Permanente, KONE and Sprint Nextel. Force.com also enables developers to make any enterprise app social by leveraging the social collaboration components including profiles, status updates, and real-time feeds available with Chatter. Applications built on the Force.com platform can be easily distributed to the entire cloud computing community through the salesforce.com AppExchange 2 marketplace, now featuring the ChatterExchange. Christopher da Cunha iHance Inc. cdacunha@ihance.com 15 minutes well spent! Get in touch today to boost the results of your sales and marketing teams. Excellent customer support. © 2013 iHance Inc. Privacy Policy \| Press & News iHance Vision is covered by US Patents 7072947, 7076533, and 7680892.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line650
__label__wiki	0.862709	0.862709	Huntington City Council has unanimously approved all ordinances , resolutions and reappointments from its Monday, January 28, agenda. Nine members attended; Scott Caserta and Rebecca Thacker were not present. A multipart budget revision contained a mixture of one time revenue (sale of Annex Building, sale of former W. 14th St. Fire Station), two percent budget cuts, and allocations of the onetime revenue funds. For a detailed look click on PDF Budget Revision below. For story breaking down the expenditures, click: http://www.huntingtonnews.net/54273 The $339,373 in budget reductions will be placed in the contingency fund. Activist Tom McCallister challenged a $12,500 allocation to the Cabell County Library to assist with a guard rail at their two story parking garage. When the former Annex is torn down, a guard rail will be necessary so that cars will not pull forward onto the former Annex site. Although McCallister suggested that the money go to “patch pot holes,” Judy Rule, librarian, explained that libraries generate money for the economy. “For every dollar, we return four dollars,” Rule said. She stressed, “I’m not sad to see the building go. It’s an eyesore.” Following a rule waiver, council allocated HOME funds from a federal entitlement grant. $100,000 will go toward upgrading an apartment complex at Third Street and Eighth Avenue. The full project cost will be about $450,000. With the HOME funds applied , the complex will contain low to middle income apartments for the next twenty years. The body approved a new asbestos abatement contract which brings the unit price down from $2.29 to $1.78 and held the second of three readings on authorization for the Huntington Sanitary Board to shop for a lower interest rate some of its current bonds. HSB currently pays in a 4-4.5% range, but hopes to benefit by low interest rates and targets around two percent. Kit Anderson, Sanitary Board Director, called this a “win, no lose” situation, as bond counsel will not incur legal fees unless a savings offer is accepted. “I do not want to anticipate” what will be offered, Anderson said, explaining that he does not know if the city’s financial state will merit the lower interest offerings. “If the savings is less than $10,000 per year, we will not go forward.” Council honored former Guyandotte resident Michael O. Katrinic by a symbolic gesture of naming a road in his honor. Map signs do not change, but the street becomes Michael O. Katrinic Way similar to the designation of a portion of 20th Street as Thundering Herd Way. A former VFW member who served as a Marine in Vietnam, Katrinic helped both veterans and non-veterans alike. His mother, “Pinky,” said, “They did not have to be VFW member. If someone needed food, he would take it out of his own pocket.” Current Post Commander Wes Shepherd told council , “I have heard nothing but good and honorable things about [him].” In other business, Mayor Steve Williams was appointed to both the Huntington Planning Commission and Tri State Airport. Budget Revisions, Reductions, Initiatives (1.04 MB)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line670
__label__wiki	0.573834	0.573834	Arts, Books, Entertainment, Film, Music Cobell Lawsuit & Settlement Education in Indian Country Federal Recognition Database Health, Indian Health Service Indian Law, Tribal Law Politics and Policy Ho-Chunk Inc. More: julie kitka National \| Politics 'Blatant discrimination': Native voters face barriers at ballot box (July 18, 2018) Native Americans have been 'systematically denied access to fair representation' as a result of persistent barriers to voting. 'Shake it up': Bureau of Indian Affairs undergoes change in the Trump era (July 10, 2018) Key lawmakers have described the Bureau of Indian Affairs as lacking 'leadership' and even being 'in complete disarray.' Law \| National \| Politics Alaska Natives seek fair consideration of Supreme Court nominee (March 14, 2016) President Barack Obama is reportedly close to announcing his pick for the nation's highest court. Environment \| National \| Politics President Obama restores Alaska Native name of highest peak (August 31, 2015) Excitement has been building for the president's extended trip to Alaska, which will include a historic visit to a Native village in the Arctic. Alaska to make changes to Indian Child Welfare Act procedures (April 16, 2015) The state issued emergency regulations to make it easier for Native families and tribes to join child welfare cases. Julie Kitka: Alaska must protect voting rights of Native people (June 12, 2014) Julie Kitka, the president of the Alaska Federation of Natives, says Alaska Natives deserve the right to vote in their own languages. Julie Kitka: Engage Alaska Natives on safety and voting rights (August 22, 2013) It is time you meet with leaders of the Alaska Native community to be part of the solution on greater safety for Alaska Native women and children and equal rights at the ballot box. AFN president talked to Rep. Young about use of ethnic slur (April 3, 2013) Alaska Federation of Natives President Julie Kitka said she spoke to Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) about his use of an ethnic slur to describe Hispanic workers. In a radio interview... Native American news, information and entertainment. Owned and operated by Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development corporation of the Winnebago Tribe.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line682
__label__wiki	0.615153	0.615153	Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention Pages.6289-6292 Asian Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention (아시아태평양암예방학회) Expression of Bcl-2 in Primary and Recurrent Odontogenic Keratocysts in Comparison with Other Odontogenic Lesions Naz, Iram (Oral Pathology, Islamabad Medical and Dental College) ; Mahmood, Muhammad Khurram (Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Avicenna Medical College) ; Nagi, Abdul Hannan (Histopathology & Morbid Anatomy, University of Health Sciences) https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2015.16.15.6289 Citation PDF KSCI Purpose: To determine the biological behaviour of common odontogenic cystic lesions by analysing and comparing bcl-2 expression amongst them. Materials and Methods: Our study covered 90 formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue samples: 26 primary cases each of radicular cysts (RC), dentigerous cysts (DC) and odontogenic keratocysts (OKC) and 12 of recurrent OKCs. Bcl-2 expression was analysed immunohistochemically and data analysis was accomplished using SPSS version 17.0. Means were taken for age while for gender and site of the lesions frequencies and percentages were determined. The Chi-square test was applied to evaluate any statistically significant difference of bcl-2 expression in these lesions and p value of ${\leq}0.05$ was taken as significant. Results: All the recurrent OKCs showed a strong positivity for bcl-2 that was absent in all of its primary cases (p value<0.05). Although variation in expression of bcl-2 was not found to be statistically significant between RC and DC, however, it became significant when all primary cases of these common odontogenic lesions were compared. Conclusions: Recurrent OKC showed comparatively a more aggressive behaviour than their primary counterparts and also from RC and DC. Bcl-2 proved to be a valuable adjunct in determining aggressive biological behaviour of odontogenic lesions. Odontogenic keratocyst;radicular cyst;dentigerous cyst;Bcl-2;KCOT Hyun HK, Hong SD, Kim JW (2009). Recurrent keratocystic odontogenic tumor in the mandible: a case report and literature review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 108, 7-10. Jaafar H, Abdullah S, Murtey MD, Idris FM (2012). Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in tumour cells and blood vessels of breast cancer and their association with angiogenesis and hormonal receptors. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 13, 3857-62. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2012.13.8.3857 Jahanshahi G, Talebi A, Shirvani A (2006). Expression of bcl-2 in the epithelial lining of odontogenic keratocysts. J Dent, 30, 30-1. Kelly PN, Strasser A (2011). The role of Bcl-2 and its prosurvival relatives in tumourigenesis and cancer therapy. Cell Death Differ, 18, 1414-24. https://doi.org/10.1038/cdd.2011.17 Kimi K, Kumamoto H, Ooya K, Motegi K (2000). Analysis of apoptosis-related factors and apoptotic cells in lining epithelium of odontogenic keratocysts. Oral Med Pathol, 5, 35-40. https://doi.org/10.3353/omp.5.35 Kolar Z, Geierova M, Bouchal J, et al (2006). Immunohistochemical analysis of the biological potential of odontogenic keratocysts. J Oral Pathol Med, 35, 75-80, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0714.2006.00382.x Li TJ (2011). The Odontogenic keratocyst a cyst, or a cystic neoplasm? J Dent Res, 91, 133-42. Loyola AM, Cardoso SV, Lisa GS, et al (2005). Apoptosis in epithelial cells of apical radicular cysts. Int Endod J, 38, 465-69. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2591.2005.00971.x Naz I, Mahmood MK, Akhtar F and Gillani SM (2012). Clinicopathological analysis of Odontogenic Cysts in a selected Pakistani population. Biomedica, 28, 61. Philipsen HP, Barnes L, Eveson JW, et al (2005). Keratocystic odontogenic tumor. world health organization classification of tumours: pathology and genetics head and neck tumours. Lyon, France: IARC Press: 306-7. Piatteli A, Fioroni M, Rubini C (1998). Differentiation of odontogrnic keratocysts from other odontogenic cysts by the expression of bcl-2 immunoreactivity. Oral Oncol, 34, 404-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1368-8375(98)00026-8 Rooswinkel RW, van de Kooij B, de Vries E, et al (2014). Antiapoptotic potency of Bcl-2 proteins primarily relies on their stability, not binding selectivity. Blood, 123, 2806-15. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2013-08-519470 Serasinghe MN, Missert DJ, Asciolla JJ, et al (2014). Antiapoptotic BCL-2 proteins govern cellular outcome following B-RAFV600E inhibition and can be targeted to reduce resistance. Oncogene, 1-11. Singh M, Gupta KC (2010). Surgical treatment of odontogenic keratocyst by enucleation. Contemp Clin Dent, 1, 263-7 Souers AJ, Leverson JD, Boghaert ER, et al (2013). ABT-199, a potent and selective BCL-2 inhibitor, achieves antitumor activity while sparing platelets. Nature medicine. 19, 202-8. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3048 Sujatha R, Chandrashekar P, Kumar KK, et al (2013). Differentiation of odontogenic keratocyst from radicular and dentigerous cysts by bcl-2 protein - An immunohistochemical study. J NTR Univ Health Sci, 2, 186-90. https://doi.org/10.4103/2277-8632.117186 Suzuki T, Kumamoto H, Kunimori K, Ooya K (2005). Immunohistochemical analysis of apoptosis-related factors in lining epithelium of radicular cysts. J Oral Pathol Med, 34, 46-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0714.2004.00248.x Tekkesin MS, Mutlu S, Olgac V (2012). Expressions of bax, bcl-2 and ki-67 in odontogenic keratocysts (keratocystic odontogenic tumor) in comparison with ameloblastomas and radicular cysts. Turk Patoloji Derg, 28, 49-55 Vered M, Peleg O, Taicher S, Buchner A (2009). The immunoprofile of odontogenic keratocyst (keratocystic odontogenic tumor) that includes expression of PTCH, SMO, GLI-1 and bcl-2 is similar to ameloblastoma but different from odontogenic cysts. J Oral Pathol Med, 38, 597-604. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0714.2009.00778.x Zyada MM, Grawish ME, Elsabaa HM (2009). Predictive value of cyclooxygenase-2 and Bcl-2 for cervical lymph node metastasis in mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Ann Diagn Pathol, 13, 313-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2009.06.003	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line687
__label__cc	0.662798	0.337202	Longwood Central School District » Board » Committees » Policy 2018-19 BOE POLICY COMMITTEE BOARD CHAIRPERSON: Penelope Blizzard-McGrath, Esq. BOARD REPRESENTATIVE: Frank Muraca CENTRAL OFFICE RESOURCE: Maria I. Castro, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Instruction & Learning The Policy Committee has as its primary function the task of assisting the Board of Education (BOE) with the development of policies to guide the overall operations of the district. These policies represent the district’s position pertaining to the structure and role of community relations (Series 1000), administration (Series 2000), fiscal management (Series 3000), personnel (Series 4000), students (Series 5000), instruction (Series 6000), leasing and construction (Series 7000) and the Board of Education (Series 8000). Nothing herein prohibits the BOE from action on its own to adopt, modify or abolish any policy. The Board has the sole power to dissolve this committee and shall reserve the right to exercise this power at any time during the life of this committee. ROLE: Advisory The Board will give consideration to all recommendations, although final action and responsibility shall remain with the Board. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE: 1.To examine and update current policies. 2.To determine new areas for policy development. 3.To research the legality of issues surrounding policy development. 4.To ascertain resources and references which support the development of new policies. 5.To identify specific meeting dates for the 2018-19 school year at the first meeting in the fall and provide a schedule to the BOE. In an effort to elicit points of view from varied segments of the Longwood community, the composition of the committee shall consist of the following members: Chairperson: BOE MemberMITA: (1) representative Board of Education: (1) representativeCSEA: (1) representative MIAA: (1) representativePTA: (1) representative Community: (4) representativesStudents: (1) Senior – voting (1)Junior – non-voting All members, except bargaining unit representatives, must be residents of the district. If more than four community residents apply, selection shall be made by a random draw. If any appointed member cannot complete their service on the Committee, the Chairperson may draw another prospective member from the original drawing and submit that name for Board appointment to complete the term. In addition, the Chairperson has the option to choose one additional community member from the prior year. A. Length of Service: The committee members will serve from the time of their appointment until the end of the school year, or until the Committee is discharged. B.Appointment: Committee members will be appointed by the BOE at a public meeting. The appointments will be made on an annual basis. C.Central Office Resource: Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, a central office administrator will serve as a resource person to the committee and assist in obtaining information. D.Attendance: Committee member attendance will be taken at every meeting and recorded in the minutes. All members will receive a letter of appreciation from the BOE at the end of the school year. Those members who have attended more than 65% of the meetings during the year will also be awarded a certificate of recognition by the Longwood BOE at the end of the school year. E.Committee Chair: The Board Representative shall serve as Chair for any meeting where the Board appointed Committee Chair is unavailable. Should there be a scheduled meeting when neither the Board Chair nor Board Representative are available, the Board Chair shall contact the Board President to determine availability to act as Committee Chairperson for that session.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line698
__label__wiki	0.748121	0.748121	Angeline Quinto on glutathione, nose job & her new TV series 'Kahit Konting Pagtingin' Angeline Quinto is no longer shy. In fact, she is more conversational now, responding to issues which even the most veteran celebrities will not dare speak a word about. Her innocent straightforwardness charmed the press people who congratulated her for new and first TV series called Kahit Konting Pagtingin. At the show's mini presscon held at the cozy Mom and Tina's Cafe just in front of ABS-CBN last January 9, 2013, I was surprised when Angeline answered questions about glutathione and boob enhancement in the same tone as she explained her role in the new show. "Yung in-inject po ha. Hindi po yung iniinom lang na glutathione", the singer said when asked about her beauty regimen which made her complexion fairer. "Syempre po, kailangan ko pong lumevel dun sa kaguwapuhan nila", she said referring to her leading men Paulo Avelino and Sam Milby. Asked further what other enhancements she planned to do to get her ready for her TV sweetheart role, Angeline shared her plans on getting a nose job. "Sa ilong lang po pero yung boobs po, totoo po ang mga 'to", she shared. "Hawakan mo pa Sam", she remarked further sending the members of the press to laughter while Sam Milby just smiled. As a response and support to his new on-screen partner, Sam was all -praises to what he referred to as absolute genuineness. "Totoo lang talaga si Angeline. That is something that you will love about her. She is adorable the way she is. Nakakatuwa yung pagiging totoo niya", Sam explained. Paulo Avelino had only good words as well for the singer now turning into an actress. "Masaya sa set dahil talagang kinakausap niya ang mga tao. Ganyan siya ka-kikay which makes work easier", Paulo shared. Kahit Konting Pagtingin is a comedy-romantic series which is scheduled to pull in some audience for ABS-CBN's afternoon weekday slot. This is Angeline Quinto's first ever drama series for which press people commend her bravery to step on a leading role right away. Aside from the love triangle, part of the cast of this new show are Snooky Serna, John Lapus, Mylene Dizon, James Blanco, Jordan Herrera, Ahron Villena, Joonee Gamboa, Denise Joaquin and introducing Alexandra Macanan and Aljohn Lucas. The love and laughter in Kahit Konting Pagtingin will begin on January 28, 2013 at the afternoon block of ABS-CBN. Of course, this writer will not miss the chance to take a photo with one of showbiz's handsomest actors Here's a video taken from the presscon with Angeline answering who between Sam Milby and Paulo Avelino is more of a boyfriend material for her. Tags: ABS-CBN, Angeline Quinto, hunks, Kahit Konting Pagtingin, new series, Paulo Avelino, Sam Milby, singer-actress, Television	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line702
__label__cc	0.746639	0.253361	María Pía Olivero Optimal Monetary Policy with Countercyclical Credit Spreads - with Marco Airaudo (Drexel) - Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Vol. 51(4), June 2019, pp. 787-829. Fiscal Policy and Credit Spreads: Evidence from a SVAR - Economics Bulletin , Vol. 39(2), May 2019, pp. 1393-1403. Interbank Markets and Bank Bailout Policies amid a Sovereign Debt Crisis - with Aeimit Lakdawala (Michigan State) and Raoul Minetti (Michigan State), Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control , Vol 93(C), pp. 131-153, 2018. Online appendix Monetary Policy and Anticyclical Bank Capital Regulation (with Roger Aliaga-Díaz and Andrew Powell), Economic Inquiry, Vol. 56(2), pp, 837-858, April 2018. Multinational banking and the international transmission of financial shocks: Evidence from foreign bank subsidiaries (with Bang Jeon and Ji Wu), Journal of Banking & Finance 37 (3), 952-972, 2013. Financial integration within Europe and the international transmission of business cycles among industrialized countries (with Robert Madak), Applied Economics 45 (1), 111-122, 2013. Dynamic gravity: endogenous country size and asset accumulation (with Yoto Yotov), Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique 45 (1), 64-92, 2012. Twin crises in emerging markets: The role of liability dollarization and imperfect competition in banking (with Alina Luca), Review of Development Economics 16 (1), 72-94, 2012. Do foreign banks increase competition? Evidence from emerging Asian and Latin American banking markets (with Bang Jeon and Ji Wu), Journal of Banking & Finance 35 (4), 856-875, 2011. Competition in banking and the lending channel: Evidence from bank-level data in Asia and Latin America (with Yuan Li and Bang Jeon), Journal of Banking & Finance 35 (3), 560-571, 2011. Consolidation in banking and the lending channel of monetary transmission: Evidence from Asia and Latin America (with Yuan Li and Bang Jeon), Journal of International Money and Finance 30 (6), 1034-1054, 2011. The Cyclicality Of Price‐Cost Margins In Banking: An Empirical Analysis Of Its Determinants (with Roger Aliaga‐Díaz), Economic Inquiry 49 (1), 26-46, 2011. Do bank capital requirements amplify business cycles? Bridging the gap between theory and empirics (with Roger Aliaga-Díaz), Macroeconomic Dynamics 16 (03), 358-395, 2011. Market power in banking, countercyclical margins and the international transmission of business cycles, Journal of International Economics 80 (2), 292-301, 2010. Is there a financial accelerator in US banking?: Evidence from the cyclicality of banks' price–cost margins (with Roger Aliaga-Díaz), Economics Letters 108 (2), 167-171, 2010. Macroeconomic implications of “deep habits” in banking (with Roger Aliaga‐Díaz), Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 42 (8), pp. 1495-1521, 2010. On the firm-level implications of the Bank Lending Channel of monetary policy (with Roger Aliaga-Díaz), Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 34 (10), 2038-2055, 2010. Government spending, distortionary taxation and the international transmission of business cycles, Journal of Economic Integration, 403-426, 2010.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line707
__label__cc	0.675369	0.324631	Buy Tickets Buy Camping MIS Deals Official Travel Packages Race Day Extras ADA Tickets MIS Cares Charity Track and Toy Drive MIS Backyard Hockey Tournament Faster Horses Festival Nite Lites Camping & Hotels Find Your Campground Campground Maps Campground Services Campground Rules Seating Charts and Maps Gate Policies Event Weekend Jobs Weather FAQs Service Group Information Fundraising Opportunities Exist in the following areas: Admission Gates Gate Ambassadors Disability Transports Tram On-Board Ambassadors Tram Stop Ambassadors The purpose of this information is to acquaint your group with the fundraising opportunities that are available at Michigan International Speedway. Additionally, it serves as an introduction to our policies and procedures. The material is intended to furnish your group with the general information necessary to determine your initial interest in working at Michigan International Speedway. Speedway Vision To create lasting memories for every person, every time. Speedway Mission Michigan International Speedway will present the highest quality event entertainment from doorstep to doorstep by: • Providing our guests with unique and memorable “Great Escape experiences." • Rewarding our partners with valuable and lasting relationships. • Leveraging our assets and competencies efficiently and effectively. • Appreciating our team of employee contributions and values at all levels. • Supporting the development and quality of our community and industry. Policies Governing the Use of Non-Profit Group Services We offer civic groups and non-profit organizations (tax exempt organization as defined in Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) on a contract basis, fundraising opportunities to benefit area communities. Requirements of the Group The group commits to work all race events. The number of group members needed for each role varies. Groups should be prepared to have extra members to work in the event of last minute cancellations. The group must supply the required number of personnel, as determined by Michigan International Speedway, to staff the assigned role. Flexibility will improve the chances of obtaining your group’s maximum involvement. All group members must understand that to provide the level of service our guests deserve, they will be required to present a positive image benefiting their organization and Michigan International Speedway. Each group must appoint a group contact. This individual will be the sole contact for Michigan International Speedway and be responsible for scheduling, recruiting and all communications with Michigan International Speedway. A dress code is enforced, which usually consist of khaki pants and a white shirt, unless otherwise specified by the Speedway. Hours vary by role. Gates generally open at 8:00 a.m. and report times, regardless of role (with the exception of clean-up), would precede that by at least one hour. Release times also vary by role and are affected by weather and delays with on-track activities (i.e.: caution flags). For most roles release is sometime after on-track activities have concluded. It is unlikely that on-track activities would ever be completed by 5:00 p.m. Specific schedules will be developed when a role has been determined. Compensation varies and is affected by the particular role, the level of your group’s involvement and the length of the workday. Flexibility can increase income. Compensation specifics would be discussed after determining a role that matches the group’s availability and level of involvement. Checks are issued to groups after each event. The speedway will provide training prior to the season to review the facility and position expectations. Being prepared to succeed is an important part in exceeding guest’s expectations. Camping on speedway property is available to all workers beginning on Thursday of race week. Early lights out and quiet time will be enforced. If your group is interested in more information on working at MIS, send an e-mail to contact@mispeedway.com. Brooklyn, MI 49230-9068 www.mispeedway.com/About-Us/Contact-Us.aspx contact@mispeedway.com Our Vision: To create lasting memories for every person, every time. © 2020 Michigan International Speedway	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line710
__label__wiki	0.834038	0.834038	Ronda Rousey Submits Sarah Kaufman, Retains Strikeforce Title By Robert Sargent on August 18, 2012 Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey needed just 54 seconds in order to successfully defend her title tonight in the main event of Strikeforce: “Rousey vs Kaufman” in San Diego, California. Rousey submitted former champ Sarah Kaufman with a first-round armbar. In other action on tonight’s card, Miesha “Cupcake” Tate rallied to score a third-round submission victory over veteran Julie “Fireball” Kedzie in an enthralling back-and-forth battle. Tate now has eyes on securing a rematch with Rousey for the judoka’s women’s bantamweight title in the near future. Rousey (6-0-0) wasted no time in jabbing her way into a clinch in the opening seconds and she was able to take Kaufman (15-2-0) down to the mat on her second try. From there, she immediately transitioned to an armbar attempt and Kaufman did well to defend. Rousey continued to adjust her positioning from the bottom until she was eventually able to break Kaufman’s grip and the Canadian striker was forced to tap out as her right arm was bent backwards. The quick and impressive performance solidifies Rousey’s spot as the top female fighter in the sport today, but many challengers remain for the 25-year-old in the bantamweight division. Rousey’s attention has turned to former Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, whom she called out after the fight. Santos remains suspended until December due to a positive test for steroids and has stated that she cannot make 135 pounds. Winner: Ronda Rousey by Submission (Armbar) at 0:54 of round one. She improves to 6-0-0 and remains the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Battling through adversity, Tate (13-3-0) recovered from a head-kick knockdown to submit Kedzie (16-11-0) with a third-round armbar in what was unquestionably the Fight of the Night. The opening round was all Kedzie, as the veteran battered the former champion with head kicks, punches and knees. Tate struggled to land anything and Kedzie dropped her with a side kick late in the round. Tate countered with a triangle choke attempt, but time expired soon after. Round two was much better for Tate and she was able to take the fight to the mat early on. Kedzie attempted a triangle choke of her own, but Tate fought free and took Kedzie’s back. She first worked for a rear-naked choke and later passed to mount. Kedzie stood to escape a guillotine choke and Tate took her down to a knee before the bell. In the final round, Kedzie landed hard leg kicks in the opening minute and floored Tate with a vicious head kick. Tate recovered on the ground and methodically worked for an armbar until she was finally able to elicit the tap in the latter half of the round. Both fighters put on strong performances, but it is Tate who may find herself competing for the title once again in 2013. Winner: Miesha Tate by Submission (Armbar) at 3:28 of round three. She improves to 13-3-0. In the first of three women’s bouts on tonight’s card, Muay Thai star Germaine “The Iron Lady” de Randamie (3-2-0) outstruck Japanese standout Hiroko “Cat’s Eye” Yamanaka (12-2-0, 1 ND) through three rounds to earn a clear-cut Unanimous Decision win. Yamanaka proved to be much tougher on the feet than many had anticipated and she displayed a solid chin against the hard right hooks thrown by de Randamie. The Dutch striker was able to land effective combinations and prevented Yamanaka from taking her down, however, and cruised to the victory after three rounds. Winner: Germaine de Randamie by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 3-2-0. Rafael said: 2012.08.19 05:21 No one can beat Ronda Rousey in the 135 lb. division. Although Sarah was extra-nervous for that fight for some reason, and, I think, normally, the fight would last longer… McMann, Baszler and Alexis Davis likely can last longer, but I also see them tapping in the end… Marloes Coenen is one of the most skilled ground fighters, but she doesn’t have the strength, nor the speed, at 135 lbs, to challenge Ronda at all. The sad thing is Ronda is a one-trick poney… and, well, I don’t like her personality. I don’t think she will trip Cyborg as easily when she is being pounded hard in th face, but, other than Cris, no other fighter is a challenge at this point in RR’s career. And Ronda won’t go up in weight to fight Cyborg, so… Hopefully, she will lose soon. robbyedwards said: 2012.08.19 06:43 Rousey is awesome at the headlock hip toss or the clinchtrip to mount or side control to mount and then the arm bar, still nevr saw anything new, only thing i noticed, is tate defended rouseys arm bar and escaped the first attempt, andvsarah kaufman, almost got out of it also, and kaufman is not known for her ground, i would still like to see what rousey would do when it fails, because so far, its all we have seen. Kid Azteca said: 2012.08.19 09:09 Congrats to Brock Rousey. Stupid gameplan by Sarah 🙁 I don’t think Sarah had a stupid gameplan. Ronda is about as strong as she… She jabbed her way into the clinch, and you just can ‘t get rid of that fast, when you are dealing with someone as strong as you. Ronda imposed her game. That’s what happened. Sarah shouldn’t have circled… she should have thrown bombs from the get-go… that might have prevented Ronda from clinching. I still dislike Rousey and hope someone beats her. Sadly, I don’t think any of the other contenders are up there, except for Cyborg. But Ronda is ducking her fair’n’square, and won’t go up in weight to face her. Cyborg wants out of zuffaforce.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line711
__label__wiki	0.57521	0.57521	info@mobilemedialert.com.au +61411292426 View my shots 15th of January, 2020 In: free bonus online pokies Sportech Racing and Digital to provide Desktop and mobile phone Betting answers to Penn National Gaming Sportech PLC’s racing and digital unit Sportech Racing and Digital announced previous today so it will supply its latest pari-mutuel wagering solutions for both desktop and mobile phones up to a Penn nationwide Gaming Inc. affiliate. At the moment, Sportech may be the provider that is official of types of pari-mutuel gambling choices to the gambling operator, which manages an overall total of twelve racetrack venues and four off-track wagering ones in nine jurisdictions. What is more, the internet gambling technology supplier happens to be providing its services to Penn National Gaming’s eBetUSA online gambling brand because it went live in 1999. Under the terms of the brand new agreement, Penn nationwide will be given the alleged Digital Link and G4 platforms. Those are expected to increase that is further energy associated with the currently installed BetJet betting terminals and Quantum System computer software. The Sportech products will give Penn National gambling customers the ability and convenience to utilize one account plus one wallet that is digital all available betting channels. Put another way, players should be able to make use of single Penn National account on desktop, over their mobile devices (through the Digital Link mobile software), with a betting terminal located within any of the 16 land-based venues, etc. Sportech Racing and Digital President Andrew Gaughan stated that they’re particularly very happy to further expand their company relations with Penn National, which can be regarded as the owner that is largest and manager of racetrack and related wagering venues throughout the united states of america. Mr. Gaughan further explained that their new Digital Link and G4 platforms, together with a number of tools such as CRM ones, the electronic voucher, along with other patented features will most undoubtedly provide Penn National gambling clients from across the nation with ‘convenience and an enhanced wagering experience.’ Commenting on the latest announcement, Chris McErlean, Vice President for Penn National Gaming’s Racing operations, said them the opportunity to seamlessly move from online to brick-and-mortar and vice versa that they have always been striving to provide both existing and future players with ‘a satisfying and immersive’ gambling experience by giving. The executive expressed self- confidence that the newly introduced Digital Link app that is mobile G4 website together with Sportech’s land-based services and products will most definitely deliver such experience to clients. Carl Icahn to Offer Unfinished Fontainebleau Las Las Vegas Billionaire investor and casino owner Carl Icahn said on Wednesday which he had employed l . a . real-estate company CBRE Group to offer Fontainebleau Las Vegas, an unfinished resort and casino resort on the northern area of the nevada Strip. Fontainebleau nevada had been a $3-billion task but never got completed because of issues that are financial. Mr. Icahn purchased the unfinished resort back in 2010 for the total amount of $150 million. CBRE said aussie-pokies.club/ on Wednesday that the house is going to be offered for approximately $650 million. Commenting on the announcement that is latest, Mr. Icahn said that Las Vegas plus the Strip in certain still have large amount of space to perform. Nonetheless, the businessman noted he prefers selling that room than building it away. CBRE Executive Vice President John Knott stated that whoever purchases the hotel that is unfinished casino complex will need to handle a great deal more compared to the purchase costs. The project, which spreads on a 22-acre parcel of land, had been two-thirds completed before offered to Mr. Icahn. The completion regarding the location could cost a lot more than $1 billion. Prior to offered to Mr. Icahn, Fontainebleau vegas had been prepared to feature a complete of 2,882 rooms in hotels, more than 900 condos, big retail space, etc. The casino had previously been owned by Miami-based estate that is real Jeffrey Soffer. He had invested $2 billion in the ambitious task. Nevertheless, it went out of cash at some point while the owner had to apply for Chapter 11 bankruptcy security back 2009. As previously mentioned above, Mr. Icahn purchased the home away from bankruptcy this season. Subsequently he has yearly spent as much as $7 million on upkeep expenses. Analysts commented that the sale of Fontainebleau Las Vegas could contribute to the revitalization regarding the Strip’s northern end. Not much has happened there in the last few years. Many pointed towards the limited foot traffic once the major reason for this. Nevertheless, it would appear that developers have an interest in that part of the Strip, despite its being quite stagnant over the past years that are several. Earlier this year, Malaysian hotel and casino designer and operator Genting Group broke ground about what would be a $4-billion Chinese-themed integrated resort at the site of the unfinished Echelon Put casino. Genting obtained the land for its complex in 2013 from Boyd Gaming. The Mobile Medi Alert is ideal for seniors - active, independent seniors, lone workers or those with a disability. If you desire more freedom as well as peace of mind, the Mobile Medi Alert is for you. 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__label__cc	0.670086	0.329914	Mike Giesbrecht Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver email: mike@mikegiesbrecht.com Map of Active Listings Lonsdale Condos West Vancouver Townhouses & Duplexes For Sale West Vancouver Homes For Sale by Price Range West Vancouver Homes Under $1,000,000 West Vancouver Homes $2,250,000 - $2,500,000 West Vancouver Homes $9,000,000 - $10,000,000 West Vancouver Homes Over $10,000,000 North Vancouver Townhouses & Duplexes For Sale North Vancouver Homes For Sale By Price Range North Vancouver Homes Under $700,000 North Vancouver Homes $1,200,000 - $1,300,000 North Vancouver Homes Over $3,000,000 North Vancouver Homes $700,000 - $800,000 North Vancouver Homes $900,000 - $1,000,000 Stats Centre Report View all MLS listings for 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 bedroom, detached homes, houses, properties & real estate for sale $2,750,000 - $3,000,000 in West Vancouver. To view any of these listings or if you are considering buying a condo or selling your current condo in West Vancouver, call Michael Giesbrecht today at 604-787-9197. Data Temporarily Unavailable	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line720
__label__cc	0.674352	0.325648	Tag Archives: Joe Pritchard VDT: Quarterman Road project completed The Valdosta Daily Times caught me working on being tactful. Matt Flumerfelt’s writeup actually conflates two different county commission meetings, but gets the gist right: The fate of the tree canopies lining the rural road were thought to hang in the balance. Several residents spoke in favor of the paving, citing dangerous conditions along the road during periods of stormy weather. John and Gretchen Quarterman, whose ancestors lent their name to the country lane, led the fight to preserve the road in its original pristine dirt-road condition. The forest along Quarterman Road is “a scrap of the longleaf fire forest that used to grow from southern Virginia to eastern Texas,” said John Quarterman following the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This forest has been here since the last ice age.” Quarterman Road, pre-paving, was the kind of dirt road down which Huckleberry Finn might be envisioned skipping barefoot with a fishing rod projecting over one shoulder. It was the kind of road near which Thoreau might have planted a cabin. “Many people don’t know that a longleaf pine forest has more species diversity than anything outside a tropical rain forest,” Quarterman said. “In our woods, we have five species of blueberries, … Oh, the beaver will be mad. I forgot to mention the beaver. The rest of the story is on the VDT web pages. More pictures of the event in the previous blog entry. For pictures of what lives in the forest, see longleaf burning gopher tortoises, snakes, frogs, bees and butterflies, spiders and scorpion, and raccoon, and beautyberry, pokeberry, passion flower, pond lily, ginger lily, Treat’s rain lily (native only to south Georgia, north Florida, and a bit of Alabama), thistle, sycamore, palmetto, mushrooms, lantana, magnolia, grapes, yellow jessamine, dogwood, and native wild azaleas. The VDT has a good picture of Gretchen cutting the ribbon. But it’s not over just because one road project is completed: “More people around the county seem to be paying attention these days. Commissioners tell us that already another road in the county has had its canopy saved during paving, and the commission has promised residents of Coppage Road that if their road is paved, their canopy will be saved. Commissioners even seem to like the idea of recognizing canopy roads as a feature of quality of life for residents of the county and for visitors.” We have a forest. The county just has roads. Now let’s go see what they’re doing to the rest of our roads. And schools, and waste management, and biofuels, and industry…. If you’d like to help, please contact the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange. This entry was posted in Amphibians, Arachnids, Beautyberry, Beaver, Birds, Blackberry, Botany, Canopy Road, Cypress, Dogwood, Gopher tortoise, Insects, Longleaf, Lowndes County Commission, Georgia, Mammals, Mushroom, Plants, Politics, Reptiles, Silviculture, Snakes, Treat's Rain Lily, Yellow jessamine and tagged Ashley Paulk, Canopy road, Coppage Road, fire forest, functional classification 9, Georgia, Gretchen Quarterman, Joe Pritchard, John S. Quarterman, Longleaf, Lowndes County, Quarterman Road, rain forest, Richard Lee, rural road on September 11, 2009 by John S. Quarterman. Upset in Lower Lowndes In today’s VDT Upset about development: Bill Herndon and his neighbors are unhappy about a development being built in their backyards. Marvin Peavy, owner of Peavy Properties, has already rented some of the Mar-Mel-Go apartments, and about 70 of the projected 150 apartments have been completed. The other 80 units are scheduled to be added soon. The two-story apartment buildings rise uncomfortably close to the homes of Pinebrook Drive residents, such as Herndon. Windows of the complex look directly into their backyards and homes. Marvin Peavy, now why does that name ring a bell? Ah, yes, CEO and CFO of Lower Lowndes, Inc. the corporation that bought 62.53 acres on Quarterman Road and attempted to rezone it from E-A to R-21 back in 2007. One of the neighbors saw the sign out front and a bunch of us helped convince the County Commission to deny the rezoning. This time it’s so bad another developer is complaining: Robert Eddington also lives on Pinebrook Drive. He is a builder and said everyone has a right to develop their property. What he’s disturbed about, among other issues, is that the plans they were shown are not being followed. Eddington was told most of the trees would be spared to protect their privacy, but when he came home several days later, they were all gone except a few. Eddington and his neighbors successfully fought a similar development on nearby Water Oak Drive four years ago. They had no such opportunity this time, he said. No notices of any hearing were posted. Neither Herndon nor Fuhrer saw any notices posted announcing zoning or development hearings by the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners. Hm, given that the ULDC got changed a year or so back to require notification of rezoning mailed to adjoining property owners, in addition to a notice in the newspaper and a sign out front, if there was no sign and neighbors didn’t get notices, I wonder if there’s a legal problem with the rezoning. Ah, this takes me back: Eddington’s fence was damaged during Mar-Mel-Go construction. When contractors finally fixed it 17 months later, he said his wife asked about the gate that was supposed to be installed. The site manager told his wife that it wouldn’t be installed until the rest of the apartments were completed. Eddington said they were originally told these would be “luxury condos,” but are very different from the way they were described. The previous subdivision (not Peavy’s) that did get built on Quarterman Road (because its zoning was grandfathered in way back in the 1980s) involved a builder shoving building trash through my fence into my field. And streetlights that were installed by the developer but never turned on until the subdivision residents got the Commission to institute a special tax district to pay for them. Curious how yet again “the plans they were shown are not being followed.” Maybe if the neighbors go to the county they’ll get redress: Herndon and his neighbors pooled their money several years ago and spent $4,400 to pave Pinewood Drive, so they feel they have a stake in how the road is used. He approached the Lowndes County Commission about the residents’ concerns and was eventually connected with County Engineer Mike Fletcher. Fletcher said a $30,000 siren-controlled gate would be installed on Pinewood Drive for emergency vehicle access only, eliminating unwanted traffic through their neighborhood. The property owner is responsible for installing the gate, said Kevin Beals, Lowndes County development reviewer. Ah, finger pointing! Not the county government’s problem; it’s up to the property owner. Nevermind the county commission approved the development with certain plans and requirements. Well, maybe if the neighbors escalate to the county manager: Lowndes County Manager Joe Pritchard said he thinks Pinebrook Drive residents “have some legitimate questions and we ought to be able to provide a reasonable answer.” Pritchard said he plans to meet with County Engineer Mike Fletcher and Zoning Administrator Carmella Braswell on Monday to discuss the development and see what remedies might be available. Yes, we’ve seen that process many times before. Note he doesn’t say they’ll provide any actual fixes to any of the problems, just “a reasonable answer”. We’ll see if these neighbors get any satisfaction this time. According to the County Commission calendar, there’s a work session coming up Monday 13 July at 8:30AM and a commission meeting coming up Tuesday 14 July at 5:30PM. The Tuesday public meetings always have an agenda item for Citizens Wishing to the Heard. The work sessions usually don’t, but if you go you can hear what the commissioners have to say about subjects that have come before them, and often you can talk to them directly before or after the meeting. This entry was posted in Development, Law, Lowndes County Commission, Georgia, Media, Politics and tagged Bill Herndon, builder, Carmella Braswell, Development, Georgia, Inc., Joe Pritchard, Lake Park, Lower Lowndes, Lowndes County, Mar-Mel-Go, Marvin Peavy, Mike Fletcher, Quarterman Road, Robert Eddington, ULDC on July 11, 2009 by John S. Quarterman.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line729
__label__cc	0.643162	0.356838	Nat. Brut ARCHIVE NATBRUT.COM < Back to Issue One: Table of Contents INTRODUCTION TO ISSUE 1, THE EDITORS Permit us a brief note on the fleeting nature of manifestos. It seems to us that any definitive, binding statement of purpose would do little more than cement us in time (specifically, the year 2012) and leave our words dated in the years to follow. We feel that the foundation of a magazine should be open to change, to aesthetic and philosophical adaptation. We embrace perspective, so long as it does not become rigid and constricting. So as you read on, bear this in mind: everything is subject to change. There are a lot of things Nat. Brut isn’t. We have our feet in a lot of doors, and altogether have at least six feet. We are neither a print magazine nor a standard online publication. We are not exclusively a literary journal, but publish more creative writing and art than traditional magazines. We do not favor or give preference to established contributors over emerging authors and artists. We do not judge based on institutional principles or rigid conventions. So that’s what we aren’t. Here’s what we are. We are a quarterly of new writing, art, and culture. We have no advertisers and no one to answer to. As editors, we both curate and contribute. We believe that collaborative publications have the power to define and challenge the cultural climate. We believe that magazines are key in the advancement of art, thought, and language. We believe in stories and poems and pictures and music. With that, we proudly present Issue 1. Featuring magnificent new fiction, poetry, essays, two short films, visual artist spotlights, and the first of our quarterly mixtape series, our inaugural issue is bursting with energy. There’s something for everyone: singing monks, erratic bowlers, birthday road trips in the second person. Our contributors are all exceptionally talented; we hope you seek out more of their work. Issue 1 is dedicated to the memory of Gabby Reuveni EDITORS: Anna Ploegh, Andrew Ridker, Michael Segel DEPUTY EDITOR: Hayden Bennett CONTRIBUTORS: James Tadd Adcox, Katya Apekina, Hayden Bennett, Emily Berger, Bill Brown, Ryan Courtwright, Brian Doyle, Sean Dunne, Kayla E., John Ganiard, Anthony Giannini, Ray Holmes, Bryan Hurt, Léopold Lambert, Pablo Garcia Lopez, Anne Mahon, Kristin Ohlson, Michael du Plessis, D.A. Powell, Andrew Ridker, Alex Rochinski. < Back to Table of Contents	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line735
__label__cc	0.60245	0.39755	port2port > Industry & Trade>Trade Israel drops one place to No. 27 in Global Competitiveness Index The Global Competitiveness Report's competitiveness ranking is based on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), calculated by drawing together data covering 12 categories Israel dropped one place to 27th place in the global competitiveness index compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report 2013-14 released last Wednesday. The Global Competitiveness Report's competitiveness ranking is based on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), calculated by drawing together data covering 12 categories. It represents a comprehensive tool that measures the microeconomic and macroeconomic foundations of national competitiveness. By far the most problematic factor listed for doing business in Israel was highly inefficient Government bureaucracy, followed by access to financing, tax regulations and restrictive labor regulations. Israel’s innovativeness accounted for many of its strengths. It ranked No. 1 on quality of scientific research and in the top 10 for every aspect of innovation. The report’s Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) places Switzerland at the top of the ranking for the fifth year consecutively. Singapore and Finland remain in second and third positions respectively. Germany moves up two places (4th) and the United States reverses a four-year downward trend, climbing two places to fifth. Hong Kong SAR (7th) and Japan (9th) also close the gap on the most competitive economies; while Sweden (6th), the Netherlands (8th) and the United Kingdom (10th) have shown a fall. China ranked 29th, leading the five BRICS economies including Brazil, Russia, India China and South Africa. The study provides grounds for optimism that the global economy may finally be stabilizing following the freefall of recent years. The Global Competitiveness Index notes some of the southern European countries, in particular Greece and Spain, are moving up in the rankings after several years of decline. The United States continues to be a world leader in bringing innovative products and services to market. Its rise in the ranking is down to a perceived improvement in the country’s financial market as well as greater confidence in its public institutions. However, serious concerns persist over its macroeconomic stability, which ranks 117 out of 148 economies. The picture in the Middle East is mixed. On the one hand, Gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are doing well in the rankings. On the other hand, the report notes the high degree of uncertainty and political turbulence in the region is having a negative impact on competitiveness. Conflict-ridden Syria does not figure in this year’s report because researchers were unable to gather needed data. Egypt, dropped 11 places from last year’s index, to the 118th place. Even within the Middle East, Israel did not top the list. Qatar ranked No. 13, the United Arab Emirates was No. 19 and Saudi Arabia was No. 20. איחוד האמירויות ארצות הברית ברזיל גרמניה דרום אפריקה הודו הולנד הונג קונג יוון יפן ישראל מצרים סוריה סין סינגפור ספרד ערב הסעודית פינלנד קטאר רוסיה שבדיה שווייץ Hong Kong Singapore China, Israel signed new agreement allowing up to 14 weekly passenger flights Connecticut business delegation to Israel Israeli firms invited to join an FDA pilot program Azerbaijan-Israel chamber of commerce to inaugurate soon Committee to Intensify Competition and Eliminate Import Barriers appointed Port of Haifa ranked 91 in world 2012 container port ranking More news from Trade Section >Israeli services export at US$2.6 billion in June/28.08.13 >The standardization system reform approved/19.08.13 >High-tech exports down to 3-year low/12.08.13 >Steady slide in the profitability of exports/12.08.13 >Israel-India trade to reach USD 6 billion in 2013/22.07.13 >Delaware’s Governor brings economic developmentmission to Israel/22.07.13 >Israeli government approved Canada and Israel Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement/22.07.13 >Israel's 1H diamond export & import remain stable/09.07.13 >Colombia signed Free Trade Agreement with Israel/17.06.13 >Peru and Israel to start free trade negotiations/17.06.13	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line744
__label__wiki	0.643511	0.643511	Log in Contact Us E-Edition Special Sections Subscribe Submit News Restoration Newsmedia The Wilson Times The Butner-Creedmore News We were a quarrelsome people in 2019 Posted Wednesday, January 1, 2020 12:00 am By Tom Campbell How would you describe the year 2019? I’ve pondered the just-right descriptive adjective and finally settled on the seldom used, but highly appropriate word quarrelsome. We shouldn’t have been surprised. After months of dealing with contention, Margaret Spellings resigned the UNC presidency at year’s end 2018. It became increasingly evident that our board of governors was quarrelsome and overly intrusive into the running of the university system. UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt, who took office dealing with an academic scandal in athletics, ran head-on into the Silent Sam controversy and also chose resignation. The BOG harassed ECU’s Cecil Staton into resigning and then some members inserted themselves into the replacement of his replacement. After two years of arguments, protests and violence over Silent Sam the BOG attempted to put the issue to rest at year’s end, but its solution resulted in even more contention and threatened lawsuits. The 2019 session of the legislature, third longest in state history, will be remembered for its quarrelsome ways. Republican leadership lost their veto-proof majorities in both houses in the 2018 elections and faced a governor eager to settle scores from previous knock-downs. For the first time in state history and, after months of negotiations, no budget was passed for the coming fiscal year. In January, Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin resigned. Instead of appointing the most tenured justice, Paul Newby, to replace him the governor picked the first African American woman to become chief. Newby responded with unprecedented public criticism of fellow justices and set in motion a contentious election in 2020. Our courts were battlegrounds over gerrymandered congressional and legislative districts, with judges declaring both unconstitutionally drawn. Two sitting congressmen chose not to run because their new districts weren’t to their liking, and more than the normal number of legislators also retired. Investigators uncovered absentee ballot fraud in the 2018 elections for the 9th Congressional district; the contested winner himself called for a new election after revelatory hearings. Another court decision proclaimed our legislators had overstepped their authority, so the State Board of Elections was reconstituted with a 3-2 majority of Democrats. They promptly fired respected longtime Executive Director Kim Strach, a Republican. Another election fraud story never got the attention it deserved. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey uncovered and reported attempted bribery and influence peddling, a scandal that brought down former Congressman and State GOP Party Chair Robin Hayes, along with executives within the insurance industry. If 2019 was symbolic of any quarrel it was the one between State Treasurer Dale Folwell and hospitals. As administrator of the State Health Plan, the treasurer demanded transparency in what its members were being charged for various procedures. Hospitals won the first round, but war isn’t over. The conflicts between the State Board of Education and the state superintendent were plenty evident. The controversial super decided not to run again. There was the quarrel between the governor and the legislature over the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and we cannot forget the fight between the legislature and law enforcement over whether sheriffs were required to cooperate with ICE in retaining undocumented immigrants. We haven’t even approached the political wars in Washington, racial tensions, church wars over sexual doctrines, the urban-rural issues or other conflicts. There were bright spots, however. Our economy is sound, unemployment is low and we avoided major storms, disease and disruption. But we are weary with the current quarrelsome climate. Let us resolve to be more peace-filled and more respectful toward each other in 2020. Tom Campbell is former assistant North Carolina state treasurer and is creator/host of “N.C. Spin,” a weekly statewide television discussion of N.C. issues that airs on UNC-TV main channel Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 12:30 p.m. and UNC North Carolina Channel Fridays at 10 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. Contact him at www.ncspin.com. Prudence needed on voter ID Here are ten ideas for 2020 Dear Santa, here’s what’s on our Christmas wish list How to make your poinsettia last Town applies for special order of consent Local students make dean’s list Chili cook-off for missions Feb. 2 WCPS schedules information meetings about school projects, proposed sales tax Pair arrested on firearms charge Officers promoted, commended in recent ceremony Hybrid vehicle ‘not suited’ for local police UMO to host 38th annual Church Night Budget prep underway Mount Olive’s first Shop with a Cop a success Read The Latest E-Edition Mount Olive Tribune - January 22, 2020 © Copyright 2020 Mount Olive Tribune	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line748
__label__wiki	0.904949	0.904949	Watch the Allianz World Championship Video <iframe src="https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8037151-drone-racing-league-allianz-partnership/embed.html" width="512px" height="288px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8037151-drone-racing-league-allianz-partnership/embed_gallery.html?uuid=" width="512px" height="288px" frameborder="0"></iframe> THE DRONE RACING LEAGUE AND ALLIANZ ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR, GLOBAL TITLE PARTNERSHIP Allianz To Help Bring the Sport of the Future To New Fans Around the World As Title Sponsor of DRL Races: Introducing Allianz World Championship Series NEW YORK (February 8, 2017) – Today, the Drone Racing League (DRL) announced a multi-year, global partnership with the world’s top insurance brand, Allianz. As the title sponsor of DRL’s elite race circuit, Allianz will leverage its motor racing heritage to bring the Sport of the Future to a rapidly growing worldwide audience. In 2017, the Allianz World Championship series will include six races to test piloting skill and the limits of FPV (First Person View) flight. The races will begin airing on premier broadcast channels in more than 75 countries in June 2017. Each DRL race features 16 of the world’s greatest drone pilots flying DRL’s custom designed racing drone at speeds above 90 MPH (150KMH) through one-of-a-kind, three-dimensional racecourses in iconic venues around the world. The Allianz World Championship races are an elimination style competition that culminates in a world championship and the crowning of the World’s Greatest Drone Pilot. “This is an incredibly exciting day for The Drone Racing League and a huge leap forward for professional drone racing,” said DRL CEO and Founder, Nicholas Horbaczewski. “To DRL, Allianz is bringing world-renowned brand credibility and a proud history of innovative sports partnerships, including an extensive tradition in auto racing, and an undeniable proof point that the sport of the future has arrived. The scale and long-term nature of the deal shows Allianz’s genuine commitment to advancing the sport and will accelerate the introduction of drone racing to audiences around the world.” The Drone Racing League launched in January 2016 as the only global professional drone racing organization, hosting five professional races in its inaugural season. DRL’s first season reached millions of fans around the world, including more than 30 million broadcast viewers and more than 43 million views of its digital content. The title partnership with Allianz will help DRL to continue to reach new viewers and build an even larger global fan base as the company introduces new events, media and brand partners in its second season. Introducing the Allianz World Championship \| Drone Racing League Allianz World Championship Series Allianz World Championship Series - Takeoff Allianz World Championship Series - Gate DRL Pilots DRL - Allianz World Championship Series “The pursuit of innovation and calculated risk taking are the reasons insurance was invented in the first place. Allianz is proud to be partnering with DRL, a true pioneer of today’s digital driven sports,” said Allianz SE Head of Group Market Management & Distribution Jean-Marc Pailhol. “Drones are already an important part of our business so we’re excited to align with DRL as they harness the latest technological advancements and reimagine what racing in the 21st century looks like.” .@DroneRaceLeague & @Allianz Announce Multi-Year, Global Title Partnership Tweet The partnership will focus on growing the global fan base across three key verticals: Title Sponsorship of the Race Circuit – The “Allianz World Championship” will consist of six professional DRL races in the 2017 season. Races will push the skills of 16 of the world’s greatest drone pilots, and will take place in six stunning venues across Miami, New Orleans, Atlanta, Boston, Munich and London. As the title sponsor, Allianz will have the lockup logo displayed on the uniforms of DRL pilots, on the starting podiums and throughout the intricate, three-dimensional courses. Venues and New International Markets – As part of the Allianz World Championship, DRL will host races each year at official Allianz venues, including Allianz branded stadiums and corporate facilities. The innovative courses at Allianz stadiums will highlight DRL’s proprietary technology, enabling six drones to race in close proximity through the most insane 3D courses ever created outside of a video game. Broadcast - The Allianz World Championship will air as 12 hour-long episodes, covering the winner-take-all competition for a six figure salary and the coveted title of “World’s Greatest Drone Pilot” heading into the 2018 season. The upcoming season will air in more than 75 countries on renowned broadcast channels, including ESPN/ESPN2 in North and South America, Sky Sports in Italy and the UK, and Prosieben in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Races will begin airing globally in June 2017, and DRL will introduce additional broadcast and distribution partners before the season begins. DRL’s fleet of 350 identical, high performance racing drones are custom designed and built in-house by a team of engineers and drone experts, equipping pilots to push the boundaries of First Person View (FPV) flight. Each drone is covered with more than 100 color-changing LEDs, allowing the audience to distinguish between the pilots as their drones race at speeds above 90 MPH. In 2017, pilots will race for branded teams, including a Bud Light team pilot who was selected from the first-ever DRL eSport competition on the DRL Simulator in New York City: https://thedroneracingleague.com/simulator/. To follow all of the action in 2017, check in for updates at drl.io. ABOUT Allianz Together with its customers and sales partners, Allianz is one of the strongest financial communities. More than 85 million private and corporate customers insured by Allianz rely on its knowledge, global reach, capital strength and solidity to help them make the most of financial opportunities and to avoid and safeguard themselves against risks. In 2015, around 142,000 employees in over 70 countries achieved total revenues of 125.2 billion euros and an operating profit of 10.7 billion euros. Benefits for our customers reached 107.4 billion euros. This business success with insurance, asset management and assistance services is based increasingly on customer demand for crisis-proof financial solutions for an aging society and the challenges of climate change. Transparency and integrity are key components of sustainable corporate governance at Allianz SE. ABOUT DRL DRL is the premier drone racing circuit for elite FPV pilots around the world. A technology, sports and media company, DRL combines world-class media and proprietary technology to create thrilling drone racing content with mass appeal. In 2017 DRL is hosting a global series of six races, the Allianz World Championship, to be broadcast on ESPN, Sky Sports, Prosieben and other leading broadcast channels around the world. Founded by Nicholas Horbaczewski in 2015, DRL is a privately held company headquartered in NYC. For more information on the 2017 race season, visit www.drl.io. To join the conversation, follow DRL on Facebook at facebook.com/thedroneracingleague, on Twitter @DroneRaceLeague, and on Instagram @thedroneracingleague. Contact: Ben Johnson, DRL, ben@drl.io Tweets by @DroneRaceLeague DRL.io	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line749
__label__wiki	0.713633	0.713633	Tokyo Blade Knights of the Blade This new four CD box set is a great way for people to get a quick education on the music of Tokyo Blade. These guys were a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. I think they are just as good as some of the bands who had a greater degree of success. This box set features three full albums and a collection of singles and EPs. There is a great book and the individual CDs have sleeves with the original covers. Disc One: Tokyo Blade I love the screaming guitar that opens this. They fire out from there into some furious old school metal. The vocals are pretty typical NWOBHM, but among the better of that genre. Another screamer, I love the riffing that drives this. The chorus hook on this is definitely catchier than the opener. The non-lyrical vocal section calls to mind Iron Maiden. The guitar soloing on this number is exceptional, too. These guys really rock. If Heaven Is Hell There is a cool acoustic guitar intro on this. They power out from there into a stomping metal tune that makes me think of Scorpions quite a bit. Again, the guitar soloing really stands tall, but this whole song is great. The cool melodic segment leading into the late track instrumental section is particularly noteworthy, as is that instrumental section. On Through the Night Although this is still screaming hot, it's not as effective as the last few pieces. It just feels a bit rough around the edges and slightly awkward. I love the back and forth soloing on the instrumental section later in the track, though. It makes me think of Judas Priest a bit. Killer City Although I'm not enthused about all of the vocals on this, the cut has some exceptionally effective instrumental work. The extended instrumental section mid-track is really a big part of that. There is some powerhouse guitar soloing on it, but the killer bass work stands out, too. It makes me think of Steve Harris a bit. Another smoking hot metal tune, the chorus on this even has a bit of a glam rock vibe to it. That said, this is not glam metal, but rather real steel. The cut is an effective piece of music, but perhaps not as strong as some of the others. Another cool NWOBHM styled power metal tune, this isn't a big surprise or change, but it is solid. I really dig the guitar soloing on this cut. Sunrise in Tokyo This one stomps out with power and style. It's not all that different, but the vocal arrangement on this works better than on some of the rest. It's a rather catchy cut. Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia Although this doesn't say on the packaging that it's a bonus track, it's not listed on the replica cover of the actual album. For that reason, I'm guessing that it is a bonus track. It's a goofy little old-fashioned music tune. It's just piano and voices. It's obviously tongue-in-cheek. Disc Two: Night of the Blade Someone to Love This isn't a shocker, but it's meaty. It has a great NWOBHM mid-tempo sound. Night of the Blade I am definitely reminded of Iron Maiden on this screaming hot tune. The slower section is a really magical powerhouse. It's still Maidenesque, but really ups the "wow" factor. They come out of that into a smoking hot jam that carries on the musical leanings, but intensifies it. This is such a strong cut. Rock Me to the Limit More mainstream metal based, I can hear some WASP type music in this. The chorus is catchy and the riffs are meaty. Warrior of the Rising Sun The bass on this definitely makes me think of Iron Maiden. The cut powers in with hard edged, rocking metal. They drop it back to mellower stuff for the verse. This number is quite dynamic with more hard rocking stuff returning later. Another that makes me think of Iron Maiden a bit, this is high energy metal that just plain rocks. It's not anything fancy, but just works really well. I love the bass work on this. The rhythm section opens this, and I love the bass sound. Guitar joins, and we're off into another killer rocking tune. This is another powerhouse metal stomper that is really effective. Dead of the Night Guitar solos over the top of a cool backdrop as this cut opens. It drops back a bit for the vocals. There is almost a bit of a psychedelic element to this tune. It has a good balance between mellower and more rocking sections. The guitar solo segment on this really screams. Lightning Strikes (Straight Through the Heart) More of a mainstream metal sound is the basis of this. It's another that makes me think of WASP just a bit. The chorus is catchy and quite strong. Disc Three - Black Hearts & Jaded Spades Dirty Faced Angels Powering in fierce and Maiden-like, this turns to more of a straight-ahead metal stomper. It is definitely classy stuff. Make It Thought the Night This comes in mellow and quite dramatic. The first few vocals come in over the top of that backdrop. Then it powers out to some screaming hot metal. I love this song. It is literally a screamer. It's also quite catchy. Another stomping metal tune, this has a classic NWOBHM sound. It really has a driving metal grind to it, too. Loving You Is An Easy Thing to Do More of a rock song than a metal one, this is classy stuff. It has some harmonica soloing that works pretty well, too. Undercover Honeymoon We're back into smoking hot metal territory with this cut. While it's more of a mainstream catchy metal on the choruses, the versus and screaming hot guitar solo section bring more meat to the table. You Are the Heart The first real ballad of the set, this is a cool cut. It has a bit of an 80s hair metal vibe. It's a nice bit of variety, though. Blackhearts and Jaded Spades Back in fierce metal territory, this is a screaming hot tune. Tough Guys Tumble A mean metal sound is the concept here. This isn't as effective as some of the other songs, but it has some great guitar riffing and a catchy chorus. Dancing in Blue Moonlight Coming in with more of a melodic approach, this is more of a balladic kind of thing. I suppose you could almost say that it has a bit of a prog rock leaning to it. On a different album it could pass as prog. It's perhaps more of a power ballad overall, though. Playroom of Poison Dreams In a lot of ways this music on this feels like something that could have fit on Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell album to me. The vocals are not like Dio, though. Still, this is a cool old school metal stomper. It's one of my favorite cut sof the whole set. The non-lyrical section makes me think of an Iron Maiden anthemic chant. I love the guitar soloing that ensues on the fadeout, too. Monkey's Blood Wow, this is literally screaming hot. It's the most ferocious thing on any of the three proper albums here. It might be my favorite piece of music in the whole box set, too. If it's not, it's close. Disc Four: Singles & EPs Powergame (single) This is a single version of the cut that opened the box set. It's fiery hot metal that works well. Death on Mainstreet (B-side of "Powergame) As the parenthetical indicates, this is the flip side of the previous cut in single form. This definitely makes me think of early Iron Maiden in a lot of ways. It's a killer metal cut in the NWOBHM tradition. I love the guitar solo section on this. Fever (Lightning Strikes) Driving, pounding, this is fierce metal. The production leaves a little bit to be desired, though. Still, this is actually one of the cooler cuts here. It really stomps. I love the guitar solo segment on this thing. Attack Attack (Lightning Strikes) Here is another that makes me think of Iron Maiden quite a bit. It's high energy and driving. Madame Guillotine (Madame Guillotine EP) More high energy raw metal is the concept here. Early Maiden is again a valid reference in some ways. The guitar solo section of this is particularly potent. Breakout (Madame Guillotine EP) Now, this one really has an Iron Maiden sort of vibe. It's another powerhouse tune that's fast paced and fierce. The guitar solo sections is again definitely noteworthy. Lovestruck (Madame Guillotine EP) Drums lead this tune out of the gate. Then the bass joins. The tune works out from there in some killer metal. Midnight Rendezvous (Midnight Rendezvous EP) This is a bit more of a mainstream tune, but it loses none of its metal fire in the process. Mean Streak (Midnight Rendezvous EP) There is definitely a "mean" vibe to this stomper. I love the pounding, driving instrumental break section. The buildup movement from there is all class, too. So is the guitar solo that follows. If Heaven Is Hell (Midnight Rendezvous EP) Here is a song that was on the first album. It works really well here, but it worked really well there, too. It's just such a meaty tune. Highway Passion (Midnight Rendezvous EP) I love this screaming hot metal stomper. It has a lot of old school Iron Maiden type sound in it. Shadows of Insanity (The Cave Sessions) I dig the cool mellower vibe that opens this cut. It has almost a progressive metal feeling to it as it works forward. It works out to some seriously furious stuff from there. The guitar solo is particularly tasty. School House Is Burning (The Cave Sessions) Another mean and rather raw metal tune, this makes me think of early Motley Crue just a bit. Jezzabel (The Cave Sessions) This really feels like something Motley Crue would have done on the Shout at the Devil album. Monkey's Blood (The Cave Sessions) The closer from the last album, this works so well here, too. Undercover Honeymoon (Undercover Honeymoon 12") Here's another version of the earlier cut. It works well here, too. Playroom of Poison Dreams (Undercover Honeymoon 12") Another repeat visitor, this cut still has that Heaven and Hell era Sabbath sound to it. Stealing the Thief (Undercover Honeymoon 12") The riff that opens this is not only classic, it's also incredibly tasty. Bottom End (Undercover Honeymoon 12") This is weird. It comes in with a funky bass line and 80s sounding keyboards. It's sort of a funk / fusion kind of thing. This instrumental definitely doesn't fit with the rest of the set.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line751
__label__wiki	0.732545	0.732545	Barclay James Harvest - XII This new edition of the classic album is a three disc set. The first two discs are CDs while the final one is a DVD. Tim Blake - Blake's New Jerusalem I've reviewed two other discs from Tim Blake for this issue. Each of them has a distinct flavor. Tim Blake - Crystal Machine While Tim Blake is best known for his work with Gong and Hawkwind, don't expect that type of music here. Tim Blake - Magick According to the liner notes, this album was recorded live. Bradford - You're Doing It Wrong This is guitar dominated instrumental rock. That said, it's not noodly or repetitive. Chrome - Techromancy I'm sure some people will argue with my landing this under prog rock. I really can't see it going anywhere else. Dazed Marrow - Gaeseki Dream Machine This is definitely progressive music. It's also definitely not "rock" music. EchoTest - From Two Balconies As a bass player, I have to love any band whose sound is built around two bassists. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Once Upon A Time In South America This live set should definitely please ELP fans. It's four CD set that is made up of music recorded on three different nights. Hawkwind - Into the Woods I have to make full disclosure here and say that Hawkwind is one of my favorite bands. In fact, they make my top three. He Is Me - Drowning Man Ocean Man (digital single) This new single from He Is Me is stunning. It's also unsettling in a lot of ways. Ivory Tower Project - How Much More? This act is billed as "classic rock." I'm not sure that is a real genre. Robby Krieger - In Session This compilation disc is quite strong. There is really a lot of great music here. Light Freedom Revival - Eterniverse Deja Vu The melodic prog here is very much in line with both classic progressive rock and modern stuff like The Flower Kings. Harvey Mandel - Snake Attack Harvey Mandel might be a world renowned guitarist, but that's not a definition in terms of limitations. Indeed, he plays everything on this instrumental album. Neal Morse - Morsefest 2015: ? and Solo Scriptura LIVE In 2015 Neal Morse put together Morsefest. It was a two night event. On one night of the show, he performed his ? album, while the second night they did Solo Scriptura. Omega - Anthology 1968-1979 This new compilation will serve as a great introduction to this band. The sticker that came on it called these guys the Hungarian answer to Yes and ELP. The Ed Palermo Big Band - The Great Un-American Songbook This is a cool set. I haven't heard of this act before, but apparently they came to fame doing interpretations of Frank Zappa songs. Patto - Hold Your Fire I know these guys are considered a prog band, but based on the two CDs I have, I only see it so much. Patto - Patto These guys are considered a prog band, in the jazz rock end of that equation. Well, I have to admit that I have two albums by them to review, and this is the first I've heard. Principal Edwards - Principal Edwards Magic Theater - Works 1971: Albums Demos BBC Sessions & Live First things first, this is actually credited as "Principle Edwards Magic Theater," but I've got in as just Principal Edwards. Procol Harum - Novum Procol Harum's brand of folk prog has always been among the most treasured. This brand new set of music should please fans of the group. The Residents - Ghost of Hope The Residents' brand of sound is clearly not progressive rock in the traditional sense of the kind of music prog bands were doing in the 1970s. Striving Artists - Jesus Christ Superstar: A Striving Artists Cast Recording Here we have a brand new cast recording of the classic rock musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Andy Summers - Triboluminescence People who turn to Andy Summers' solo works looking for music like he did in the Police probably end up confused. Various Artists - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Black Room There are times when I wish I had never started MSJ with the whole concept of track by track reviews. This album is a daunting one to do in that way. Yes - 90125 Vinyl Picture Disc (Record Store Day 2017) The break-out album for the Rabin era of Yes has gotten a special release for Record Store Day 2017. Heavy AmericA - Now... This new album is perhaps closest to stoner rock. There are some songs here that I absolutely love. Jupiter Hollow - Odyssey This one could almost land in the progressive rock category. I think the balance is probably closer to the metal end, though. Tokyo Blade - Knights of the Blade This new four CD box set is a great way for people to get a quick education on the music of Tokyo Blade. Witchfynde - Divine Victims: Witchfynde Albums 1980-1983 You could sort of think of Witchfynde as one of the underappreciated bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Amanda Abizaid - Walking in Twos This album probably fits under pop rock better than it does under any other title. That said, there is a lot of world music here. Peter Bruntnell - Nos Da Comrade I would consider this to be a timeless album. It's not the kind of thing that's tied to a particular musical style or era. Paul Butterfield - Live in New York 1970 (new vinyl edition) The sound quality on this album is great, particularly considering that live recordings in 1970 could be spotty. Cranford Hollow - Color/Sound/Renew/Revive The mix of sounds here is pretty unique. It has a lot of country built into it. Overall, probably folk is the most frequent visitor in terms of genre. Dru Cutler - Hometown This new single lands in the neighborhood of alternative pop. The two songs are quite different. Donoma - Falling Forward This is quite a cool release. This band has an alternative rock edge. Anton Du Preez - Be Bold Anton Du Preez is quite talented. You don't have to listen to much of this set to get that. Mark Duda - Month of Sundays This isn't the most original thing I've heard. That's for certain. J-Bella - All for Nothin The singing is what works the best here. The more that element is left alone to carry the music, the better it is. Rod Kinny - Forces of Nature The sounds on this disc are quite classic. In some ways this reminds me of the rock end of The Bee Gees work. Sam Levin - Frame of Mind This pop based set is quite effective. That said, it's not without some issues. Omeri - Day Dream'n This is a soulful, modern pop oriented set. It has a lot of mainstream appeal, but it isn't without its defects. Ozomatli - Non-Stop Mexico to Jamaica The title of this album is pretty accurate. This is basically Latin music with a reggae edge. Quantum Split - America (digital single) This new single features some interesting music. In fact, I'd say the instrumental presence on this is quite good. Gary Santarella - Unconditional Love I came into this album with a really positive bias toward it because I love the cover. Michael Schenker - Fest: Live Tokyo International Forum Hall A This double live CD set captures a special event - Michael Schenker performing one show with three singers who recorded some of his most influential albums with him. Neville Staple - Return of Judge Roughneck Neville Staple is probably best known as part of the reggae band The Specials. This solo album finds him landing mostly in the same kind of territory as that group. Russ Still and the Moonshiners - Still Cookin' This is a cool set of songs. As someone who came of age in the 1970s, this really demonstrates how musical labels have changed over the years. Strange Karma - Cold Blooded (vinyl LP) I reviewed an earlier CD from these guys and really liked it a lot. I said that they were hard to pin down sound-wise. Billy Valentine - Brit Eyed Soul I've always said that if you are going to do someone else's music that you shouldn't do it the same way they did it. I mean, why would you do that? Various Artists - Easy Rider (soundtrack reissue LP) It seems that all that's old is new again. That is really true of this album. . Various Artists - Great Drums at Sun This is an odd compilation in some ways. The focus here is on the session drummers from Sun Records. Various Artists - Sly & Robbie Present Taxi Gang In Disco Mix Style 1978-95 This is a collection of sounds with mixes done by Sly and Robbie. It's an intriguing set. The Rolling Stones - Ole Ole Ole - A Trip Across Latin America Blu-Ray This is really a perfect companion to Havana Moon. That video captures the Stones' first concert in Cuba. Tupac Shakur - Tupac Assassination: Battle for Compton DVD Tupac Shakur's murder is one of those stories that has really grown into sort of a modern legend. Various Artists - Inside Metal DVD This DVD reminds me of the good old do-it-yourself days. It is slightly better in production than those old video fanzines, but that is really what makes this DVD work. Stevie Ray Vaughn - Lonestar: Stevie Ray Vaughn 1984-1989 DVD The period of Stevie Ray Vaughn's career covered in this documentary is one of lows and highs. Interview with John Vehadija of Light Freedom Revival from 2017 Interview with Janos Kobor of Omega from 2017 Interview with Bobby Blitz of Overkill from 2017 Julie Slick Interview with Julie Slick from 2017 Interview with Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash from 2017 Rush - Rush Album By Album written by Martin Popoff Martin Popoff has recently been putting out book faster than I can read them. Mind you, I’m not complaining because all of his books are worth owning.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line752
__label__wiki	0.849994	0.849994	Altera Enigma - Alteration It's beginning to seem like a pattern that death metal artists stretch out after a time into more progressive rock oriented territory. One only has to look to Green Carnation, The Gathering and others to see this pattern. Mike Black - Go/No-Go Mike Black is a true solo artist. He produces every sound on this disc. Bob Couchenour - The Sound 1.0 You know, in many ways this disc breaks a lot of rules. Frankly, instrumental music in my opinion can be boring. Dream Theater - Master Of Puppets From the beginning, Dream Theater always gave the fans something special. When they go out on tour, if they have a 2 night stay at any venue, the second night becomes “cover” night. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - The Birth of a Band: Isle of Wight Festival Review by Steve Alspach Since the two products are essentially the same, this overall review is taken pretty much intact from the accompanying DVD review. Check out that one for more specific details on the video content as the DVD is essentially the same as the video side of this DualDisc - ed. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel You gotta admire the Flower Kings' work ethic. On the heels of Roine's solo album "Wall Street Voodoo" comes the latest album from Sweden's no. 1 progressive group, and it's a 2-CD set to boot. David Gilmour - On An Island Review by Lorraine Kay On an Island is the most recent solo CD by Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour. Jethro Tull - Aqualung Live When Lee Abrams of Rock Radio approached lead vocalist of Ian Anderson recently about doing a live recording of "Aqualung" as part of an XM Radio series, he wasn't excited about doing the project "But the notion of re-recording the Aqualung album began to exert its charm," he said, "especially since some of the songs had never been performed since the days when they were recorded back in January 1971. Kansas - Works In Progress This disc is a new compilation from Kansas. There is one interesting paradox (and you might note that that is in fact a title of a Kansas song - although one not included on this set) here. Tony Levin - Resonator In terms of releasing consistently strong material, Tony Levin is one of the best musicians out there. Magic Pie - Motions of Desire Review by Josh Turner They are purveyors of the latest trends in progressive music. Their album offers everything you'd expect to find on display from all the modern day greats plus various jam band antics and amenities. Mastermind - Broken I've seen these guys listed as progressive rock pretty much all over the place. There are some definite progressive rock tendencies here, but having not heard their previous albums, I can't attest to Mastermind fitting into that category. Scott Mosher - Deep Horizon With Scott Mosher's latest release he continues a trend of producing extremely potent metallic progressive rock. It's amazing how he can continue to put out one album after another without any weak tracks or losers. Carl Palmer - Working Live - Volume I While fans of Emerson Lake and Palmer should be an obvious audience for this release from Carl Palmer and his new band, these guys don't do music that duplicate's ELP's sound. Riverside - Voices In My Head When I first heard this album, many of the Progressive P's came to mind. This would include Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, Paatos, Pain of Salvation, and of course, Pink Floyd. Jordan Rudess - Prime Cuts Jordan Rudess is "technically" the best keyboardist in the business. When you limit this contest to progressive rock, it's a no-brainer. Skyron Orchestra - Situations Well, to anyone who says that these guys don't belong in the progressive rock section, part of me agrees. I'm pretty evenly divided on where to put this one, but in the end I chose the prog side for a couple reasons. Soniq Theater - Enchanted Soniq Theater is one man, Alfred Mueller, and this guy is talented! His newest release to fly under this banner is Enchanted, and it's full of all the instrumental progressive rock sounds and changes that you could possibly expect for one album. Sylvan - Posthumous Silence I have to admit to ignorance when it comes to this band. Although they have been at it for a while, I had never heard of them before. Steve Thorne - Emotional Creatures - Part One What a pleasant surprise this album is! I had never really heard of Steve Thorne before, but you can bet after this one I'll be keeping track on him. Luca Turilli - The Infinite Wonders of Creation First I need to talk about the layout of this disc. The CD I have is divided in very strange ways. Viima - Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta I don't know what they put in the water in the Scandinavian countries, but the musicians in that region seem to have a way with classic progressive rock. In the case of Viima we get that sound with lots of Renaissance thrown into the mix. Yes - Tormato (Expanded and Remastered) Back in the late 1970's, Yes must have been a bit scared of the changing musical landscape. Punk was trying it's hardest to kill off bands like Yes; calling them dinosaurs. Astral Doors - Astralism OK, so this doesn't break any new ground musically. It's very much in the old school metal mode in the style of Dio (and the vocals are almost an exact match). Benedictum - Uncreation I have not been this impressed with a debut release in quite some time. Benedictum is San Diego's newest metal export and is a fine one at that. T Beyond Fear - Beyond Fear Nobody should doubt the heavy metal credentials of Tim "Ripper" Owens after hearing this recording. It's unlikely that 2006 will produce many records that are more pure metal than the debut of Owens' new band. Dark Black - The Barbarian's Hammer If you are of a certain age group (OK, over 40), you will actually remember when heavy metal seemed to discover itself as a genre and blossom into something really special. This would be the late '70's and very early '80's. Luca Turilli's Dreamquest - Lost Horizons Luca Turilli is a busy guy. In addition to serving a major role in the band Rhapsody he has two new projects coming out. Event Horizon - Naked on the Black Floor This outfit have produced a disc here that will certainly appeal to fans of progressive metal. The disc has a texture that is consistent with that sound, but also leans at times upon the heavier progressive rock tendencies of such bands as Dream Theater. Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse It's got to be tough to be Evergrey. When you have produced progressive metal powerhouses like they have certainly every thing afterwards will get compared to those moments. Grave Digger - 25 To Live CD A companion disc to the DVD release, this one is a strong live album from a very effective metal outfit. As good as these guys are it should be no surprise that they've been around as long as they have. Kataklysm - In the Arms of Devastation Kataklysm's career is proof that slow and steady wins the race. These French-Canadians are no shooting stars...like the turtle in the old Aesop's Fable, they've been inching towards the finish line for many years, refining their sound and building their base. Mekong Delta - The Music of Erich Zann Germany's Mekong Delta has recently reformed and that seems as good a reason as any to have a look back at this killer album. The group have their own type of thrashing progressive metal that in many ways was far ahead of its time. Pharaoh - The Longest Night In some ways this disc is simply awesome. Frankly, if you take any one song here and listen to it by itself, you'll find that the group's version of classic heavy metal is powerful and invigorating. Place of Skulls - The Black Is Never Far I don't think it would be a far stretch to say that these guys like Black Sabbath. While these guys definitely have their own sound, it seems that a lot of their music is built on a motif that's firmly based in a sound that owes a lot to Tony Iommi's guitar work in Sab. Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime II History - in many ways this album (and this review) is all about history. For my money the first Operation Mindcrime album is a true masterpiece that is unmatched by any album by any artist in terms of power and execution. Rage - Speak of The Dead Rage's latest is almost two different albums. The multi part suite that opens this one off is pretty much pure progressive rock, while the tracks that follow are equally unadulterated heavy metal. Various Artists - Alternate Endings: Compilation of The End Records Artists If record labels have personalities like people, then The End records can be compared to the eccentric cousin who swears a lot and acts tough but has a secret soft side and an intellectual bent. That's the impression I get from seeing the diversity of artists on this off-the-wall label. Venom - Metal Black Venom is one of the bands that really changed how I looked at music. When I picked up their incredibly raw and Satanic debut Welcome to Hell back in the early 80's, I was first repulsed and then mesmerized by the brutality within. Ernie Hendrickson and the Make Believe - Only A Dream From the first few measures of this disc you might get the idea that you just popped in a new jazz album. However, as the music carries on it becomes pretty obvious that Ernie Hendrickson and The Make Believe are actually a jam band who just happen to incorporate large amounts of jazz into the mix that makes up their original sound. Fields of the Nephilim - Mourning Sun I have to say that this is the first full album by Fields of The Nephilim that I have heard. I first gained knowledge of this outfit when several musicians I had interviewed mentioned them. Karate High School - Arcade Rock Well, one look at the album cover and the band and disc titles and you can be sure that this isn't something to take too seriously. These guys say that they combine the music of arcade games with other sounds to create their sound. Gary Moore - Old New Ballads Blues Gary Moore is probably best known for his work in Thin Lizzy, but the truth of the matter is, that's only one side of the coin. In his solo career he is an extremely talented proponent of the British school of blues. Uli Jon Roth - Earthquake When Uli Jon Roth left the Scorpions, that old excuse of "musical differences" did actually apply. While the Scorpions went on to write more commercial rock songs, Uli Jon Roth decided that he was not going to compromise his musical ambitions just to chase the dollar (or Deutsch Mark as in this case). Otis Rush - And Friends - Live At Montreux 1986 I have to admit a couple things up front. First off, I find that a lot of blues tends to sound too much alike and can't get boring after a while. Talk Engine - Talk Engine Do you remember Marianne Faithful's work where she basically reads poetry over some killer music? Well, if you like that sort of material, this disc is definitely for you. George Thorogood and the Destroyers - The Hard Stuff I've always had a soft spot in my rock and roll heart for George Thorogood. I saw him live once years ago and used to buy quite a few of his albums. Bruce Turgon - Outside Looking In Well, let's just get it right out at the start - comparisons to Foreigner will abound on this one. Bruce Turgon's biggest claim to fame is probably his work in that band, in addition to playing with Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm in Shadow King and his solo career. Waking State - Hang On Make no mistake, this album is modern alternative rock gone pop. If you take that sentence at face value, though, you miss out on quite a bit. Warrior Soul - Last Decade Dead Century The old saying "timing is everything" rings true for this album in 1991. Warrior Soul was a couple of years too late to hit the big time. Jon Anderson - Tour of the Universe DVD Released simultaneously with the CD single "State of Independence," the debut solo DVD from legendary "Yes" lead singer and songwriter, Jon Anderson, Tour of the Universe is a musical passage through life, time and the world beyond, featuring many new songs as well as classic hits from his work with Yes and collaborations with Vangelis. Nick Barrett & Clive Nolan - A Rush of Adrenaline DVD When it comes to building a bridge or constructing a wall of sound, the bigger, is usually the better. This is especially true in the world of progressive rock. Alice Cooper - Live at Montreux 2005 DVD I've been an Alice Cooper fan for a very long time and have seen him live on numerous occasions. As such I suppose I'm a pretty good person to review this new DVD. Cream - The Making Of Disraeli Gears DVD You've really got to love this series of DVD's. When these people say classic albums, they mean it. Deep Purple - Live at Montreux 1996 DVD Sometimes it's all about the impression. I saw Deep Purple once quite a few years back, and frankly, I found them to be boring. Willy Deville - Live In The Lowlands DVD The music industry has no one to blame but itself for the financial woes that it is currently experiencing. They try to fit everything into their neat and tidy genres and when something does not fit, it is left on the side to languish. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - The Birth of a Band: Isle of Wight Festival DVD The Isle of Wight Festival, is sometimes known as the "Kill the Messenger" festival for the hostility towards many of the performers (boy, that Joni Mitchell is a sensitive sort, isn't she?). It had at least one highlight - the "first debut performance" (um, how many debut performances can you have?) of The Supergroup (in caps) of the 1970s - Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer. Rory Gallagher - Live at Montreux/The Definitive Collection DVD The whole Live at Montreux series of DVD's is a pretty great collection. That said, in terms of breadth and scope, this one tops all of them I've seen so far. Grave Digger - 25 To Live DVD I have to say that I never really heard these guys before. Since Mike Korn had done a review of one of their previous discs for MSJ I knew who they were, but I had some notion in my own head, probably due to the band name, that these guys were some extreme death metal outfit. Mike Oldfield - Live at Montreux 1981 DVD I'd have to say that the first thing that caught my attention on watching this video is how young Mike Oldfield looks here. Now, mind you, I understand that it is now 25 years later, and I'm not referring to his youth in comparison to today. The Syn - Syndestructible Tour 2006 DVD Best known as one of the precursor bands to Yes, The Syn reunited recently and this DVD captures one of the shows on their reunion tour. The lineup here is different than the one on their new CD, most notably with Alan White being added on drums. Yes - 9012Live DVD This is the visual counterpart to the 9012Live album. Even though both share the same title, they are quite different. While the CD focuses on the solo spots of the 90125 show, the DVD contains more of the songs. Interview by Lorraine Kay Aziola Cry Interview with Jason Blake of Aziola Cry from 2006 Benedictum Interview by Greg Olma Interview with Veronica Freeman of Benedictum from May of 2006 Interview with Tim "Ripper" Owens of Beyond Fear from 2006 Willy Deville Interview with Willy Deville from 2006 Flamborough Head Interview with Edo Spanninga of Flamborough Head from 2006 Interview with J. F. Dagenais of Kataklysm From 2006 Interview with John McCormack from 2006 Interview with Mindgames from 2006 Paine's Promise Interview with Veronica Hughes of Paine's Promise From 2006 Interview by Josh Turner Interview with Carl Palmer From 2006 Interview with Uli Jon Roth From 2006 Warrior Soul Interview with Kory Clarke of Warrior Soul From 2006 David Gilmour - Live at The Jay Leno Show, 2006 While everyone else in town was busy standing in line to see David Gilmour at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk in North Hollywood, CA, a few lucky people scored passes to the Jay Leno, Tonight Show in Burbank, Thursday, April 20, to watch Gilmour in a private mini concert up close and personal. Karmakanik - Live at RoSfest, April, 2006 Karmakanic were very good, but in my heart of hearts I expected more from them. After Krister Jonzon and Jonas Reingold blew away the crowd with The Tangent in the previous year, they returned to these hallowed grounds wrapped up in this different package. Magic Pie - Live at RoSfest, April, 2006 I really enjoyed their studio albums, but wondered if they could pull it off in real-time. Pallas - Live at RoSfest, April, 2006 This band greatly exceeded my expectations. Their sound engineers had this one tweaked to perfection. The Pineapple Thief - Live at RoSfest, April, 2006 I never questioned The Pineapple Thief's progressiveness until I saw them live. In a concert setting, it's not an easy matter to leave or tune out the music. Uli Jon Roth - Live in Chicago, IL, May 2006 More pics from this concert are available in our members' area. It has been a long time since Uli Jon Roth played in Chicago with a full band; 21 years to be exact. Spock's Beard - Live in Chicago, May 2006 More pics from this show are available in our members' area. The Watch - Live at RoSfest, April, 2006 Before The Watch hit the stage, Nick Barrett and Clive Nolan announced Pendragon would be back the following year. With all the administration issues out of the way, the lights went dim. Rush - Rush - Chemistry written by Jon Collins There has not been much written about Rush. Aside from Neil Peart's books (which don't really touch on the band), there have only been a few shorts books written about this Canadian Institution. Various Artists - Money, Marketing & Myths Inside the Musician's Corner - Volume One written by by Tom Leu If you are a musician in a local or regional band that's trying to make it in the business this book is for you. Whether you are a solo artist, a manager, a publicist, or pretty much any other person working in the music field, you'll get a lot from Tom Leu's creation.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line753
__label__wiki	0.802782	0.802782	113 Labels / Record Deals 27 Career Coaching 17 Professional Song Critique 13 Song placements 11 Artist Development 9 Management Deals 6 Production Deals 5 Magazine/Print Reviews 5 Exposure Opportunity 4 Publishing Deal 3 Distribution Deals 2 Sync Licensing: Advertising 2 Sync Licensing: TV / Movies / Video Games 1 Music Blogs 143 rough mixes 143 fully mastered 143 broadcast ready 102 submission only 41 critique 135 Yes 8 No 42 Negotiable or N/A 41 Exclusive 8 Non-Exclusive 22 Not Available 6 $501 - $1,000 45 $1,001 - $1,500 1 $1,500 - $2,000 3 $2,001 - $3,000 3 $3,001 - $5,000 11 $5,001 - $10,000 2 $10,001 - $25,000 1 $25,000 - $50,000 2 $100K+ 20 within 7 days 36 within 14 days 92 within 45 days 51 longer than 45 days Sire Records (Warner) Seeking Artists for Label Roster Consideration Music Submissions for Sire Records - Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records. We are seeking artists (solo and groups) for label roster consideration. In the later 1970s, Sire transformed itself into a successful independent record label and went on to sign artists from the burgeoning punk rock and new wave scenes, including the Ramones, the Dead Boys, the Undertones and Talking Heads. Sire switched distribution to Warner Bros. Records in 1977; in 1978, Warner acquired Sire Records. During the 1980s, Sire achieved mainstream status after having launched the recording careers of Madonna (its biggest act), The Smiths, Ice-T, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Pretenders and the Cure in North America. Into the 1990s, the label had continued success with Seal, k.d. lang, Tommy Page and Ministry. Current roster includes: Delta Rae, Kill It Kid, Ewert and the Two Dragons, Cold Fronts, Residual Kid, Cyndi Lauper Please DO NOT contact the industry professional or anyone directly at the industry professional's company. Doing so will DISQUALIFY you from consideration. We only accept submissions via Music Xray - Sire Records / Warner Music Group Shopping Artists for Roster Inclusion for Upcoming Record Label Seeking exciting new artists for roster inclusion for upcoming Parliament Records. After years of working with top industry leaders including Tony Bongiovi and his team at Power Station, as well as national recording artists and some of America's largest independent labels, Parliament Publishing is now broadening it's presence to include a record label in 2020. We are seeking exciting, upcoming recording artists in the realms of rock, pop, and dance. Country and rap acceptable if professionally-produced. - Shayne Leighton - Licensing Manager - Parliament House Publishing Decision Maker: Selected artists will be pitched for final decision Compensation: $5,001 - $10,000 Similar Sounding Artists: Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Bleachers Artistry Worldwide Seeking Artists for Label Roster Consideration Artistry Worldwide is looking for amazing artists to sign to our label division. We specialize in Pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B, but are open to all genres if you have an original sound that we have to hear. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. We look forward to hearing your submissions. We have relationships with UMG, WB, Sony, BMG,Live Nation, AEG, Azoff, Roc Nation, Beyonce/Parkwood, Itunes, and more. Our approach is ‘Artistry first,’ and we stand behind the statement: “Works of art make rules. Rules do not make works of art” Artistry Worldwide is a new media company headed by Max Gousse based out of Los Angeles with a hub in emerging markets such as Toronto, Dubai, London, and Seoul. The mission for Artistry Worldwide is quite simple: to become the number one brand in developing new talent in media worldwide. - Artistry Worldwide Def Jam Looking for New Artists for Record Deal Def Jam Recordings is seeking outstanding artists for a full record deal. We want an artist that can do it all. If you think you belong on our US roster, which you can see here: www.defjam.com/artists and you have what it takes to make it in today's hyper-competitive music environment, we want to hear what you have before you submit it anywhere else! Def Jam is home to some of today's music greats and if you belong among them we want to be the first to know. - Jason "Polo" Carbonell / Def Jam Recordings Deal Type: Record Deal Similar Sounding Artists: Please see our artist roster HERE Seeking Music for eOne UK - Label Release & Management We are always looking for great music across all genres for eOne UK. We're looking for outstanding artists for possible label release or management. UK radio friendly music a bonus. Please submit your best tracks for consideration. Entertainment One Ltd. is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company’s rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 100,000 hours of film and television content and approximately 40,000 music tracks. - Ted May - Managing Director UK - eOne Music Deal Type: Label Release & Management Sire Records (Warner) Seeking Hit Pop/Rock Songs and Artists Sire Records, part of Warner Music, is seeking hit pop songs and artists to sign. Songs in vain of songs like: American Authors - "Best Day Of My Life" and "Believer", Neon Trees - "Animal", Walk The Moon - "Shut Up and Dance With Me" and XAmbassadors, and Smallpools' hits...those big rock band pop records. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. - Sire Records (Warner) Deal Type: Label Deal Looking for Rock, Pop, Country, Metal This is a Venture with Phil Quartararo former Warner Chairman/CEO and Co-founder of Virgin Records with Richard Branson and Linkin Park Manager, Grammy winning Producer Bob Cutarella and global industry veteran Chris Carlucci. We are looking for management opportunities, consulting and production deals. We have worked with U2, Joss Stone, Linkin Park, The Coronas, and many more, we have the ability to walk acts into any Major or Indie label globally and set up your strategy and social media. Send us your music, we will listen and give you honest feedback, and who knows, we could open those doors you are looking to enter! We primarily seek artists that have built something and are ready to expose it globally, we work with label head on every continent as well as Booking Agents. - Chris Carlucci-Partner-Licensing and Distribution and A&R - Phil Quartararo-Partner-Former Warner Music CEO and Virgin Co-Founder - Robert Cutarella-Partner-Grammy Winning Producer-Writer/Publishing - Doreen D’Agostino-Publicist - Mike Jackson-Partner/A&R Metal and Hard Rock - Susan McCarthy-Partner/Business Manager - Daniel Boehm-Managing Director-Europe - Daniel Costa-A&R Manager-Los Angeles - Dale Huxford-Managing Director UK and Legal - Kai Yamata-Managing Director-Japan Deal Type: Label/Management Signing Similar Sounding Artists: Evanescence, Keith Urban, John Mayer, Foo Figters Accepting Rock & Pop Submissions for Artist Development & Management Random EQ is currently seeking Rock, Hard/Heavy Rock, and Pop artists with great potential for Artist Development and Management. We have already had successes facilitating acts with licensing and publishing deals, assisting conferences and artists with sponsorship procurement and endorsement deals, etc. We also have distribution (physical and digital), marketing (radio and web), and web/graphic design teams that have worked for both indie and major labels. Random EQ is a multifaceted independent music management and publishing company. We specialize in artist development, production, licensing and marketing for all genres. Random EQ Music Publishing is currently a licensed publishing company with ASCAP and we are expanding with help from several mainstream partnerships. - Will D / Random EQ INgrooves Music Group Seeks Strong Emerging Urban & Pop Acts For Label Deal INgrooves Music Group is seeking emerging Urban & Pop acts for label deal within our INresidence program. We take talented, high-potential acts into our organization with full label, promotions, marketing, and project-management services of one of the largest distribution companies in the music business. Please submit if you can show: - recent sales history or streaming success (if available) - consumer demand for your music - strong social media and music following (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud, YouTube, etc.) - touring base/fan support - good marketing plan and rollout - solid label infrastructure and team support We look forward to hearing your best material. Artistry Worldwide Seeking UK-Based Artists Looking to Break into the U.S. Market Artistry Worldwide is seeking UK-based artists looking to break into the U.S. market. We specialize in Pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B, but are open to all genres if you have an original sound that we have to hear. We have relationships with UMG, WB, Sony, BMG,Live Nation, AEG, Azoff, Roc Nation, Beyonce/Parkwood, Itunes, and more. Critique & Advice for possible tv/film placements + Label Visibility - Your Shot to grab Amir Windom's EAR & ATTENTION Critique & Advice for possible Label Deals - Your Shot to grab Amir Windom's EAR & ATTENTION Think your music is great? Let it be heard by Grammy Award winning Record Executive and A&R Amir Windom for an intimate detailed critique. Amir has built his career on discovering talent and making global superstars. He realizes the key to finding superstars is listening closely to music, knowing how to identify potential, meeting artists and giving EVERYONE A FAIR SHOT and LISTEN. Amir has teamed up with Music Xray to give artists opportunities to bring him virtually into their studios. Maybe he has the advice that's going to push your song or brand to the next level and propel it to eyes and ears all over the world. Windom’s recent accomplishments include becoming an Oscar nominee for his A&R work on Pharrell’s international hit “Happy”. Windom’s creative genius on Trey Songz, Kanye West, T.I. Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B’s albums has a reputation for impressive results. He has also developed marketing campaigns for renowned brands such as Adidas and Kodak. Amir Windom Atlantic Records Seeking Great Emerging Urban Acts Atlantic Records has a great history of promoting and breaking urban acts. If you have what it takes to be next, we can't wait to hear it. We always listen and respond here and we can't wait to hear what Music Xray helps us discover next. Let's get it! - Dallas Martin / SVP - Hip-Hop & Urban - Atlantic Records Seeking Female Singer/Songwriter to sign to Dreamwire Entertainment I'm looking to sign a self-contained female artist who can play an instrument, preferably, and can write potential hit records. Ultimately, I want to sign this artist to a major distribution deal and also get placements on other artists and licensed for tv/film. I want to know all about your experiences on your journey to becoming a signed artist, see pictures, any videos, and any additional information or music to will help guide my decision. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Bobby Springsteen started as a recording artist then went on to become an A&R for several labels. He's now Founder/CEO of Dreamwire Entertainment Inc. managing artists, producers, songwriters, and screenwriters. He consults with publishing companies and has been instrumental in developing Nottinghill Publishing and its urban catalogue, as well as Royalty Network. Similar Sounding Artists: I'm open to any type of artist and prefer not to compare. TALUS Seeking Pop and Electronic Artists for Representation TALUS is currently accepting submissions from Pop and Electronic (EDM) acts. Artists, Songwriters, & producers may apply. We are only interested in passionate individuals who we see potential and marketability beyond the scope of their genre. Submit your BEST music! We will thoroughly listen and critique each submission. Seeking Pop & R&B Writers to Sign Darryl Williams, former Vice President of A&R for Atlantic and Elektra Records is looking for the next Pop and R&B writing sensation to sign to a boutique record label. Submitting artists should have taken the time and developed their sound and have a good sense of who they are. I'm not looking for Chris Brown knock-offs. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Darryl Williams discovered and was the executive producer of Brandy, Ray J and Amerie. He has also had gold and platinum albums with Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez, Silk and Kut Klose among others. Our latest scheduled release is with Atlanta based Pop & R&B signer Scotty Cram. - Darryl Williams / St. Marx Ent. Teen Music Acts Wanted for Genuine Music Group Looking for 13-18 year old teen pop based vocalists or bands for development and shopping for deals. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Genuine Music Group's producer/songwriter clients have been featured on sales of more than 140 million records. Over 70 RIAA Gold and Platinum awards have been earned by the company for it’s work on numerous contemporary artists including Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Jay Z, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Dr Dre, Robin Thicke, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Jennifer Lopez, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Trey Songz and more… - Michael "Mav" Mavrolas / Genuine Music Group Similar Sounding Artists: Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, etc J.U.S.T.I.C.E League Seeking Hip-Hop, RnB and Pop artist for our record label We are seeking talented hip-hop, RnB and POP artist for our J.U.S.T.I.C.E League imprint. Please submit your best music for consideration. J.U.S.T.I.C.E League is currently has several production deals and partnerships with various labels. We are currently looking for the next BIG thing to produce and distribute on our label. If you have takes to make it in this business then we want to work with you. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, is an American record production team. hey have produced songs for prominent recording artists such as Drake, Young Jeez, Rick Ross, Mary J Blidge, Nas, Jay Z, Elle Varner, DJ Khaled etc among many others. Please do not contact us outside of Music Xray. We like to keep things organized and are only taking submissions here. Thank you. Seeking Pop & R&B Singers to Sign Darryl Williams, former Vice President of A&R for Atlantic and Elektra Records is looking for the next Pop and R&B singing sensation to sign to a boutique record label. Submitting artists should have taken the time and developed their sound and have a good sense of who they are. I'm not looking for Chris Brown knock-offs. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Arkatech Beatz Seeking Talent - Hip-Hop/Pop Music & Artists Multi Platinum producers/A&R's Arkatech Beatz have a long history of producing for some of Hip Hop's greatest and most notable artists including Big Pun, Nas, Raekwon, Game, Waka Flocka, Meek Mill, Max B, Shawty Lo, Mya, Jadakiss, and more. They are now seeking Hip Hop/Rap/Pop music and artists for label roster signing consideration. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Labels we're currently working with: Def Jam, Universal Republic, Atlantic Records, 300 Entertainment, Epic Records, RCA Records, eOne Music, Tommy Boy Entertainment Artists we're pitching to: Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Cyhi Da Prynce, Waka Flocka Please do not submit your material to us outside of Music Xray - Arkatech Beatz LLC Word Entertainment (Curb) Seeking Pop Christian Acts Word Entertainment is in pursuit of hot emerging Pop Christian acts. If you are top quality, honed, and ready to go, we want to hear what you've got. We'll be in touch with how we can move forward if we hear talent and great songs. Word Entertainment, a Curb Records company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. We're looking forward to hearing your best material. - Word Entertainment (Curb) Seeking EDM Artist/DJ with a Completed Single Bobby Springsteen is seeking an EDM Artist/DJ that already has a completed single. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration and state if you are a writer or producer. Compensation: Co-publishing and/or Record deal with Dreamwire Ent. - $1,000+ Audity Music is seeking STAND-OUT Pop/Urban Songwriters and Producers Audity Music is seeking the best songwriters and producers to work with our team. We have a global network of talented and successful songwriters who we represent as publishing clients, management clients, and simply song-plugging clients. We are always seeking high quality co-writes and collaborations as well as exceptional writers to join us for international writing camps with record label clients in multiple territories. Audity has uniquely special, value-added reach in Asian markets. Please note that we submit music to major labels globally and can ONLY work with commercially-viable and competitive music. We are highly-selective but also very attentive. And, we will provide honest and thorough feedback. Past placements include Girls Generation, Big Sean, Super Junior, Destiny's Child, BOA, EXO, Lady Gaga, and more. Please submit ONLY your best to us and ONLY through this DropBox. Please do not email us directly. Love To Infinity Records Looking to Sign Indie/Punk Band We are looking to sign a new indie, punk, collage band. Seeking artists in the style of The Cure, Joy Division, Stranglers, Blink 182, Sex Pistols, Oasis, Ramones etc. Let me hear your hits send me your best songs. We are looking to sign for singles, album and videos Band needs to write great songs, look cool, and sound kick ass! - Andy Lee / Love To Infinity DO NOT contact the industry professional or anyone directly at the industry professional's company. Doing so will DISQUALIFY you from consideration. Song Quality: Rough MixesFully mastered, Broadcast ready Similar Sounding Artists: The Cure, Joy Division, Stranglers, Blink 182, Sex Pistols, Oasis, Ramones Love to Infinity Records Seeking Pop Songs for Label Deal We are looking for very strong, modern, catchy pop songs that would fit right in on the radio. If you have something that sounds like a Billboard Hot 100 hit record then I want to hear it. All styles considered: Pop, Dance, Club, Urban, Rap, R&B, Metal, Country, AC, Soul. We are looking to sign the right song and artist to our label. Love To Infinity Records is the label of Multi Platinum, Grammy Nominated record producers Love To Infinity who have sold 34 million records worldwide to date. Roster Music seeks Commercial "Electronic" Acts & Music We are seeking great new "dance" tracks and artists from all over the world. If you've got something special, we are eager to hear it and if we can use it, we'll be in touch. Our current roster boasts artists such as Fred Pellichero, Arash, Henry Mendez, Serebro, Michel Teló, DJ Antoine, Gusttavo Lima, Eddy Lover, Dasoul... This is where we attend music submissions. Please do not contact us outside Music Xray. This is where we manage our music submissions. Label Roster & Artist Development Consideration: Seeking R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Dance Artists Icon Music Group is accepting submissions for label consideration. Icon Music Group is a artist development media company headed by Grammy nominated multi-platinum producer Teddy Bishop based out of Atlanta and Los Angeles. We are developing new talent with investment backing. We immediately want to sign 5 acts ranging from R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Dance, etc. There was a time when record labels committed themselves more seriously to developing the careers of their recording artists. Today, it is much harder to find a record label committed to this goal. This is where I.M.G. steps in to help facilitate and turn acts into label ready stars. If you feel that you have what is take then submit your best music and we wish you good fortune. Teddy Bishop: Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter contributed to over 40 million units sold worldwide. Critiques & Advices from Producer/Engineer/Manager Dick Hodgin Please submit your best for to Dick Hodgin AKA "The Dream Assassin" for sharp, honest feedback. Dick has a reputation for sharp, HONEST, no punches pulled advice and counsel which has earned him “Dream Assassin” nickname. He has produced, engineered, and/or managed such artists as: The Accelerators Cravin' Melon Johnny Quest Lynyrd Skynyrd Big Daddy Kane Troop 41 J. Cole Jason Michael Carroll Erykah Badu Hootie and The Blowfish Flat Duo Jets Bad Checks Corrosion Of Conformity Far Too Jones Faith Collapsing Confessor Clay Aiken The Ultraviolets and many, many more - Dick Hodgin / Osceola Studios Love To Infinity Seeking Country Songs for Single & Album Deals Love To Infinity Records is seeking country songs for single and album deal. Love To Infinity have had a successful career remixing artists like Reba McEntire, Faith Hill and Shania Twain. We are now looking to sign a commercial radio friendly country artist to our label with single and album deal for the right artist. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. - Andy Lee / Love To Infinity Records Deal Type: Label Signing / Album Deal We need Urban, R&B, Hip-Hop songwriters & producers We need Urban, Soul ,Gospel, R&B, Hip-Hop songwriters & producers to add to our roster We are seeking Urban, R&B, Soul, Gospel and Hip-hop/Rap songwriters and producers to add to our roster. We work directly with A&R's, managers, major artists, music supervisors and we are in need of you! The type of people we are seeking should want to write and/or produce for major and indie writers along with TV/Film. Requirements: Able to work with deadlines, must be ready to work, along with submission you must provide a link to more of your work (can be a dropbox link), no divas nor divos, must be consistent and able to send music on a regular basis ( not once or twice a month ). - The Audio Plugz Wind-up Records Seeking Great Emerging Talent for our Roster Wind-up Records is on the hunt for exciting new talent to add to our roster. Please don't contact us outside of Music Xray as this is where we handle our submissions. We are eager to hear what you've got. We will listen and reply to every submission. Thank you so much for considering Wind-up Records. Wind-up Entertainment, one of the largest independently-owned music companies, based in New York City and is distributed domestically by Sony Music Entertainment. Love To Infinity Records Seeking Singer to Sign for Pop/Top 40 Singles/Album Deal We are looking for a new singer to sign for a 3 single and album deal with videos to aim for commercial top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. If you have what it takes....send me your songs to hear. - Love To Infinity Records Love To Infinity Records seeking Rap and RnB Acts/Artists to sign for album and single deal Love To Infinity records seek Urban Rap and RnB Acts/Artists to sign for album and single deal. We are looking for the next Jay-Z, Kanye, Run DMC, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams etc Let me hear all the best tracks you have that could be top 40 hits. Similar Sounding Artists: Jay-Z, Kanye, Run DMC, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams Roster Consideration for both Minty Fresh Records & Minty Fresh Publishing We are always seeking great new pop. Please send your best material and in the comments section of your submission please indicate if you are more interested in a label deal or a publishing deal (or both). We will let you know either way if we can pursue a relationship. Minty Fresh is a Chicago-based record label, music placement and music publishing company, founded in 1993 by Jim Powers with Anthony Musiala. - Anthony Musiala / Minty Fresh Seeking Artist/Bands for Roster Consideration & Album Releases at Hurricane Music Group Hurricane Music Group (HMG) is Rock, R&B, and Hip-Hop artists for label roster consideration and album releases. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Alex Roberts and HMG recently made the wise decision to re-enter the Hip Hop world & also venture into the forever popular Pop/R&B, & Electronic/Techno music that caters to a World Wide market & fan base, however still keeping HMG's finger on the pulse of all formats of music pending the artist/band's talent & drive to succeed, including the level of understanding what the true meaning of artist/label relations stands for in order to achieve their desired goals, in other words we work together, not against! Our doors are open, "Let Us Show You". Looking for new artists to sign and produce Grey Creek Productions is looking for new artists to sign and produce. Also offering our production expertise to help you get the most out of your production budget. We are looking to sign primarily country/pop country acts but, are open to any submissions. Singer/songwriters go to the top of the list. If you are looking for production help, we are open to any genre. Legendary producer/engineer Tom Perry is our president and hands on producer. Thanks. Love to Infinity Records Seeking Band to Sign Love to Infinity Records seeking a new band to sign to a single and album deal with the label. The successful band will be commercial and have great songs that are capable of being Top 40 radio hits. We are looking to release two singles and album with videos. Let me hear all you have in Top 40 radio style! Love To Infinity Records Seek Billboard Top 40 Hit Records We are looking for Billboard Top 40 hit records. If you are an artist with a great killer hot song we Want to hear it. We are looking to sign artists with big commercial hot records that can be hits on radio and MTV. Let me hear what you have. DO NOT contact the industry professional or anyone directly at the industry professional's company. Doing so will DISQUALIFY you from consideration. Feedback for performers in every genre from Allison Shaw Owner - Manic Monkee MGMT and Marketing I speak on hundreds of panels in the last few years. I have booked thousands of bands for events, shows and festivals, especially SXSW. I am a writer and owned my own national music magazine. I manage bands and research music everyday. I also sit in on many panels constantly educating myself on whats working, not working and what performers need to advance in their music and also connect with fans. I love giving out valuable information that can arm any performer, any genre thats serious about their music and going as far and long as they can and live off their music done right. I will listen to your song and give you some valuable feedback on your music, ways to get it out there and heard! - Manic Monkee MGMT and Marketing Grammy Nominated Producer/Remixer Mike Rizzo Looking for New Artists to Sign - Pop, Dance, Electro, Rock, Hip Hop Grammy Nominated producer Mike Rizzo looking to sign new artists (Global Groove Ent, Funk Generation Music). Worldwide distribution through Ingrooves/Universal Digital. Genres include Pop, Dance, Electro, Rock and Hip Hop. Multiplatinum Producer, Mr. Mig Looking for Hit songs and Tracks! World Famous EDM Producer MR. Mig looking for songs World Renowned Producer Mr. Mig is looking for hit records in the style of Progressive House, Electro, DubStep, Pop, Minimal Tech and more. If picked your record will be distributed worldwide through Global Groove/Ingrooves/Universal. Professional Song Critique from Keith Olsen A song critique will provide you with career-building feedback and professional evaluation of your work, including input on songwriting, performance, production, and commercial viability. Producer/Engineer Keith Olsen of Pogolgo Productions Group has worked with Whitesnake, Joe Walsh, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Sammy Hagar, Pat Benatar and many more (see bio for complete list). Keith's expert advice and insight will help you advance in your music career by highlighting your strengths and offering ideas for improvement of any weaknesses your music may have. View Keith's credits: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-olsen-p111219/credits/date-asc/ Submit for a Professional Song Critique and Advice & Career Development Coaching from Peter Rafelson Professional Song Critique and Advice & Career Development Coaching "I am a veteran songwriter and producer and can offer you constructive and honest feedback on the commercial viability of your song in today’s market. Additionally, if I hear something I completly love I may have an opportunity for it or will be able to shop the song for you."Getting insightful professional critiques is very important before submitting your song to real competitive pitches. Think of it as target practice new 300 word review in NeuFutur 300 word review in NeuFutur 300+ word review in NeuFutur. The article will be frontpaged on NeuFutur and will contain links to the band's website(s), an embed of song/video, and a detailed critique of the release. NeuFutur Magazine is an online and print magazine that has been active since 1998. We have a website - http://www.neufutur.com - and we are looking for musicians, film makers, and other media professionals to contact with. - NeuFutur Magazine new Tommy Boy Looking for New Talent Tommy Boy Looking for New Talent A&R team at Tommy Boy Entertainment seeks new talent to add to our roster. With a focus on originality and style, we will critique your music and look for opportunities for you - including securing features, production placements and sync opportunities. - Brian Delaney - A&R - Tommy Boy Entertainment Dance/Rhythmic/Dub/Electronic Songs Needed, Label trying genre fuse with new artist New artist and label is taking a chance on creating a new sound and genre. We have developed some of the biggest pop stars and wrote and produced Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits. We create pop culture. - Circle City Republic Black Cherry Group Seeking Artist for Management, Development and more Black Cherry Group is always looking for artists to work with– in ANY genre – that have talent, good songs and especially, the drive, to take things to the next level. We specializes in working with performers to expand their fan base, offering management, artist development, promotion/marketing campaigns,publicity, licensing and merchandising. Additionally Black Cherry Group offers in house booking agency, graphics design, photography, music publishing and CD replication/manufacturing. - Black Cherry Group Dot Dash, Inc. Looking for Producers & Writers Dot Dash, Inc., Andrew Frampton's production company, is looking for only the best Topline writers and Track Producers. Please submit your very best for consideration to join our team. - Andrew Frampton Seeking Indie Rock/Hip-Hop for Label Roster FTS Nation/FTS Records A&R is seeking hip hop artists and bands that infuse their sound with Indie rock for label roster consideration. Think Travie McCoy meets early U2. If you have the full package, fit for a major label, we want to hear you! Please submit your best track for consideration. - Chris Matty / FTS Nation Similar Sounding Artists: Gym Class Heros, Travie McCoy, B.o.B, Hip Hop over early U2 style music X Grooves Digital is seeking electronic music artists for it's roster X Grooves Digital, sub label of Xarnia Records is searching for new and amazing electronic music artists for it's roster. This includes but is not limited to, dubstep, house, trance, techno, minimal, trip hop, electro, edm, drum and bass, ambient, electronica, hardstyle, IDM, and garage.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line754
__label__wiki	0.780673	0.780673	16 Song placements 1 Management Deals 1 Labels / Record Deals 16 fully mastered 16 broadcast ready 13 rough mixes 16 submission only 2 under $10 16 under $20 16 under $30 16 under $40 16 any price 10 Yes 6 No 16 Negotiable or N/A 2 Not Available 7 $501 - $1,000 5 $1,001 - $1,500 2 $3,001 - $5,000 16 longer than 45 days 12 at least 13 at least 15 at least 16 at least 16 at least 16 all Seeking Pop Songs for Artists like Alessia Cara & Ariana Grande etc Hellow all hot songwriters and producers: I'm looking for uptempo and midtempo songs and beats for pitching and song placements. Seeking music that fits artists like: Ariana Grande, Alissa Cara, The Weeknd, Nick Jonas, Chris Brown Please submit well-mixed songs and beats. We will carefully review all submissions. - Make It Happen Managment Similar Sounding Artists: Ariana Grande, Alissa Cara, The Weeknd, Nick Jonas, Chris Brown Seeking Country/Pop Producers and Writers I'm seeking amazing Country/Pop producers and writers for worldwide opportunities in licensing, publishing, song placements and more. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Compensation: co-publishing deal; $1,000+ Hit Quality Hip Hop, Dance, R&B & Rap/Pop Beats Wanted Hit Quality Hip Hop, Dance, R&B & Rap/Pop Beats Wanted for Lyrical Collaboration and Song Placement Opportunity. Looking for a few Hit Quality Tracks to Collaborate a potential Hit song! Think Katy Perry, Lady Gaga,Jay-Z, Dr.Drey, Fifty Cent, Eminem, Pitbull, Rihanna, Madonna, Usher, Justin Beiber, Cascada, Wiz Khalifa, Maroon Five, Drake, Black Eyed Peas, LMFAO, Pink etc. - Holly Steele Seeking House and EDM Producers Kurt Woodley / Titans Media Group is seeking House and EDM producers, for original music and remix projects. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Mr. Woodley is CEO of Titans Media Group and A&R Consultant for Bad Boy Entertainment (Sony/Epic). Former A&R at Uptown Records, Def Jam, Sony/Columbia, Ruff House, M.B.K. - Kurt Woodley / Titans Media Group Songwriters/Producers Needed ASAP - Submission/Only Darian "DP" Pollard is the President/CEO of a major music management firm and he's looking for songwriters/producers with top quality songs for following genres: 1. Pop 2. R&B/Soul *Please make sure these songs are top quality - Darian "DP" Pollard / DP Music Entertainment Group Songs about Feeling Good, Giving it Your All, Going the Distance etc. for TV Show New TV Series is looking for Motivational Songs with messages of Ambition, Reaching for your dreams, Hope, Desire, Joy, Making it Big, Going for it, Never giving up etc. Songs that are selected will gain world wide exposure and licensing opportunities. Song Placement Consideration from 'W Music Group' This opportunity is for producers and songwriters that are interested in song placements. The W Music Group has a long standing and successful history with placing hit records on some of the music industry’s premier recording artist. If you believe that you have a hit record, we invite you to submit your songs for placement consideration. Because of our commitment to Music Xray, you can rest assured that your music submission will be listened to by a member of our Senior Management. We have developed and managed some of the music industries premiere Record Producers, Songwriters and Mix Engineers whose songs have generated over 200 million worldwide record sales for such recording artist and companies as: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Jessica Simpson, Bonnie Rait, Kelly Rowland, Sony Music, Universal, BMG, Columbia Records, Interscope, J Records and many others. Looking for strong vocal records for Coyote Kisses Looking for strong male/female vocal pop records that can be turned into down tempo electric records. Also looking for female vocals songs with ton of edge. Reference: Halsey, Kiira, Kia, Kucka. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. - Aaron Husband A&R Manager - Higher Reign Music Group (HRMG) Compensation: $500+ Similar Sounding Artists: Halsey, Kiira, Kai, and Kucka Seeking Pop/Urban Songs for Jimmy Edgar Looking for hybrid pop/urban type female songs, similar to LIZ, Brooke Candy, and QT. Jimmy Edgar is an American electronic musician, graphic designer, photographer, fashion designer, and filmmaker.Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Similar Sounding Artists: LIZ, Brooke Candy, QT Seeking Pop/Country Radio Hits for Major Label Recording Artists Seeking Pop/Country Hits for Label Song Placement Pitching We are seeking songs that sound like bonafide Pop and Country Radio hits for new acts signed to Sony / Universal Music Group / Warner Bros Nashville/ Big Machine / Curb and Word records. Prefer up-tempos summer time feel good songs 125bpm- 140bpm. Take us on a 3 minute vacation. Ballads are okay but will really need to be strong to be considered. 20 Music is a music publishing company based in Nashville Tn. Our primary focus is song placement to major label recording artists and up and coming Indie Recording Artists. - Amber Hamilton / 20 Music Publishing Similar Sounding Artists: Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomes,Tayloy Swift, Kenny Chesney, Meghan Trainor, Fifth Harmony, Lukas Graham, Drake Polow Da Don / Zone 4 Seeking Writers & Producers Hitmaker Polow Da Don and his record label/management company are seeking writers and producers. The company houses artists such as Keri Hilson, Lloyd, Roscoe Dash, Ester Dean and newcomers Veronica Vega, Salo Jackson, MDMA, King and D. Smith. If you think you have what it takes to join us, submit your best track(s) for consideration. Polow has produced for a variety of artists including Nicki Minaj, Ciara, Chris Brown, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, Kelis, Rihanna, T.I., Will Smith, Keri Hilson and more. TALUS Seeking Songs for Major EDM Artist Currently seeking submission for EDM songs with a commercial appeal for a major EDM artist. Think Calvin Harris, Zedd, Krewella, Tiesto, Galantis, etc. Demos need not be produced, a vocal over a piano is fine. If you have a produced track we'll listen to that too, but it is certainly not a requirement. Looking to License New Material I am currently now looking for new material to license EPs/Singles. The license agreement will be licensed in Canada. The License Agreement is very detailed and outlined. If I like what I hear, I will contact you with the full details. I will also let you know the next steps to move forward. If we decide to license your EP/Single, then a proposal will be sent via email for you to review. Please submit professionally mastered/edited material ONLY!! This will give you the best shot to be selected for this opportunity. HR Publishing works closely with industry leading motion picture and TV music supervisors, advertising and label executives and publishing agencies in order to maximize the use of its catalog material through licensing. We are constantly exploring new and innovative ways to promote our catalogue titles as well as our artists, songwriters and emerging talent on our active rosters. - Aaron Husband / Higher Reign Music Group (HRMG) Deal Type: Licensing / Exposure Opportunity Seeking R&B Toplines for Toyboy & Robin I'm seeking R&B toplines and Indie-leaning emotive songs that can be turned into forward thinking electronic house records, similar to Tourist. Check Tourist out on Spotify HERE. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Similar Sounding Artists: Tourist Seeking Songs for Pink Slip Looking for soulful emotive songs for the artist Pink Slip. A good example of someone he likes a lot is JoRiga Smith. Check him out on Spotify HERE. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration. Compensation: $500 Similar Sounding Artists: JoRiga Smith Atlantic Records Seeking tracks for rapper Spenzo Atlantic Records is seeking tracks for Chicago rapper Spenzo. He recently released the single "I'm So Sorry" ft. Young Thug. We need dope uptempo rap tracks and conceptually thought out hook ideas. Please submit your best work for consideration. Spenzo is a rap artist from Chicago’s Southside. Spenzo grew up in Englewood and his songs try to paint a picture of what those living there sees on the daily. Spenzo is often considered as part of the drill scene in Chicago, though in past interviews he claimed he was not. Spenzo’s style is often compared to that of fellow Chicago rapper Chief Keef, whom he gave a shout out in the video for his song ‘Understand Me’. Spenzo is often regarded as the next great lyricist to come out of Chicago, during an interview with redeye, Chief Keef surprised everyone by comparing Spenzo to a young Lupe Fiasco. Spenzo says some of his favorite rappers are Drake, Meek Mill, and Kendrick Lamar. He claims he only like listening to Drake when he’s rapping and not actually being emotional. - Success / Director of A&R - Atlantic Records	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line755
__label__cc	0.562232	0.437768	I've stayed in many super posh hotels over the years, and my fair share of those that were not some, but I appreciated the effort that goes into the running of a good hotel. Like so much in travel, a lot is down to your mood and expectation, but from a trendy steel tower in Doha to a run down guest house once used by T.E Lawrence, here are some of my favourite (and least favourite) hotels. Working as a travel journalist, I'm often hosted by travel companies or hotels. It doesn't stop me being critical, but in the interest of openness I'll mention when a stay was complimentary. The Grand Hotel Pristina and one of its dingy corridors. Photos My Bathroom Wall Chris Patten said that the Grand Hotel in Pristina was the worst hotel in the world — “unbelievably grim”, he called it. The Lonely Planet includes it “so that you don’t get lured into staying”, and the In Your Pocket guide wound up its review with: “We suggest demolition.” Can any hotel really be that bad? To find out I booked a £60 room and flew to the Kosovan capital to find out. The 1999 war and the current limbo status of Kosovo — a country barely a third of the world recognises — has left Pristina brutalised. At the centre of the concrete cityscape is the 13-storey Grand Hotel, a 369-room monstrosity built in 1978 to accommodate Tito’s communist cadres. My room in the Grand Hotel Pristina. Photos My Bathroom Wall I’d read that Kosovo had lovely valleys, the old town of Prizren and the Gracanica monastery, but I couldn’t see these from my fifth-floor window. I parted the fusty red drapes and torn net curtain to peer out, and saw what must once have been a shopping mall attached to the hotel. It was now derelict — too scary even for the skateboarders. Where the scree of debris ended, dozens of snow-white UN vehicles were corralled into a car park by barbed wire. I couldn’t actually see any bugs, but I was certainly kept awake by them, the welts on my back multiplying through the night A brief inspection of the room revealed a threadbare green carpet and rotting bathtub — with no plug and barely tepid water. When the time came, I climbed into bed nervously, a TripAdvisor comment echoing through my mind. And it wasn’t added by Mollycoddled of Michigan, either, but by a local, who said: “Two of us had to get medical treatment because of bugs in the mattresses.” By dawn, I felt like I’d done a few rounds with the aliens from District 9. A room with a view of urban blight and UN vehicles. Photos My Bathroom Wall Then the drilling started. I gave up on sleep and went for an early breakfast. There were three chandeliers (one lit), 100 empty tables and two grumpy staff members. One, a lady sitting at a central table as if adjudicating an exam, stabbed her pen into a ledger to get my attention. I gave my room number and a flourish of her heavily braceleted wrist told me to move on. The buffet was boiled eggs, cheese slices, tomatoes and coffee that tasted of mouldy Mars bar. The two staff both watched me fumble with the coffee machine, but didn’t offer help. I soon decided to leave, inadvertently scraping my chair leg when I got up. The ledger lady shot me an Exocet stare, and her male colleague marched to the door. He got there just ahead of me and, with his arms tightly folded and feet planted bouncerly apart, barred my way. I froze. He was genuinely scary. What could I have done wrong? He looked down at me sternly, like an interrupted genie. “Haff nice day,” he said, then he moved sideways, just enough to let me pass. He’d been on a customer service course, apparently. I don’t think he’d quite got the point. So, yes, the Grand was indeed grim — so much so that (bedbugs aside) it was almost entertaining. The strong rumour was that if you wanted to sample its authentically crumbling post-communist glory, you’d better move fast, as it seemed that an international chain was about to snap it up and make it an efficient, yet no doubt bland, place to stay. But a cursory glance at any recent social media comments reveals that the Grand Hotel is still just as poor as it ever was. Fitting Pristina into a holiday: for the curious traveller, the capital of Europe's newest country makes for a fun city break, but it's not such an easy place on the eye, and you may find the almost total lack of tourists a bit eerie. Kosovo itself is a small country, and so the Rugova Valley, the handsome Ottoman era cultural capital of Prizren, the old town of Gjakova or the Four Paws Bear Sanctuary. Getting there: Pristina Airport last year handled 1.7 million passengers and is 15 kilometres southwest of the city. Useful connections include flights to London with Wizz and Germania, Ljubljana with Adria Airways, Vienna with Austrian Airlines, Basel and Geneva with EasyJet, and Turkish Airlines to Istanbul. Trains are few and slow, but busses run to Skopje and Tirana. When to visit: Kosovo is a landlocked and relatively mountainous country. The best time to visit is June_September, when days can be warm to hot and there's the least rain and most sunshine. In winter temperatures can fall to -30°C. More info: the country is astonishingly youthful - with 70% of the population aged under 35. Plus it is safe and cheap, with simple local meals available for about €2 and a bottle of beer for €1. The tourism industry is underdeveloped, so there are few online resources. UK based tour operators include Regent Holidays Regent Holidays and Responsible Travel. Local outfit Be in Kosovo can help with tours and guides etc.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line756
__label__cc	0.668737	0.331263	MSETC Classes (PSU) PA State Dept Info Gas Field Maps in PA « Drilling gas gel spills at well Deposit on the future » Gas drilling may start in ’10 September 19th, 2009 \| Author: otreva Firm with substantial holdings in Luzerne County taking next step toward exploration. By Rory Sweeneyrsweeney@timesleader.com WhitMar Exploration Co., the only gas-drilling company so far to have leased substantially in Luzerne County, plans to begin drilling by the middle or latter part of next year, according to the company’s president. “Right now, we’re just filing for some permits for two, possibly three wells we want to drill,” said Whit Marvin, who heads the Denver-based company. “We do plan on drilling it and testing it for the Marcellus Shale.” Throughout 2009, WhitMar has leased more than 22,000 acres in, among other places, Fairmount, Ross, Lake, Lehman, Union, Hunlock, Huntington and Dallas townships with little money upfront by offering landowners a contractual guarantee to begin drilling within two years. The contract also guaranteed permitting within the first year, and Marvin said that process is on track. The company is filing for drilling and water-consumption permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and is looking into any other permits it might need, he said. From there, the company will negotiate with the individual landowners about siting for the well pads and gaining access to them, he said. Much of that will be based seismic testing that’s being done, the results of which Marvin expects before the end of the year. “In essence, you’re using ultrasound. You’re looking for anomalies under the surface … that would be attractive to drill into,” he said. “We can make some geologic interpretation, (but) it’s definitely not an exact science.” A drilling contractor hasn’t been hired yet, he said, but the company has begun work elsewhere in the shale. It has leased “large blocks” in Lycoming, Wayne and Susquehanna counties, as well as in some counties in New York’s southern tier, he said. Of that, wells are being drilled in Chemung County, N.Y., and preparations for drilling are being made in Susquehanna and Lycoming counties, he said. In Lycoming County, the industry is moving so fast that companies needing and offering services aren’t able to connect, according to Jeffrey Lorson, an industrial technology specialist at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. For that reason, the college and a group of organizations interested in the industry are sponsoring a business-networking expo today. Lorson, who heads the college’s Marcellus Shale Education & Training Center, said about 130 vendors are scheduled to be at the free-admission event at the Hughesville Fairgrounds. What: Business-networking expo for the gas-drilling industry Where: Hughesville Fairgrounds, Lycoming County When: Today, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Description: About 130 vendors are meeting to display their goods and services, and to see the goods and services other companies are offering. Rory Sweeney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7418. Copyright: Times Leader Posted in Blog, Pennsylvania Natural Gas Drilling, Times Leader \| Tags: business-networking expo today, Chemung County, company, DALLAS, Denver, Department of Environmental Protection, drilling contractor, gas drilling, gas drilling industry, Huntington, industrial technology specialist, Jeffrey Lorson, Lehman, Luzerne County, Lycoming, Lycoming County, Marcellus Shale Education & Training Center, New York, pennsylvania college of technology, president, Rory Sweeney, Susquehanna, susquehanna river basin commission, Times Leader, Times Leader staff writer, ultrasound, Wayne, Whit Marvin Natural Gas Drilling Starts Competition For Gas Consumers —DLP—Pennsylvania Serious Injury Lawyers Pennsylvania Gas Truck Accident Attorneys: DLP—Legislators in Harrisburg Debate Blocking Local Control Of Gas Drilling Pad Locations Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Accident Lawyers: DLP–Some Minor Legislation, Deep Well Disposal Sites and Electricity Production Natural Gas Prices Plunge! Pennsylvania Drill Rig Accident Lawyers: DLP–Pennsylvania Training Gas Pipeline Inspectors Contact Us \| Copyright © 2010 DLP LAW . All Rights Reserved. Powered by Otreva - Responsive Web Design Firm	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line768
__label__wiki	0.651202	0.651202	Patent application title: SELF-DISCHARGE FOR HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY PACKS Inventors: Brian Stuart Boggs (Menlo Park, CA, US) Joseph Michael Darragh (San Francisco, CA, US) Anil Paryani (Cerritos, CA, US) Anil Paryani (Cerritos, CA, US) Chuen Chou (Mountain View, CA, US) Assignees: TESLA MOTORS, INC. IPC8 Class: AH02J700FI USPC Class: 320118 Class name: Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging serially connected batteries or cells with discharge of cells or batteries A system and method for providing energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack through use self-discharge features and processes. A battery pack is configured with self-discharger enabled-components that selectively discharge energy from the battery pack without the battery pack providing operational power. 1. A self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack, comprising: a plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements; a housing enclosing and sealing said plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements with a plurality of exterior walls; an operational port coupled to a portion of a first particular one exterior wall of said plurality of exterior walls, said operational port providing an energy transfer with respect to said plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements; and a self-discharger, responsive to a self-discharge signal, initiating an internal dissipation of energy at an intentional self-discharge rate of at least 5 W from said plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements while said self-discharge signal is asserted without said energy transfer through said operational port, wherein said internal dissipation of energy is disabled when said self-discharge signal is not asserted. 2. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a motion sensor detecting an acceleration profile associated with a collision event wherein said self-discharge signal is asserted automatically in response to said collision event. 3. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a battery management system disposed within said housing and coupled to said self-discharger, said battery management system asserting said self-discharge signal until a discharge endpoint is reached wherein said battery management system stops asserting said self-discharge signal. 4. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 2 further comprising a battery management system disposed within said housing and coupled to said self-discharger and to said sensor, said battery management system asserting said self-discharge signal in response to said collision event until a discharge endpoint is reached wherein said battery management system stops asserting said self-discharge signal. 5. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a battery balancing mechanism coupled to said plurality of energy storage elements selectively individually balancing a voltage of said plurality of energy storage elements in a first mode wherein said self-discharger includes said battery balancing mechanism in a second mode that constantly dissipates energy from all said energy storage elements at once. 6. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a battery precharger mechanism coupled to said plurality of energy storage elements selectively limiting a current flow from said plurality of energy storage elements in a first mode wherein said self-discharger includes said battery precharger mechanism in a second mode that constantly dissipates energy from all said energy storage elements at once. 7. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of energy dissipative elements selectively functionally coupled to said plurality of energy storage elements wherein said self-discharger selectively enables said energy dissipative elements to dissipate energy from said plurality of energy storage elements in response to said assertion of said self-discharge signal, said plurality of energy dissipative elements not dissipating energy from said plurality of energy storage elements when said self-discharge signal is not asserted. 8. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a processing system coupled to said plurality of energy storage elements, said processing system including a power conserving operating mode reducing an internal power dissipation of said plurality of energy storage units wherein said self-discharger selectively actuates, in response to said self-discharge signal, a power consuming operating mode for said plurality of energy storage elements that disables said power conserving operating mode and wherein said self-discharger enables said power conserving operating mode when said self-discharge signal is not enabled. 9. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 further comprising an operating environment including an electric motor coupled to said operational port, said motor operable by said energy transfer from said plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements. 10. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 9 wherein said operational port includes a power connector and a communications interface and wherein said operating environment provides said self-discharge signal through said communications interface. 11. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 wherein said operational port includes a power connector and a communications interface and further comprising a service unit coupled to said operational port asserting said self-discharge signal through said communications interface. 12. The self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack of claim 1 wherein said internal dissipation of energy from the plurality of self-discharging step occurs at a self-discharge rate of 5-50 W. 13. A computer-implemented method for managing a self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack, comprising: a) configuring the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack for an energy transfer between the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack and an exterior operational port; and b) self-discharging the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack at an intentional self-discharge rate of at least 5 W using a processor in response to an assertion of a self-discharge signal, the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack not self-discharging absent said assertion and not self-charging using said energy transfer. 14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 wherein said self-discharging step discharges at a self-discharge rate of 5-50 W. 15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 wherein a self-discharger, responsive to said self-discharge signal, is coupled to the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack, said self-discharger performing said self-discharging step. 16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising: c) terminating automatically said self-discharging when a discharge endpoint is reached. 17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 wherein said operational port includes a power connector and a communications interface, the method further comprising: c) asserting said self-discharge signal through said communications interface. 18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising: c) detecting a collision event using a motion detector; and thereafter d) asserting automatically said self-discharge signal. [0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/649,293 filed 19 May 2012 and of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/662,913 filed 21 Jun. 2012, the contents of which are expressly incorporated in their entireties by reference thereto for all purposes. This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket number 20109-7107) entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SERVICING HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACKS" filed concurrently herewith and is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket number 20109-7108) entitled "SECONDARY SERVICE PORT FOR HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY PACKS" filed concurrently herewith, the contents of both are hereby expressly incorporated in their entireties by reference thereto for all purposes. [0002] The present invention relates generally to charging and discharging energy storage systems, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to energy maintenance and management of a self-discharge of high-voltage battery packs useable in electric vehicles (EV). [0003] The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. [0004] Battery packs used with electric vehicles store large amounts of energy in a small space, producing high energy densities. These battery packs include an external housing that is designed for more than just environmental protection and packaging efficiency. The housing also enhances safety and stability, particularly under a range of anticipated abnormal operating conditions. [0005] Due to the high energy densities involved, it is known to provide internal safety mechanisms to help ensure that stored energy is controllably released under a narrow set of circumstances. These safety mechanisms interact with mechanical and electrical interfaces provided by an operational vehicle to enable energy charging and discharging. [0006] There are a wide range of situations where energy maintenance and management of a battery pack is needed, and not all of these include situations where the battery pack is installed in a vehicle or a vehicle known to be 100% operational. Some of these situations include storage, transport, and recycling of a high energy battery pack where the battery pack is not installed in an EV. Other situations include operations on a battery pack that is installed in an EV, but the circumstances indicate that operation of the EV, or a subsystem thereof, may be degraded. Degradation may occur from collisions or acts of nature and could compromise a safety system of the battery pack. Even when the safety system is not actually compromised, the state of the vehicle or its environment or status may indicate that there is a risk that the safety system has been compromised. In those situations, it may not be reasonable to expect that the vehicle may be available to provide the necessary interface and safety structures. Of course, there are also situations where maintenance and management operations are needed with respect to a fully functional EV and battery pack. [0007] Maintenance and management operations include charging and discharging a battery pack safely to desired state of charge (SOC) levels. Depending upon the situation, the desired SOC level could require a discharging or a charging operation. Under some circumstances, it is necessary or desirable to perform the operation without benefit of the battery pack being installed into an EV, nor is it always economical or possible in every case to provide an operational EV into which the candidate battery pack may be installed. [0008] One of the incorporated co-pending patent applications includes a discussion of a charging/discharging tool that advantageously under certain circumstances has access to a high-voltage battery pack through a secondary service connection. Sometimes it is the case that the primary service connection is unavailable while there is significant stranded energy present. These cases may include damage to the primary service connection, internal fault with the energy storage system, and/or damaged or defective internal connections. Sometimes it is the case that use of an external discharger unit is not possible, or the external discharger unit is unavailable. [0009] Even in situations when the primary service connection is available, use of a charging/discharging tool through this connection may add undesired costs and complexities under some scenarios. In order to operate the primary service connection typically used by an electric vehicle, the charging/discharging requires costly CAN communication, special connectors, time to disconnect the vehicle electrical connector and install the connector to the external device, and configuration/use of any simulator to emulate conditions of the operating environment in cases where there are failsafe protections inhibiting direct access by such a tool. [0010] An energy storage system installed in an EV with significant stranded energy may be implicated by first responders (e.g., fire fighters, security, and emergency personnel) and second responders (e.g., tow truck drivers, dismantlers, junk yards, and auto-salvagers). Whether there is a need for rapid response or access by persons who may lack monetary resources, training, or technical background to address the stranded energy through the primary service connection using a specialized and sophisticated charging/discharging tool, it can be problematic when access to the energy storage system is limited. [0011] What is needed is an apparatus and method for providing energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack through use self-discharge features. [0012] Disclosed is a system and method for providing energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack through use self-discharge features and processes. [0013] The following summary of the invention is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of technical features related to energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack that is at least partially functional and intact, and is not intended to be a full description of the present invention. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. The present invention is applicable to other operating environments in addition to the EV environment. [0014] A self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack, including: a plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements; a housing enclosing and sealing the plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements with a plurality of exterior walls; an operational port coupled to a portion of a first particular one exterior wall of the plurality of exterior walls, the operational port providing an energy transfer with respect to the plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements; and a self-discharger, responsive to a self-discharge signal, initiating an internal dissipation of energy from the plurality of series-coupled energy storage elements while the self-discharge signal is asserted without the energy transfer through the operational port, wherein the internal dissipation of energy is disabled when the self-discharge signal is not asserted. [0015] A computer-implemented method for managing a self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack, including: a) configuring the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack for an energy transfer between the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack and an exterior operational port; and b) self-discharging the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack using a processor in response to an assertion of a self-discharge signal, the self-dischargeable rechargeable high-voltage battery pack not self-discharging absent the assertion and not self-charging using the energy transfer. [0016] Embodiments include a method and system for self-discharging high-voltage battery packs when the supporting operating environment (e.g., an EV) without regard to whether it installed in an operating environment. Some embodiments provide increased discharge rates when installed in an operating environment due to improved temperature control afforded by the operating environment. [0017] Some of the disclosed embodiments define and include initiation of an automated self-discharge in response to a collision event. Under some circumstances, self-discharge may be modulated in response to temperature information to maintain self-discharge at the highest possible safe self-discharge rate. [0018] Any of the embodiments described herein may be used alone or together with one another in any combination. Inventions encompassed within this specification may also include embodiments that are only partially mentioned or alluded to or are not mentioned or alluded to at all in this brief summary or in the abstract. Although various embodiments of the invention may have been motivated by various deficiencies with the prior art, which may be discussed or alluded to in one or more places in the specification, the embodiments of the invention do not necessarily address any of these deficiencies. In other words, different embodiments of the invention may address different deficiencies that may be discussed in the specification. Some embodiments may only partially address some deficiencies or just one deficiency that may be discussed in the specification, and some embodiments may not address any of these deficiencies. [0019] Other features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon a review of the present disclosure, including the specification, drawings, and claims. [0020] The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating schematically an electric vehicle having a high-voltage battery pack coupled to a battery service unit in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; [0022] FIG. 2 is another block diagram illustrating schematically selected subcomponents in a high-voltage battery service interface used in the battery service unit in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; [0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic design of a battery pack including a primary charge port and a secondary charge port used by the battery service unit in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; [0024] FIG. 4 illustrates an energy transfer for a high-voltage energy pack 104 in an extra-operational environment 400 using the primary charging connector; [0025] FIG. 5 illustrates an energy transfer for a high-voltage energy pack 104 in an extra-operational environment 500 using the secondary charging connector; [0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a discharge process 600 for a non-functional battery pack 104; and [0027] FIG. 7 illustrates an energy management scenario for a self-discharging high-voltage battery pack installed into an operating environment. [0028] Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for providing energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack through use self-discharge features. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. [0029] In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that these various embodiments of the present invention are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments of the present invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. [0030] In addition, for clarity purposes, not all of the routine features of the embodiments described herein are shown or described. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be required to achieve specific design objectives. These design objectives will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine engineering undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. [0031] A battery service unit capable of simulating an operating environment of a high-voltage battery pack (e.g., simulating an EV) to enable charging and discharging of the battery pack has numerous advantages. When the battery pack is not installed in the operating environment, installed in the operating environment under circumstances in which the operating environment may be degraded and possibly unreliable, or installed in an uncompromised environment, the battery service unit enables predictable and safe management and maintenance operations of the SOC. [0032] Rechargeable battery packs require management and maintenance to set desired SOC levels. What the precise SOC level is depends upon the construction and nature of the energy storage elements making up the battery pack (e.g., type(s) of cell chemistry used in battery cells) and what operation the battery pack is expected to perform. For high-voltage battery packs that are assembled from tens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of Lithium-ion energy storage elements arranged in parallel/series combinations, there are SOC levels and ranges that are optimum for various operations. In some cases, optimum SOC levels are set to minimally impact battery pack life expectancy. In some cases, an optimum SOC level is set to minimize risk of injury to persons and property in the vicinity of a battery pack and persons servicing the battery pack. [0033] Embodiments of the present invention provide a single battery service unit applicable to this wide range of possible scenarios. Other embodiments could be specialized for a limited set of scenarios, and sometimes a single scenario. These scenarios include discharging/charging the battery pack in anticipation of: 1) storage; 2) transportation; 3) recycling; and 4) service. Storage ideally sets the SOC appropriate for maximizing life expectancy. During storage, a battery pack will lose charge and periodically the battery pack will need to be charged to maintain the SOC at the desired level. There are safety guidelines and legal requirements for transportation of a battery pack and the battery service unit is used to set the SOC appropriate for transport. Prior to recycling, it is desirable to remove as much energy as possible from the battery pack. The service scenario includes many different situations, including: a) servicing of the battery pack outside of its operating environment, b) servicing of the battery pack when installed in an operating environment that may be compromised due to an event that has or had the potential to induce damage to the battery pack where the battery pack or the supporting operating environment may be partially or wholly inoperative, and c) servicing of the battery pack in an intact and functioning operating environment. [0034] When the operating environment includes an intact and functional EV, the battery service unit is able to leverage existing hardware/software infrastructure, such as a battery management system, to safely diagnose the state of a vehicle and then proceed to charge or discharge the battery pack as deemed appropriate under the circumstances. In the event the electric vehicle has been in a collision or subjected to other potentially damaging event (e.g., flooding), the battery service unit is used by a responder or other service professional to safely discharge the battery pack. Use of the battery service unit places the battery pack in a safer state allowing the vehicle to be moved or repaired with decreased risk. [0035] Additionally, some embodiments of the battery service unit may also be used by service professionals to provide routine services related to maintenance and management of the EV. The battery service unit may include programmatic steps that guide the service professional through various functions for ensuring the battery pack is charged to proper levels and the battery management system is working correctly. [0036] In the discussion herein, embodiments of the present invention are described as determining a desired SOC level and automatically setting an SOC level of an energy storage system to the desired SOC level. In some scenarios, the embodiments rely on an operating environment of the energy storage system to provide the current SOC information, and in other instances an external service unit determines (through measurement, calculation, or estimation) the current SOC level. Some embodiments transfer energy with respect to the ESS to automatically set the actual SOC level to the desired SOC level within a predetermined threshold. [0037] The following discussion also includes reference to high voltage and high energy. In the context of the present invention, high voltage is a voltage exceeding 40 V. High energy in this context includes battery packs storing 10 kWh or more, though other embodiments may define high energy with a different energy capacity or capacity threshold. [0038] It is known that energy storage elements have a certain amount of inherent self-discharge that slowly decreases the energy stored in the elements at a constant rate that is desirably pushed toward zero. In contrast and in the context of the present invention, intentional self-discharge is controllable (e.g., switchable and/or variable rate such that the intentional self-discharge component may be stopped. The inherent self-discharge is not switchable or associated with a variable discharge rate. The discussion below addresses structures and features associated with intentional self-discharge. As further discussed below, a preferred discharge rate for intentional self-discharge of a functional energy storage assembly is ˜10 W selected from a range of discharge rates ˜5-50 W [0039] FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an operating environment 100 including an electric vehicle (EV) 102 having a high-voltage battery pack 104 coupled to a battery service unit 106. Operating environment 100 is relevant to scenarios including fully intact EV 102 as well as situations in which EV 102 may be partially or wholly compromised. EV 102 includes a primary high-voltage (HV) port 108 for energy transfer and an associated digital control interface 110 as well-known. Primary HV port 108 provides a standard electromechanical interface for safely transferring charging energy from a charging station to battery pack 104. Associated with primary HV port 108 is digital control interface 110 for use by the charging station to monitor and control charging. Battery service unit 106 includes a complementary electromechanical interface to access battery pack 104 through primary HV port 108 and digital control interface when they are available and operational. [0040] EV 102 further includes a secondary HV port 112 for direct management and maintenance access to battery pack 104. There are many possible implementations for the electromechanical interface of secondary HV port 112 and its interaction with battery pack 104. Some of the interface components and interactions are described herein. The discussion herein including the description of FIG. 7 provides further details of a representative secondary HV port 112. [0041] Battery service unit 106 includes a high-voltage battery service interface 114 coupled to a high-voltage charger unit 116 through a high-voltage connection (HV) and control line (CTL) such as RS-232 communication protocol. In addition, battery service unit 106 further is coupled to a high-voltage discharger unit 118 also through a high-voltage (HV) connection and another control line (CTL) such as a digital communication interface like CAN-IO (Controller Area Network Input/Output), widely used in the automotive industry. An optional controller 120 (e.g., a computer or the like) interacts with battery service interface 114 using a digital control interface adapter 122 that also may produce signals compatible with CAN-IO. Instructions executing on controller 120 oversee operation of high-voltage battery pack 104 as well as charger unit 116 and discharger unit 118, as appropriate. Controller 120 may be integrated into battery service unit 106 in addition to implementations including an external element. Battery service unit 106 may include interface elements providing some control capability of battery service interface 114, charger unit 116, and discharger unit 118 independent of controller 120. [0042] Charger unit 116 operates as a conventional charger appropriate for battery pack 104. Embodiments of the present invention provide a maximum charging rate of 1 kW, though other implementations may provide other charging rates. Discharger unit 118 includes energy dissipative and/or transformative elements (e.g., resistors) that absorb energy discharging from battery pack 104 using battery service unit 106 without damage or risk of injury. Embodiments of the present invention provide a maximum discharging rate of 10 kW, though other implementations may provide other discharging rates. [0043] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, battery service unit 106 receives operational power from a power source 124. Power source 124 includes AC line power (e.g., grid or generator power) and DC battery power to power and control battery service unit 106. Battery service unit 106 is designed to support the wide range of scenarios and situations described herein and as such, some of those situations do not include predictable and easy access to stored energy of battery pack 104 (assuming that there is sufficient energy stored in the battery pack). To ensure that battery service unit 106 is useable in any context, it includes its own power source. In some implementations, battery service unit 106 may be powered, or charged, in whole or part by energy from battery pack 104. [0044] An embodiment of battery service unit 106 includes: 1) a discharger (a fixed resistive load bank or an electronic load); 2) a variable voltage constant current or constant voltage power supply; 3) a controller; 4) a drive Inverter Simulator (e.g., capacitor); 5) an active discharge circuit for onboard capacitors--a. has redundant circuits for safety and reliability and b. automatically triggered via E-Stop, or when any HV cable is disconnected; 6) a passive discharge circuit for onboard capacitors; 7) a current sensor; 8) a method to protect contactors from opening under load; 9) a user configurable SOC (state-of-charge); 10) a method to conduct a Capacity Test; 11) a method to charge or discharge a battery to an appropriate level per regulatory shipping requirements; 12) an over voltage protection; 13) an under voltage (over discharge) protection; 14) an over temperature protection; 15) a voltage measurement display; and 16) status LED indicators. [0045] Other features of selected embodiments of the present invention include: 1) a configurable HV bus capacitance (allows the battery service unit to work with batteries from a variety of powertrains); 2) a configurable low-voltage input board--a. low voltage signals vary from product to product: different connectors, different voltages, different expected resistances, by having a configurable and expandable low voltage input to the battery service unit it is capable of handling multiple products with only a different cable attachment; 3) all relays, sensors, and internal devices controlled over CAN (allows easy communication from one device to the next as the CAN messages are changed as necessary); 4) may be implemented as a mobile product, to allow deployment at vehicle service centers or roadside assistance (post vehicle crash event for example) or throughout a storage facility and the like; 5) a configurable voltage range to work across battery product lines; and 6) implemented as a module discharge system to work across battery product lines. [0046] A general description of operation includes battery service unit 106 coupling to battery pack 104 (whether installed or non-installed in an operating environment) and auto-charging/discharging battery pack 104 to a predefined user determined SOC level. [0047] In FIG. 1, the embodiment is illustrated as having direct functional connections between HV battery pack 104 and battery service unit 106. In various implementations, there may be one or more wiring harnesses and connectors (for example, at the signal/mechanical interfaces of EV 102). [0048] FIG. 2 illustrates schematically selected subcomponents of high-voltage battery service interface 114 illustrated in FIG. 1. High-voltage battery service interface 114 includes a high-voltage battery service communications interface 200, a digital control signaling module 202, a digital control interface switch 204, a set of high-voltage terminals 206, and various interconnects to other systems including a high-voltage power supply connector 208, a high-voltage load bank connector 210, a high-voltage primary/secondary HV port connector 212 for connection to high-voltage battery pack 104, a digital I/O module 214 for connection to adapter 122 (e.g., a dongle), and a digital control interface port 216. The connection to the personal computer uses digital I/O module 214 having a USB (universal serial bus) connection to controller 120 and a digital I/O connection to high-voltage battery service communications interface 200 compatible with the CAN-IO standard or similar protocol. High-voltage battery service interface 114 includes a digital control interface port 216, an emergency shut-off switch 218, and an on-off switch 220, as well as one or more internal digital I/O connectors 222 and one or more external digital I/O connectors 224. [0049] Interface 200 further includes an operating environment simulator 226, a set of charge/discharge relays 228, and a high-voltage discharge logic and load 230. Simulator 226 is implementation specific and includes a combination of components that create an electrical characteristic composite or "signature" matching the intended operating environment of battery pack 104, such as an EV. Simulator 226 mimics the operating environment and provides battery pack 104 with the necessary interface elements (e.g., electrical signals and loads) to enable battery pack 104 to transition into an operational mode. For example, battery pack 104 commonly includes internal contactors that must be powered and set into a particular configuration before battery pack 104 may transfer energy. Simulator 226 enables battery service unit 106 to operate such high-voltage contactors so charging or discharging may be possible. In some embodiments, simulator 226 includes various capacitors and/or inductors matching the impedance of the operating environment and, when combined with predetermined resistors within battery pack 104, producing time constants that may be identified with a particular vehicle. Battery pack 104 is receptive to receiving various commands once it is in the operational mode. In the implementation illustrated in FIG. 2, simulator 226 is capable of being reconfigured to simulate different operating environments. [0050] In operation, high-voltage battery service communications interface 200 receives low-voltage inputs from battery pack 104 over digital control interface port 216 once communication is established. In some embodiments, controller 120 may send digital commands over digital control interface switch 204 and to digital control signaling module 202 to toggle status in the battery pack indicating the car is in a specific state (e.g., a "DRIVE" state), without regard to whether the operating environment is currently able to support the specific state. Charging battery pack 104 may be achieved by enabling connectors to high-voltage power supply connector 208 while discharging may occur through enabling connectors to high-voltage load bank connector 210, typically one or several banks of resistors maintained in a separate enclosure along with fans or other heat dissipation subcomponents. [0051] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic design for a battery pack including a primary HV port and a secondary HV port used by the battery service unit in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a battery pack 300 including a plurality of electrically-serially-coupled battery modules 302 contained within a high-voltage battery enclosure 305. Battery pack 300 further includes a current sensor 310, a fuse 315, a set of contactors 320, a battery management system (BMS) 325, a primary power connector (e.g., primary HV port 108), a control interface (e.g., digital control interface 110) and secondary power connector (e.g., secondary HV port 112). Enclosure 305 typically provides a structural\environmental container (sometimes hermetically closed or semi-sealed) for battery pack 300 components. Battery pack 300 often includes a coolant distribution system (generically represented by coolant loop 335 and pump 340) isolated and insulated from the battery pack 300 components and configured to control their temperature. As will be further described herein, pump 340 (or other coolant controller) is preferably powered by energy from an auxiliary energy storage system 345 (typically a 12V battery) different from battery pack 300. Interrupting available energy from battery pack 300 would interrupt coolant flowing in coolant loop 335 without use of auxiliary energy storage system 345. For ease in explanation, a discrete controller 350 is also shown for interfacing with BMS 325, pump 340, and auxiliary energy storage system 345 to control the detection and response modalities of the preferred embodiments. Controller 350 may be integrated into other control functions in some embodiments. [0052] Battery pack 300 may include any number of modules 302 different from the five shown in FIG. 3. Modules 302 are serially-coupled inside enclosure 305 with a series path shown in solid lines. In series with serially-coupled modules 302 is current sensor 310, fuse 315, and contactors 320. Current sensor 310 measures series current in battery pack 300. When battery pack 300 is working properly, all modules 302 exhibit the same current and current sensor 310 indicates this value. Fuse 315 is disposed in this series path and is designed to protect against over current conditions. [0053] Contactors 320 are switching systems for selectively communicating modules 302 to an external load through the primary power connector. Battery management system (BMS) 325 controls contactors 320 and includes controllers and sensors for measuring and determining desired parameters (e.g., operating and SOC characteristics and the like) of battery pack 300. As previously mentioned, BMS 325 will generally close contactors 320 when battery service unit 106 provides a proper electrical signature of an appropriate operating environment. The provision of the signature causes the BMS 325 to operate as if battery pack 300 is actually installed in a valid and intact operating environment. The secondary power connector, optionally also coupled to the "cell side" of contactors 320, are used as an alternative energy access port (e.g., the secondary HV port/service port described herein). In some embodiments, the secondary power connector is used to provide a service access port for direct charging and/or discharging operations of battery pack 300 such as when some or all portions of the battery pack 300 are compromised and/or when BMS 325 also is not operable and cannot close contactors 320. [0054] Battery pack 300 further includes current protection devices 360 (e.g., fuses) limiting energy flow relative to the secondary power connector 332. Some embodiments further include a diode 365 or the like to limit energy flow in one direction, such as ensuring that the alternative energy access port may be used for one of charging or discharging only. [0055] While great care is used in designing, manufacturing, and testing battery pack 300, sometimes it is the case that an internal short 355 may develop among one or more of the series elements. In some cases, these shorts may be the result of a vehicle being in a collision, a catastrophic event (natural or man-made), or general wear or failure. Representative internal shorts 355 are shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3, but it is understood that internal shorts may develop elsewhere, including internal shorts contained within a series stackup of module 302. One or more of the implicated series elements sourcing current through internal short 355 contribute current through the intended series path as well as through internal short 355. These series elements can thus begin to exhibit sustained high levels of current that may lead to component over-temperature, failure, and sometimes a hazard. This is sometimes further complicated as the object(s) which formed all or part of the short circuit may also create dangerous heat/temperatures. [0056] Internal short 355 may occur between adjacent high voltage (HV) chain components at different potentials or through the conductive, isolated enclosure in the case that isolation is lost at two or more points, or through another medium, such as a conductive fluid such as salt water, water, water/glycol mixtures, and the like. An impedance of internal short 355 and a number of series elements affected by internal short 355 determines the short current. In some cases internal short 355 may be intermittent. Internal short 355 will have a heat capacity that also helps determine whether internal short 355 will change its impedance (for example, become open circuit) as internal short 355 dissipates power. In some embodiments, BMS 325 reports these conditions to battery service unit 106 allowing it to determine how to charge or discharge the battery pack 300. [0057] When BMS 325 and battery pack 300 are intact and operating properly, battery service unit 106 connects through the primary power connector. This is advantageous as battery service unit 106 is able to mimic the vehicle's operation in the specific state and utilize BMS 325 to open and close contactors 320 in a safe manner minimizing wear and tear on the battery pack and its components. Other control and safety measures available to the vehicle remain available in this mode of operation. [0058] When BMS 325 and/or battery pack 300 exhibit one or several faults or failures, battery service unit 106 may instead engage connections through the secondary power connector thereby bypassing the controls of BMS 325. While this alternate approach may be necessary in an emergency situation such as a collision or other event, such discharging of the battery pack 300 through the secondary power connector may result in partial or severe damage to the underlying battery cells and interconnections. [0059] FIG. 4 illustrates an energy transfer for a high-voltage battery pack 104 in an extra-operational environment 400 using the primary charging connector. In extra-operational environment 400, battery pack 104 is not installed in its operating environment. Battery service unit 106 is used to automatically set a desired SOC level for battery pack 104. In some embodiments, battery service unit 106 includes preselected scenarios (e.g., storage, ground transportation, air transportation, recycling, emergency discharge, and the like), each having a predetermined associated SOC level. An operator choosing one of the preselected scenarios causes battery service unit 106 to automatically charge/discharge battery pack 104 to the predetermined SOC level associated with the selected scenario. [0060] In FIG. 4, extra-operational environment 400 configures battery service unit 106 to discharge HV energy from battery pack 104. Battery service unit 106 provides operational power (e.g., 120-230 VAC) from power source 124 to battery service interface 114 and to discharger unit 118 using power lines 405. Battery service interface 114 issues a remote enable signal to discharger unit 118 using a remote enable signal line 410 and communicates with and controls battery pack 104 using a digital I/O line 415. Depending upon battery pack 104 and the interface method, it may be further necessary for battery service unit 106 to provide simulation information to simulate an operating environment for battery pack 104 before it may be commanded and/or before an initiation of an energy transfer event. High-voltage lines 420 couple battery pack 104 to battery service unit 106 and internally couple battery service interface 114 to discharger unit 118. Battery service unit 106 may charge HV energy into battery pack 104 by coupling charger unit 116 to battery service interface 114 and appropriately setting the control signals. In some cases a different mechanical interface (e.g., wiring harness) may be necessary to couple battery service unit 106 to battery pack 104 for charging. [0061] FIG. 5 illustrates an energy transfer for a high-voltage battery pack 104 in an extra-operational environment 500 using the secondary charging connector. In extra-operational environment 500, battery pack 104 is not installed in its operating environment. However the embodiment of FIG. 5 is also applicable to uses in which battery pack 104 is installed into its operating environment but for one reason or another (such as those described herein) the primary charging connector is not used. Battery service unit 106 is used to automatically set a desired SOC level for battery pack 104. In some embodiments, battery service unit 106 includes preselected scenarios (e.g., storage, ground transportation, air transportation, recycling, emergency discharge, and the like), each having a predetermined associated SOC level. These SOC levels are set for controlled SOC charging/discharging with an expectation that battery pack 104 may be operational at conclusion of the charging/discharging event. An operator choosing one of the preselected scenarios causes battery service unit 106 to automatically charge/discharge battery pack 104 to the predetermined SOC level associated with the selected scenario, and when possible, doing so in a way that does not negatively affect future performance (e.g., lifetime). Operational environment 500 further supports an emergency discharge mode in which a primary goal is removal of stranded energy of battery pack 104, sometimes as quickly as possible. Under this mode, risks of damage to battery pack 104 are increased. Some embodiments of the present invention provide more safety features for energy transfer using the primary port and more robust options for energy transfer using the secondary port. [0062] In FIG. 5, extra-operational environment 500 configures battery service unit 106 to discharge HV energy from battery pack 104 directly through discharger unit 118 without simulation or communication with respect to the battery pack. Battery service unit 106 provides operational power (e.g., 120-230 VAC) from power source 124 to discharger unit 118 using power line 405. High-voltage lines 420 couple battery pack 104 to battery service unit 106 and internally couple battery service interface 114 to discharger unit 118. Battery service unit 106 may charge HV energy into battery pack 104 by coupling charger unit 116 to battery pack 104 using the secondary HV connector. In some cases a different mechanical interface (e.g., wiring harness) may be necessary to couple battery service unit 106 to battery pack 104 for charging. [0063] The disclosed embodiments of battery service unit 106 anticipate a wider range of uses for discharging a battery pack 104. These uses depend upon whether battery pack 104 and/or its operating environment is intact and operational. For a functional battery pack 104, there are three discharge options: 1) use processes and devices of the operating environment to natively discharge energy which may be automatically commanded by battery service unit 106; 2) battery service unit 106 discharges battery pack 104 as described in FIGS. 4; and 3) battery service unit 106 commands battery pack 104 to self-discharge as described in the incorporated patent application. Options 1 and 2 are configured to have a preferred discharge rate of ˜10 kW and a range of discharge rates 1-20 kW (vehicle or load bank) and option 3 has a preferred discharge rate of ˜10 W and a range of discharge rates 5-50 W. In option 1, the operating environment of an EV includes cabin temperature controls (e.g., heater, air conditioner with HVAC compressor), powertrain coolant system, and low voltage loads (e.g., headlights). One or more of these systems may be enabled and actuated by battery service unit 106 to have the operating environment discharge battery pack 104. This is distinguished from option 3. In option 3 the discharging elements are contained within battery pack 104 while in option 1, the discharging elements are outside of battery pack 104 but within its operating environment. Option 2 provides the discharging elements outside of the operating environment. Some implementations may include a combination of options. [0064] Specific details of preferred structures and methods for self-discharge are described herein with respect to FIG. 7, in general self-discharge refers to use of power dissipative elements of battery pack 104 to intentionally discharge energy and decrease availability for standard EV operation which is contrary to the typical systems which try to conserve/preserve energy for operational power uses. Battery pack 104 typically includes power conserving features and some embodiments of the present invention include an ability to override or limit the power-conserving features to dissipate power. In some cases the power dissipation is maximized and may compromise or damage battery pack 104 and in other cases the self-discharging power dissipation is maximized while also preserving future operation of battery pack 104. The internal power dissipative elements include processors, transmitters, and other elements that can collectively dissipate significant power when operated in the non-power conserving modes. In some embodiments, for self-discharge of battery pack 104 or when the operating environment uses dissipative elements outside of battery pack 104, the coolant system is enabled as heat is rejected into the circulating coolant to reduce risk of discharging events. In some situations, intentional shorts are created into the coolant in order to induce energy-consuming processes (e.g., hydrolysis). [0065] For a non-functional battery pack 104, there are also three discharge options: 1) battery service unit 106 discharges battery pack 104 as described in FIG. 5 with a preferred discharge rate of ˜6 kW and a range of discharge rates 1-6 kW; 2) battery service unit 106 commands operational components of battery pack 104 to self-discharge as described herein; and 3) service personnel travel to onsite of battery pack 104 to safely discharge it manually. [0066] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a discharge process 600 for a non-functional battery pack 104. Process 600 includes step 605-step 630. Process 600 begins at step 605 to test whether communication with BMS 325 is possible. When communication with BMS 325 is possible, process 600 next performs a test at step 610 to determine whether it is possible to communicate with all modules 302. When communication with all modules 302 is possible, process 600 commands battery pack 104 to perform a self-discharge option as described in option 2 above. When the test at step 610 determines it is not possible to communicate with all modules 302 (e.g., a module failure, wire damage, or the like), process 600 performs step 620 for an onsite manual discharge as described above in option 3. When the test at step 605 determines that it is not possible to communicate with BMS 325 (e.g., a failure of BMS 325 or a wire failure or the like), process 600 performs a test at step 625. The test at step 625 determines whether an internal high-voltage series module chain of modules 302 is intact. When the test at step 625 determines that the HV chain is intact, process 600 performs step 630 which uses battery service unit 106 to discharge battery pack 104 using the discharge port (e.g., the secondary port) as described above in option 1. When the test at step 625 determines that the HV chain is not intact (e.g., a fuse is blown or a cable is damaged, or the like), process 600 performs step 620 for an onsite manual discharge. [0067] FIG. 7 illustrates an energy management scenario 700 for a self-discharging high-voltage battery pack 702 installed into an operating environment 705. Battery pack 702 includes the structures, features, and arrangements associated with battery pack 104 and battery pack 300 described herein with the addition of self-discharge structures, except where context suggests otherwise. [0068] Operating environment 705 includes a vehicle, load bank, or other implementation using a rechargeable high energy storage system. An exterior interface to operating environment 705 includes a primary access 710 and a secondary access 715. [0069] An operator of battery service unit 106 has an option to interact with battery pack 702 installed in operating environment 705 using either primary access 710 or secondary access 715. Operating environment 705 includes a first processing system 720 that is a collection of processing, management, and safety systems. First processing system 720 may include contactors, fuses, filters, processors/controllers, and the like interposed between primary access 710 and battery pack 702. Some embodiments of operating environment 705 also optionally include a secondary processing system 725 associated with a collection of processing, management, and safety systems. Secondary processing system 725 may include contactors, fuses, filters, processors/controllers (e.g., battery management system), and the like interposed between secondary access 715 and battery pack 702. Some elements may be shared between first processing system 720 and secondary processing system 725. [0070] For some energy management scenarios, battery pack 702 is physically secured and sealed within an enclosure. For performance and safety reasons, there are limited points of ingress and egress. A primary point of ingress and egress is an operational port 730. Operational port 730 provides controlled access to the energy storage components of battery pack 702 and includes primary HV port 108 and digital control interface 110. There may be contactors, fuses, filters, processors/controllers (e.g., battery management system), and the like controlling energy transfer through operational port 730, with those elements also represented by operational port 730. Some components may be provided in first processing system 720, operational port 730, or both. [0071] It is through operational port 730 that standard charging and discharging events occur. The charging and discharging events are strictly controlled for enhanced safety and maximizing life expectancy for battery pack 702 without unduly limiting performance. In the context of an EV for the operating environment, some implementations of operational port 730 must receive a proper signature from operating environment 705 that represents that battery pack 702 is properly installed in the operating environment and functioning correctly. Battery service unit 106 has the ability to simulate or induce generation of this proper signature to enable energy transfers with respect to operational port 730. And in typical operation, rates of energy transfers using operational port 730 are sharply constrained within predetermined design limits to balance some of the competing interests. [0072] These are some of the reasons that accessing stranded energy from battery pack 702 using operational port 730 is sometimes slower and more complex. Further, operating environment 705 sometimes experiences certain types of events that compromise access and use of primary access 710 and/or damages first processing system 720 and/or damages operational port 730. [0073] To address any drawbacks with such scenarios, energy management scenario 700 includes a service port 735 (that includes secondary HV port 112) installed at a strategic location of the enclosure for battery pack 104. Failure analyses of operating environment 705 and construction, layout, and reinforcement of the enclosure identify failure modes and associate service port 735 at locations that are least likely to be compromised whenever operating environment 705 experiences an event sufficient to make operational port 730 unavailable. Unavailability includes complete or partial damage that either makes battery pack 702 inaccessible or increases risks of accessing battery pack 702 through primary access 710 such that the risks exceed a predetermined threshold. [0074] When using secondary access 715 for externally extracting energy, service port 735 may be configured in a discharge-only mode to remove or sufficiently reduce any stranded energy within battery pack 702. One way, among others, that this may be done is to include a discharge diode in secondary processing system 725 or service port 735 that limits energy transfers through secondary access 715 as discharge-only. This is different from operational port 730 which is illustrated as supporting bi-directional energy transfers (e.g., charging and discharging). In other implementations, service port 735 is configured as charge only. [0075] In some embodiments service port 735 differs from operational port 730 in another respect. Service port 735 is intended for uses in which operational port 730 is not available and as such represents a contingent port. As a contingent port, supporting discharge events in potentially extreme situations, complexity is reduced and ease-of-use is increased, all the while preserving safety. One consequence of this reduced complexity is that some of the safeguards regarding constraints on discharging energy transfers (e.g., maximum energy transfer rate, SOC low energy targets and thresholds, and the like) are not present or disabled. These considerations are secondary at best to the goal of removing stranded energy from battery pack 702. [0076] The reduced complexity enables simpler operation and simpler requirements for battery service unit 106, increasing the accessibility and use in this configuration. In certain cases, such as collision, or emergency/urgent event, then first responders may respond more quickly and second responders may remove stranded energy more simply and a version of battery service unit 106 capable of maintaining a desired energy level (including removing stranded energy) for battery pack 702 is simpler to operate and could be made less costly. [0077] Some details of the internal layout of battery pack 702 are illustrated in FIG. 3, with operational port 730 associated with primary HV port 108 and service port 735 associated with secondary HV port 112. Service port 735 is coupled to a "cell" side of contactors 320 while operational port 730 is coupled to contactors 320 away from modules 302. [0078] When installed, battery pack 702 is typically mechanically and electrically secured in operating environment 705, such as contained within a rigid enclosure mounted to a portion of a chassis inside an EV. Operating environment 705 thus limits easy access to operational port 730 and to service port 735. Operating environment 705 may therefore provide electro-mechanical interfaces between primary access 710/secondary access 715 and battery pack 702. These electro-mechanical interfaces include conductors (e.g., a plus voltage conductor and a negative voltage conductor) and a common implementation for couplers to such electro-mechanical interfaces is use of plugs having pins that mate to complementary receptacles to provide electrical communication. [0079] Operational port 730 provides the principle access and its electro-mechanical interface is defined and implemented for frequent use. Primary access 710 is configured for easy and simple access by the user, such as when charging at a charging station. [0080] Service port 735 in contrast is intended for specialized limited access. Service port 735 is coupled into battery pack 702 differently than operational port 730 as noted herein, and those differences increase risks to battery pack 702 whenever service port 735 is used. For example, it is possible that discharging energy from battery pack 702 using service port 735 could disable or severely limit future operation of battery pack 702, especially when the discharging event is aggressive (e.g., high energy transfer rate). Some implementations of the mechanical interface provide enhanced grounding when employing service port 735. For example, the mechanical features of secondary access 715 may first ground a battery chassis before making electrical contact with any power conductors. [0081] Some embodiments include special interface requirements for service port 735 and/or secondary access 715. These requirements are intended to prevent or limit access to battery pack 702 using service port 735. Some of these requirements may include installation of secondary access 715 at a hidden location in the operating environment to thus secure access to secondary access 715 so that is may be accessed only by use of a special tool. Some embodiments include use of an electro-mechanical interface with different plug/receptacle form factors from those used with primary access 710. [0082] When describing the self-discharge capabilities of battery pack 702 is considered functional at least with regard to key components that are intact and used for safe self-discharge. Self-discharge of battery pack 702 includes two broad classifications of self-discharge: 1) self-discharge when not installed in operating environment 705, and 2) self-discharge when installed in operating environment 705. One difference in these classifications addresses heat dissipation. Energy is dissipated internally and results in generation of heat. Faster self-discharge is associated with generation of more heat. To safely self-discharge battery pack 702 this generated heat must not cause the temperature of battery pack 702 to rise above safe operating limits. There are generally more options for maintaining the temperature within safe operating limits when battery pack 702 is installed in operating environment 705. [0083] Battery pack 702 includes internal coolant systems including a coolant loop illustrated in FIG. 7 by a coolant channel 740. Coolant may be cooled and recirculated through coolant channel 740 by a coolant system 745 supported by operating environment 705. Coolant system 745 typically includes a pump, a coolant reservoir, and a heat exchanger. [0084] During operation of battery pack 702, heat is predominately generated by a plurality of battery modules 750 serially coupled to each other. Each battery module includes an energy storage assembly 755 and a controller 760. Energy storage assembly 755 is typically a collection of parallel and series connected individual storage elements (e.g., battery cell, ultracapacitor, and the like). An interlock 765 (e.g., a contactor) selectively couples energy from modules 750 to operational port 730. A battery management system (BMS) 770 is coupled to the active devices within the enclosure to monitor and control the various components. Self-discharge components include a sensor 775 disposed within the enclosure and a self-discharger 780. Coolant channel 740 is thermally coupled to battery modules 750 which are packed into the enclosure. Coolant from coolant channel 740 may be made available to any component within the enclosure. [0085] While self-discharger 780 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 7 as a stand-alone function, in practice some or all of the self-discharging operation may be integrated with one or more other components. For example, there is the possibility of implementing self-discharging at one or more of cell-level self-discharge, module-level self-discharge, and pack-level self-discharge. In cell-level self-discharge, each energy storage assembly 755 (or individual elements) includes, or is associated with, some type of switchable\actuable load (some of which are described herein) and that switchable load may be triggered by one or more of battery service unit 106, controller 760, and BMS 770. In module-level self-discharge, each module includes, or is associated with, some type of selectively switchable\actuable load (some of which are described herein) and that switchable load may be triggered by one or more of battery service unit 106, controller 760, and BMS 770. Similarly, in pack-level self-discharge, the pack includes, or is associated with, some type of switchable load (some of which are described herein) and that switchable load may be triggered by one or more of battery service unit 106 and BMS 770. With the disclosed implementation, some of the internal loads are dual-use loads that have one purpose during "normal" operation and the self-discharging function for self-discharging use. The normal use is typically limited or controlled to minimize energy dissipation while achieving the desired normal function. In the self-discharging function, those limits/controls are often overridden or limited in importance to increase energy dissipation. Some self-discharger loads are specifically designed for self-discharge, such the disclosed option of directing stored energy into the coolant to purposefully initiate energy-consuming hydrolysis. [0086] There are many possible ways to implement self-discharge by self-discharger 780. For a functional battery pack 702 installed in operating environment 705, the following is a representative arrangement. In general, sensor 775 is configured to detect an impact that is potentially serious enough that battery pack 702 could pose a hazard to persons and/or property in the vicinity of operating environment 705. The detector could be a motion detector (e.g., acceleration) that asserts a signal to BMS 770 upon detecting a collision event. BMS 770 performs a quick system check to test for proper operation of systems supporting self-discharge when the collision event is of the type conforming to a predetermined profile. [0087] BMS 770 then automatically signals self-discharger 780 to initiate self-discharge mode. BMS 770 actuates any intact and functional support systems (e.g., coolant flow) to support self-discharge. Depending upon a particular implementation, BMS 770 dynamically monitors self-discharge related parameters (e.g., discharge rate and temperature) so that self-discharge proceeds safely. As temperature rises, BMS 770 may slow self-discharge or increase cooling. The various modes of operation for self-discharger 780 sometimes include this ability to modulate energy self-discharge rate directly while in other cases modulation includes regulation of a duty cycle to limit how long self-discharger 780 is active. [0088] In some cases, a responder arriving at the location of operating environment 705 may independently confirm that self-discharge of battery pack 702 is necessary or desirable as well as establishing which systems are intact and sufficiently functional to support a self-discharge mode. Battery service unit 106 may help with diagnostics in this regard. The responder uses battery service unit 106 to activate self-discharger 780 directly, or to cause BMS 770 or controller 760 to perform a self-discharge evaluation and thereafter begin self-discharge when it is safe to do so. [0089] Some of the features and functions associated with BMS 770, sensor 775, and self-discharger 780 may be distributed among or integrated into other structures. Self-discharging may be initiated completely automatically in some modes, and in others it may be manually initiated by an operator of operating environment 705 or an operator of battery service unit 106. [0090] For a functional battery pack 702 not installed in operating environment 705, the following is a representative arrangement. Battery service unit 106 is coupled directly to operational port 730 or service port 735 (some embodiments may include a communication protocol associated with the service port) to activate self-discharger 780. In these self-discharge modes, battery service unit 106 may be less complex, costly, and simpler to carry than a version that includes the charger and/or discharger units. [0091] In these self-discharge modes, self-discharger 780 continues to operate until deactivated, the SOC reaches a target value, or as much energy as possible has been dissipated from battery pack 702 (a discharge endpoint). These different modes may be set or controlled by BMS 770, self-discharger 780, and/or battery service unit 106. [0092] As suggested above, there are many different possible self-discharge implementations. Energy storage within battery pack 702 is inherently lossy and the configuration of battery pack 702 includes many energy conserving features and components. In some embodiments, self-discharger simply deactivates, defeats, or reduces an effectiveness of certain energy conserving measures and/or configures operation of battery pack 702 into a maximum safe energy consuming mode. In other embodiments, additional elements are added and configured to enable self-discharge. [0093] Some of these energy conserving features include selective sleep mode for transmitters of a pack-wide communications system, isolated communication channels, reduced power to on-board processors. Defeating these energy conserving features includes waking transmitter channels even when no transmissions are occurring or operating controllers and processors at full power when otherwise not required by their control/process requirements. Battery Balancing [0094] It is common to use a battery balancing mechanism with battery pack 702. In this context, the battery balancing mechanism is connected to all the energy storage elements and sets the voltages to the same nominal voltage. The battery balancing mechanism includes energy dissipative elements (e.g., resistors) that bleed off energy from those elements with too much energy. Self-discharger 780 includes a dual-use of the battery balancing mechanism configured to selectively dissipate all energy from all storage elements until the discharge endpoint is reached. Battery Precharge [0095] It is common in high voltage battery packs, such as battery pack 702, to use a battery precharger. The battery precharger protects against an inrush of current by limiting the operating current until a load capacitance is charged. The battery precharger includes relays and a large resistive element that is selectively placed in-line with the current until the precharge is completed. Self-discharger 780 includes a dual-use of the battery precharger selectively configured to dissipate all energy from all storage elements until the discharge endpoint is reached. Module Level Resistor [0096] For this mode, self-discharger 780 includes a selectively switchable dissipative element (e.g., a module level resistor) installed at each module 750. When self-discharger 780 is active, these dissipative elements are enabled. [0097] Intentional self-discharge as described in the context of FIG. 7 may be established by monitoring one or more of the potential triggers for the battery pack to enter the intentional self-discharge state. These triggers could include: a digital or CAN signal from an inertial sensor indicating the vehicle has been in a crash or a CAN signal request from an external service tool. One could also monitor a CAN signal status bit from the pack indicating that it is in this special self-discharge state. Another metric would be to measure the rate of self-discharge, since the pack will self-discharge much more slowly during normal operation than when the special self-discharge state is enabled, preferably within the intentional self-discharge range of 5-50 W. [0098] Intentional self-discharge is distinguished from inherent self-discharge include a couple of key differences: 1) intentional self-discharge may have a rate that is variable and controlled by one or more controllers, 2) as described herein, the intentional self-discharge state can be enabled/disabled both internal and external to the battery pack, and 3) the self-discharge state can be auto-terminated by a pre-defined voltage limit (greater than zero) or a thermal limit. [0099] While examples and implementations have been described, they should not serve to limit any aspect of the present invention. Accordingly, implementations of the invention can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations thereof. Apparatus of the invention can be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable storage device for execution by a programmable processor; and method steps of the invention can be performed by a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform functions of the invention by operating on input data and generating output. The invention can be implemented advantageously in one or more computer programs that are executable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. Each computer program can be implemented in a high level procedural or object oriented programming language, or in assembly or machine language if desired; and in any case, the language can be a compiled or interpreted language. Suitable processors include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory and/or a random access memory. Generally, a computer will include one or more mass storage devices for storing data files; such devices include magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto optical disks; and optical disks. Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM disks. Any of the foregoing can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, ASICs. [0100] The system and methods above has been described in general terms as an aid to understanding details of preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. Some features and benefits of the present invention are realized in such modes and are not required in every case. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention. [0101] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or "a specific embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", or "in a specific embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention. [0102] It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. [0103] Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term "or" as used herein is generally intended to mean "and/or" unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear. [0104] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, "a", "an", and "the" includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. [0105] The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. [0106] Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the appended claims. Patent applications by Anil Paryani, Cerritos, CA US Patent applications by TESLA MOTORS, INC. Patent applications in class With discharge of cells or batteries Patent applications in all subclasses With discharge of cells or batteries 2013-05-02 System and method for re-initiating charge cycle for battery pack left in a charger 2013-05-02 Heat management for recharge coils for implantable medical devices 2013-06-20 Rechargeable battery pack 2014-01-02 Power management circuit of rechargeable battery stack 2016-04-21 Alternating current linked power converting apparatus 2016-04-07 Electric storage device management apparatus and method of equalizing capacities of electric storage devices 2016-03-17 Batteries, battery systems, battery submodules, battery operational methods, battery system operational methods, battery charging methods, and battery system charging methods 2016-03-10 Control method for disconnecting switches integrated in series-connected batteries 2016-03-03 Battery management circuit 2014-09-11 Fast charging of battery using adjustable voltage control 2013-11-21 Secondary service port for high voltage battery packs 2013-11-21 Method and system for servicing high voltage battery packs Top Inventors for class "Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging" 1 Shinji Ichikawa 2 Guoxing Li 3 Juergen Mack 4 Sang-Wook Kwon 5 Nam Yun Kim	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line775
__label__wiki	0.663782	0.663782	CIVILITY REPORT CIVILITY REPORT 2019 CIVILITY INFO Five (5) Countries with Highest Civility Scores Scale 0-100 Reference: Civility Report 2017 Free download of the full Civility Report 2017 is available on this site. PWO Links Organizations that promote human dignity by standing up for human rights: The United Nations Human Rights United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stands up for children rights and elimination of children deaths from preventable causes. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) leads and co-ordinates international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Mercy Corps helps the under-privileged to help themselves. Trafficking in Persons monitors and combats trafficking in persons. Transparency International promotes honesty and brings people together to end corruption worldwide. Prosperity Ranking provides rankings of nations based on long-term wealth and well-being. 11/25/2018 PeaceWorldwide.org 6 comments We are privileged to have Sarah Syed as our ambassador in the United States. She is a Houston native, the daughter of immigrants, and grand-daughter of refugees. She is an Ivy League graduate student by day, and a grassroots community organizer by night. With a background in research and systems engineering, she focuses on capacity building within special populations as a Project Manager in her current role. Presently, she is working in mediation consulting towards a career in medical jurisprudence and would like to work as a medical provider in due time. She hopes to continue community organizing to redress systemic health disparities, particularly within immigrant and refugee populations. She aims to fix broken social systems, bringing meaningful changes to peoples’ lives, and empowering vulnerable or oppressed populations. This is evident in her community service as an international humanitarian aid worker, assisting with emergency relief efforts facilitating health and human services to advance access to quality healthcare. Syed currently serves on the board for the New Leaders Council Houston Chapter, Helping a Ready Preemie, and Hope Over Hurt. She is a translator for Language Line Solutions and a fellow of the Muslim Public Affairs Council Government Summit advocating for peaceful interfaith dialogue as it relates to public deliberation. We trust that Ms. Syed continues enhancing harmony and peace in the United States. We urge Americans to volunteer helping her and financially supporting her humanitarian and peace-making initiatives. Sarah Syed Ambassador: Peace Worldwide Organization Education: Harvard University Career: Community Leader Sarah.Syed@peaceworldwide.org Congratulations to our first American Chapter Peace Worldwide Houston Chapter Country in Central America (Shown in Green) Costa Rica has not had a standing army since 1945. It is a country in Central America in a region infamous for discrimination against indigenous people and blacks, harassment of oppositions, child labor, violence, drug cartel, and destination and transit points for trafficking in women and children. Also, the country has notoriety for sex tourism. Nevertheless, Costa Rica is a constitutional democracy with a population of about 4.5 million. It has accomplished great steps in democracy. An example is that over 38% of the Legislators are women comparing to 17% in the United States. In February 2011, Laura Chinchilla Miranda was elected the country's first female president. In the recent years, the country has become a theater of the drug cartel. Unlike other countries that deal with such problems by resorting to their armed forces, Costa Rica has been determined to remain free of a standing army despite having serious problem with the cartel. In response to such pressure, President Chinchilla said: “… the absence of an army has been a guarantee of security in the country." The courage to be free of military has handsomely paid off. Costa Rica has become the envy of the world. The Happy Planet Index global ranking for well-being and environmental impact shows Costa Rica is top in the world. Costa Ricans are reportedly among the happiest in the world. They have one of the highest levels of life expectancy in the Western World. They enjoy better living standards than many people in the other countries in Americas. Costa Ricans are a good example for the rest of us to follow. We can realize that standing military is not a solution to conflicts but a part of the problem. The money wasted on military can best be spent to enhance our wellbeing. To have a world free of military, each of us must be committed to peaceful coexistence through dialogue, and not confrontation. President Chinchilla said: “Dialogue has to become a permanent instrument for the exercise of power.” May peace be with you! *ALL COMMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO EDITORIAL REVIEW What a good example for our Colombia. Where we miss peace so much! domino 99 says: there is no way to the world for free of military, because the safety will be lost if military of one country is not function as expected..but, nice inform and opinion here idblogpedia says: Read more: NAGAQQ.COM \| AGEN BANDARQ \| BANDARQ ONLINE \| ADUQ ONLINE \| DOMINOQQ TERBAIK Obat De Nature says: stevenjocb says: The bravery to be free of military has liberally paid off. Costa Rica has turned into the envy of the world. The Happy Planet Index worldwide positioning for prosperity and ecological effect indicates Costa Rica is top on the planet. Costa Ricans are apparently among the most joyful on the planet. Any how, I really want some reviews of http://college-paper-writing-service.reviews/ and at the same time i found a lot of more articles about army of America from this site. MajalahPlus says: Untuk memperoleh bonus itu itu bukan hanya hanya, anda di mesti kan ikuti langkah langkah yang benar serta pas bila menginginkan memperoleh bonus poker77 terbaik itu, sebelumnya itu anda harus juga ketahui berapakah persen bonus yang anda peroleh serta tahu langkah perhitungan bonus tersebut. Langkah Langkah awal Bermain Judi online tanpa ada Modal vipbandarq \| memberqq \| jaguarqq \| kristalpoker Kami akan menerangkan cara-cara mengkalkulasi bonus refferal yang benar. Blog Today In addition, feel free to also follow us via our Peace Worldwide Organization social media websites: PeaceWorldwide.org's Facebook PeaceWorldwide.org's Twitter You Can Contribute Today Peace Contest P.W.O. Ambassador Message Inspirational Video by Amnesty International Global Human Development This Human Development Index is a composite statistic in which each country is differentiated by color ranging from dark green being very high human development to dark red being low human development. Country Development Development Index by Country is a composite statistic in which each country is differentiated by color ranging from dark blue being very high country development to light blue being low country development. HDI for GDP/Capita HDI for countries shows a very high correlation with respect to the logarithm of GDP per capita. UN Performance Graphs Peace Worldwide Organization (P.W.O.) is a non-religious, non-partisan, and 501(c)(3) charitable organization. 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__label__cc	0.693731	0.306269	Home > All Bingo Sites > Blighty Bingo Blighty Bingo Deposit £10 & Get £80 To Play! & 10 Free Spins Review of: Blighty Bingo Last modified:August 3, 2017 Blighty Bingo offers offers 700% first deposit bonus & 10 Free Spins, and is powered by Dragonfish Network software. Join now at Blighty Bingo About Blighty Bingo Blighty Bingo is among the first of the online bingo sites trying to do things a bit differently pending the legislation changes due during 2017. Their is no general bingo or games bonus, but you do get tickets worth £60 to a big money guaranteed jackpot game and some slot spins on Fluffy Favourites to start things off. Winnings from these bonus offers are paid to your cash balance. NO WAGERING REQUIREMENT. This is a Dragonfish network site launched in January 2017, but looks like nothing you will have seen from Dragonfish to that point. 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__label__cc	0.72719	0.27281	Walker Mill Regional Park includes more than 500 acres of land, a portion of which has been developed for recreational uses. Recreation amenities at this park are located on the south side of Walker Mill Road. Included Amenities: Imagination Playground and Misting Pad basketball and tennis courts artificial turf football/soccer field lighted baseball field two lighted softball fields 128-seat group picnic shelter paved trail lighted parking The southwestern portion of the park, accessible from Berry Lane, includes a half basketball court, play equipment areas, an open shelter, a picnic area, and a pathway. Much of Walker Mill Regional Park remains undeveloped and provides open space and woodland for the community. To obtain a permit for the fields at Walker Mill Regional Park, please contact the Sports Office at 301-446-6800. For picnic shelter permits, contact the Park Permits office at 301-699-2400. The park is located just minutes from the Capital Beltway. From the Capital Beltway (I-495), take Exit 15B (Central Avenue) west to Ritchie Road. Make a left onto Ritchie Road and follow to Walker Mill Road. Make a right onto Walker Mill Road. Park is located on the left. From Washington, D.C., take Central Avenue east past the Addison Road Metro Station to Ritchie Road. Make a right onto Ritchie Road and follow to Walker Mill Road. Make a right onto Walker Mill Road. Park is located on the left. 8001 Walker Mill Road 8001 Walker Mill Road Capitol Heights MD 20747 Athletic Field Permits/Status	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line781
__label__wiki	0.7408	0.7408	Pittsburgh Steelers Forum, Message Board & Chat > Pittsburgh Steelers Forum, Message Board and Chat > Steelers Talk > The Steelers sign SLY View Full Version : The Steelers sign SLY supersteeler Steelers sign free agent Sylvester inShare. By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The Steelers signed another of their own free agents today, inside linebacker Stevenson Sylvester. Sylvester became an unrestricted free agent after the Steelers did not issue him a tender as a restricted free agent. They drafted him in the fifth round in 2010 after he played at Utah. He played in ten games last season and had no defensive statistics. Sylvester has started one game in his career and played in 41. The Steelers also entertained three other unrestricted free agents today along with two more draft prospects. The veterans visiting their facility are former Pitt running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (Cardinals), linebacker Tavares Gooden (Ravens) and guard Antoine Caldwell (Texans). The college prospects are Penn State inside linebacker Michael Mauti and linebacker Malliciah Goodman of Clemson. Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com, on Twitter: @EdBouchette First Published April 3, 2013 11:44 am Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-sign-free-agent-sylvester-681924/#ixzz2PQ0q6NBh steeler_fan_in_t.o. I guess that it is fair to say that he was signed at a price well below the $1.323M lowest RFA tender. Somewhere around the league min which would be around $700-800K for a three year player. RuthlessBurgher With our cap situation, that half-mil difference is plenty significant. DukieBoy We were on his short list of interested teams, apparently. Seriously, at one time there was some excitement over him on this board. Hope he outdoes current expectations. He's the perfect signee for LeBeau because "he knows the defense." Talent has nothing to do with it. I liked him early on cause he was a hustler. I still think he can be the Deshea Townsend of LBs. Nothing great, but can eventually get on the right track. It took Deshea a long time before he became a solid contributor. He was a demon on special teams the first two years, but plays with a high pad level for LB according to K. Butler. phillyesq You are exactly right. The grass is always greener. Anybody who has not played for the Steelers before must be better than anybody who plays for them now. :roll: Steelers Sign Sylvester And What That Could Mean Apr 3rd, 2013 by Craig Gottschalk http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/58/files/2013/04/6833236-590x393.jpg The Steelers signed Stevenson Sylvester to a one year deal on Wednesday. Sylvester was an RFA at the start of the offseason but became an UFA after the team decided to not offer a tender by the deadline. The deal is reportedly less than the $1.3 million he would have received were the team to offer him the original tender. The move of not signing Sylvester and then getting him for less money could be seen as sound economics by the Steelers. Knowing that Sylvester was injury plagued all last season and only contributed on special teams, the Steelers probably had a hunch that Sylvester wouldn’t be a hot commodity during free agency. Like fellow linebacker James Harrison, no one seems to want the unwanted…. unless you’re the Steelers brass. A good deal for the Steelers who are in need of linebacker help after releasing Harrison and failing to lock up any other ‘significant’ free agent, such as Victor Butler. But, let us remember that Sylvester is an inside linebacker and does not play well on the outside. What this says about the state of the inside linebacking core is not a good one. Even though shoring up the middle with depth is a good move (and I’m all for it), it gives me great pause. What this really means for the Steelers is that 2012 rookie Sean Spence is no where near a full recovery. Spence, as you recall, severely injured his knee during the Steelers final preseason game in 2012. Thought of as the eventual replacement to James Farrior, Spence had a solid preseason up to the injury. There was no way to know at that point if Spence would over the course of the season step up and over teammate Larry Foote in the depth chart. If Spence were nearing the end of his road to recovery, I would expect the Steelers would place him back at #2 on the depth chart and allow him some playing time behind both Foote and Lawrence Timmons. By signing Sylvester, after presumably no wanting him by making the tendered offer, it says to me that Spence is a long ways off from stepping onto the football field in a game situation. The Steelers need depth and they need familiarity with the system – Foote’s age, pass coverage inconsistencies, and the need for special teams personnel were probably all factors in getting Sylvester back on the roster. The signing also more than likely signifies that the Steelers are done shopping for a free agent linebacker…. at least until June 1st when they get almost $5 million in saved money from releasing Willie Colon. http://nicepickcowher.com/2013/04/03/steelers-sign-sylvester-and-what-that-could-means/ B&GinNC I've seen Spence's injury compared to the one suffered by Robert Edwards, the Pats RB who blew out his knee years ago in the sand football game at the Pro Bowl. I'll be absolutely shocked if he ever plays a down in the NFL, and I think the Steelers are quietly acknowledging that truth. Speaking of cap situation, what exactly is the Steelers' cap situation at this point? Should they even bother with the draft? Can they sign the rooks they draft? :) Pappy The Robert Edwards injury happened 15 years ago. Advances in surgical procedures and rehab techniques have improved greatly in the last decade-and-a-half. I don't think the Steelers are counting on Spence, but I don't think they are counting him out either. But in the mean time, it's smart to bring back another depth player that is familiar with the scheme for little $ (although Sly's primary value to this team should once again be on special teams). Sly??? How bout if he registers a tackle this year we will call him that? Till then he is Stevenson DBR96A We can't do that, because that'd involve effort typing, and it'd be too clear. It's better just to be lazy and call everybody "Sly," "Deebo," "Snack," "Potsie," "Beard," "Pounce," "Tone," "AB," etc., as if everybody knows who we're talking about.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line785
__label__cc	0.57563	0.42437	RealEstateRama EPA announces University of California, Berkeley winner of 6th annual RainWorks Challenge for innovative design of green infrastructure EPA announces University of California, Berkeley winner of 6th annual RainWorks Challenge for innovative design of green infrastructure By EPA - University of Arizona receives honorable mention LOS ANGELES – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of its sixth annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a national collegiate competition that engages the next generation of environmental professionals to design innovative solutions for stormwater pollution. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators,” said EPA Office of Water Assistant Administrator David Ross. “Through EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge, we are harnessing the creativity and enthusiasm of college students to solve local stormwater problems and better protect the environment.” Stormwater runoff is a significant source of water pollution in America, conveying pollutants to waterbodies, contributing to downstream flooding, and threatening public health and the environment. The Campus RainWorks Challenge asks students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the country to apply green infrastructure design principles, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and increase the use of green infrastructure on the nation’s college campuses. EPA invited student teams to compete in two design categories: the Master Plan category, which examines how green infrastructure can be broadly integrated across campus; and, the Demonstration Project category, which focuses on how green infrastructure can address stormwater pollution at a specific site on campus. The University of California, Berkeley won 1st Place in the Master Plan Category for its project titled “(Re)Generations.” This project exemplifies long-term commitment and vision in stormwater management. Strawberry Creek is a local water body and defining feature of the Berkeley campus. Using this water body as a connective thread, the team’s design strategically phases green infrastructure across the campus, capturing 100 percent of the university’s stormwater runoff by 2100, and restoring water quality to the Strawberry Creek watershed. Watch the team’s video about their project: https://youtu.be/yRmrjUIsyVw “The Campus RainWorks Challenge represents an opportunity for students to imagine—and potentially help build—a smarter, more vibrant and sustainable future for their local communities,” said University of California, Berkeley team lead Nate Kauffman. “What’s compelling about the Campus RainWorks Challenge is that the issues and opportunities on campus are so evident and familiar to students, who spend more waking hours on their respective campuses than anywhere else. Their knowledge, investment, and commitment to positive change therein is a crucial but too-often overlooked resource that campuses everywhere should seize on and take advantage of.” The University of Arizona received an honorable mention in both the Demonstration Project and Master Plan categories. “Following green infrastructure design principles, both honorable mention entries aim to transform previously sterile, flood-prone, or underutilized campus sites into multifunctional spaces that benefit the campus and engage students, faculty and staff in meaningful ways,” said University of Arizona Professor and Campus RainWorks Challenge Faculty Advisor Bo Yang. The other three winners are the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1st Place Demonstration Project Category), the University of New Mexico (2nd Place Demonstration Project Category) and the University of Maryland, College Park (2nd Place Master Plan Category). First place teams will receive a $2,000 student prize to be split among team members and a $3,000 faculty prize to support green infrastructure research and education. Second place teams will receive a $1,000 student prize and a $2,000 faculty prize. EPA plans to announce the seventh annual Campus RainWorks Challenge in the summer of 2018. Since 2012 nearly 600 teams have participated in the Challenge. Green infrastructure tools and techniques for stormwater management include green roofs, permeable materials, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, habitat conservation, rain gardens, and rain harvesting systems. Using these tools decreases pollution to local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. Communities are increasingly using innovative green infrastructure to supplement “gray” infrastructure such as pipes, filters, and ponds. Green infrastructure reduces water pollution while increasing economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings, and open space. More information: www.epa.gov/campusrainworks Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter. Nahal Mogharabi ( ) Previous articleThe Boulder Group Publishes Net Lease Bank Market Research Report Next articleNorton Says U.S. Marshal for D.C.’s Updated Eviction Policies Are a Good Start, but Further Steps May Be Needed to Protect Tenants’ Rights	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line786
__label__cc	0.736101	0.263899	Sales Brokers Leasing Brokers Market/Submarket Reports Property Comparables Q2 2012 Seattle, Washington Apartment Property Sales Analysis Property Sales Analysis CRE Resources News, Videos, & Updates Market Narrative Archive Metropolitan Rankings Widget National Trends Widget Vacancy Rate Widget Understanding Cap Rates January 2020 Updates The January 2020 market report for the Seattle, Washington Apartment market includes our most recent findings on: Asking & Effective Rents Vacancy Rate Changes Construction & Absorption Economic & Demographic Trends Get Market Report View our Seattle, Washington Submarket Map The year 2012 is on track to exceed the $1.17 billion in apartment property sales counted by Reis for 2011. For 44 closed transactions, the total for the first half of the year was $711.2 million. The average second quarter selling price and average cap rate were $121,000 per unit (below the $153,000 year-to-date average) and 6.3% (above the 5.6% year-to-date mean cap rate). The 12-month rolling cap rate per quarter-end was 5.4%, down from 5.8% a year earlier. In the second quarter’s largest sale, Greystar paid Archstone and Tishman Speyer $55.1 million ($163,978 per unit) for the 336-unit Canyon Creek Apartments in Bothell. The deal closed in June at a 4.7% cap rate. The Class B/C building, built in 1997 and renovated in 2007, was 5.0% vacant at time of sale. The deal was part of a $91 million multi-property sale involving 558 units. Deals since the quarter ended include Security Properties’ $20.25 million acquisition of the 59-unit “iconic” 700 Broadway property in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Real Estate Weekly News reported in July. A 10,673-square-foot retail component was included. Reis Reports support@reisreports.com Receive Reis Updates By joining our mailing list, you gain access to current real estate market news, and valuable forecasts. Copyright © 2010 - 2014 Reis, Inc. All rights reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line787
__label__wiki	0.641396	0.641396	SFU.ca F T I ON-CAMPUS PROFESSIONAL EVENTS NETWORK (OPEN) Ceremonies and Events staff Honorary degree recipients SFU events calendar About SFU's chancellor Chancellor's Distinguished Service Award Nomination procedures 2019 Chancellor's Distinguished Service Award Chancellor's convocation addresses Flag protocol Aboriginal protocol Event brief Event promotion and communications Guests, invitations and registration Speaking program Day-of planning OPEN Launch Event Recognizing Aboriginal People and their Traditional Lands is one of the most important acts of reconciliation; is a way to honour Aboriginal People; and is something that the SFU Community can consciously, collectively and individually practice. (Walk This Path With Us, Report of the SFU Aboriginal Reconciliation Council, 2017, p. 81) Guidelines on acknowledging Aboriginal Peoples at SFU ceremonies and events To honour and pay respect to the Indigenous Peoples whose lands that SFU is situated, the university community is encouraged to acknowledge Aboriginal Peoples and their traditional lands whenever possible at the beginning of ceremonies and events. These guidelines have been compiled by SFU Ceremonies and Events in collaboration with SFU’s Office for Aboriginal Peoples. General guidelines on acknowledgements at ceremonies and events Acknowledgement of the traditional lands is typically made by the very first speaker at the beginning of a ceremony or event program (if subsequent speakers also wish to make this acknowledgement, this would be appropriate, but is not required). At ceremonies and larger events, it is recommended that an aboriginal elder, preferably a member of SFU’s Elders Program is invited to provide a welcome to open the event. The Elder would be the very first speaker on the program (ahead of the MC, senior members of the university and any members of government). Each Elder will have their own preference on what they would like to say to welcome guests. So, if the following speakers note that the traditional lands were not recognized, they should include the acknowledgement at the beginning of their remarks. The following are the acknowledgements for each of the SFU campuses: Pronunciation guide: Squamish (squa-mish), Tsleil-Waututh (tslay-wa-tooth), Musqueam (mus-kwee-um), Katzie (kate-zee), Kwantlen (kwant-len), Kwikwetlem (kwee-kwet-lum), Qayqayt (kee-kite), and Stó:lō (staw-low). Burnaby Campus: "Let me begin by acknowledging that we are privileged to gather this afternoon/evening, on the unceded traditional territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam and Kwikwetlem Peoples." Vancouver Campus: "Let me begin by acknowledging that we are privileged to gather this afternoon/evening, on the unceded traditional territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Peoples." Surrey Campus: "Let me begin by acknowledging that we are privileged to gather this morning/evening on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples including the Semiahmoo First Nation, the Kwantlen First Nation, the Katzie First Nation, the Kwikwetlem First Nation, the Qayqayt First Nation and the Tsawwassen First Nations." If an SFU Elder provides the “welcome”, following their remarks, the MC will typically thank and acknowledge the Elder as a member of SFU’s Elder program: "Thank you to Elder xxxx, a member of SFU’s Aboriginal Elder Program, who shared some words of welcome for us here today. Let me start by acknowledging the … (see acknowledgements for each SFU campus)." Requesting an Elder to participate at an event or ceremony The SFU Elders program recognizes the value and importance of Elders in the Indigenous and university communities. Elders have a unique position at SFU, offering a variety of support to students and performing in different capacities throughout the university, including supporting special events and ceremonies. More information about the SFU Elders program. Request an Elder’s participation Land acknowledgements on invitations, programs, screens or other printed materials Acknowledgement of the traditional lands should also be considered for any of the above event communications. Samples are as follows: SFU acknowledges the surrounding unceded traditional territories of all of Coast Salish peoples where our three campuses are located. For this ceremony at SFU Burnaby, SFU acknowledges the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and kʷikʷəƛ ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem) nations. We acknowledge that this work is taking place on the unceded traditional territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples who call this region home. We acknowledge that this work is taking place on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples including the Semiahmoo First Nation, the Kwantlen First Nation, the Katzie First Nation, Kwikwetlem First Nation, the Qayqayt First Nation and the Tsawwassen First Nations Guide to Acknowledging First Nations Peoples and Traditional Territory. Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) Territory Acknowledgement. Native Land Acknowledging Traditional Territory. Laura Tait, Board of Education Burnaby School District 41 Walk this Path with Us, Report of the SFU Aboriginal Reconciliation Council, 2017 (More information about Ceremonies and Events in Appendix E, pages 81 – 85) Aboriginal Protocol Documents, prepared by the Office for Aboriginal Peoples. Gloria Chu, Director of Ceremonies and Events 778-782-4643 \| gloria_s_chu@sfu.ca Ron Johnston, Director, Office of Indigenous Education 778-782-8924 \| ronald_johnston@sfu.ca Updated December 16, 2019. Please note: These guidelines will be regularly reviewed and updated. Strand Hall 2118 Burnaby, B.C. Safety & Risk SFU Maps & Directions SFU Admissions We would like to acknowledge that at Simon Fraser University we live and work on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line797
__label__cc	0.685643	0.314357	Rod Wilson's Blog A List of Performers Kevin Turner, Luthier David Check, Sculptor Marilyn Oliver Reg Parsons Rod Wilson Sharon Routley 11th Avenue Stopover Blarney Pilgrims Daze of Grace Jazz Council Joshua Burning Leather Britches The Rosie Brown Band Geoffrey Haynes – Piano La Cafamore String Quartet Selkirk Trio Dan Unger Jackie Gingras BJ’s Creekside Pub and Restaurant Clawhammer Letter Press and Gallery Fernie Arts Station Key City Theatre Snoring Sasquatch Studio / Stage Door Cranbrook Arts Arts on the Edge 2011 Ballet Kelowna 2011 Don Glasrud & Colin Johnston Heather Blush Martyn Joseph Matt Andersen Michael Heiden Symphony of the Kootenays The Mishras at Center 64 Three for the Show Ballet Kelowna 2011 Pictorial Highland, etc Bisset Singers at the Knox La Cafamore on Different Trains La Cafamore String Quartet with Nina Horvath Selkirk Trio at the Knox Sonatina Sunday 2012 Jazz Council – Standing Up for Miles Jazz Council at Ric’s Brian Brons @ Durangos Elena Yeung and the Clinch Mountain Backstep Mark Casey Three for the Show – Pictorial Tim Ross CD Release Music on the Mountain The McGrath Family Uncle Bill’s Story Video Clips – Music Accordion / Concertina / Free Reed Acoustic Guitar Tunings Bouzouki / Cittern Celtic Music – Uilleann Pipes Celtic Music Tutorials Classical Guitar – Contemporary Clawhammer Banjo Tutorials Folk/Pop Jazz Documentary Percussion – Tutorials Singer / Song Writers Category Archives: THEATRE THE ODD COUPLE – CCT Rehearsal Posted on 2016-05-10 by Rod Wilson “The Odd Couple is a play by Neil Simon. Following its premiere on Broadway in 1965, the characters were revived in a successful 1968 film and 1970s TV series, as well as other derivative works and spin-offs. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates: the neat, uptight Felix Ungar and the slovenly, easygoing Oscar Madison. Simon adapted the play in 1985 to feature a pair of female roommates (Florence Ungar and Olive Madison) in The Female Odd Couple. An updated version of the 1965 show appeared in 2002 with the title Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple.” – Wikipedia As the saying goes “what goes around comes around” and with this play that seems to happen on a frequent basis. The most notable performance would have to be the 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau. They followed that with their reprised roles in The Odd Couple II, directed by Neil Simon. Now, here we are in 2016 and the show is once again the inspiration for another TV series, oddly enough called The Odd Couple. Not to be outdone by Broadway or Hollywood the Cranbrook Community Theatre, under the direction of Bob McCue brings the iconic characters to life for local audiences. Bob Wakulich – Oscar Madison Peter Schalk – Felix Unger Alexander Gilmour – Vinnie Barry Coulter – Murray Barry Borgstrom – Speed Randy Tapp – Roy Michelle McCue – Gwendolyn Pigeon Andrea Grossman – Cecily Pigeon Directed by Bob McCue and produced by Kristy Quinn The Setting : Four acts in Oscar Madison’s apartment in New York City. Act One: Poker night and where’s Felix? Act Two: Two weeks later Felix has moved in Act Three: The next evening about 7:30 pm Fade to ACT 4. AND CURTAIN CALL Posted in THEATRE \| Tagged Cranbrook Community Theatre, Local Performers \| Leave a reply “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” — Intense!!!! Family politics and sibling rivalry have been around since the beginning of time. All the way from royalty right down to the neighbour just across the street it is one of life’s constants. From Shakespeare’s King Lear to the play that is currently on the stage of the Studio/Stage Door in Cranbrook it is the raw source material of great literature. Once again Director Terry Miller and the Cranbrook Community Theatre have stepped up to the plate and this time they have taken on the monumental Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. For this undertaking Terry has enlisted the following actors in the following roles: Jennifer Inglis as Margaret Sean Swinwood as Brick Alexander Gilmour as Big Daddy Nicola Kaufman as Big Mama Brent Gill as Gooper Nikole Spring as Mae Galen Olstead /Bob McCue as Reverend Tooker Peter Schalk as Doctor Baugh This is a big three act play that, with intermissions runs for three hours. Set in the delta plantation home of Big Daddy Pollitt in the summer of 1955 it covers all the big themes – sibling rivalry, thwarted professional ambitions and dreams, alcoholism, greed, mendacity, sexual desire and sexual confusion, illness and death. You name it and it’s all in there. Here are some images from the dress rehearsal on Wednesday January 13, 2016 – @@@@@@@@@@@@ Posted in THEATRE \| Tagged Cranbrook Community Theatre, Local Performers, Studio/Stage Door \| Leave a reply Making God Laugh – Dress Rehearsal Cranbrook Community Theatre – Making God Laugh full dress rehearsal at the Studio Stage Door in Cranbrook. Wednesday October 7, 2015, 7:30pm. A play written by Sean Grennan, Directed by Trevor Lundy, starring Melodie Hull as the mother Ruthie and Michael Prestwich as her husband Bill; Gina Martin as daughter Maddie, David Booth as older son Rick(y) and Woody McGuire as Father Tom, the youngest son. Movies are about the wham, bam, bang factor with lot of action an unlikely plot twists. As a general rule, films do not emphasize inter-personal relationships and character development. Of course there are exceptions, but I think the general rule applies. Live theater does not lend itself to spectacular car crashes, chases, sinking ships and space Opera cliches. As a result plays tend to have more elements of human relationships. That is the case with the latest Cranbrook Community Theatre production of Making God Laugh. Here, without giving too much away is the synopsis of the play – “Making God Laugh follows the lives of Bill and Ruthie and their three adult children through more than 30 years of holiday gatherings. Sometimes uproariously funny and other times very moving, the play examines all of the facets involved in being part of a crazy, messed up, but mostly normal, dysfunctional family.” Tickets are available at Lotus Books and at the door for October 9, 10, 14,15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24 performances at the Studio Stage/ Door in Cranbrook. Here are the images from the Dress Rehearsal: NEW YEARS CELEBRATIONS AND THE IMPEDING CHAOS OF A “Y2K” MELTDOWN “EASTER” AND RECONCILIATION @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Posted in THEATRE \| Tagged Cranbrook Community Theatre, Studio/Stage Door \| 1 Reply The Dixie Swim Club The Off Centre Players presents The Dixie Swim Club; a comedy directed by Brigitte Franyo at the Centre 64, May 26 to May 30, 2015 Karen Vold-Oakley ……….. plays Sheree (the less than flavorful cook). Joanne Wilkinson ………… plays Dinah (the career woman with a taste for Martinis) Michelle McCue …………….. plays Lexie (the lady looking for “Mr right” and perpetual youth) Michelle Lemay ……………. plays Jeri ( a nun, ex-nun and eventually a mother) Nola Jean …………. plays Vernadette (forever a lady looking for an accident) The Play: The characters in The Dixie Swim Club are portrayed at ages 44, 49, 54 and 77 over a period of 33 years. The action takes place in the living room of a beach cottage on the Outer Banks of North Carolina during a weekend in August. ACT I : SCENE 1 – Twenty two years after college graduation ACT 1 : SCENE 2 – Five years after that. Act II – Scene 1 – Five years later. Act II – Scene 2 – Twenty-three years later @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Posted in THEATRE \| Tagged Centre 64, Local Performers, Off Centre Players \| Leave a reply SKIN FLICK – A Rollicking Good Time This is the press release and it pretty well says it all – it is a great show with lots of laughs. Give yourself treat – spend a night at the Studio / Stage Door. Skin Flick is 50 Shades of Funny: The final production of Cranbrook Community Theatre’s (CCT) season featuring plays by Canadian playwrights ends with Skin Flick, a comedic romp written by Norm Foster. This hilarious one-liner comedy features a married couple and their friend united by unfortunate circumstance. When Rollie and Daphne suddenly lose their jobs and are facing unemployment, an opportunity presents itself that they just can’t refuse. Making a “skin flick” or adult film might not be the first thing that newly jobless professionals decide to throw their last remaining funds into, but after discovering how lucrative the porn industry is, they decide to go for it. With their crude yet savvy cameraman friend, Alex, Rollie and Daphne recruit improbable movie stars in Byron, an awkward bookie, and Jill, a feisty telegram performer. Norm Foster creatively uses Rollie’s character to narrate parts of the story for the audience. Despite the title of the play, there’s no nudity involved in Skin Flick; rather, Foster uses innuendo and suggestion to tell his tale which results in more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. Skin Flick features phenomenal local talent on-stage and in the director’s chair. No stranger to heart-warming and funny plays, Bob McCue puts his director’s cap back on for Skin Flick after directing CCT’s highly successful production of Steel Magnolias in 2012. Starring Patrick Baranowski and Tracy McGuire, the cast rounds out with Bob Wakulich, Jerrod Bondy, and Lisa Aasebo. Don’t miss this highly entertaining production running May 1 & 2, 6-9 and 13-16! Tickets can be purchased at Lotus Books or at the door and all shows start at 8:00 p.m. There is a stair lift available for those with mobility issues. Please call the Stage Door office at 250-426-2490 to book the stair lift in advance. This production is intended for adult audiences – mature content and language. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Cast of Characters: The husband and wife team of Rollie and Daphne Waters Patrick Baranowski with his comedic face and persona plays the soon to unemployed Rollie Waters. His wife Daphne Waters, who is also currently unemployed, is played by Tracy McGuire And, of course, every guy has a more than slightly worn best buddy. In Rollie’s case he has a now also unemployed TV camera man, called Alex Tratt played by Bob Wakulich. Alex has been fired because his attempts to correct the wardrobe “blouse malfunction” of a well proportioned female newscaster has been misconstrued as “fondling”. Unfortunately this was on screen at the time so it was pretty hard to deny. Also, true to form, the “more than slightly worn buddy” has a significant debt with a less than proficient “Bookie”, called Byron Hobbs, played by Jerrod Bondy. Byron has inherited the family business and, despite his snappy appearance, doesn’t have the muscle to make a success of the business. Last, but not least, the Greeting Card Delivery Person Jill (I am not sure exactly of the job descriptor) is played by Lisa Aasebo. Jill is less than thrilled with her career choice and is also soon to be unemployed. There you have it; a quartet of economically less than successful protagonists thrown together in what may turn out to be fortuitous circumstances. During the course of the play this unlikely quartet stumbles on a possible solution to their economic troubles. There is money to be made in Porn videos. Without giving too much away here are some images from the dress rehearsal. The Situations “With my camera on my shoulder I reached out and tried to correct a blouse malfunction.” Casting interviews and rehearsals “All’s well that ends well” Once again Cranbrook Community Theatre has another winner with lots of color, lots of costumes, lots of humor and ………. a rollicking good time. Two One Act plays at the Studio / Stage Door: rehearsal Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 8pm. The Exquisite Hour – A one act play written by Edmonton playwright Stewart Lamoine (hurrah for Canadian content), Directed by Elizabeth Ross, staring Jennifer Inglis as Helen Darimont and Patrick Baranowski as Zachary Teale. “He’s a big galoot” ! It is an expression that probably goes way back to the days of Mark Twain and it is a perfect descriptor for Zachary Teale. It is usually meant to describe some one who is socially awkward and clumsy. It’s not usually meant to be malicious. In in an appropriate context, such as in this play, it can be term of endearment. Helen Darimont probably thinks of Zachhary Teale as a “big loveable Galoot”. Helen Darimont is a kind of Patti Page / Doris Day character straight out of a 1950’s TV sit-com. The setting of the play and the musical prelude to the play re-enforces that Dejavu notion. It appears to be set in the days when ladies wore dresses and colored co-ordinated ensembles. It is a tale of infatuation and shyness. Helen poses as a door-to-door encyclopaedia sales man (sorry, sales person) and, in developing a sales-pitch rapport, proceeds to smooth away some of Zachary’s social awkwardness. The play is nicely paced as the characters, with some humor, navigate their way to a point when all is revealed. They are not exactly perfect strangers after all. The cast is perfect; Jennifer Inglis looks and acts like she is straight out of a 1950’s sit-com; Patrick Baranowski has the right amount of awkwardness for the character he portrays. This is a play well worth giving up a night of television hockey. Here are some more images from the play: NEXT a one act play written by the American actor and playwright Terrence McNally, starring Peter Schalk as Marion Cheever and Melodie Hull as Sergeant Thech and directed by Bob McCue. Marion Cheever, played by Peter Schalk, is a man who is unfit, fat and 58 years old. He considers himself unsuitable for any role in the army. His task is to convince the Army Induction Centre examining officer, Sergeant Thech played by Melodie Hull, of his unsuitability. Peter Schalk, in a manner that he does so well, does that in a maniac tour-de-force. Melodie, in contrast, is a solid sea of stern calmness. During the Vietnam war era I am sure the army examiners were exposed to all manners of the absurd behavior by conscripts trying to avoid the draft. This scene reminds me of a scene in the classic cult movie Big Wednesday when all the local surfers, in their efforts to avoid military service, show up as physical and mental head cases. All this in an effort to prove they are unsuitable material to serve in the army. For Marion, in the end, the evidence is overwhelming but once declared unsuitable the outcome is a little unsettling for Marion. He has achieved what he set out to do but he seems to have some trouble accepting the rejection. Here are some images from the play. This play is another good reason to miss a TV hockey game. Visiting Mr. Green What can you do with a good set and only two actors? Actually quite a lot. Case in point is the play Visiting Mr. Green. This is a play written by the American Jeff Baron and is currently playing at the Studio/Stage Door staring Michael Grossman as Mr. Green and Jerrod Bondy as Ross Gardiner. This production is directed by Tanya Laing Gahr in, probably, her last opus for the Cranbrook Community Theatre. Unfortunately for local patrons Tayna is relocating to Vernon. The play explores a number of dimensions of the themes of racial and sexual orientation prejudices and how the issues are mirror reflections in the differing circumstances of the two protagonists. Mr. Green played by Michael Grossman Ross Gardiner played by Jerrod Bondy Jeff Baron’s website As a significant aside I should mention the music selections for the play. As always one of the highlights of the Cranbrook Community productions is their music selections. In the case of Visiting Mr. Green, appropriately, the general mood of the evening was enhanced by a great selection of Klezmer including music by Andy Statman, Geoff Berner and a number of the more traditional ensembles. The outstanding song Weep Bride, Weep by Geoff Berner almost ran the risk of upstaging the play. Here are some lyrics from the song: All of the places have been set, I’m so happy all you honoured guests all came There’s been planning and preparation to put the Normandy invasion to shame This day is all for you so now there’s nothing left to do but weep, bride, weep / weep, bride, weep / weep, bride, weep Weep, bride weep / now your girlhood is over and your womanhood lies stretched out before you / weep, bride, weep Like a dull grey matronly corpse on the coroner’s slab / weep, bride, weep Nothing but the horrifying agony of childbirth for you to look forward to now / weep, bride, weep / While the melodies of yesterday’s parties echo sadly in the past Weep, bride, weep / Now I’m sorry but it’s time for me to talk about the subject of your husband / weep, bride, weep I guess you think he’s pretty ‘cute’ and pretty smart and maybe even pretty deep / well weep, bride weep ‘Cos he’s a closeted marxist who thinks that marriage is state prostitution / weep, bride, weep So sometimes you’ll have to f** him just to get him to shut up and go to sleep Weep, bride, weep / but not too hard, we can’t have you collapsing out of sheer desolation / weep, bride weep Because we need you functionally depressive so you’ll still get up and drive the kids to class / weep, bride, weep Well at least tonight your father’s buying all the liquid consolation and the musicians will enjoy the bridesmaids in the *. Enchanted April, full dress rehearsal at the Studio/Stage Door, Wednesday April 10, 2013, 8pm. It’s a fairly common theme in life and in art. Women, mostly middle aged, become disillusioned with their hum drum life and husbands that no longer pay attention to them. They look for a way out, or at least some diversion to color their existence, and often this comes in the form of travel. To turn the old saying on it’s head “a holiday is as good as a change”. I suspect there is a whole sector of the travel industry that caters to these needs. In Australia the The Australian Woman’s Weekly, now a glossy monthly magazine with a circulation of over 500,000/issue, for years sponsored guided world tours for these jaded ladies. Any casual observation, and an ear for Aussie accents, will detect hundreds of these ladies getting off the tour buses in Jasper and Banff during the summer. In art, the play and the movie Shirley Valentine explored the jaded female theme. If you remember Shirley had resorted to talking to the wall until she packed her bags and headed off to Greece for a bit of sunshine and whatever to spice up her life. She leaves behind a well meaning, but unaware, husband who she hopes will get the message. The play Enchanted April revisits, with some variations, that same emotional territory. Lotty Wilton, played by Tracy Maguire, after a chance encounter with Rose Arnott, played by Jennifer Inglis, schemes to use her pin money to head off to Italy for some much needed R&R. To defray the cost of the castle they wish to rent they enlist the help of a very colorful but jaded socialite, Lady Caroline Bramble, played by Michelle Lemay, and an older lady, Mrs. Graves, played by Nicola Kaufman. The first half of the play revolves around their schemes, anxieties and apprehensions. Lotty is all gungho while Rose is not so sure. Meanwhile the husbands Mellersh Wilton (Sean Swinwood) and Frederick Arnott (Peter Schalk) are mostly oblivious to the ongoing emotional dynamics. The play is set in the years immediately following World War I and the great ‘flu pandemic of 1919. There is sense of loss and aloneness that pervades the first half of the play. The director Terry Miller has done a great job of enhancing these emotions as well as invoking a dreary England with it’s never ending rain and dull interiors. He skillfully moves the first half of the play through nine scenes and eight locations with only slight variations of a single set. All of that changes when the action moves to sunny Italy. I wish I hadn’t left the room for the intermission when they changed set. The contrast between dreary England and sunny Italy is astounding. I spent a good portion of the second half of the play trying to figure out how they changed the set so quickly and dramatically. The Italian sunshine, the castle, the setting, the maid Constanza (Andrea Grossmand) and the owner Anthony Wilding (David Popoff) all work their magic on the ladies as they slowly undergo their respective transformations towards happy resolutions at the end of the play. Even before the play started, while waiting for the curtain to rise (so to speak), the choice of music, prepared me for a wonderful evening. The choice of Dick Hyman, one of my very favorite piano players, created the appropriate atmosphere for the opening act. For those of us who notice these things Dick Hyman, although not a household name, is a favorite of Woody Allen and has often been featured on the sound tracks in many of his films. He is an incredibly skillful musician whose repertoire virtually run the whole gamut of jazz piano. Later, in keeping with the switch to sunny Italy, Dick Hyman took a rest and the music became decidedly Italian with a great selection from the Italian operas. Even the piano music, though not Italian (maybe Spanish), that Mellersh Wilton was “playing” off stage towards the end of the play was a delight. Here are some more images from this delightful play – first dreary England (click on the images for larger views). – and in Sunny Italy: @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ This local production feature “a cast of thousands” and a large pit orchestra of local musicians Here are some random images from Wednesday’s evening (February 12, 2013) final dress rehearsal – click on the images for a larger view Posted in THEATRE \| Tagged Local Performers, McKim Auditorium \| Leave a reply a play written by directed by Dean Nicholson sets by Paul Kershaw cast of over 20 actors, high drama, high comedy, gorgeous costumes The Key City Theatre January 24, 25, 26, 31, February 1, 2, 2013, 7:30 pm Tickets – $20 The Merchant of Venice is William Shakespeare’s play that could have been more aptly titled Shylock – The Defamation of a Jew. It is a play that could not be written under present day circumstances. Political correctness wouldn’t allow it, the Jewish community would not accept it and audiences would find it offensive. But, it was written hundreds of years ago in a different place and in a different time and, time as they say moves on, to the point where audiences can distance themselves from some of the racial overtones of the play. Besides, there is more to the play than the racism. As usual with Shakespeare’s plays nothing is that straightforward. There are the interactions and convolutions of plot and characters. The thrust and parry of lovers trust and betrayal, rebellious children, honor in the mercantile world and then there is the knotty problem of the law versus justice. In and around the major themes there is the spaghetti tangle of a myriad little dramatic and comedic motifs that make Shakespeare just that, Shakespeare. As usual, this local production is great fun with a big cast, a great set and gorgeous costumes. What makes it stand out as a production is the comedic value of the modern electronic devices and stereotypes that, while seemingly out of context, actually appear to be exactly in context. This was a stroke of comedic brilliance. All in all, this is a fun production that is well worth seeing. By all means go and enjoy a wonderful night of Shakespeare. Here are some images from the full dress rehearsal: Posted in THEATRE \| Tagged Shakespeare \| 1 Reply TAKE 4 at Soul Foods Read any Good Books lately? (#15) – Afghanistan ….. with a twist. From the recording studios …. Maddisun Andrea Superstein at Stage 64 The Mistress of Cool – Elizabeth Shepherd Greg Zyn on Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra Jim Webster on Kimberley Pipe Band – Road to 2020 Ceilidh Chris Welner on About Me Michael Occhipinti on Elizabeth Shepherd and Michael Occhipinti at the HeidOut Rod Wilson on Fisher Peak Performing Artists Society (FPPAS)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line805
__label__wiki	0.608216	0.608216	Review: DJ Muggs + Roc Marciano – KAOS October 24, 2018 November 12, 2018 Mark If there’s two men in hip-hop that have kept really busy in 2018, they’d be DJ Muggs and Roc Marciano. DJ Muggs is a well-known producer and DJ for many artists including House of Pain, Ice Cube, GZA (including some collaboration albums), Planet Asia, and Meyhem Lauren among others. He’s also known as a member of Cypress Hill (who also had an album released last month) and leader of the art collective Soul Assassins, who recently released Soul Assassins: Assassination Day (Dia Del Aesinato), which I did plan on reviewing but didn’t have much to say aside from it being a damn good listen. Now with Roc Marciano, he has been the one rapper that’s been grabbing my attention most this year. Originally he was a member of the Flipmode Squad but left in 2001, and he’s been in the underground since then, garnering a lot of internet acclaim. Recently, he put out 2 albums earlier this year with Rosebud’s Revenge 2 (RR2): The Bitter Dose and also from last month, Behold a Dark Horse, and both are good hip-hop albums that have a shot being on my list by the end of this year. Now with Marciano’s bars and Muggs’ production, they team up on this collaboration, and with the singles easily impressing me to hear more, what do I think of this album? To no one’s surprise (well, in case the editor is looking at this), I absolutely loved this album. The entire album has that 1970s exploitation vibe as it starts with the “Kaos Theme,” an instrumental from Muggs driven by the chanting of “Kaos,” which works really well. The production overall is absolutely amazing with its 70s’ influenced sound that uses elements of funk, soul, and rock infused in the instrumentals, each sounding cinematic and lo-fi from the piano-laden “Dolph Lundgren,” the super-soul sounding vibe of “Shit I’m On,” and the classic rock influence you hear on “White Dirt” that sounds like something in the vein of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” The closing track “Wormhole” really offers that sound as well, especially with how the guitar and the piano build-up to, and how it all goes together had me listening to it every time the song pops on, and it is my favorite instrumental on there. However, there is the one song that has more of a trap influence here with “Caught a Lick,” probably to break the mold of sounding too samey, but that’s really not a problem here. For those that are very unfamiliar with Roc Marciano, he raps about what he’s always on: his pimp shit. Yes, Roc is one of those rappers that does stick to what he knows and he has a way of making that interesting to listen to, especially with how he performs with his low tone and authoritative voice that lets you know he’s not fooling around when talking about his lifestyle. For instance, on “Shit I’m on”: I flood the shipyard, you rap subpar Fuck a roof, why cover the cars, white like a Dove bar Park the double R, pull your trump card This hog’s 300 large, front on the guard, you get dumped on You tumbled when your number was called And on “Rolls Royce Rugs”: I’m like the new don, Magic Juan Got niggas rappin’ wrong I had the long mink jacket I had to laugh it off (Ha, ha, ha) The shit niggas had on was half off Fuck all the back and forth I blast for sport (Blast for sport) Drag a Newport Or on the track “Dolph Lundgren”: I’m too valuable to be hanging around you dudes, uh Don’t let this silky soft skin fool ya My heart is cooler than winters in Vancouver Pull the Grand Coupe up, it’s brand new like Grand Puba I keep good shooters, we like the Indiana Hoosiers Uh, I put something sharp in your plumbing I’m not the one to come and fuck with, youngin I bust your shit like Dolph Lundgren Oh, and while I keep bringing up the influences of 1970s blaxploitation, I forgot to mention that according to something I read on XXL, the album serves as a soundtrack to a movie coming spring 2019 that both Muggs and Marciano are acting in, playing childhood friends reclaiming a block after Muggs’ character returned from a 10-year stint in prison. It certainly does feel like this album would fit in with something like that. Overall, I’m definitely digging the hell out of this album, and once again it’s a contender for my best of list. Man, that list is going to have so much good hip-hop that it’s not even funny. The unique production from Muggs and Marciano’s bars combined are stellar and I think this project is better than their solo past projects this year, even if I still stand by those albums being great. It’s just been a good year for gritty, streetwise hip-hop that has an experimental edge to it. FINAL VERDICT: Buy it. It’ll be chaotic to not tune into this album. Kaos is available on Soul Assassins Records via CD, digital download and streaming services. 70s album collaboration DJ Muggs hip hop inspired KAOS Rap review Roc Marciano Soul Assassins Attack on Titan Season 3 – Episode 47 – “Friends” Attack on Titan Season 3 – Episode 48 – “Bystander”	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line808
__label__wiki	0.5495	0.5495	Choose from the alphabetized listing, category drop down, or enter a name, then select the Search option. A \| B \| C \| D \| E \| F \| G \| H \| I \| J \| K \| L \| M \| N \| O \| P \| Q \| R \| S \| T \| U \| V \| W \| X \| Y \| Z \| ALL \| ALL (10 per page) Category: All Categories Cable Providers Waste & Recycling Collection Link: Comcast Website Link: https://www.frontierbundles.com/availability/california/solvang Health Sanitation Services Link: http://www.wm.com/us/local/ca/solvang/residential/ Pacific Gas & Electric Link: https://www.pge.com/ Link: https://www.socalgas.com/ Waste Management/HSS Parks & Rec Activities Register for Parks and Rec Activities Online Utility Bill Payment Easily pay your utility bill online. Santa Ynez Valley Transit Your local public transit service. Search job openings with the City of Solvang. Citizen Alerts Sign up to receive email or text notifications. Contact Info \| City of Solvang \| 1644 Oak Street \| Solvang, CA 93463 \| Ph: 805-688-5575 \| Email Us Using this Site \| Home \| Accessibility \| Site Map \| Translate \| Copyright Notices \| Government Websites by CivicPlus®	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line810
__label__wiki	0.982037	0.982037	‧Taiwan News Home / Taiwan News Thu, Oct 04, 2007 - Page 3　News List Shen Fu-hsiung quits ruling party By Flora Wang / STAFF REPORTER , WITH STAFF WRITER Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄) announced his withdrawal from the party yesterday. Approached for comment at the legislature, Shen, a four-term DPP legislator, said he had stayed "long enough" and "done enough" for the party. Shen said there was no need for him to stay in the party now that "bad boys" within the DPP felt nothing about his outspokenness against them. He did not elaborate. "I am a good DPP member. People [in the party] just don't like me," he said. Lee Cheng-yee (李政毅), director of the DPP's Taipei City chapter, confirmed yesterday that Shen had returned his party membership card to the chapter. Shen had been a member since 1992 when he ran for legislator under the party flag. However, he was long considered a "loner" because of his outspokenness about the party's policies or other members with whom he disagreed. He created a stir before the 2004 presidential poll when he gave credence to claims by tycoon-turned-fugitive Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪) that the businessman had given a donation to first lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) 10 years earlier. Chen Yu-hao said Shen had been a witness to the transaction. Shen's unwillingness to contradict Chen Yu-hao's allegations threatened to derail President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) re-election campaign in the week before the poll. Shen has been sharply criticized ever since by pan-green supporters, who denounced him for being a DPP apostate and for making connections with pro-blue figures. In April 2004, Shen urged pro-green politicians to stop using the phrase "love Taiwan" as an encapsulation of their pro-localization stance, saying the phrase was detrimental to ethnic harmony between the majority Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) and Mainlanders who came to Taiwan after 1945. In May this year, Shen suffered an embarrassing defeat in the party's legislative primary along with 10 other members of DPP's former New Tide faction. DPP Central Standing Committee member Huang Ching-lin (黃慶林) said yesterday that members whose "ideals are different from the party's" should not stay because this would "cause trouble" for the party. Huang said Shen could bring his talents into full play somewhere else. DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) told reporters that he would try to urge Shen to stay, but the chances that he would succeed were slim.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line811
__label__cc	0.614316	0.385684	Committee details Browse meetings and agendas for this committee View contact details for the members of this committee View attendance statistics View declarations of interest Purpose of committee TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE This Committee is a committee of the Council appointed by the Council under the Local Government Act 1972 Certain functions are delegated by this Committee to Officers. Full details may be found in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution Where a function or matter within the Committee's competence has been delegated to an officer, the Committee may exercise that function/matter concurrently with the officer to whom it has been delegated. The exercise of any function or matter within the Committee's competence is always subject to any relevant requirement of the Council’s Constitution including any Special Procedure and Protocol drawn up and approved by the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services in pursuance of Council Procedure Rule 26.2. Standards, ethics and probity To lead on the Council’s duties under Chapter 7 Localism Act 2011 and to design, implement, monitor, approve and review the standards of ethics and probity of the Council, both for Councillors and employees. The Committee’s powers shall include responding to consultation documents and the promulgation of Codes of Conduct but the adoption and revisions to the local Members Code of Conduct shall be reserved to the Council. To promote a culture of openness, ready accountability and probity in order to ensure the highest standards of conduct of Councillors and employees. To lead on all aspects of Corporate Governance by promoting the values of putting people first, valuing public service and creating a norm of the highest standards of personal conduct. To oversee and manage programmes of guidance, advice and training on ethics, standards and probity for Councillors and employees and on the Members Code of Conduct. To be responsible for the Council’s register of Members’ interests and to receive reports from the Monitoring Officer and Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services on the operation of the register from time to time. To be responsible for written guidance and advice on the operation of the system of declarations of Members’ Interests and to receive reports form the Monitoring Officer on the operation of the system of declarations from time to time. To establish, monitor, approve and issue advice and guidance to Councillors on a system of dispensations to speak on, or participate in, matters in which they have interests and give dispensation in appropriate cases. To exercise the functions of the Council in relation to the ethical framework, corporate governance and standards of conduct of Joint Committees and other bodies. To establish a Standards Sub-Committee to investigate and determine appropriate action in respect of alleged breaches of the Members Code of Conduct. To support the Monitoring Officer and Chief Financial Officer in their statutory roles and the issuing of guidance on them from time to time. To receive regular reports on the performance of the Corporate Complaints process, Local Government Ombudsman referrals, Annual Governance Statement and Code of Corporate Governance and to recommend revisions to related policies and procedures as appropriate. Audit Role To provide independent assurance on the adequacy of the risk management framework and the internal control and reporting environment, including (but not limited to) the reliability of the financial reporting process and the annual governance statement. To be satisfied and provide assurance that appropriate action is being taken on risk and internal control related issues identified by the internal and external auditors and other review and inspection bodies. To receive, and make recommendations on, such reports as are required in relation to all audit matters including the Annual Audit Plan. The Committee shall specifically have responsibility for oversight of and provision of assurance on the following functions: · ensuring that Council assets are safeguarded; · maintaining proper accounting records; · ensuring the independence, objectivity and effectiveness of internal and external audit; · the arrangements made for cooperation between internal and external audit and other review bodies; · considering the reports of internal and external audit and other review and inspection bodies; · the scope and effectiveness of the internal control systems established by management to identify, assess, manage and monitor financial and nonfinancial risks (including measures to protect against, detect and respond to fraud). Councillor Eamonn Keogh (Chair) Councillor Toqeer Kataria (Vice-Chair) Councillor Graham Galton Councillor Rob Harwood Councillor Professor Barrie Margetts Councillor Sally Spicer Councillor Ivan White Claire Heather (Secretary) Support officer: Claire Heather, Senior Democratic Support Officer. 023 8083 2412	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line813
__label__wiki	0.517001	0.517001	SAGE Meets Choose from our main categories or view All Speakers All Categories Business: Execution & Strategy Business: Leadership & Management Business: Training & Coaches Education & Personal Development Event & Hospitality International Affairs & Politics Media & Current Affairs Adi Divgi Related Speakers Search Providing you with the best talent & perspective - Need help finding speakers? 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USA Boston, Massachuset, USA New York City, New York, USA Singapore Chicago, Illinois, USA McLean,Virgina, USA Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Lausanne, Switzerland Mountain View, California, USA Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Switzerland Bangkok, Thailand Los Angeles, California, USA Rhode Island, USA Thailand San Francisco, California, USA Beijing, China & London, UK San Diego, California, USA Montana, USA Houston, Texas, USA UK London, UK Denver, Colorado, USA Canada Montana, USA Japan Tokyo, Japan Australia Shanghai, China & San Francisco, California, USA Event Format 1-on-1 meeting small group meeting luncheon keynote moderator panelist interview corporate trainings group presentations Book Speaker Based in New York City, New York, USA President and CIO of EA Global, an LLC that manages only his family’s assets Head of Alternative Investments and Director of Commercial Real Estate at Catalina Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd, a $3+bn gross AUM reinsurer Expert in Structured / Corporate Credit & Macroeconomic Trends Member of Junior Committee for the NYC Police & Fire Widows & Children Benefit Fund Adi DIVGI has been President and Chief Investment Officer of EA Global, his single family office, since its 2005 inception. He is also Head of Alternative Investments at Catalina, a $3+bn AUM reinsurer. Prior to his current institutional investor role, Divgi oversaw the Opportunistic Fixed Income investment program at the New York City Bureau of Asset Management from March 2011 to April 2014. With approval from the 4 participating NYC Retirement Systems’ Boards of Trustees, Divgi executed over $3.5 billion in capital commitments in Opportunistic Fixed Income. He also oversaw the initial development of the manager search process for the approximate $1.5 billion allocation to Emerging Market Debt for the Teachers’ Retirement System. Divgi began his credit career at Deutsche Bank, working in New York and Mexico City, and is a graduate of the Huntsman Program, with a BA in International Studies (Spanish minor) from the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Economics and MBA in Finance from Wharton. Fluent in Spanish, Divgi lives in New York City with his wife and son, and is on the Junior Committee for the NYC Police & Fire Widows & Children Benefit Fund. CategoriesEconomics & Finance, Investment, Macro Economy, Mergers and Acquisitions Adi Divgi: Extended credit: Alternative Strategy Across The Credit Spectrum Mr. Adi Divgi, participated in Cayman Alternative Investment Summit 2015 on the panel of Extended credit: Alternative Strategy Across The Credit Spectrum. Please click on below picture to watch part of his appearance. Please contact us for the full video if interested. Mr. Adi Divgi at Cayman Alternative Investment Summit 2015 Source: Courtesy of Mr. Adi Divgi Adi Divgi: Latin Investors Summit 2015 Original title: Latin Investors Summit 2015 – Event Highlights The 3rd marcus evans Latin Investors Summit delivered world class briefings from some of the leading minds in the investment industry including: ASAFONDOS, CONSAR, Forbes, Afore Copel, EA Global LLC., Hawk Algorithms and many more. Join the 2016 Summit along with top investment consultants and money managers in an intimate environment for a focused discussion on the key drivers shaping the investment industry. Mr. Adi Divgi, President and Chief Investment Officer of EA Gloabl LLC, served as Chairman of the Summit. Listen to his review in the summary video of the event here (00’32”-00’41” ,01’41”-01’52”, 02’53”-03’06”). Source: Latin Investors Summit 2015 – Event Highlights Adi Divgi: Give me a deal (L to R) Larissa Herczeg of Oak Street Real Estate Capital, Kathy Briscoe of Cordia Capital Management, CML Investments’ Mark Kruttschnitt and Adi Divgi of EA Global Family offices spoke out in Los Angeles about the turn-ons and offs of investing in real estate at the PERE Global Investor Forum. A rare glimpse into the way family offices think about real estate was offered during PERE’s annual Global Investor Forum in Los Angeles in April. In a session called “All in the Family”, three panelists explained how their respective organizations dealt with modern-day investing and what potential deal partners could do to turn them off. Moderated by Larissa Herczeg, managing partner and chief investment officer of seeding and strategic capital at Chicagobased Oak Street Real Estate Capital, the panelists comprised; Kathy Briscoe, chief operating and real estate investment officer at Cordia Capital Management, Mark Kruttschnitt of CML Investments and Adi Divgi, president and chief investment officer of EA Global. Divgi, who used to oversee opportunistic fixed income investments for four New York City pension funds and now invests on behalf of his own family office and a reinsurance company, said the way he invested in real estate was more “happenstance”. Addressing a question concerning the turn-offs of a potential partner bringing a deal, he said lack of knowledge of tax effects of investing was “disappointing”. The managers that have the knowledge and know-how to structure deals will certainly have a leg up in my book. He said he preferred evaluating managers smaller than $2.5 billion in total assets under management as he typically found greater “alpha” in that strata of investment partners. He cited an example of an investment in a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm that raised $25 million, making an investment into the fund at the final close, after it had already sold one investment. Investing at the final close enabled us to get a level of visibility that many managers do not provide, because they encourage you to get in by the first close. The visibility, transparency, and proceeds coming back so quickly were among the factors that I found compelling. Cordia Capital’s Briscoe said the firm was only making direct investments and was working with consultants to help inform asset allocation and provide good risk-adjusted return analysis. The family office has a mandate for core, value added and opportunistic investments. She said one of the challenges was in having a lean staff and to compensate the talented team as if they were working on a long-term fund. Meanwhile, Kruttschnitt explained how he looked at just risk-adjusted returns for the different asset classes and said family offices thought a lot more about taxation than institutional investors did. He said most of the deals he becomes involved with are introduced by local operating partners. “Being part of the GP can be great,” he said. “It needs regular meetings and takes a lot more time than being a limited partner but the pays-off can be much more lucrative.” But one of the most frequent factors that made him “walk away shaking his head” was either not agreeing with an individual’s view or a lack of preparedness on the part of the firm introducing a deal. He said: “It is amazing to me how little due diligence some managers will do before presenting a deal to their equity markets. If I can find problems with the deal in the first five minutes that they hadn’t thought about after three weeks of showing it to multiple investors I just walk away not only from that deal but from the person that is presenting it to me.” Responding to another question about common mistakes, he said mistakes were linked to resources and experience. “If you don’t have a long background in real estate you shouldn’t be making direct investments. It is the same with venture capitalism. If you don’t have tech expertize, you should not be doing individual VC deals. Sometimes people get stuck when they don’t know the submarket or type of property or the greater economy of the area.” Divgi added he was often looking to network with other family offices where not only could he swap ideas but also be introduced to transactions. He added he was also looking at making fund commitments, but highlighted how alignment of interest was important. If a manager puts in 1 percent of the equity and they are taking out 1 percent in fees every year I don’t think that is skin in the game. I would look for a much higher percentage. With direct deals there is much more alignment of interest. Source: PERE magazine June 2015 issue The Case for Collaborative Procurement an Interview with Adi Divgi In this week’s blog, I interview Adi Divgi, president of EA Global, his single-family office established in 2005. Adi offers valuable insight into Collaborative Procurement, and why family offices should care. Adi’s Background Adi was born in India and raised in New York. He attended public primary and secondary school in Manhattan before earning his BA in International Studies (Spanish minor) from the University of Pennsylvania, a BS in Economics and an MBA in Finance from Wharton. He is a proud graduate of the Huntsman Program. Adi began his career at Deutsche Bank, working in New York and Mexico City. Being a global traveler with native fluency in Spanish, he found that his international background allowed him to adopt a more global mindset with respect to his investment philosophy and approach to risk. Adi established EA Global in 2005 so that his family could administer its various properties, and overall asset allocation from a centralized investment vehicle. The family office currently has one operating vehicle and one investment subsidiary. In 2013 the family had a liquidity event- selling one of their Manhattan properties. Looking to the future, EA Global plans to diversify away from residential real estate, and replace lost rental yield with current income-generating strategies. In addition to EA Global, Adi is head of Alternative Investments at Quanta US Holdings Inc.- a Catalina Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd Company. Prior to his current role at Quanta, he oversaw a substantial Alternative Investments program at a large North American institutional investor. With approval from the investor’s board of trustees, he executed over $3.5 billion in capital commitments in alternative investments. He also oversaw the initial development of the manager search process for the investor’s $1.5 billion allocation to Emerging Markets Debt. Adi’s two proudest accomplishments are creating an evergreen investment platform in his prior institutional role that has generated over a 15% net IRR since inception, and having his wife, Ekta, and son, Arjun, featured as models in Season 10 of Project Runway. (Click Here for link. Arjun’s cameo is at 4:24 and Ekta’s dialogue starts at 7:21). What is Collaborative Procurement? Why should family offices care? Collaborative Procurement enables like-minded families to create “commingled separate accounts”, into which capital is contributed to invest proactively in a common mandate. Family offices employing Collaborative Procurement could potentially replicate an institutional investor’s ability to create strategic partnerships with best-of-breed managers. These partnerships, in addition to a more competitive pricing structure, would also more effectively align the interests of the family office investor’s limited partners with those of the fund manager and general partner. What are 1-2 simple truths to family office investing? What are the opportunities for FOs through partnering with an institutional investor? The biggest truth is that all families are different. Family dynamics, idiosyncrasies and values influence choices families make about their assets. As a result, investment programs need to be designed at the outset to incorporate each family’s unique situation. I discovered another simple truth in March 2011, when I simultaneously managed my EA Global family office responsibilities, and oversaw a $7.5 billion allocation in alternative investments at a top-10 AUM US institutional investor. Although it has narrowed over the past several decades, there continues to be a wide gap between the private wealth and institutional worlds in terms of their respective investment approaches towards alternatives. Having “worn two hats” I saw firsthand the tremendous benefits of developing best practices in investing, as well as infrastructure in my clients’ institutional portfolios. This experience led to subsequent potential implementation of such practices in EA Global’s platform. Other family offices can similarly benefit from implementing institutional best practices for alternatives in investments and infrastructure. The alternatives investment platform that I created started investing in December 2011 and has generated over 15% net IRR as of December 2013 across approximately $1.5 billion in invested capital. It is important to remember that there is no free lunch. Best practices entail fixed costs that typically require a minimum commitment to make implementation economically feasible. How might a family office go about partnering or find peer investors to scale their platform? Where should they turn for resources or advice? The key ingredient for a successful and scalable platform is a strong leader who can execute the institutional investment strategy and develop corresponding infrastructure. I would strongly suggest exploring the Global Thought Leadership Network to maximize sourcing opportunities. Critical mass is also very important to offset fixed costs associated with incorporation of institutional best practices in alternatives. I am also a potential resource for family offices since I have executed this strategy, developed the infrastructure and created a global sourcing network on behalf of EA Global and my institutional investor clients. My on-the-ground sourcing relationships are based in Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, among other locations. What are 2-3 best practices for family offices when it comes to collaborative procurement? The most important thing is for families to have a common set of core investment guidelines. These include a drawdown (versus fully-funded) investment structure that is incentivized to seek opportunities only when they offer the best risk-adjusted return based on a benchmark agreed upon upfront by the investor limited partners. Similarly, the capital would be returned to the vehicle when such returns are no longer attractive on a risk-adjusted basis. Independent service providers are also important so that there is no conflict of interest. These include Administrator, Bank Custodian and Prime Broker Custodians (if applicable). Posted by: Adi Divgi, Source: Interviewed by Dr. Kirby Rosplock on 3 July 2014, Dr. Kirby Rosplock Blog Interview with Adi Divgi on collaborative procurement The third feature this week is an audio interview with Adi Divgi on the topic of “collaborative procurement.” Adi is the president of EA Global – a single family office created in 2005. Interviewed by Practitioner editorial committee member, Kirby Rosplock. Click here to hear the audio. About the contributor: Adi Divgi is the president of EA Global – a single family office created in 2005. Source: posted by FFIPRACTITIONER, The Practitioner, August 20, 2014 Adi Divgi: What Family Offices Can Learn from Institutional Investors Adi Divgi, a speaker at the marcus evans Elite Summit 2014, on how family offices can incorporate institutional best practices towards alternative investments in their own portfolios to attempt to replicate the success that such institutional funds have had. Interview with: Adi Divgi, President, EA Global “If family offices act in aggregate to create “commingled separate accounts” in which their assets are bundled with assets of other like-minded family offices, they could have the potential ability to act like larger institutions and create strategic partnerships with best of breed managers,” proposes Adi Divgi, President of EA Global. Such family offices, he adds, could effectively replicate what he successfully did at a multibillion dollar North American plan sponsor until this past April for an allocation of USD 7.5 billion to opportunistic credit. Mr. Divgi, a speaker at the marcus evans Elite Summit 2014, taking place in Montreux, Switzerland, 16 – 18 June, shares his unique perspective on investing, as a manager who has worn both the institutional and private wealth management “hats”. What could private wealth managers learn from your experiences at the multibillion dollar North American plan sponsor? Mr. Divgi created the first and only fund of one investment platform in alternatives at the plan sponsor, in which the sponsor acted as the sole limited partner. It created customised accounts with best of breed investment managers, incorporating best practices on market trends, valuation, pricing, administration, and policies that Mr. Divgi learned from thought leaders in the investment and infrastructure space. Given the size of the plan sponsor’s fund, Mr. Divgi executed tickets that ranged from USD 250 to USD 600 million, allowing the sponsor to drive the conversation with managers and align interests as much as possible. Most family offices cannot write checks north of USD 50 million. “Bundling” would enable like-minded family offices to pool their assets to create a “commingled separate account”. Combining this structure with the institutional best practices that Mr. Divgi implemented at the plan sponsor would enable these families potentially to replicate the success that the plan sponsor had in generating compelling returns in this alternative investment platform (15% net annualised since inception IRR as of 31 December 2013, with inception on 15 December 2011). It is critical that these families hire an advisor who has had success negotiating with managers, executing the investment strategy, and developing the corresponding infrastructure. What asset types would this structure best accommodate? It can accommodate both short- and long-duration assets, from less than one-year paper on one end to private credit and direct lending to mid-market companies on the other. Families should know in advance that this structure does not accommodate periodic liquidity (e.g. on a monthly or quarterly basis), but rather is similar to a drawdown structure with an investment period in which the capital commitment is locked up over a certain number of years. Banks have typically dominated the private credit area, especially in Europe. Due to increased scrutiny and regulation, they can no longer lend in the same volume. As a result, many companies are starved of capital. Institutional capital can effectively replace banks as lenders of last resort. This vehicle could effectively do that either by providing a manager with capital as a limited partner or by investing directly in assets that would be managed internally post-execution. Again, it is absolutely critical that the families interested in developing this structure and platform hire a leader with success in executing such a mandate at the institutional level. If this concept was successful at the plan sponsor, does it mean the platform would also work in any family office? Although there are many reasons why this platform was successful at the plan sponsor, the platform itself may not necessarily be appropriate for every family office. However, there are institutional best practices that families could incorporate in their own portfolios of alternatives to enable them potentially to replicate the plan sponsor’s success to a significant degree. Original title: Elite Summit 2014: Adi Divgi News Release, Source: PRESS-OFFICER, 2014/05/14, MARCUS EVANS Press Adi Divgi: A Case for Collaborative Procurement Here at gaim we’re looking forward to our next event in Monaco, which is hurtling towards us at the speed of a Formula 1 racing car! To find out a bit more about some of our speakers, we’ve been asking them to talk about subjects that are of significance to them and to the industry. We caught up with Adi Divgi, President & CIO of EA GLOBAL, who answers some questions on collaborative procurement and how this can work for investors; with the right resources, market intelligence and investment principles. To hear more from Adi, come and listen to Investor Quest at 12.20 on Monday 22nd June. Adi Divgi, president and CIO of EA Global, his family’s private investment LLC established in 2005, provides GAIM insight into Collaborative Procurement. Q: What is ‘Collaborative Procurement’? Why should Institutional Investors and Family Offices care? A: Collaborative Procurement enables Institutional Investors as well as Family Offices to create ‘commingled separate accounts’ in which capital is contributed to invest proactively in a common mandate, e.g. LP interests in a hedge or private equity fund, or a direct credit or equity investment. In addition, Collaborative Procurement could potentially enable Institutional Investors and Family Offices to create strategic partnerships with best-of-breed managers. These partnerships, if executed properly, effectively align Limited Partners and General Partner interests with higher than average thresholds for pay-for-performance as well as potentially greater control for the Limited Partners over investment guidelines and portfolio construction. Q: What are 2 simple truths about Collaborative Procurement? A: One simple truth is that Collaborative Procurement is not easy. Dynamics among Institutional Investors and Family Offices are ever-changing. Investment programs therefore need to be designed to be flexible at the outset to incorporate each Investor’s unique situation.Adi has discovered another simple truth in the past 4 years: Collaborative Procurement, if executed properly, works. Since drawing capital in December 2011, the NYC Pensions’ platform that Adi developed has generated 14+% net annualized IRR as of December 2014 across almost $2bn in investments. There continues to be a wide gap between the Family Office and Institutional Investor worlds in terms of their respective investment approaches towards Alternative Investments, although it has narrowed over the past several years. Since March 2011, Adi has simultaneously managed his EA Global responsibilities and overseen 2 institutional investment programs consecutively: first, an $8 billion allocation to Opportunistic Fixed Income at the 4 participating NYC Pension Funds until April 2014, and since then, a nascent platform for Alternative Investments at Catalina. After seeing first-hand the benefits of developing best practices in investing and infrastructure for Alternatives in these two institutional roles, Adi has implemented many in EA Global’s own platform. Institutional Investors and Family Offices could potentially benefit from implementing such best practices in their own programs, as evidenced by the performance of the ‘fund-of-few’ Opportunistic Fixed Income platform that Adi developed at the NYC Pensions. Q: How might Institutional Investors and Family Offices partner or find peer investors to scale their platforms? Where should they turn for resources or advice? A: Key ingredients for a successful and scalable platform include: 1. An experienced leader who can execute the institutional investment strategy and develop the corresponding infrastructure; 2. Development of global networks to maximize sourcing of investment opportunities and market intelligence; 3. Minimum AUM to offset fixed costs associated with the implementation of institutional best practices.On a selective basis, Adi serves as a potential advisor on Collaborative Procurement to Institutional Investors and Family Offices since developing his platform at the NYC Pensions and creating a global ‘Thought Leadership Network’ on behalf of both EA Global and his institutional investors. His on-the-ground relationships are based in Monaco, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, and Panama City, among other locations. Q: What is the most important best practice for Institutional Investors and Family Offices when it comes to Collaborative Procurement involving strategic partnerships with potential General Partners? A: It is imperative that Institutional Investors and Family Offices have a common set of core investment principles before seeking a strategic General Partner for a Collaborative Procurement program, e.g. developing a drawdown (versus fully-funded) investment structure that is incentivized to seek opportunities only when they offer the best risk-adjusted return based on a benchmark agreed upfront by the Investor Limited Partners. When returns are no longer attractive on a risk-adjusted basis, the capital would be returned to the vehicle. Independent service providers (i.e. Administrators, Bank Custodians, and Prime Brokers) are also important to minimize potential conflicts of interest in the valuation and pricing of the underlying partnership assets. Source: A Case for Collaborative Procurement, gaim Adi Divgi: Incorporating institutional best practices into the family office investment structure Adi Divgi, President, EA Global and a speaker at the Elite Summit 2014 discusses bridging the gap: incorporating institutional best practices into the family office investment structure. There tends to be a wide gap between the institutional and private wealth worlds when it comes to the approach they take to their respective alternative investment portfolios. The structure and focus must accommodate the unique needs and regulatory frameworks governing each. Adi Divgi has extensive expertise across both institutional and private wealth areas, from his successful track record at a multi-billion dollar North American plan sponsor to the development of his own single family office. Source: Marcus Evans Elite Summit (June) 2014, The Regional Collection: Europe & Middle East Structured Credit Private Market Investments Commercial Real Estate Debt / Equity Investments; Residential Real Estate Debt / Equity Investments Macroeconomic Trends Thematic Issues (e.g. recent emergence of Asia Infrastructure Investment Fund as competitor to ADB) Adi Divgi Keynote Presentation – Marcus Evans Latin Investor Summit Mar 2015 Adi Divgi at Cayman Alt Inv Summit_February17 Adi Divgi at Global ARC Boston_October 2016 Adi Divgi at Opal AIS_December 2013 Adi Divgi at Opal EM Summit South_November 2013 Adi Divgi at Opal Exchange Monaco_October 2014 Adi Divgi at Opal ME FO Symp_November 2013 Adi Divgi at Opal Toronto FO+PW Forum_January 2014 Book Adi Divgi Thanks for your booking! One of our dedicated staff will be in contact with you in 24 hours about your booking. Email: info@sageworldwide.com Get started with SAGE © 2020 SAGE Worldwide SAGE WORLDWIDE is not operated by, sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with SAGE Publications, Inc. in any way or manner. Drop us a line here to see how we can help you. Don’t like forms? Simply email info@sageworldwide.com. Suite A, Guanghualu SOHO 3Q, No.9 Guanghualu, Jianwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100020, China SAGE Member Login	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line815
__label__cc	0.522799	0.477201	Customized Tours and Educational Trips Hawaii (Big Island) Band Trips Black History Tours Atlanta Black History Tour Boy Scouts Washington, D.C. Broadway Tours Fashion Tours Pilgrims and Patriots Senior Class Trips You are here: Home / Destinations / Hawaii Tours / Kauai Frequently called “The Garden Isle,” this westernmost island has been the setting for films such as Jurassic Park, Lilo and Stitch, South Pacific, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is easy to see why, as Kauai is famous for its lush rainforest and breathtaking landscapes. The Na Pali Coast, whose name means “the cliffs,” is a must-see. Sail along the beautiful, rugged coastline or brave the 11-mile hike which winds past rocky beaches, waterfalls, and the ancient fishing village of Nu’alolokai. One of the most beautiful places in Na Pali is Kalalau Valley. You can take in the magnificent views from the Kalalau or Pu’u o Kila lookouts, at a towering elevation of 4,000 feet. Just watch out for nene (Hawaiian geese) in the parking lot! The other natural wonder of Kauai is Waimea Canyon, whose rocky features are said to rival the beauty of the Grand Canyon. The state park features 45 miles of hiking trails, which range in difficulty from easy to strenuous and include the popular Pihea and Alakai Swamp trails. On the other side of the island, you can float down Hawaii’s only navigable river by boat tour or kayak. The Wailua River features sights such as the Fern Grotto (a lava rock cave festooned with hanging ferns) and the peaceful Opaekaa and Wailua waterfalls. “Kauai Beach Scene” by Kathy McGraw If you want even more adventure on your visit to Kauai, take a whale watching or snorkeling tour, ride horses at Princeville Ranch, go tubing down irrigation canals at Kauai Backcountry Adventures, or hook onto a zipline and go soaring over the treetops at 35 miles per hour! For some slower paced fun, spend a day shopping and exploring the historical sites of Kauai’s towns. Lihue, the government center of Kauai, is home to the Kauai Museum, sandy Kalapaki Beach, whose gentle waters are perfect for swimming, and several enjoyable evening luaus. Poipu Beach is another great place to spend an afternoon, as the beach attracts sea turtles and endangered monk seals in addition to sunbathers and snorkelers. Poipu also has some of Kauai’s best resorts, shopping, dining, and golf. A visit to Kauai is not complete, however, without a visit to its small towns. Many films have been set in Hanapepe, whose charming storefronts have changed little since WWII, when it was bustling with soldiers and sailors. Every Friday night is Art Night, when local artists open their galleries and the town is aglow with food, music, and of course, art. Nearby Koloa is built on the grounds of an old sugar plantation and its Sugar Monument honors the immigrants who worked there. Other interesting places to visit on Kauai include the Spouting Horn Blowhole, Prince Kuhio Park, the historic Waioli Mission House with its bright green church, and a multitude of botanical gardens. With gorgeous scenery, fun adventures, and quaint towns, the Garden Isle awaits you! Call us Toll-Free at 877-397-5700 to request a proposal for your school trip OR, complete the form below. Disney Honors Disney Performing Arts Onstage © 2018 · Log in	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line822
__label__cc	0.521186	0.478814	New Heaven’s Sword and Dragon’s Sabre Thread: New Heaven’s Sword and Dragon’s Sabre Mandred Skavenslayer Originally Posted by Dongfang Xue Mandred where is the next chapter? Thanks for popping in. Hope you like the chapter Wuji smiled as he finished reading the letter from Buhui. The last time he had seen her was five years ago, when he had delivered her to Yang Xiao. However at least once a month, Buhui would send him a letter from Bright Summit. Wuji was glad to know that Buhui was happy in her new home and wrote back to her just as regularly. Carefully he folded the letter back into its envelope and put it into a small chest stacked with other letters. Here he kept his letters from Buhui, his maternal grandfather, his cousin Yin Li and his friend Baoxin. Of the latter he had the least letters owing the the great distance between them but he treasured every one he got. He was thrilled to read about his friend’s adventures in hunting rogue Martial Artists and suppressing local bandits. A part of Wuji was envious of his friend’s exciting life, compared to his rather dull existence but for the most part Wuji was happy with his quiet life. Locking the chest he picked up a sealed jar and a large bundle then walked outside. He had one more task to do before he went to see his Tai Sifu. As he rounded a corner he heard a familiar voice and his heart dropped. In front of him was Qingshu and a group of his friends. Wuji’s and Qingshu’s eyes met for an instant, then the latter turned and continued walking, followed by his lackeys. It had been this way ever since Wuji had defeated him three years ago. As Baoxin had predicted, Qingshu’s attacks had stopped, instead he treated Wuji as if he did not exist. As much as possible Qingshu avoided being in the same place as Wuji and even when they did meet Qingshu completely ignored. For his part Wuji was glad to be left alone, even though he wished things could be different between them. Shrugging off the depressing thought Wuji continued walking. He soon arrived at Yu Daiyan’s room and knocked gently on the door. Entering after receiving permission Wuji saw his Third Uncle sitting in wicker chair, attended by Qing Feng and Ming Yue. Wuji placed the jar and bundle down, then knelt beside his uncle: “How are you today San Si-bo?” “Very well. In fact I thought I might do a little dance.” joked Daiyan, smiling as his spirits lifted at seeing his nephew. Wuji smiled back then turned to the attending priests: “I have brought some ointment and bandages. Remember to change them for San Si-bo first thing in the morning and last thing at night.” “Wuji, would you stop fussing. Qing Feng and Ming Yue know how to look after me. You better hurry and not keep your Tai Sifu waiting.” As Wuji left, Daiyan’s smile widened in pride. The third of Wudang’s seven heroes never had any children but if he did, he could not have wished for a better son than Wuji. Having watched the boy grow into manhood, he felt honoured to have been part of his upbringing. Fondly he remembered the time they spent together, where Wuji would treat is injuries and he would advise the boy on how to improve his technique. Daiyan only wished that he could have taken up a sword and actively taught Wuji. When Wuji closed the door Daiyan made a silent prayer for him to succeed in his upcoming trial. Zhang Sanfeng watched Wuji approach, the priest’s face gravely sombre . The boy bowed deeply to his Tai Sifu. Zhang Sanfeng replied with a nod then turned and pointed to the cave mouth: “Inside is water and dried rations for three months. Are you ready?” Wuji nodded then walked solemnly inside. Zhang Sanfeng placed his hand on a large rock at the side of the cave, then slid it over the cave mouth completely sealing Wuji of from the world. The priest let out a sigh. Ten years of hard work culminated into this one moment. Wuji had entered into totally isolation in order to master the Ninth and last level of Nine Yang Divine Art. After three months the boy will either emerge as one of the great powers of the world or perish. Zhang Sanfeng felt a moment of blind panic and the urge to cast aside the large rock and bring Wuji back. Common sense however prevailed. The boy had made his choice and as much as he wanted to, even Zhang Sanfeng could not protect him from every single danger in life. With a heavy heart the priest turned and walked away, silently praying with all his heart that he had not just sent Wuji to meet his parents. The iron doors swung open and two women stepped out. Two dozen apprentices dropped to their knees and in one voice greeted the pair: “Congratulation to Sifu for obtaining supreme power. May you bring glory to Emei and forever enlighten the world”. Miejue basked in the adulation of her apprentices, then turned smiling to Zhou Zhiruo. The girl had blossomed into a ravishing beauty, with porcelain white skin, lush black hair, a graceful body and large doe like eyes. Just looking at her would gladden one’s heart. But it was her intelligence that made her Miejue’s favourite. Zhiruo was by far the most gifted her her apprentices and the only one who could fully comprehend the supreme art of Nine Yin Divine Art. Even so, Miejue had been reluctant to take the girl fully into her confidence, remembering the betrayal of her former favourite. However one year ago, the Abbess had finally decided to teach the skill to Zhiruo when she witnessed the girl’s actions in a raid on a Mongolian camp. Zhiruo had been utterly merciless, killing not only soldiers but also every Mongolian woman and spawn she could get her hands on. Such a display of righteous fury had convinced Miejue of her worthiness to study Emei’s most sacred art. For an entire year Miejue had subjected the girl to the most intensive of training, pushing her slim frame to breaking point. It had all been worth it, for finally Zhiruo had mastered enough of the art that she had been able to use it to cure Miejue of her injuries that had prevented her from fully mastering the art. Although recovered, Miejue estimated that she would still need to spend another five to ten years studying Nine Yin Divine Art, before she could challenge the likes of Zhang Sanfeng. Still, even at this early stage she could feel the immense power welling up inside of her, firing her imagination of what the future might hold. Miejue took her seat at the front of the Hall, with Zhiruo standing to her right. Below them were assembled the apprentices of Emei, who stood silently as they waited for the Abbess’s command. Miejue gestured for one of her senior apprentices, a nun by the name of Bei Jinyi to come forward and was instantly obeyed: “Has anything of interest occurred, while I was in isolation?” “Nothing worthy of your attention, Sifu. However, a letter did arrive from Guild-Master Shi.” replied the nun as she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a sealed envelope, which she promptly handed to the Abbess. Miejue ripped it open and took out a folded red letter. Swiftly her eyes scanned the letter and a smile spread across her lips. Zhiruo noticed her Sifu’s expression: “Good news, Sifu?” “The best. The Beggar’s Guild is hosting a gathering at Mount Hua, on the Winter solstice.” “Whatever for?” asked Zhirou “They are calling this the Wolf expelling gathering.” Answered Miejue. Zhirou’s smile mirrored her Sifu’s. Wolf was the secret word used amongst the Martial Arts schools and revolutionaries to represent the Yuan dynasty. By choosing this name for the gathering, the Beggar’s Guild was making their motive very clear. Both women were overjoyed by the prospect of the upcoming gathering. Zhirou welcoming the chance to kill the hated Mongol and Miejue for the opportunity to display her new found powers. Sifu and apprentice shared this moment of mutual satisfaction. Daiqisi looked into the brazier, seemingly mesmerized by the dancing flames. Holding out her right hand, she hovered her palm above the fire. Slowly she lifted her hand up and a ball of fire, the size of a fist came with her, as if drawn by the magnetic pull of a lodestone. The fireball stood suspended in mid air, its flame feeding of the gentle stream of Qi energy, that Daiqisi was flowing into it. Suddenly the flames flared up, turning from orange to white, then blue. Daiqisi’s gaze shot towards Xiaozhao, who was sitting on the other side of the room, legs crossed and eyes closed. The flaming blue ball shot across the room in blinding speed, covering the distance of a dozen feet in the blink of an eye. It seemed certain that the burning missile would slam into the young woman’s face but when the ball was less than an inch away it suddenly stopped dead. Xiaozhao’s eyes sprang open, and her wonderful sapphire gaze bore into the blue fire hovering before her. The intensity of the flames died as quickly as they had been born, the blue flames swiftly turning to white, then orange and finally dispersing harmlessly in the air. Daiqisi tapped a finger onto the rim of a bronze bowl, and the water within it sprang up in a white fountain. The water froze instantly in the air then flew towards Xiaozhao like an icy spear. Like the fireball, the ice spear also crashed into the invisible barrier but instead of coming to a dead stop, it shattered into a glittering shower the wreathed the young woman in a sparkling aura. Xiaozhao looked at her mother with hopeful eyes, then smiled as she received a satisfactory nod. Daiqisi looked proudly at her daughter as she walked into the room, carrying a tray of warm tea and fresh pastries. With the doting eyes of a mother, the Mistress of the Ming Cult studied Xiaozhao. The young woman had a small but shapely body. Slim in waist, strong of limb and full of breast she had the kind of figure that men desired and women envied. Daiqisi felt a moment of nostalgia, remembering how her own body once looked so good. However, if Xiaozhao body was beautiful, then her face was divine. The perfect blend of classic Chinese beauty and alluring exoticism it was a face that would melt the heart of anyone who looked upon it. Yet for all her daughter’s physical attraction, it was her intellect that truly made her mother proud. Xiaozhao had a keen mind coupled with an almost supernatural level of empathy, allowing her correctly assess people and situations to a frightening degree of accuracy. The young woman’s talents extended into the Martial Arts and she had mastered the ‘Heaven and Earth Great Shift’ almost as well as her mother. Daiqisi had been cultivating the art for twenty years, ever since she had discovered her adopted parents bodies in the Sacred Caves. However it was only in the last few years that she had made real progress in the art, thanks largely to the Holy Tablets. The text written on the sacred artefacts were in fact a secret Qi cultivation formula, which complemented the ‘Heaven and Earth Great Shift’, allowing Daiqisi to reach level seven of the art, a feat never matched by any of her predecessors. Daiqisi had shared the secret with her daughter and the earlier trial of fire and ice had proven that Xiaozhao had now reached the same level as her mother. Xiaozhao set the tray down on the table beside her mother and saw a red letter lying there. Daiqisi noticed her daughter looking at the letter: “It is an invitation from Shi Huolong.” Xiaozhao nodded her head. The Beggar’s Guild was one of the few orthodox institutions that the Ming Cult had regular dealings with, as both of them were major players in the movement to oust the Yuan Dynasty. As such, they had developed a professional relationship, that while not friendly was respectful. Daiqisi tapped her finger on the letter: “It seems the old beggar is trying to organize a gathering, to discuss the Yuan Dynasty situation.” “You mean they want to make a bid for the leadership of the movement?” asked Xiaozhao. “It seems so. I am a little surprised though. The Beggar’s Guild prestige has greatly diminished since the fall of Xiang Yang and the continued prosecution from the Mongol, has reduced their influence even further. That they would make such a bold attempt for power is unexpected.” “I take it we will be attending?” said Xiaozhao, her tone indicating that it was more a statement than a question. “Of course we will. It is time we showed the orthodox schools where the real power of the Martial Arts world lies.” Daiqisi spoke the words with utter certainty and a smile that was not completely friendly. Xiaozhao made a half hearted attempt to match the smile but Daiqisi could see the sadness in her eyes. Part of Daiqisi was disappointed in her daughter’s softness but another part was glad of it, for it showed that the girl had not been jaded by life. Silently Daiqisi made a prayer that her daughter could keep her innocence even while she doubted it. Dongfang Xue Thanks for the updates update Mandred Baoxin walked into the inn’s common room and took in his surroundings at a glance. Outside night had just fallen and the inn’s nocturnal customers had still to come out in force, so it was easy for Baoxin to find an empty table. Sitting himself down, he waved to a serving girl who walked over to him, carrying a steaming kettle. The girl poured some boiling water into a teacup then asked Baoxin for his order. Baoxin requested a meal and room. The girl leaned in closer and asked if there was anything else he wanted, her voice and smile making it obvious what kind of service she was offering. Baoxin was a little taken back and wondered if all Chinese girls were this forward. He spent a moment studying the girl. She was in her twenties and had a pleasant if unremarkable face. Her buxom figure was obvious even under her baggy serving dress. Not wishing to be rude Baoxin smiled back and the girl took this as an invitation: “It will be the best ten copper pieces you would ever spend.” she whispered in a husky voice. Baoxin sighed inwardly in relief. So the girl was an Earth-maiden. Dorje had introduced him to these ladies of the night during their visits to a city near the monastery and Baoxin had found that he enjoyed the ‘company’ of the opposite sex. However, the thought of Dorje dampened his passion and he shook his head. The girl’s smile fell: “Tell you what. As you are such a handsome lad, I will only take five copper pieces?” Reaching into his sleeve Baoxin pulled out ten copper pieces: “Perhaps another time. For now please bring me a meal and prepare a room.” he said, keeping his pleasant smile. The girl took the coins then sauntered off, swinging her hips in an exaggerated manner. Baoxin chuckled to himself then took a sip of tea. Baoxin sat in his room and studied a map that he had taken from the monastery’s library. He had parted ways with the trade caravan three days ago and had been continuing his journey alone. His fingers traced over the area that marked the location of Wudang Mountain. Logically he should try to make his way there as soon as possible, as he would need their help to accomplish his mission. However, his eyes drifted to another area on the map and his gaze took on a longing gleam. There was another place he really wanted to visit first. Surely a few more days would not make any difference. There was a knock on the door and then it swung open. The serving girl from earlier walked in, carrying a basin of warm water. Closing the door behind her, the girl gave Baoxin the same smile as before, then reaching up she undid her dress and let it slip to the floor. Baoxin rolled up his map and this time took the girl up on her offer. Dorje rode up to the mansion, that was only a little less grand than a palace and was greeted by a middle aged man, dressed in the traditional furs of the steppes people. The man stood with a straight back and looked at Dorje with alert eyes. Dorje recognised a fellow soldier standing to attention as was pleased by being met by such a man. The man introduced himself as the steward of Prince Ruyang and asked Dorje to accompany him. Dismounting Dorje removed a circle shaped bundle from the saddle then handed his horse to a waiting servant. The steward lead Dorje through the back door to the barracks and showed him to a well size but, sparsely furnished room. There was a simple meal and a tub of steaming water ready for Dorje to refresh himself. The steward asked if there was anything else Dorje wanted and then left when Dorje told him there was not. Alone Dorje assessed his situation. His greeting by a steward and being housed in the barracks, meant that Prince Ruyang considered him as a servant. However, his private accommodation and the preparations made for his comfort showed that he was a valued servant. Dorje shrugged and placed his bundle against the wall. It did not matter how they viewed him, they would learn his worth soon enough. Carefully he unwrapped the Great Golden Wheel, then pulling out a piece of cloth he started carefully polishing it. The artefact was one of the most sacred weapons of his Order but it was a recreation, the original having been destroyed by the ‘Condor Hero’ Yang Guo a hundred years ago. The monk Da'erba had retrieved the broken pieces of the Wheel and returned them to the monastery. The weapon-masters of the Order had been shocked by the destruction of the holy weapon and had spent twenty years recreating it. However, merely repairing the damage was not enough for them. Using secret techniques, they had mixed powdered black diamonds to the golden metal, strengthening the weapon a hundred folds. The weapon-masters had been confident that this new Wheel, was all but indestructible. Dorje let out a sigh, disappointed that he would never have the chance to avenge the shame done to his Order, for Yang Guo was long dead and his Heavy Iron Sword lost. Inspecting the Wheel, Dorje nodded in satisfaction then placed it carefully against the wall. Stripping off his travel stained clothes he stepped into the bath to find the water pleasantly warm. He spent nearly half an hour relaxing and cleaning himself before deciding to get out of the bath. As he was drying off, there was a knock on the door and a maid stepped in after receiving permission. The girl informed him that Prince Ruyang had arranged a feast and that a servant would come to get him at the appointed time. Dorje dismissed the girl then picked up a handful of grapes from the table, deciding to restrict himself to fruit so as not to spoil his appetite. Dorje entered the Hall wearing his dress uniform. He had taken great care in choosing what to wear for his first meeting with Prince Ruyang. By appearing as he did, he was showing the Prince great respect but, also telling him that he was dealing with a proud warrior and not some toadying lackey. The Hall was large enough to comfortably seat dozens of people but, was only occupied by five. Dominating the Hall was Prince Ruyang, sitting on his gilded throne set on a dais he towered over everyone. The Prince was a large man, whose muscular physique showed under the fur and leather he wore. His thick beard was streaked with grey and Dorje guessed his age to be in the mid fifties. At the foot of the dais were two desk size dining tables. The right table was unoccupied. On the left table sat a grotesquely fat man. He was the same age as the Prince and was dressed in a similar manner. In his right hand the fat man held a golden goblet full of wine, while his left hand fondled the buttocks of a comely maid. Dorje took an instantly disliking to the fat man. While he had been pleased at the appearance of Prince Ruyang, whose martial bearings matched his own, the leering smile on the fat man’s face repulsed him. Lower down were four more dining tables, two to the left and two on the right. Two men with the look of seasoned warriors sat on the tables to the right, while another man sat on the left table closest to the dais. Prince Ruyang opened his arms in greeting but did not rise: “Master Dorje. Welcome to my home. Please be seated.” said the Prince as he indicated to the vacant table on the far left. Dorje struggled to hold his temper at the slight. By seating him so far away from the host, Prince Ruyang was making Dorje’s place within the hierarchy very clear. With great effort Dorje kept his anger in check and stalked towards his seat. The man he was to sit next to rose and walked up to him. He was well into middle age, had a thick beard and strong build. As Dorje approached the man offered his right hand in greeting: “Master Dorje. I am A’san, humble servant to his Highness. My I say what an honour it is to make your acquaintance.” he said with a friendly smile. Dorje took the arm wrist to wrist in a warrior’s shake and saw A’san’s smile turn into a wicked grin. A’san tightened his grip, channelling Qi through his strong fingers he was determined to humble Dorje. To his surprise Dorje showed no signs of discomfort or make any effort to break away. A’san pressed down harder, determined to break the man but, even as he channelled more power through his fingers, Dorje just stood there passively as if unconcerned by A’san’s iron grip. Furious at having his attack so casually ignored A’san activated his most powerful technique, the Vajra Iron Fingers. Instantly his fingers became as hard as diamonds as they dug into Dorje’s arm with enough strength to crush bones and tear apart tendons. A’san’s grin widened, sure in the knowledge that soon the Tibetan will be on his knees begging for mercy. Suddenly a shudder ran through A’san’s body. At first he ignored it and tried tightened his grip but, to his shock his right hand refused to respond. In fact his entire right arm, from the elbow downwards felt completely numb. Another shudder rang through his body and the numbness spread to his shoulder. A third shudder took hold, only this time it did not pass and his entire body spasm uncontrollably. Terror took grip of his heart and A’san looked up to see a cruel smile on Dorje’s lips. Dorje knew he should have ended it here. A’san was at his mercy and he should just let him go graciously but, the insult from before still stung and he was determined that someone would pay. Dorje heard the sound of chairs being pushed aside and looked up to see the men sitting to the right come running to A’san’s aid. Dorje threw A’san into the air like a rag doll, intending to send him crashing into his rescuers. A blur shot from the dais and the fat man caught A’san by the shoulder brining him gently to the ground. For moment A’san continued to twitch, then the fat man tightened his grip and the spasms stopped. The fat man smiled coldly as he met Dorje’s eyes: “Yin Feng Claw (Cold Wind Claw). Most impressive.” the fat man said in a voice so deep that it was almost a growl. Dorje returned an equally frosty smile. If the fat man was impressed by his display, then Dorje was equally impressed at his. That anyone outside of his Order could recognize his secret technique was surprising but, the fact that the fat man could suppress its effect so quickly was nothing short of spectacular. Dorje suspected that with the exception of himself, the fat man was the most dangerous individual within the Hall. The tension between them grew as they continued staring at each other, then the voice of a woman spoke from the Hall’s entrance: “Impressive would be an understatement, Master Skainud.” the words were spoked in a clear voice that was as pleasing to the ears as the tinkling of silver bells. Dorje turned to see what was perhaps the loveliest woman he had ever seen. In her early twenties, she had a tall and slender figure. Her complexion was slightly tanned showing a liking for the outdoors. Lush black hair was braided with precious stones, giving her an exotic allure. Strong yet smooth cheek bones highlighted a pretty face, that was dominated by a pair of stunning eyes that were as beautiful as they were sharp and Dorje doubted that there was much that these eyes did not catch. Prince Ruyang’s voice boomed proudly from his throne: “Ah my darling daughter Minmin. Come and greet our guest.” Minmin courtesied to Dorje as she would a respected elder and he responded with a polite nod, pleased to be given the proper respect: “Master Dorje. It is an honour to meet you. Please be seated. “ Minmin said. Dorje started walking towards his seat but, Minmin stood in front of him with a look of shock on her face: “Master Dorje this is my seat. Yours is over there.” she said as she indicated to the seat on the right hand side nearest to the dais. Dorje looked up to see Prince Ruyang nodding in agreement. Dorje turned back to Minmin and smiled dotingly at her. Despite having only just met her, he took an instant liking to her. It would seem that her great beauty was matched by her intelligence and charm. Although in the back of his mind Dorje suspected that he would need to be very careful in his dealings with her, he could not help but be charmed. Turning once more he ascended to his proper seat. “Well. What do you think?” asked Prince Ruyang. “He is definitely a mighty warrior, your Highness. I would rate his powers as greater even then the Xuanming Elders.” replied Skainud. Skainud had been summoned to the Prince’s study at the end of the feast. Now he discussed the merits of Dorje with Prince Ruyang and his daughter: “And how does he compare to you?” asked the Prince. Skainud smiled as if the Prince was jesting but, in his heart the seeds of doubt were being planted. A’san was the weakest of his three senior apprentices, yet even so his powers were at least the equal to the Heads of most of the Han Chinese Martial Schools. The ease with which Dorje had humbled him, showed that he was a man of terrifying power. The question that the Prince now asked had been one that Skainud had pondered on throughout the feast. Yet even now he did not have an answer: “Speaking of the Xuanming Elders, has there been any word from them and gege (elder brother)?” asked Minmin. Skainud smiled. While the Prince was an intelligent man, he was also blunt. Minmin however, had her father’s intelligence coupled with an incredible sharp woman’s intuition. She could read a person’s intent from the smallest gesture. Here she had correctly interpreted his reluctance to answer as a sign of his unease and had changed the subject to avoid further embarrassing him. Skainud would have made her his woman, if only she was not the Prince’s daughter: “They have met up with Cheng Kun, your Highness. I expect we will hear word of their success very soon.” replied Skainud, taking advantage of the opportunity to extricate himself, that Minmin had provided. Prince Ruyang seemed to catch on to his daughter’s intent and allowed his previous question to drop. Instead he smiled to himself proud to have such a clever daughter. yanfeng Yay! I haven't been here in awhile and am glad that you decided to continue the story! Also I see that you have also continued Jinyong's tradition of populating the story with many beautiful women... ha! Wuji is up for 'tormenting' here too I predict, what with all the pretty girls he wants to be nice to. I look forward to your next chapter! Ryosuke Hi Mandred, any chance of reading the next chapter soon? Nearly a hundred years of neglect had reduced the once mighty walls to ruin. Great gaps in the stonework, showed where powerful war-machines had breached the fortifications that had once been thought impregnable. Yet despite the wall’s battered conditions, in his mind’s eye Baoxin could still picture how formidable they once were. It was here that the heroes of the dying Song Dynasty had made their last stand against the irresistible might of the Khan. Closing his eyes, Baoxin could almost hear the roar of battle being waged around him and feel the ghosts of those who had fallen. Dorje had brought him up on stories of the great battles fought here at Xiangyang, where the mighty heroes Guo Jing and and Yang Guo, defied the greatest Empire the world had ever seen. Baoxin’s young mind had made Xiangyang into a mythical city, whose walls soared up into the Heavens and battlements were defended by golden heroes. Although as he had long abandoned those childish fantasies, he still felt a pain of sadness at the sorry state of the city. Was this really the place where so many brave warriors had fought and died? Were these dilapidated ruins really the cause of such much suffering for countless millions? For all the sacrifices that had been made, the city was now home to only wild animals and long dead ghosts. The futility of it all touched Baoxin and he felt the sorrow welling up in his heart. Removing the jade flute from his belt, he placed it to his lips and played. The melody was as haunting as it was beautiful, listening to it was akin to hearing the cries of a child for its parent, painful to hear but, impossible to turn a deaf ear to. Another melody drifted on the breeze, an equally melancholy tune played on a qin. The new music complemented Baoxin’s perfectly, matching the sadness and creating another voice that cried to the uncaring Heavens. Continuing to play his flute, Baoxin walked towards the sound of the qin. His unseen music partner, seemed to be playing from within the abandoned city. Quickening his pace, Baoxin ran through the broken gates, his tune never missing a single note. Baoxin came to a dead stop and nearly stopped playing at the sight that greeted him. A pavilion of golden silk had been erected in the city’s main street. Beneath the bright canopy was a young woman. She wore a silk dress of the same color as the pavilion and she sat cross-legged on a mat while playing the qin. Behind her were eight female attendances, the four to right dressed in black and the four to the left dressed in white. As Baoxin walked closer his eyes widened with interest and his lips curled up in a smile. He noticed that the qin player was abut his age and quite simply the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her long black hair hung loosely over her shoulders, kept in place by a simple yellow ribbon. Her face was completely free of cosmetic, allowing her breathtaking natural beauty to shine. There was an ethereal grace to her, that went beyond this world giving her the air of an angel. Without stopping her performance the woman looked up and met Baoxin’s eyes. Her stare was neither hostile nor inviting, merely curious. Baoxin nodded politely and received the same greeting. For a few minutes they continued the melody, before bringing it to a natural conclusion. Tucking the flute back into his belt Baoxin bowed politely: “Young Lady’s musical skills are divine, I thank you for the privilege of allowing me to witness your performance.” The woman rose and courtesied: “Young Sir is to kind. My meager skills are nothing when compared to your amazing talent. If it pleases sir, I would like to invite you to share some tea with me.” “It would be my honor lady. However, I have been remiss in my manners, for I have yet to introduce myself. My family name is Zhao and my given name is Baoxin.” The woman dipped her head politely: “It is a pleasure to meet you sir. My family name is Yang and my given name is Suaying.” Shi Huolong smiled as he watched his daughter picking flowers. Soon she would have enough to make into a chain, which he would have to wear on his head. Although he knew it made him look ridiculous, the Master of the Beggar’s Guild would gladly indulge his daughter and play the fool. The sound of tea being poured caused him to turn his head and his smile widened. His wife had laid out a simple tea set on a blanket rolled out on the grass. Well into middle age, the woman had never been beautiful, or even pretty but, to Shi Huolong she and their daughter were the loveliest women to have ever lived. Running a winkled hand through his thick gray beard, he indulged in this rare moment of domestic bliss. It was a fine summer day and his family had convinced him to abandon Guild matters to have a picnic in the nearby hills. However, Shi Huolong’s good mood evaporated as he looked up to see the dozens of beggars standing in a loose circle around his family. These were fourth generation Guild apprentices, each one a fierce warrior capable of killing a dozen ordinary men and they formed his family’s personal guards. Shi Huolong knew each of them by name and counted them as close friends, yet their presence was a reminder that he would never truly be free of Guild matters. His smile took on a weary light and was spotted by his wife immediately: “Worrying about the Gathering again?” she asked, in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer. “I should never had let Chen Youliang talked me into it.” replied Shi Huolong with a sigh. “Things might still work out. Besides, even if we do not win the leadership of the revolutionary forces, you would still have done a great service to our people by bringing everyone together against the Tartars.” The weariness left Shi Huolong’s smile. As ever he could always count on his wife to be the still center, amongst a sea of turmoil. Her quiet intelligence, along with her unobtrusive nature made her his most valued adviser and although she never made her opinions public knowledge, he always acted in accordance to them. Suddenly the smile vanished from Shi Huolong's face and he reached down to grasp the Dog-Beating Staff that lay on the ground next to him. His head snapped to the side. The outline of three horsemen could just about be made out as they appeared on the horizon. Shi Huolong prepared to shout a warning to his guards but, it was already too late. A yellow blur slammed into the beggars on the left, hitting them with the force of a storm. Two men were hurled into the air, their bodies dead before they fell back to earth. The surviving beggars surrounded their attacker and lashed out with their sharpened bamboo sticks, hoping to overwhelm him with weight of numbers. A wave of heat, so intense that Shi Huolong could feel it from several dozen yards away, flowed from the yellow robed attacker and struck the beggars bearing down on him. The beggars let out a collective scream that lasted scant seconds as their charred corpses fell to the ground. Knowing that it was too late to save the unfortunate souls, Shi Huolong instead took to the air and flew in the direction of where his daughter was staring in wide-eye terror at the horrendous. Shi Huolong reached the girl in a matter of heartbeats, then taking her in his arms spun around and flew back to where his wife was standing. The remaining beggars rushed towards their charges, forming a tight circle of flesh and sharpened bamboo around the family. The horsemen stopped a few yards from the beggars, revealing themselves to be three men. The one in the center looked to be in his mid twenties, dressed in the Mongolian style his clothes were of the highest quality. His flat features were typical of the Steppe people and he looked impassively, almost board at the beggars. The men to either side of him looked to be in their late fifties, their goatee beards speckled with gray. The older men looked very similar to each other and could easily be taken for brothers. The horsemen were joined by the yellow robed killer and Shi Huolong blinked in surprise as the assassin turned out to be a monk, with his yellow robes marking him out as a acolyte of Shaolin. For several moments the two groups stood motionless, the beggars tense and scared, while the horsemen and monk seemingly unconcerned. With eye-blurring speed the older men leapt from their horses and landed on the beggars like a pair of foxes amongst chickens. Sharpened bamboo sticks were brushed aside like dry twigs and the men struck back with lightning fast palm strikes. The palms struck like a blizzard killing three men with every strike. However, these were no normal palm strikes, for the dead bodies instantly froze up, as if concentrating the intense cold of the bitterest winter in seconds. Shi Huolong felt a moment of unbridled horror but, quashed it savagely his warrior’s instincts taking over. As the last of his guards fell, Shi Huolong shoved his staff into his wife’s hands and charged his assailants. The Guild-master also used a palm technique, striking with a speed that surpassed even those of his attackers. The air around the combatants roared like an enraged animal, as Shi Huolong unleashed the full power of his 18 Dragon Taming Palm. Although his skills were but a pale shadow of his illustrious ancestors, the power of his attack was still frightening. A storm of palms erupted around the three men as they battled, with blows exchanged that would have killed dozens of normal men in a heartbeat. Shi Huolong knew he was going to die. He would have been hard pressed to defeat just one of his opponents, now against them both, he stood no chance of winning. Just as the realization of imminent defeat of dawning on him, Shi Huolong felt a powerful stab in his back. The blow was struck quickly and cleanly, hitting precisely the right acupoint to instantly paralyze him. The Guild-master tried resisting the effect with his Qi but, this was no ordinary acupoint sealing attack and he felt his power being cut off. Barely an instant after being struck in the back, Shi Huolong received a pair of palm strikes to the chest. Screaming in pain he felt the soul numbing cold enter is body and knew that it was over. The knowledge of certain death made him angry and he used that anger to do the impossible. Knowing that it would collapse all of his vital acupoints and destroy his internal organs, Shi Huolong released all of his Qi in an instant, holding back nothing. His three assailants were hurled into the air as his power manifested itself as a transparent dome that spread out from his body. The dome pushed the men back several feet and Shi Huolong found he had a clear line of sight to the young man who had remained on his horse. Swift as the wind Shi Huolong flung himself at the man ripping him from the saddle before he could react. The young man tried to rise but Shi Huolong fastened his fingers around the man’s throat and started to squeeze. The sound of running feet came from behind and Shi Huolong swung around to glare at the man’s companions: “STOP! One more step and he dies.” roared the Guild-master. The three of them froze immediately and Shi Huolong turned to his family: “Quickly, take one of the horses and run.” he shouted to his wife. The woman responded instantly, picking up their daughter she rushed to one of the horses and sprang into the saddle. She rode away without looking back even as tears flooded for eyes as she knew she would never see her husband again. Shi Huolong smiled as his family fled. His wife knew exactly where she had to go in a situation like this and he had absolute confidence that she would make it. With this unshakable belief that his family was safe, Shi Huolong continued to smile even as death’s icy fingers quickly closed around his heart. Originally Posted by yanfeng Thanks for popping by. Guilty as charged. What can I say, I like beautiful women. Originally Posted by Ryosuke Sorry for the wait. Been a bit busy. Enjoy. Christos200 Just read the first chapter. It is pretty good. Keep up the good work! Originally Posted by Christos200 Thanks for popping in. Just finished reading your story. Have fun as well. Hey Mandred, hope you're planning to continue this- intriguing start! Thanks for the support. Been a bit lazy, will pick up the story soon. Quick Navigation Fan Fictions Top Yeak Fei and 9 Yin manual along with the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre By da azn devil in forum Wuxia Fiction Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre 1986 《倚天屠龍記》 By jsfenz in forum TVB Series The Dragon Sabre and the Heaven Sword as embodiments of Gwok Jing and Wong Yung New Heaven Sword Dragon Sabre from Zhang Ji Zhong? By yusbus in forum Mainland China TV Series How did rumors about the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre begin spreading?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line826
__label__cc	0.607457	0.392543	The Verma Report A blog dedicated to philosophy, history, politics, literature Philosophy Begins With Wonder "Aristotle’s view that philosophy begins with wonder, not as in our day with doubt, is a positive point of departure for philosophy. Indeed, the world will no doubt learn that it does not do to begin with the negative, and the reason for success up to the present is that philosophers have never quite surrendered to the negative and thus have never earnestly done what they have said. They merely flirt with doubt." ~ Søren Kierkegaard (The Journals of Søren Kierkegaard) In Metaphysics, Aristotle says: "For it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first began to philosophize; they wondered originally at the obvious difficulties, then advanced little by little and stated difficulties about the greater matters, e.g. about the phenomena of the moon and those of the sun and of the stars, and about the genesis of the universe." (Metaphysics, Book I, Part II) Posted by Anoop Verma at 05:34:00 “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.” ~ Alfred North Whitehead “Aristotle died in the autumn of 322 BC. He was sixty-two and at the height of his powers; a scholar whose scientific explorations were as wide-ranging as his philosophical speculations were profound; a teacher who enchanted and inspired the brightest youth of Greece; a public figure who lived a turbulent life in a turbulent world. He bestrode antiquity like an intellectual colossus. No man before him had contributed so much to learning. No man after him might aspire to rival his achievements.” ~ Jonathan Barnes “Aristotle came from the very edge of the Greek world. He was a Greek to the last fiber of his being, yet he remained the aloof, impartial observer, not deeply implicated in the struggles of that world.” ~ John Herman Randall, Jr. The Verma Post The Intellectual Infirmity Of Philosophical Movements - People join philosophical movements for the same reason for which they may join groups like Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous, or a Health Club and eve... "In a word, human life is more governed by fortune than by reason; is to be regarded more as a dull pastime than as a serious occupation; and is more influenced by particular humour, than by general principles." ~ David Hume “Only barbarians feel no curiosity about the sources of their own forms of life and civilization, their place in the world order as determined by the antecedent experiences of their ancestors, as well as the very identity of these ancestors, which alone can give a sense of identity to their successors.” ~ Isaiah Berlin “Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe the more often and more enduringly reflection is occupied with them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.” ~ Immanuel Kant "Within twelve months Greece had lost her greatest ruler [Alexander], her greatest orator [Demosthenes], and her greatest philosopher [Aristotle]. The glory that had been Greece faded now in the dawn of the Roman sun; and the grandeur that was Rome was the pomp of power rather than the light of thought. Then that grandeur too decayed, that little light went almost out. For a thousand years darkness brooded over the face of Europe. All the world awaited the resurrection of philosophy." ~ Will Durant “When philosophy paints its grey in grey, one form of life has become old, and by means of grey it cannot be rejuvenated, but only known. The owl of Minerva takes its flight only when the shades of night are gathering.” ~ Hegel Philosophers are of two kinds: the “preachers of the truth” and the “seekers of the truth.” I am the second kind of philosopher — I am a seeker. “The era which dares to claim that it is the most rebellious that has ever existed only offers a choice of various types of conformity. The real passion of the twentieth century is servitude.” ~ Albert Camus "Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man." ~ David Hume “It is a poor mind that will think with the multitude because it is a multitude: truth is not altered by the opinions of the vulgar or the confirmation of the many. It is more blessed to be wise in truth in face of opinion than to be wise in opinion in face of truth.” ~ Giordano Bruno "It is a flat truism that all attempts to deal with philosophical problems from the point of view, or with the method, of any other discipline will inevitably result in the destruction of philosophy itself." ~ Etienne Gilson "There will come a time when you believe everything is finished; that will be the beginning." ~ Louis L'Amour “The truth may be stretched thin, but it never breaks, and it always surfaces above lies, as oil floats on water.” ~ Miguel de Cervantes in Don Quixote “Political and civic freedom remains eternally the most sacred of all things, the most deserving aim of all effort, the great center of all culture; but this wondrous structure can only be built on the solid foundation of an ennobled character. One has to begin with the creation of the citizens for a constitution, before these citizens can be granted a constitution.” ~ Friedrich Schiller “I admit that the exercises of the gymnasium form athletic bodies; but beauty is only developed by the free and equal play of the limbs. In the same way the tension of the isolated spiritual forces may make extraordinary men; but it is only the well−tempered equilibrium of these forces that can produce happy and accomplished men.” ~ Friedrich Schiller “The dogmatist is a more serious character than the utter skeptic. He is the dictator of cognition. He will put you down by main force. And he is no myth.” ~ Stephen C. Pepper “You know that I do not approach reasonable objections with the intention merely of refuting them, but that in thinking them over I always weave them into my judgments, and afford them the opportunity of overturning all my most cherished beliefs. I entertain the hope that by thus viewing my judgments impartially from the standpoint of others some third view that will improve upon my previous insight may be obtainable.” ~ Immanuel Kant “I am actually not at all a man of science, not an observer, nor an experimenter, not a thinker. I am by temperament nothing but a conquistador—an adventurer... with all the curiosity, daring, and tenacity characteristic of a man of this sort.” ~ Sigmund Freud "For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise." ~ Benjamin Franklin Christopher Flannery joins Seth Leibsohn 1.20.2020 Alexander Pruss's Blog Lebesgue sums previsions don't always lead to Dutch Books for inconsistent credences Policy of Truth War with Iran (15): From the Annals of American Military Invincibility PanAm Post Notablog The Dialectics of Liberty Discussion Schedule Revealed! Areo Magazine Understanding Conservative Anti-Capitalism Why Conservatives should oppose ‘continuity Corbyn’ Three more senior appointments for the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne... 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Where Plato’s writing is filled with his sense of better and more beautiful world behind, above, beyond the world of ordinary experience, illuminating that experience but transcending it, Aristotle keeps his feet firm on the ground of ordinary experience. This is Aristotle's reality, and the business of philosophy in his view is to make sense of the here and now.” ~ W. T. Jones "The Greeks understood the mysterious power of the hidden side of things. They bequeathed to us one of the most beautiful words in our language—the word "enthusiasm"—en theos—a god within. The grandeur of human actions is measured by the inspiration from which they spring. Happy is he who bears a god within—an ideal of beauty and who obeys it, an ideal of art, of science. All are lighted by reflection from the infinite." ~ Louis Pasteur "It is not legitimate to identify the ends of Fascism with the ends of Russian communism. 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Watch and Download Movie The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) The House at POS Corner Raising Reason Childhood Flashback John P. McCaskey Ockham on Induction Objective Dissent An American Theocracy? Against "Judicial Engagement" The Rule of Reason It Didn’t Start With Marx Philosophy in Action Moorfield Storey Blog Why Toleration Conquered the West MILO NEWS OxcOOd1199 Error Study Guides on Images of Liberty and Power: The People and the Ruling Elite (Wade and Daumier) (Honoré Daumier) Michael P. Ramirez nerdrummuseum FREEDOM KEYS "Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.” ~ Oscar. Wilde "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." ~ Soren Kierkegaard "If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing" ~ W. Edwards Deming "Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful." ~ Samuel Johnson "Out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made." ~ Immanuel Kant "The greatest thing on earth is to know how to belong to oneself. Everyone looks in front of them. But I look inside myself. I have no concerns but my own. I constantly reflect on myself; I control myself; I taste myself. We owe some things to society, but the greater part of ourselves." ~ Michel de Montaigne “If a man is compelled to work against his will for one minute or one second, for any cause, reason or purpose whatsoever—that is involuntary servitude. The purpose for which he is compelled to serve is totally irrelevant. The concept of slavery does not say that it is slavery only when practiced for a bad purpose, but freedom when practiced for the sake of starving babies. Slavery is slavery, and its purpose does not change its nature.” ~ Ayn Rand "If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed." ~ Marcus Aurelius The government claims that it wants to reduce the suffering, but its policies seem to increase it. “When your money is taken by a thief, you get nothing in return. When your money is taken through taxes to support needless bureaucrats, precisely the same situation exists. We are lucky, indeed, if the needless bureaucrats are mere easygoing loafers. They are more likely today to be energetic reformers busily discouraging and disrupting production.” ~ Henry Hazlitt "I have received, sir, your new book against the human race, and I thank you for it. No one has ever been so witty as you are in trying to turn us into brutes: to read your book makes one long to go about all fours." ~ Voltaire in a Letter to Rousseau "But always--do not forget this, Winston--always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--forever." ~ George Orwell “I much prefer that my own style be my own, uncultivated and rude, but made to fit, as a garment, to the measure of my mind, rather than to someone else’s, which may be more elegant, ambitious, and adorned, but one that, deriving from a greater genius, continually slips off, unfitted to the humble proportions of my intellect.” ~ Francesco Petrarch "Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, — and all it wants, — is the liberty of appearing." ~ Thomas Paine Is Ayn Rand’s Objectivism a Philosophy? Ayn Rand’s novels, like the works of a few other great writers, have a stunning impact on the mind when you read them for the first time.... Publication of Spinoza’s Ethics In his essay, “The Textual History of Spinoza’s Ethics” (Chapter 1, The Cambridge Companion to Spinoza’s Ethics ), Piet Steenbakkers offer... Edmund Burke’s Critique of the Social Contract In his Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), Edmund Burke predicts with amazing prescience that the French revolutionaries would... Achievements Are Not Natural To be born free is meaningless; to become free is an achievement. That man has natural rights is meaningless; that he has created nations i... The Truth About The Enlightenment Thanks to the wrongful categorizing of the 18th century as the Enlightenment — an incredibly jejune and meaningless term, which has, howeve... Nonsense Can Establish Sense Nonsense is not always wasteful and destructive—the history of past 3000 years is replete with instances of sense being established through... The Kantian Bridge Between the Enlightenment and Romanticism Immanuel Kant is a transitional figure between the Enlightenment and German Romanticism. With his philosophy, he completed the Enlightenmen... On Four Types of Rules The rules of science are discovered; the rules of philosophy are devised; the rules of religion are divined; the rules of politics are deve... The Platitudes On Good & Evil It’s not necessary that good will triumph over evil—in the political space, the taste for good is a luxury and a disability. It’s not neces... On The Metaphysics Of God Our language imposes certain logical limits to what we can think or say. Whether you are a theist or atheist, you cannot use language to ex... “It is not the works, but the belief which is here decisive and determines the order of rank–to employ once more an old religious formula with a new and deeper meaning,–it is some fundamental certainty which a noble soul has about itself, something which is not to be sought, is not to be found, and perhaps, also, is not to be lost.–The noble soul has reverence for itself.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche Genghis Khan’s Order of God and Marxian Dialectics... Pepper’s Response to Logical Positivism On Dogmatism On Representative Government On Deirdre McCloskey’s Postmodern Economics The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece On the Eclecticism of Great Philosophers Can Philosophy be polemical? On the Connection Between Athenian Democracy and W... Eric Voegelin On The Experience of Tension in Exis... On Skepticism, Atheism, and Dogmatism The Modern Dwarfs On Pre-Moderns, Moderns, and Postmoderns The Myth of Vincent van Gogh’s Madness On The Modesty of Adam Smith "Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are made stupid by education." ~ Claude Adrien Helvétius "Some Socialists seem to believe that people should be numbers in a State computer. We believe they should be individuals. We are all unequal. No one, thank heavens, is like anyone else, however much the Socialists may pretend otherwise. We believe that everyone has the right to be unequal but to us every human being is equally important." ~ Margret Thatcher "To be a man was to be responsible. It was as simple as that. To be a man was to build something, to try to make the world about him a bit easier to live in for himself and those who followed." ~ Louis L'Amour "Just as a physical body can continue to live, despite containing a certain amount of microorganisms whose prevalence would destroy it, so a society can survive a certain amount of forces of disintegration within it. But that is very different from saying that there is no limit to the amount, audacity and ferocity of those disintegrative forces which a society can survive, without at least the will to resist.” ~ Thomas Sowell "Many among the intelligentsia see themselves as agents of “change,” a term often used loosely, almost generically, as if things are so bad that “change” can be presupposed to be a change for the better. The history of changes that turned out to be for the worse, even in countries that were pretty bad to begin with—czarist Russia or Cuba under Batista, for example—receives remarkably little attention.” ~ Thomas Sowell Most communists don’t seem to realize that Josef Stalin, during his 30-year reign in Soviet Union, prosecuted and slaughtered more communists than all the capitalist nations of the world put together. The truth is that communism is extremely dangerous for the communists. "Everything a government does rests on the use of force. No law actually is a law unless it is backed by the threat of force. So long as what the government makes illegal are merely acts representing the initiation of force, it is the friend and guarantor of freedom. But to whatever extent the government makes illegal acts that do not represent the initiation of force, it is the enemy and violator of freedom. In making such acts illegal, it becomes the initiator of force." ~ George Reisman "Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." ~ Denis Diderot "You are one with a crowd of men who have made what they call a government, who are masters of all the other men, and who eat the food the other men get and would like to eat themselves. You wear the warm clothes. They made the clothes, but they shiver in rags and ask you, the lawyer, or business agent who handles your money, for a job." ~ Jack London "Unless a man has talents to make something of himself, freedom is an irksome burden. Of what avail is freedom to choose if the self be ineffectual? We join a mass movement to escape individual responsibility, or, in the words of the ardent young Nazi, "to be free from freedom."" ~ Eric Hoffer “It is characteristic of the unlearned that they are forever proposing something which is old, and because it has recently come to their attention, supposing it to be new.” ~ Calvin Coolidge In the last 60-years, the sword of egalitarianism has cut down the lives of millions in many third world countries, but the egalitarian idealists avoid falling on the sword of their own ideology as they operate out of the safe spaces in Western countries. "The communists and the Nazis are merely two variants of the same evil notion: collectivism. But both should be free to speak—evil ideas are dangerous only by default of men advocating better ideas." ~ Ayn Rand "They forget the present for the future, the fate of humanity for the delusion of power, the misery of the slums for the mirage of the Eternal City, ordinary justice for an empty promised land. They despair of personal freedom and dream of a strange freedom of the species; reject solitary death and give the name of immortality to a vast collective agony. They no longer believe in the things that exist in the world and in living man." ~ Albert Camus "These waters must be troubled, before they can exert their virtues. A man who works beyond the surface of things, though he may be wrong himself, yet he clears the way for others, and may chance to make even his errors subservient to the cause of truth." ~ Edmund Burke Jim Taggart: "Do you think you're qualified to pass judgment on philosophers?" Cherryl Brooks Taggart: ”I'm qualified to pass judgment on con men. I've seen enough of them to know one when I see him.” ~ Ayn Rand “The existence of man in political society is historical existence; and a theory of politics, if it penetrates to principles, must at the same time be a theory of history.” ~ Eric Voegelin “Social evils cannot be reformed by legislation; defects of government machinery cannot be repaired by changes in the constitution; differences of opinion cannot be settled by compromise.” ~ Eric Voegelin "There is no such thing as a right to be stupid; there is no such thing as a right to be illiterate; there is no such thing as a right to be incompetent.” ~ Eric Voegelin "Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim." ~ George Santayana "One can easily imagine how indignant a humanistic liberal will be when he is told that his particular type of immanentism is one step on the road to Marxism.” ~ Eric Voegelin "In National Socialist and related documents we are still further below the level on which rational argument is possible than in the case of Hegel and Marx. In order to deal with rhetoric of this type, one must first develop a philosophy of language, going into the problems of symbolization on the basis of the philosophers’ experience of humanity and of the perversion of such symbols on the vulgarian level by people who are utterly unable to read a philosopher’s work.” ~ Eric Voegelin “The fallacy in the ethics of evolution is the equation of the “struggle for existence” with the “survival of the fittest,” and the assumption that “the fittest” is identical with “the best.” But that struggle may favor the worst rather than the best.” ~ Gertrude Himmelfarb “The quest for the origin must take into account that the world of our experience is not a static structure but a process; and the speculation on the origin must project (in one symbolism or another) this experience into a process in the origin itself.” ~ Eric Voegelin “The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is more important than the eye.” ~ Jacob Bronowski “You can run agriculture for centuries by manual labor and oxcarts. But destroy the last of this country's industrial plant—and centuries of effort won't be able to rebuild it or to gather the economic strength to make a start.” ~ Ayn Rand “Can you be a conservative and believe in God? Obviously. Can you be a conservative and not believe in God? This is an empirical essay, and so the answer is, as obviously, yes. Can you be a conservative and despise God and feel contempt for those who believe in him? I would say no.” ~ William F. Buckley Jr. “The most radical change in the human condition we can imagine would be an emigration of men from the earth to some other planet. Such an event, no longer totally impossible, would imply that man would have to live under man-made conditions, radically different from those the earth offers him. Neither labor nor work nor action nor, indeed, thought as we know it would then make sense any longer. Yet even these hypothetical wanderers from the earth would still be human; but the only statement we could make regarding their "nature" is that they still are conditioned beings, even though their condition is now self-made to a considerable extent.” ~ Hannah Arendt © Anoop Verma. Simple theme. Powered by Blogger.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line852
__label__cc	0.748636	0.251364	Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation and International Paper were honored for their extraordinary commitment to providing pro bono legal services during the Second Annual TBA Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative gala May 22 in Nashville. Legal staffs from the two corporations joined the law firm of Baker, Donelson Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz in being recognized for their efforts in providing legal services at no cost to those in need. In addition to honoring the firms, the event also raised funds to assist pro bono programs across the state. (At right)Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation General Counsel Jim Buda addresses the gathering. Read more about the award recipients Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation was chosen to receive the Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award for its corporate commitment to pro bono work as well as the individual commitment of its legal department members. Baker, Donelson Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz was selected as the recipient of the Law Firm Pro Bono Award for its work with senior citizens in the middle Tennessee area. International Paper was recognized for the individual commitment of its legal team, as well as its corporate commitment to pro bono work. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Mickey Barker inspired the gathering with his comments and presented the 2008 awards. TBA Access to Justice Committee chair Deb House. International Paper General Counsel Maura Smith. 2008 CCPBIG Sponsors Board of Directors Sponsors: $5,000 • Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee • Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation • International Paper Shareholder Sponsors: $3,000 • Bass, Berry, & Sims • Counsel On Call Inc. • Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line858
__label__wiki	0.740274	0.740274	Reflecting on Authentic Assessment and School Reform reviewed by Walt Haney - 1996 Title: Reflecting on Authentic Assessment and School Reform Author(s): Linda Darling-Hammond, Jacqueline Ancess & Beverly Falk Publisher: Teachers College Press, New York ISBN: 0807734381, Pages: , Year: 1995 Search for book at Amazon.com In its lead article, the winter 1994 issue of the ERIC Review noted that much attention lately has been focused on alternatives to multiple-choice standardized tests or what has variously been called authentic, alternative, or performance assessment: Federal commissions have endorsed performance assessment. It's been discussed on C-SPAN, and in a number of books and articles. Full issues of major education journals, including Educational Leadership (April 1989 and May 1992) and Phi Delta Kappan (February 1993) have been devoted to performance assessment. A surprisingly large number of organizations are actively involved in developing components of a performance assessment system. (Rudner & Boston, 1994, p. 2) Authentic Assessment in Action is one of the first book-length account of how these forms of assessment are working out in practice in a variety of schools. The bulk of the book, apart from brief introductory and concluding chapters, consists of accounts of how "authentic" performance-based assessments of student learning were developed in five schools and how these assessments relate to teaching and learning... (preview truncated at 150 words.) Purchase Reflecting on Authentic Assessment and School Reform Cite This Article as: Teachers College Record Volume 98 Number 2, 1996, p. 328-345 https://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 9631, Date Accessed: 1/22/2020 9:50:35 PM Full Text in PDF Format State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part V: Cast Changes in the Second Act of Assessment Policy History State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part VI: Raising Standards in the Third Act Classroom Assessment and Research: An Update on Uses, Approaches, and Research Findings State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part I: Introduction to Policy Stories and Policy Studies(i) State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part II: Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of the Research State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part III: Defining ASAP: Scripts and Readings Getting to Excellent: How to Create Better Schools State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part IV: First Act in the History of Arizona Assessment Policy State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part VII: More Players Get Into The Fourth Act (The Legislators, Governor, Superintendent, Board President) State Assessment Becomes Political Spectacle--Part VIII: Explaining the History The Regents: To Test or Not to Test - An Introduction What Can Student Drawings Tell Us About High-Stakes Testing in Massachusetts? Student Self-Portraits as Test-Takers: Variations, Contextual Differences, and Assumptions about Motivation Assessment as Inquiry The Assessment Bridge: Positive Ways to Link Tests to Learning, Standards, and Curriculum Improvement Using Data To Assess Your Reading Program Walt Haney	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line859
__label__cc	0.718744	0.281256	Reading Eclipse: Chapter 10 (Scent) December 1st, 2008 at 12:05 am by Kaleb Nation The song for this chapter is Dusk And Summer by Dashboard Confessional (suggested by Natalie) http://www.twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dusk-and-summer.mp3 At this very moment, in my apartment, the scent filling the air is that of rice, steak and jalapenos, as I just finished a wonderful Tex/Mex dish in my attempt to deviate from lasagna and swiss cheese (you are not alone: this has come as a shock to many). I found it curious that this chapter should be called ‘Scent’ when one of my biggest points in Chapter 9 was about the smell of Bella being on the pillows and clothes that had vanished from her room. Obviously, it’s something that the vampires and werewolves can smell: and something that the intruder took as evidence that he had actually found Bella. It’s interesting how Edward and Jacob are working together in a somewhat manner. Though they still can’t bring themselves to stand in the same house as the other (seeing the destruction to the ballet studio when a vampire fight broke out is enough to make me agree) they still work around it. It seems childish, but I suppose it works. And all this ridiculousness about Bella smelling. First Edward says something’s in her room. Then Jacob says something’s in her room. Then Jacob says it’s her hair. Since this chapter is called Scent you would think it would be a good scent, like sour cream and onion or peanut butter chocolate (I once knew a girl who had chocolate-chip cookie dough scented lip balm (or whatever they call it), which is a bit strange if you think about it…). Has Bella been bathing in old horseradish or are Jacob and Edward simply losing their minds? I find it funny how they both seem to be battling for her to smell like a wolf or a vampire. I have a slight problem when reading that I’m sure all of you have realized by now. Sometimes, when I come to a very serious line, that I should be putting on my serious-business-face for, my brain recalls something else entirely, and instead I begin to chuckle at the memory, instead of being grave and somber for what was said. For example: “…You know,” I teased halfheartedly, “this whole secrecy and deception thing is kind of a pain.” Edward’s expression hardened. “It gets easier. After a few decades, everyone you know is dead. Problem solved.” He sniffed. “In fact, that thought is so depressing, I might just break out into song.” And thus a new career was born. The deal fell through soon after... Edward is doing much better in acting like a boyfriend instead of King Cullen, and I think even Bella is surprised. Of course, I don’t entirely blame him for the way he has been since they met (Bella isn’t called a danger-magnet for nothing, as I mentioned before). But it’s always nice to see that even Edward can grow up some and learn that he can’t watch Bella 24/7. The change really came about when Edward realized that he was being too controlling and that Bella actually can be trusted somewhat with her own safety (as long as this doesn’t involve cars, motorcycles, cliffs, water, tennis, needles, knives, mace spray, axes, shotguns, the pavement, the woods, climbing trees, airplanes, volleyball or a potted prickly cactus, which only through supernatural means made it from Arizona to Forks without sticking her in the eye). And thus, Bella is off to La Push again, with plenty of blessings from Charlie, who would certainly love to invent a new brand of force field that blocks Edward out but allows Jacob Black through. Still, with this, I am having an even harder time understanding Edward — and I can more clearly see one of the major concerns voiced by critics of Bella. I know that if Bella was my girlfriend, and some fellow like Jacob came bounding along who was pushing to be her best friend, and constantly trying to steal her away, I don’t think I would be happy at all for her to be spending so much time with this half-dressed chap who is about 1/10th my age. It irks me that Bella would continue to see Jacob, knowing how it makes Edward feel. Is this something that Edward should just accept? Is it respectful to their relationship for Bella to be hanging around so closely with other guys (especially guys like Jacob who would obviously jump at the chance to steal her away)? As most of my readers are girls, I will flip this around — imagine your boyfriend hanging out with some other girl who happens to be a model and is dying to steal him away, and he goes crying to her anytime you get into a fight, and she welcomes him with open arms, saying what a beastly brute you are for hurting his feelings. It would probably come to an ultimatum: one or the other. As I thought about this, however, I was reminded of what I was reading, and also that Edward can read minds; an ability real guys do not possess (much to the chagrin* of many). So, these problems can’t even be the same as if Bella and Edward and Jacob were humans. The difference is that since Edward can read Jacob’s mind, he knows what is going on, and maybe also that Jacob is well-intentioned. And, even though he can’t read Bella’s, perhaps he has come to trust her enough so that it’s almost as if he really can: he trusts Bella enough to know that she is keeping it friendly with Jacob. But then again, I’m sure Jacob has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He doesn’t quite seem ready to give up yet 😀 Question for the comments: do you think it is alright for Bella to lead both Edward and Jacob on? Do you think she even knows what she is doing? – For those of you who enjoy my music, I just uploaded a brand new song and would love opinions. Also, the new song can be downloaded for free for the next two weeks (and no sneaky things to sign up for either :D) Posted in Eclipse Tags: Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, Jacob Black December 1st, 2008 at 12:29 am Yeah, first post! Well, I have to say, I agree with you on some of these things. I was almost as surprised as Bella when Edward said he would let her go to La Push, knowing full well what Jake was thinking. Personally, I would have done everything in my power to NOT let her go to him like that. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but I dont actually care. I mean, she does have other friends, and as far as I (and Bella) know, none of them have strong feelings for her (besides ever faithful Jake). So, Im sad to say, I would have done the opposite of Edward in that case. I find that really funny. “The thought is so depressing, I just might break into song.” -rolls on the floor, laughing at his expense- Firstly, you are hilarious. That album cover is just wonderful. Secondly, It would probably be healthier for everyone involved if Bella just made a choice. But she doesn’t. Edward could just ask her outright to stay away from Jacob, but he doesn’t. I think that part of him wishes that Jacob could win her over because Edward still thinks that she’d be better off without him. So, he is trying to be okay with their spending so much time together. Thirdly, Bella kind of needs Jacob in her life at this point; he helped her through the darkest time of her life and there really is no way to reverse that kind of a bond. Jacob, i think, is pretty faultless in all this. What would you do if the girl you loved wanted to spend eternity with your sworn enemy, but still seemed desperate to keep you in her life? That sounds like encouragement to me. I don’t think I’d do anything different if I were Jacob. Fourthly, I’m sorry to be listing things like bullets points. I’m kind of annoying myself a little. Also, it’s funny trying to respond to your post without spoiling the rest of the story for you. Shatha “Edward and Jacob are working together in a somewhat manner” A somewhat manner? I’m not very good at English but is a word missing?… Haha, I loved your post on this chapter! But no question for the comments, I see. The list of things that Bella will hurt her self with is hilarious! Bella is incredibly annoying in her actions, she ignores the obviousness of the consequences her decisions have, yet she still continues leading Jacob on and being hypocritcial to Edward who I was glad had become less controlling. Bella’s flaw is her.. naivety when it comes to Jacob and Edward. She wants to live in a world where she can have both Edward and Jacob but she can’t, and by keeping both in her life at the same time she’s just inflicting more pain on everyone. Very funny album cover by the way! I really love this post. The feelings and thoughts from Bella/Edward/Jacob are well presented. And I just can agree. The problem is that the friendship between Jacob and Bella started because Edward left. Thus Edward is blaming himself and is trying to be the understanding boyfriend. Nevertheless in Edwards position I would tell Bella how he is feeling and that she is hurting his feelings. In Eclipse are many parts I would love to see from Edwards POV. I suppose he is more hurt/jealous as we can even imagine. I really like Bella but I think she doesn’t realize how much pain she is inflicting. Edwards fault is for not telling her and accepting it. Giada8424 I think that Bella should have kept Jacob at distance from the very beginning given that He was clearly falling for her; but now that Jacob still want her close it would really be terrible if she just turned her back on him… kinda like “Well, now Edward’s back, I’m out of my zombie-like state so we can go our separate ways!” I think that Edward’s love for Bella is really different in a way that.. his love for Bella is more of to keep her happy. And as long as he could stay with her, he would. No matter what. But for Bella to hang out with Jacob and is so pleased to have hung out with him.. is really.. weird. Hah! Especially when she knows that Jacob is trying to win her heart. I guess she just believes that she wouldn’t fall in love with him and that she knew that she couldn’t live without Edward. Kaleb…..you are hilarious Bella actually can be trusted somewhat with her own safety (as long as this doesn’t involve cars, motorcycles, cliffs, water, tennis, needles, knives, mace spray, axes, shotguns, the pavement, the woods, climbing trees, airplanes, volleyball or a potted prickly cactus, which only through supernatural means made it from Arizona to Forks without sticking her in the eye) so true so true i dont know i guess Edward would do anything he could to saty with Bella…..because its pretty obvious he’ll do anything for her not to leave him Wow, Kaleb. You really opened my eyes here. At first, I just thought that Edward is just being an annoying, super-obsessive boyfriend who wouldn’t allow his girlfriend to do the things that would make her happy. But now that you flipped it over for us, girls, to see, now then do I get your point. It is kind of selfish for Bella to not consider Edward’s feelings at first, and that also most importantly, Edward is always 24/7 worrying about her safety, what more is that she is hanging out with werewolves and that he has to worry about her during his hunting trips. However, I am really glad that Edward finally gave in. I’m sure that it was difficult for him to agree. But, Edward, being in love with Bella so much, would rather want her to be happy even if it means for her spending time with his ‘sworn enemies’. It is is because he knows that Bella seeing Jacob would make her happy and also that if it wasn’t for Jacob, Bella would be a huge mess in New Moon. Twilight Slovenia » Somračne novice […] Twilight Guy je prebral 10. poglavje knjige Eclipse (Scent). […] I think they’re all pretty stuck right now. Bella’s too nice to let go of either, Edward’s too nice to intervene and Jacob’s too nasty to leave them alone. Also, you probably won’t believe me. but although there isn’t a song called ‘All my friends are dead,’ there is one by Felt called ‘All the People I Like Are Those That Are Dead.’ I’ve got it stuck in my head now. Erynne Haha… oh, Kaleb, it is scary how sometimes these little chapter analyses are a glimpse into my life. I married the man of my dreams this year; he truly is the equivalent of an Edward in my life. But if you reverse our genders, he’d be my Bella, and that’s terribly appropriate, because one of his best friends is also his ex. April is definitely a Jacob. She encourages Chris to forget about his crazy wife one minute, then says, “Hey, as long as you’re happy” the next, not wanting to make Chris miserable by second-guessing his relationship too much. She and I have a tentative tolerance of each other… we dance over beds of nails and broken glass, trying to avoid cutting ourselves too badly. I have to admit, there are times I’m NOT very Edward-like, when I flat out say, “I am NOT comfortable with this and I wish it would stop.” But I haven’t said, “Stop being friends with her. That’s enough, don’t talk to her anymore, it’s done.” because I know it would hurt Chris. While _I_ may not always approve of her, I know he has a lot of history with her and it would hurt him to lose her friendship. So I’m left in a position where I grudgingly accept the friendship and have to trust that Chris will take Bella’s stance, and stay with the love of his existence rather than chase after an alternative. I can see quite clearly why Edward struggles so much with the whole thing. He’s very uncomfortable, but doesn’t want to hurt his relationship with Bella by setting down an ultimatum. Because that IS what would happen: if he said “You must have tea and cake with the vicar or you DIE!” then it would end up damaging what Bella and Edward have between them. All ultimatums take their toll, one way or another. So, yeah, it’s all about trust. Edward trusting Bella to do the right thing. Bella trusting herself to not hurt Edward. And Jacob trusting that he’s trying to look out for what’s best for Bella (in his mind). Yay, triangle of doooom… if my boyfriend pulled a bella i would completely rip tht super models hair out..we’ll c how she likes that 😛 break out into song?! Justine Lark Edward is not human, and his love for Bella is not normal. He really, really wants whatever is best for her no matter how hideously miserable it makes him feel. See New Moon. Part of keeping Bella happy is for her to not know how much pain he’s in, because then she’d do what he needs and not what she wants. So, she doesn’t know how it makes him feel, because he doesn’t let on. She isn’t leading anyone on, because her feelings for Edward are very genuine, and she has been honest with Jacob that she loves him like a brother. I think Bella does lead Jacob on a bit, but I don’t think she’s fully aware of what she’s doing. I don’t think she realizes the depth of Jacob’s feelings. Also, I think she’s hoping that because she has said “just friends” that he’s going to honor that and turn off the other feelings – which is what she’s hoping for so she doesn’t lose her best friend. Which of course is a foolish thing to hope, but also the kind of thing one only learns from experience. Turns out being honest in a relationship isn’t always enough if you and the other person are fooling yourselves about the consequences of what you’re being honest with each other about. As for what Edward “lets” her do, if I had been in the state she was in New Moon and the main thing that started bringing me back from the land of the un-living was my best friend and then boyfriend who nearly killed me when he dumped me came back and told me he resented how close me and best friend were and didn’t want me to see him anymore, I’d kick ’em where the sun don’t shine. That would be the proof that he is not the boyfriend to have and wasn’t worth the grief I wasted on him. Of course Edward is not that boyfriend and has figured out the best way to keep Bella happy is to trust in their bond and trust her and let her figure it out for herself while not making himself the enemy. He’s a lot smarter than your average boyfriend. And these questions, my friend, are what Eclipse is alllll about. =] Bella needs Jacob. He became a part of her when Edward left her. Edward knows this, so this is why he allows it to go on. Besides, Edward has a low self-esteem, and figures that Bella shouldn’t be with himself and should be with someone human (or somewhat human) like Jacob anyway. And, like you pointed out, Edward can read minds, and so he knows that Jake will protect her the best that he can. JessieLynn lol! Great post once again! What is it with you and musical refrences these days? Charlie and the Bloods, All My Friends are Dead, etc. Whats it going to be next,”My Bestfriend’s Boyfriend” lol, that title sounds way to familiar though, so never mind. If I was in Edward’s position, you better believe I would be jealous, so no problems there, but being as Edward is Mr.Never-Hurt-Bella-No-Matter-What, he makes some stupid decisions that are gonna bite him in the butt. On to the Comment Question: I don’t see a problem with her hanging out with both guys, but it really is unfair of her to treat both of them like her “boy toys” in a way. Bella doesn’t see it that way, and seems to need Jacob as much as he seems to want her around, and she loves Edward with most of her heart. It really isn’t completely her fault, as you will find out later, but a ton of it is. It all comes down to trust in a relationship. In real life (where there are no vampires and werewolves), early on in the relationship, Bella shouldn’t be running off to Jacob to tell him all about Edward when she knows how Jacob feels about her. And throughout the books, the length of Bella and Edward’s relationship is very short. Once the relationship has gone on longer, and there is a sense of commitment, then it should be alright for Bella to tell a friend who has feelings for her about Edward, because there is commitment in her and Edward’s relationship, and he should trust her, just as she should trust him. I’m not advocating for Bella to abandon Jacob in the early part of her relationship, but she doesn’t need to tell him everything. However, in this world where vampires and werewolves do exist, there was commitment way early in the relationship. And with this commitment, there needs to be trust. Edward has to trust Bella not to do anything with Jacob. Also, because of his mind reading, he can find out whatever happens between Bella and Jacob, because that’s what Jacob is always thinking about. On the other hand, should Bella need to find out what Edward is doing while she’s not there, Alice is pretty much going to tell her. I think Bella gets a lot of unfair blame when it comes to her “leading on” the boys. She really only leads on Jacob, and only a little bit. She tells Jacob exactly how she feels. He knows, and he should respect that. It’s his own fault that he keeps trying with her. Later in the book, she does something that is entirely stupid and entirely her fault, but it’s under a pressurized situation. Also, as evidenced by the first book, Bella has low self esteem, and often doesn’t realize the effect of what she’s doing on Jacob. And she never leads on Edward, as he’s the one she’s chosen. I think Angela hit at least one nail totally on the head here. (Not that her whole post wasn’t right, but she brought up something most people don’t think about) For a guy who can do just about everything better than anybody else, Edward is pretty down on himself. His opinion of himself is partly why he gives in and tells Bella he is ok with her going to La Push to see Jake. The other part is his near worshipful love of Bella. He still sees himself as a monster who doesn’t deserve her, and if she did decide to walk away, he would let her. He’d fall apart, but he would let her do it. No matter how many times Bella tries to explain her love for him, he can’t read her mind and see it. He doesn’t understand it. And, for the most part, he wants to give her everything she wants. Plus, he realizes that fighting over Bella with Jake will only make him look bad. He’s not an idiot. In regards to Bella leading on Jake: Yes, she is doing it, and she does know it, but she can’t help herself. Jake kept Bella alive and breathing in New Moon when Edward left. Or, more truthfully, he brought her back to life when she was basically a zombie swallowed up in grief. She can’t stay away from him anymore than she can stay away from Edward. Added to that is her need to mother (remember how she takes care of Charlie and Renee?) and you have a real situation. She is as protective of Jake and his feelings as she would be a Charlie’s or Renee’s. In New Moon, Bella began to annoy me. In Eclipse, she managed to make me hate her. Pulling two awesome (and fairly respectable) guys along is not okay. Bella, Edward, and Jacob form such a complicated love triangle, because they both love Bella and she loves both of them. Meaning that no matter what, two of them will be hurt when she finally makes her choice. Bella is insistent that she and Jake are “just friends” so I don’t think she realizes that she’s leading him on. Jacob was there for her when she really needed someone, and what is he supposed to do now that Edward is back? Fall out of love with her? Jacob knows that Bella’s already chosen Edward, but he doesn’t want to lose her. And Bella doesn’t want to hurt Jacob–or herself–by telling him it’s over. I don’t know if they would have been better off or not, if she’d stopped seeing him. She was already in too deep with Jacob when Edward came back, so there’s really no good way to end this. I suppose I can relate to Jacob because my best friend is a guy who has a girlfriend. Haha, I didn’t even think about how Bella survived the cactus, it must be a miracle! I love the points you made in this post. Bella always greatly annoys me in Eclipse. Edward does too because, as you see now, he gets too lax. And Jacob has always annoyed me. Bella slowly starts to realize she’s being extremely harmful to Edward and Jacob. And Jacob’s thoughts are full of good intentions on protecting her, but they are not full of good intentions to let her lead a happy vampire life with Edward. He does want to steal her away and he does have quite a few tricks up his sleeve. Bella is extremely in the wrong in this book. She should not be leading both of them on like that. If the roles were reversed and Edward kept going to Tanya to hang out and cry on her shoulder, so to speak, Bella would be extremely upset. The fact that she keeps getting mad at Edward for not being more supportive with Jacob is ridiculous and hypocritical. And she keeps giving Jacob hope that she might someday fall for him, and if she doesn’t run off into the sunset with him, then he is going to be completely broken and will be even more broken if she becomes a Cullen. Bella doesn’t realize she’s doing it, but she will. Eclipse has always been a hard book for me to read. I always feel the need to yell at the books “do you have any idea what you are doing?”…I know, I probably sound crazy, but I get emotionally attatched to practically all the books I read. Bella should make a decision, but she doesn’t. I think she knows what she is doing and knows what the right thing to do is, but is not strong enough for that. I don’t get mad at her, because although she is involved with this supernatural world, she is human. And more importantly, a teenager. She makes mistakes. I think it makes her more relatable. I always feel so bad for Edward in Eclipse. He tries to be understanding of Bella’s need for Jacob’s friendship, but when he can’t handle it (and most people couldn’t) and asks her not to go to La Push, he is seen as a tyrant. Poor Edward. Madawn YAY chapter 10! Love love love the album cover! The fact that they can work together but not be in the same room together is a little childish but as i read on i kind of understtod why, Edward especially doesn’t want to hurt bella so he won’t even allow himself in the same room as Jake just in case something happens, and that is extremely mature. anyway on with the actual question, Bella is not being a very good person although she has stated numberous times to jake that she only wants to be his friend i think that she is to blame for leading him on by allowing the holding of hands and such. As for right now in the book i don’t think that she has really realized what she is doing…but she will! December 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm This is just for your information please do not add to the comments. You missed the point about the odors on Bella. Bella herself does not smell bad especially to Edward, or Jacob. Vampires and werewolves smell bad to each other. So when Bella is around Jacob she acquires his scent and Edward thinks she stinks and vice versa. They also purposely try to leave their scent on her (breathing in her hair, long hugs, etc., marking their territory?) when they know she will be seeing the other one just as an irritation and reminder. I don’t believe that Bella is leading Jacob on at All! They started out as friends and are still friends. Jacobs feelings have grown for Bella. Does that mean that Bella should stop being his friend? What kind of friend would that make her than? Edward is okay with Bella being Jacobs friend because he knows to Bella that they are just friends no matter what stronger feelings Jacob may have.Edward knows that Jacob and Bella spending time together keeps her safe as when he is away. Jacob and Edwards number one concern above anything else is helping each other keep Bella safe. Your missing the point of Edward and Jacob being cordial to one another and that is keeping Bella alive. Her heart and soul belong to Edward that decision was made long ago. Jacob is a friend that she cares for just like you and your friends. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. She just wants to be with them both so much, she is just considering her own feelings, as she often does, and doesn’t think about what Edward thinks about every time he lets her see Jacob, or what Jacob is feeling every time he has to hand Bella back. All she wants is to be able to love them as much as she can, but she doesn’t want to think about how she could manage them both, because she knows there is a decision on which one she loves more in the future, and she doesn’t want to think about that. As much as I think that Edward is totally right for trying to keep her on a short leash, people misjudge Jacob’s feelings a lot. Jacob is in almost an exact situation as Edward. He is sending the girl he loves off to his enemy, and as Edward sees Jake as only a tempermental teenage wolf, Jacob sees is as sending her to a immortal vampire who may or may not kill her at any given time. Bella only wants to satisfy her own feelings and her own needs, instead of those of the men she loves. Great post, Kaleb! Really great! Now on to your question… I don’t think Bella is leading both of them on. She’s with Edward 100%… Of course, she doesn’t see things the way Jake does. Jacob isn’t seeing her interest in him as just friendship, he sees it as an opportunity to be with her. Really, the only time she ever led him on was in Twilight at the beach and in New Moon as first. But after those times, she really cared about him and genuinely wants to be around him. What she’s doing isn’t wrong. But the way Jake takes it is wrong. Bella isn’t guilty of anything……….yet. Of course it was wrong for Bella to keep Jacob in such close proximity and leading him on like that. But then again, Bella is still human. And humans get so confused sometimes. You want something, you don’t want it, but you want it and you don’t want it. That’s just the way it works. Obviously, being with Jacob was just so much easier, comfortable, harmless (somewhat), so Bella felt secure around him. That was the pull, that was what made her stick around. The “love” she feels for him is different from the love for Edward. Still love nonetheless… ~Tina I am SO going to buy Edward’s CD! lol 😀 As we’ve seen in New Moon, Bella can barely live without Edward, but she CAN (no matter how hard it is) live without Jacob. I don’t think she knows she’s leading Jacob on, I think she doesn’t realize just HOW strong his feelings are. I can sympathize with Bella as I am currently in love with two guys. I am in the same situation boyfriend or best friend. HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPP I dont want to hurt either of them. It most definitely is not okay for Bella to be leading them both on. That was the biggest problem I had with Eclipse… there were a few times I wanted to yell at Bella. Can’t she see how much she loves Edward, and how much she hurts him by running off to Jacob? katey1994 i think that edward can tell that jacob means much more to bella than a regular friend (ahem, unlike, say, MIKE). he can tell that by keeping jake out of her life, he’s hurting her. and seeing that edward loves bella, he’ll just have to put up with that aspect of their relationship. you’ll see how gererous edward can be come chapter…24? i think that’s the one. -mk8) Loony_Lovegood I don’t think she knows what’s going on, and even if she realized it, i think that there’s nothing she can do about it.d kassia, love your comment! i agree with you 100%. that’s the best explaination of jacob’s persona i’ve ever heard! (read, whatever) -mk becky sue AHAAHHA! You are entirely dead on! How DID she not end up sticking herself with that potted cactus???? It’s impossible. And you have gotten to why I hate Bella; she has something wonderful (Edward), but still goes after Jacob. Isn’t that a deadly sin? And I think that’s in the ten commandments, too. And he blatently told her that is how he felt, therefore she IS leading him on. Brianna J. he he… loved the new album cover as for the question, i don’t think Bella really means to hurt Edward, it’s just that she just can’t turn her back on Jake and leave him in the dust. He really helped her out when she had that rough patch in New Moon, and she can’t just forget about it. That Jake’s in love with her complicates things, and I don’t think she really sees how much Jake’s presence really bugs Edward. Your comment about the supermodel made a lot of sense, and I’m sad to say that I probably would have made an ultimatum. It’s not right for Bella to be leading both guys on, and i was a little frustrated with her almost this entire book with the Jake-then-Edward-then-Jake-then-Edward-again thing. By this time I was a little like “c’mon, just pick one already!” A little irritating… anyways great post! i’ll check in next week! ah, the question that gets to the heart of the book: Edward or Jacob? well, obviously I’m not going to tell you who she chooses (although you probably have been spoiled anyway), but here’s my answer: It is not alright for her to be leading them on, although since she did agree to marry Edward, he’s not really being led on. But anyways, Jake knows he’s fighting a losing battle, and he knows Bella loves Edward, but he’s not going to give up. Bella really doesn’t see it as leading him on because she just wants to be friends. She’s not conciously doing it, it just sort of happened. I’m really surprised that you haven’t quite figured out the vampire in Bella’s room mystery Bekah Okay for those of you who don’t understand where Edward is coming from read the partial midnight sun thing. I seriosly understand the reason Edward acts the way he does now. Anyhoo. Agreeing with KT i wanted to yell at Bella as well. She was making me pretty darn mad. I wanted her to get the hell away from Jacob but no….. She has to go and censor Bella drove me crazy in this book. I have the same issues as you. She is leading Jacob on, and it only gets worse!! I do like how Stephenie explains it in Breaking Dawn though. It made me feel a ton better about it. my bf is friends with another ‘model’ girl that would take him in less than a second from me and its sooo frustrating because i cant do anything about it but in the end you have to do exactly wat edward does, you have to trust that the person you love will make the right choices but…in terms of twilight…these are the chapters that tore the fandom into Team Edward and Team Jacob and made everyone Team-Anti Bella and wanting to slap her going “pick Edward! pick Jacob!” LOL…great times 😛 I think you must have forgotten that Edward loves Bella enough to do whats best for her, even if it destroys him. He doesn’t like Jake, but thinks that Bella could stay human if she chooses Jake and that would be better for her. He’s wrong, but that isn’t the point. Edward loves Bella, but still thinks he is a lost soul and doesn’t ever want that for his true love. I Don’t Think it’s Right For Her at All. She Should Realize That Being With Jacob Hurts Edward & Leading Them Both On Isn’t Fair to Either of Them. I Think Bella is Just Trying to Create This Perfect Little World Where SHE is Always Going to Be Happy Because She Has Both Edward & Jacob But She’s Not Realizing How it’s Affecting Them. I think edward half way wants her to choose jake because in his self loathing he relizes that he isn’t the best thing for Bella and she just might be better off with Jake even though it would kill him to have her choose, and the fact that he hates the man guts some part of him wants Bella to choose him. Bella is definitely leading on Jacob. Is it his fault that she fell apart in New Moon and then spent so much time with him? No, but he deserves someone who can commit to him. Bella knows that she will never choose Jacob over Edward, so she’s just teasing him. Breaking it off with Jacob would be awful and terrible and painful, yes, but it SHOULD BE DONE, before the damage gets worse. Bella has full knowledge of what she’s doing, but can’t bring herself to do anything to correct it. She just whines about how much pain she’s in. Miss Mad Hatter Kaleb, you rock. Just to letcha know. I don’t think Bella is being very responsible with Jacob. In New Moon, she referred to herself in two different parts, both very different: Edward’s Bella, and Jacob’s Bella. It will be mentioned again later, but as it has been referred to before, I don’t feel very guilty. But Jacob’s Bella is much less responsible, and so sometimes she lets that part take over herself. She so rarely gets to let that side of herself out, and she needs to let that part of herself go and just act bOnKeRs every once in awhile, and Jacob is just the person to let herself go with. She feels too comfortable with him for hers or Edward’s or Jacob’s good, which is a GIMUNGO problem with Edward. She also hasn’t told Jacob clearly enough that SHE IS NOT A BIGAMIST. She can’t live with Edward, and this whole BFF’s-for-never-or-forever-well-maybe-never-no-I-think-it-should-be-forever-DUMP-YOUR-BOYFRIEND-PLEASE-HE-IS-VERY-STINKY-AND-NASTY-and-we’re-still-BFF’s-right? can’t go on for very much longer. But Bella is trying to hold on to Jacob and that part of herself that is so reckless with him, so any compromise, however temporary, is fine with her so long as no person is hurt too severely. Jacob is just trying to save Bella’s humanity, so I see no fault with him. Edward is just trying to get over his problems, and become more mature than his 110 years. Hope this review doesn’t look like Russian or Greek or Ancient Egyptian. HeyJoyous Well, I think Bella is quite ignorant of Jacob’s feeling and intentions most of the time. I think that if she knew exactly his thoughts and feelings and intentions and continued to spend so much time alone with him it would be wrong but I really think that she has no clue. Wow, i actually never thought about it that way. I always thought that it was Edward who was wrong to keep Bella away from Jacob. It didn’t occur to me that Bella may be wrong to keep up her friendship with Jacob when it was actually a one-sided love relationship. but i really don’t think bella knew she was leading jacob on. She knew Jacob liked her, but she tried hard to make it clear that she didn’t like him that way. but she didn’t want to hurt him, so perhaps she didn’t make it clear enough. I think that bella was just being bella. She was determined to somehow work around the problem, and not have to choose either jacob or edward. The same way she was determined to somehow manage a relationship with a vampire who was constantly fighting the urge to kill her. You’ll just have to keep reading, kaleb, and see if bellas plans work out. And also, i would NOT be happy if my boyfriend was best friends with a super-model who loved him. TO HELL WITH YOU, EVIL MODEL GIRL, TO HELL!!! heehee 😀 u have got to make it clear what team you’re on! by the way you talk it sounds like Edward, but then u say jacob has the best intentions? does this mean switzerland for you? or you like them both but edward is right for bella? or you like them both but she needs to choose jacob? or jacob is a rotten stupid mutt/twit (ok so im not that good with the name calling) and Edward needs to keep bella away from him? <- 😀 haha. or God forbid Bella leave Edward because he’s a smelly leach? ( i dont mean it! im trying to think how jacob lover would!) p.s. models are stupid p.p.s what will happen once you finish Breaking Dawn?! what will you post then?!?!?!?!? p.p.p.s. i hate jacob in the middle two books. he is much more like-able in the last one aw, thank you #35 katey1994! I really love Jacob, so I’m always a bit defensive of him. Bella has stated many times, I love Edward. I love Jacob like a brother. Therefore, she is no longer leading them on. Leading Jacob on leaves us to belive he thinks she is seriously debating between to two. And she’s not. Jacob brings all his pain on himself. Normally I would write something long and well thought out, but as I have two essays to be writing right now, I will resist. I just have one thing to say in response to your post, Kaleb: “Well-intentioned”? BAHAHAHAHAHHA!!! Liz twicurls i’m diggin the albums, kaleb. Though I think i would definitely buy Charlie or the Bloods first off. Bella doesn’t always have the best judgement, and Edward’s not very good at communicating what needs to be communicated. He’s finally realizing that in Eclipse – whenever he tries to do something “for her own good” it turns out awful. So he’s gotta let go a little and let her hang out with Jake. If she ends up going for Jake, Edward feels like that would probably be better for her anyway (plus she’s only 18 – it’s not like she’s ever loved anyone but Eddie, so maybe she could love someone else?). I was SOO glad Ed stopped acting like King Cullen like you said. She’s gotta CHOOSE him for it to be real, right? Ahhh!!! It’s not about Edward trusting Bella, it’s about Edward trusting Jacob! Jacob does not have Bella and Edwards best interest at heart… therefore, no Bella and Jacob relationship. Dinnie I actually agree with you, that if I were Edward, I would not even allow her to go to La Push. But then again, Edward being the selfless person he is, he would want Bella to be happy, even if it is not with himself. Jaclyn. No. It is not alright for Bella to lead them both on. And, no, Bella has no idea what she’s doing… exactly. But Bella isn’t leading them on, I don’t think. Sure, what she’s doing isn’t right, but, I don’t think she understands just how much she hurts them. She has made her point unmistakably clear that she can’t live without Edward. But cutting off her best friend isn’t much easier. so now I begin to talk myself into circles until we come to the point that Bella doesn’t know. She doesn’t know how much pain they feel when she goes back and forth. She doesn’t know how much they care about her. What to do. How to not hurt them. How to save everyone pain, and then the pain everyone will feel when it’s all over – not that she exactly wants to think about it much. She has absolutely no idea what she’s doing or how things are going to work out or how to make it better. So, she’s… living in the moment, and trying hard to fight fate. If you look at it from her point of veiw, you have Edward – the love of her life, and Jacob – her best friend. And death staring her in the face in so many ways. It’s enough to make anyone helpless and do things that aren’t exactly the best thing at the moment. So, to try to sum it up: Bella is completely clueless, not helping her situaion much, but is panicking and afraid and under pressure. And I don’t think that Edward and Jake are helping much at all as she tries to figure things out and straighten out her amazingly twisted and tangled life. I hope someone can make sense of what I’m trying to say! ilu! Personally, I think Bella doesn’t even realize what she’s doing–leading both Edward and Jacob on. She’s got a lot on her mind these days and it doesn’t seem to even occur to her that she’s being inconsiderate to them both, to put it lightly. She knows she desperately needs them both, one more so than the other. She thinks there’s a way she can have both Edward and Jacob in her life and isn’t giving up hope for that. dmarks Edward in the album cover looks a bit like Jim Nabors. “Loved by millions” Yes, Bella does not have the best judgement. I think she is bewitched by Edwards hyper-predator attractiveness. Peach Tree Poor Edward. Poor Jacob. Poor Bella! Bad circumstances for all of them. Edward: The love of his life can’t stop spending time with this guy who desperately wants to steal her away from him. Jacob: The love of his life is kind of already with somebody else who she’d rather die than be without. Bella: Her true love and her best friend are mortal enemies. She’d die (no pun intended about immortality or anything) if her true love left and still be in agony if her friend left. Basically, what I’m trying to get at here, is that no one is necessarily at fault here. Sure they could have done a few things better, but your average person probably would have done worse – (i.e. Edward: kidnapping Bella and taking her out of the country so she can’t see Jacob (I’m not saying the average person would do that, just he could have . . .); Bella: horrible as it sounds, cheating on Edward; Jacob: flipping out and attacking Edward) This is a very long-winded explanation and I think I better stop now. ~Peach Tree I can’t even figure out what I was trying to say there. Oh well! 😛 Bella is torn bewteen the fact that she loves Edward and could never part with him in a million years,but Jacob is her bestfreind. In Bella’s mind, Jacob is like family, who is in pain. It is like a very sick brother and someone telling Bella she can’t see him. The fact is, is that Jacob is falling in love with her and Edward is very uncomfortable that Bella might soon feel the same way and might change her mind. By letting Bella see Jacob, he is taking a big risk, but if he would not let her see him, then that would be a even bigger risk to Bella and Edward’s relationship. All in all they are all taking big risks. Jacob might be the only one who wants one thing only that doesn’t have any major consequenses. He wants Bella. All Bella wants is for life to be normal, in that she can have Jacob as a freind and Edward forever. But seeing as they are enimies, it won’t be that simple. Bella can’t stay in her current position forever and leading them both on is just gonna make it harder for everybody. I really don’t think she understands how deep she’s getting with Jacob. I think she is trusting that her love for Edward will be enough. Trust seems to be the key to holding their current dangerous position together from falling apart. Whether Bella likes it or not, she can’t stay like that forever. Sorry for the long comment. =D no because in the end shell end up hurting one of them evean though her minde is only really set on 1 no bella has no clue of what shes doing because she THINKS that thairs no way she could ever love some1 besides edward if bella did knowshe was hurting them she wouldhave stoped seeing one of them (did that evean make some sence)it made me sound like im on team jacob witch im not sometime u just want to slap bella and make he relize how stupid some coises (then again people in love do stupid thinks) ………its a verry confusing mess…….. Ugh, if you ask me, Bella tends to be such a twit in this book. Eclipse is when I first really started to be kind of irked by her. And its when I first started to fall in love with the wolves. Swoooon. Wendilynn This is something that gets discussed later in book, so I won’t go into it. Bella is being naive. She loves them both, in different ways. Jacob is taking advantage of her personality – he knows she will feel guilty if he says he is sad. He uses that to keep pulling her (with good reason, in his mind – to keep her human). Edward is playing the patient boyfriend. He should be honest with her about his feelings. *Reference to Wuthering Heights – anyone? But, it all plays out the way it is supposed to play out….keep reading!! By the way – your questions make it VERY HARD not to spoil you!! AussieT Agree with Tina. This is Bella’s first real love – and she naively thinks she can have both boyfriend and best friend. There’s plenty of real life experience that shows you can’t – but most people have to find out for themselves which is what Bella is doing. Agree with Tina that its hard to answer these questions without putting any spoilers! Of course she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Truly, she’s just being selfish. She doesn’t seem to think about the future. Just pushes it to the back of her mind so she can be happy now. And that’s what Edward wants her to do. Admittedly, he doesn’t want her hanging around Jake, but he doesn’t want her looking ahead to the future and going on about changing her (as usual). And Jake, in my opinion, doesn’t want to think about the future himself, because he doesn’t think she’ll choose him. I mean, he’s pretty confident, he thinks he has a chance, but he can’t know. But he does want her to think about the future. To think about how much better it would be for her to be with him instead. Yeah… That was kind of confusing. Anyway, nice post. 😀 LaurenXL i always have a good laugh when I come here. Bella in Eclipse really pissed me off. I lost a lot of respect for her during this book, and I hated Jacob. Poor innocent Edward is just looking out for Bella, and she just does whatever even though it hurts his feeling. Ugh Clara Renee Ok I think since it’s Edward’s fault that Bella’s friends with Jacob he needs to deal with it. If he wouldn’t have ran away to go be emo in africa (which I know was to protect her and he’s sorry but facts are facts) she wouldn’t have needed Jacob and now because of that he is a part of her. It would be cruel to BELLA if he made her choice. Also I happen to know how Edward feels but he needs to learn to trust Bella. Even if he doesn’t trust Jacob, he should know that Bella loves HIM and (regrettably so) not Jacob. But the facts are: Bella LOVES Edward Bella and Jacob are BEST FRIENDS She needs a little sliver of life aside for Edward. REALLY. To LaurenXL And all you other Bella haters: SHE’S ONLY HUMAN!! She can’t be a saint 24/7! Gosh! And yeah what she does isn’t right sometimes but that doesn’t mean hate her for the few times she does something wrong when she’s a really good person all the other times! I highly doubt you people never do ANYTHING wrong. Well, thats what your acting like. Steph does this so that we see that Bella is HUMAN and that she’s not like all the other book characters where they are so saintlike and perfect that their predictable and boring. Lighten up. Really. Devon061381 First of all, many kudos for slipping that “chagrin” in there on us! haha. I agree with the poster waaaaay above who mentioned that Bella doesn’t see that she’s leading Jacob on and doesn’t know just how much it’s hurting Edward because he doesn’t let on (he won’t, because of the pain he put her through in New Moon). I can see both sides to the coin. Bella considers Jacob as her best friend/brother and loves bejeesus out of Edward, but she’s also naive to think that Jacob isn’t manipulative enough to think he’s got a fighting chance. Bella knows deep down that she has a connection with Jacob, but it’s not a love one. This all gets resolved in Breaking Dawn and you’ll see why she feels that way But in the meantime, feel free to rant and rave at the mistakes Bella makes dealing with Jacob. I sure as hell did! By the end of this book I was yelling all sorts of things at her. Bella really pissed me off in Eclipse. Yes, we know she’s human, but we can “see” the mistakes she’s making as she’s making them, so it’s only natural to say to one’s self “noooooo why are you doing that???!!!” And Kaleb, you crack me up with your bit about Edward breaking into song, and “All my friends are dead.” I needed a good laugh this morning – thanks! She knows what she’s doing, she wouldn’t feel guilty if she didn’t. I think Bella has a bit of a problem with selfishness during Eclipse. I mean, I bet she would go crazy ( with all her insecurities, you know) if Edward was doing with Tanya what she’s doing with Jake. Regarding to Bella leading Edward and Jacob on: I don’t think she is, in a way she is running from her problem, which is choosing one of them. But if you think about it, there was never a choice to be made, not really. December 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm The first time I read “Eclipse”, I felt very annoyed by Bella’s actions. I couldn’t understand why she would keep going back to Jacob when every time she saw him, they ended up fighting. I guess she just couldn’t stay away from him. She knows that Edward is the one she wants to spend forever with, so as soon as she realized that Jacob was in love w/ her, she should have distanced herself from him. It wasn’t intentional on her part, but what she was doing was extremely unfair to both Edward and Jacob. It would’ve been different if J had no romantic feelings for her. Edward is being very patient and understanding, though. He’ll always do whatever he thinks is best for Bella or whatever she really wants. Bella is having her own personal struggles. She is one person with Jacob and another with Edward. She likes being both people and experiencing these 2 seperate relationships. It gets confusing when the 2 collide and I think that’s what is happening right now for you in Eclipse. She’d rather jump back & forth between the 2 and ignore the obvious outcome. Sometimes people play it safe in fear of rocking the boat. Edward refers to his “human instincts” from time to time. He also says that Bella brings them out in him. He knows he has Bella’s heart, but he is also having to deal with a new emotion.. jealousy. As for Jacob, I think he’s immature. He’s a boy who is in love with a girl that he knows deep down will never fall in his favor, but yet he’d rather live in the moment and be happy with whatever relationship Bella is able and willing to give him right then. Thank you! Oh my god, someone who finally gets it. I mean, of course it’s ok for bella and jacob to still hang out, but bella needs to put her foot down and draw the line. Bella is just way too lenient, and for someone who is willing to die for Edward, she sure doesn’t hesitate to cause him pain. Because although he hides it well, it does hurt him that Bella wants to spend so much time with Jacob. Of course it hurts him. Why can’t bella see that? Why does she think Jacob’s pain is more, when Jacob’s pain is self serving (it’s jacob’s own fault he’s in pain). I think Bella is being, well, hypocritical, and honestly if I wasn’t so confident in knowing that Bella and Edward are MEANT to be together, I would slap the girl and tell her to get a clue. She SAYS jacob’s only her friend. She SAYS that he’s only family. You’re getting closer and closer to the reason that I will forever in some part of me despise Jacob stupid minded pushy manipulative pathetic scum of the earth Black. Lots of people pity Jacob. I pity Edward (at least in Eclipse). He tries so hard to do everything he can for Bella. Not only does Bella deflect that sometimes, but she keeps forgetting that Edward does have human emotions and feelings. He tries so hard to make her happy, making her his only priority, and Bella doesn’t return the favor. If it was me, I wouldn’t believe in Bella’s love either. Here’s what I think: All of them were wrong. First of all, Jacob was very determined to whisk Bella away from Edward, all the while making snarky little remarks that were completely undeserved. Bella has tried to be clear that she won’t leave Edward for him, but he pushes forward to cause his own pain. Second, Edward just overreacts constantly. In the beginning, he went to far to keep her safe. Now, he’s going too far the other way, not voicing his concerns about Jacob at all. And, finally, Bella. While she has definitely not tried to lead Jacob on, she still is, to try and keep their friendship going. She loves him, not the way he wants, but she still does. Jacob isn’t making that situation any easier, but she wasn’t strong enough to leave him, partly because she doesn’t want to cause HIM that kind of pain. So… I don’t think she was being selfish of selfless either way. However, making Edward put up with it was a little selfish. Put in the same situation, though, and I would have done the same thing she did. I can’t imagine any way she could have avoided her current situation. So… make what you will of that lol P.S. The smell thing–you do realize that werewolves smell woodsy to humans, like wet, dirty dogs to vampires? And vampires, who smell wonderful to humans, smell disgustingly sickly sweet to werewolves? Just making sure you knew. Reading the rest of the comments I have to smile. One of the joys of Eclipse is the pure human nature of the characters. I read all sorts of articles about how the Twilight series has no basis in reality and yet, we get such a great journey through very real situations that any relationship will deal with. I had to deal with this situation myself when my exhubby’s friends didn’t like me. At the time it was really confusing and hurtful, I know why now and that’s beside the point. My point is that Edward, Bella, Jacob and the rest of the cast of characters are very real PEOPLE. Their highs, lows and the things they learn as they make mistakes through all this is very relatable to all of us. Love it, hate it, Esclipse is a great journey. Hmmmm…. I think that yes, it is wrong that she is leading them both on, and i don’t know if she fully realizes she is, but I think that she at least partially does. I say this because she knew that was basically what she was doing in Twilight to get information from Jacob. drivelocity I wouldn’t string anyone along, or be all confused like that, but I’m also not a teenage girl. I believe it was Chris Rock who said, “Men don’t have women friends, they just have women they haven’t slept with yet.” i had a problem with his book for the same reasons. I was irritated at bella for still talking to jacob. I mean, there is no competition between edward and jacob. She knew who she was meant to be with. why drag it out? I will say this. I hate the ending of the series because of things built up in this book. Shannah I take it your not a fan of Jacob, so naturally, I am going to defend him. Edward left in New Moon (duh) and I don’t care what people say about “It was for her own good”. NO. If he knew what was good for her he would never have done it. So Bella goes to Jacob (notice: SHE seeks HIM.) who didn’t inflict any of the pain she had, so it was completely not his responsibility to make her better. He did it anyway, even though he knew it would be hard. So now that Edward (the one who made the stupid, careless move) is back, Jacob just gets thrown out the window? Bella’s all, “Yeah, I know you’ve saved my life 1000 times but Edward is sexier.” How is that fair? And then when Jacob still wants to hang out with Bella, which is perfectly justified, he isn’t allowed. Because the guy who’s ass Jacob saved won’t let him. I understand where your going with the girl translation thing, but still.. the circumstances are different. Wow. this has nothing to do with the question you asked. Gah. I have issues. Hey Kaleb- (luv ur name, btw) I totally think it was wrong for her to lead Jacob on. I mean, if she knew she was just going to hurt him in the end, she shouldn’t have used him in the first place… Luv Ya! ~Lila Whitley- would you have preferred an “Everybody dies” ending??? Shannah- You totally disregarded the “It was for her own good” thing, like it wasn’t important. Plus, Jacob caused his own pain just as much as Bella did. He absolutely did NOT make it easier for her. And Edward just keeps making mistakes and overreacting–but almost always for the right reasons. (I say almost because there was the prejudice against werewolves a few times.) well… I’m here to.. well deffend bella.. because.. well.. i feel like.. well.. i wuold probably have done de same thing..(cof cof.. ejem mistakes.. cof cof) Well obiousley… she doesn’t does.. all that.. messing arround with everybody’s feelings.. she.. well she doesn’t quite get.. what the consecuenses might be… i mean.. she always hope to.. like.. at the end.. everything to get fixed.. in a way that everybody is happy…(she with the most marvelous thing she has ever met(edward), Edward.. all.. not emo.. and.. not killing him self by goingto yhe vulturi, Rosalie being happy 4 her being on her family… and.. Charlie marrying Billy(hehe) so she can Love Jacob and Jacob love her in return without any.. werewolf hart breaking in pieces so tiny that is almost dust or vampire selfkilling with the help of the vulturi involved…) and well… she didn’t knew that all could get so.. BIG.. and.. so.. well.. ugly.. and hart smashing for so many people.. i bet you she is so sorry..(she is still.. kind of a b!+$H sometimes… but.. what kind of girl isn’t one sometimes… hehe.. plus she feels sorry 4 being one.. hehe) pd- Don’t hate Bella!! It’s so difficult to answer this question but I think I’d do the same as Edward. Edward feels like a complete ____ (fill in your own word(s)) and he knows that Jacob helpsed Bella and he can not break that bond. All he wants is Bella to be happy and in a way still thinks that Jacob is a better choice if he of course controls himself unlike him Jacob actually has an opportunity to age eventually. Edward’s love for Bella is enough to leave again and again if that is what is best and he has proven it in New Moon and is willing to prove it again. Your question made me itching to reply! An interesting thought though, definitely… Well, the way I see it, Bella is definitely not leading both guys on intentionally (I’m pretty sure of this… her mindset changes when she realizes what she has been doing)… but that doesn’t change the fact that she is, I suppose. However, I think everyone involved is to blame. Kaleb, you make an interesting point – these aren’t humans, and because they aren’t humans they have the ability to act in a way that we cannot. Another thing that doesn’t happen often in human relationships is what happened in New Moon – some may call Bella whiny and clingy and everything of that sort, but that wasn’t Stephenie’s intent (which has a big impact on everything… her intentions change the whole frame of reference for the novel). Bella was supposed to act like she had lost a life partner (or… according to personal correspondence, I think… as a widow instead of just a girl who got dumped by her boyfriend. Looking at it that way, Bella definitely acted appropriately. She was ready to become immortal for Edward. Not completely ready, no, but those who underestimate Bella’s intelligence and honesty when she says that (namely Edward) will also overestimate her reaction to his leaving. So what did Edward do? Indirectly, he literally gives Bella to Jacob. He even owns up to it in Eclipse. If he hadn’t left, it wouldn’t have happened (though his morals for doing that are… a different story. The intent (hehe) was there, yes, but there’s underestimation here, too). As she says herself in New Moon, Bella shaped her entire future around the Cullens. She thought that was a certainty – vampire or not, she hadn’t planned for the only man she loved to say that she didn’t hold his heart. What if Bella had never gone to see Jacob? Beside not bringing Alice back after seeing the vision (and all the Cullens after that), Bella would not have gotten better. Jacob was crucial to Bella’s re-emergence, I guess I could say, from the dark. We see a very different Bella in New Moon – and even after being with Jake for months, it isn’t the same girl we knew in Twilight. The progress that she made, though, was definitely because of his willingness to be her friend. He never dared to abandon her. Now that Edward is back, of course there’s ambivalence in her emotions. It wouldn’t at all be in human nature for her to act like Jacob had done nothing for her at all. How could Bella have healed if she had not forged a band with him? Her best friend? I think that Edward does understand this, at least a little bit. He understands the connection that they have because there was NO ONE there at all for Bella while Edward was away. But in any of the first 10 chapters of Eclipse, does Bella say that she’s leading one of them on? No, at least I don’t think so. At the beach, doesn’t Bella say that her reasons for coming to La Push don’t involve loving Jake like he loves her? Of course her feelings are there, and Edward realizes that, but the thing is that Bella does not. Can she really be blamed for being blind to her feelings? Maybe. But until she realizes what she’s doing, Bella is only trying to keep promises on both sides, even though there’s a certain desperation there – she knows she can’t do it forever. But Bella, to me, is a good person, and at least tries to salvage her friendships even when there’s chaos everywhere. nidhigirl11 Bella’s behavior really angered me while I was reading. I know how miserable Edward must feel, and I found it annoying that she was leading him on like that. When Edward was gone in new moon, and Bella had every right to go after Jacob, she refused, but now that he’s back and hopelessly in love, she goes after him! But on the other hand, she wants his friendship, and she doesn’t believe Jacob will push for anything more. Feven First off, Bella is a complete idiot. Getting that out of the way, like most of the commenters above have already stated, Bella needs Jacob ALMOST as much as Edward. Edward still can’t forgive himself for leaving Bella so in his mind he’s still heavily indebted to Jacob for keeping her somewhat sane and therefore will allow her to see him without, y’know, crippling him. So yes, Edward is self-sacrificing, but a part (who knows how large) is because he despises himself, not just because he loves Bella (which he DOES, I know!) Now with Jacob, I kind of feel you have this prejudice about guys that try and steal the girl from her boyfriend (understandable), but I think you’re kind of missing why Jacob is acting that way. Before he became a werewolf he was perfectly content with being Bella’s best friend. Only after he transformed did he fully understand the existence of vampires.. that they were supposedly soulless monsters (remember the Cullens are the exception) and that they were his mortal enemies, which is why he tries so aggressively to win Bella over. Simply put, he only wants to save her from a fate that he truly believes is worse than death. Who wouldn’t? Obviously, winning Bella’s heart would be a HUGE bonus, but that’s not his primary goal. So yeah, I hope you got some of Jacob’s perspective (and sorry if it sounds a bit biased) OH! Did I even answer the question? It is NOT alright. haha kelsey p the all mine friends are dead thing was prolly the funniest thing i have ever seen. thank u kaleb for once again making my day 😀 Ahh, silly Bella… She is torn and oblivious. She needs and loves Edward, that’s a given. But while he was away, she had to fill the void with something. That something being Jake’s warmth and friendship. Now she loves them both, though she doesn’t precisely know that she loves Jacob. Or rather, she underestimates the love she has for him. Her problem is that she is so caught up in making everyone happy for the moment. Bella never stops to take a look at what happens in the long run. She doesn’t see the damage she is doing, regardless of her good intentions. Poor Bella, poor Jacob, poor Edward… Pinkchan December 3rd, 2008 at 12:12 am LOL “All my friends are dead” that sound´s like a contry song. About your question I was going to make a long comment but all i was going to say was already said before, so my comment is Bella was very Lucky Jacob only had his dad, because a sister or a mother never will have take the situation as calmly as Billy did. TwilightGirl i am pretty sure bella knows that is hurts edward but jacob is this need that shes had ever since edward left her. and even though edward is back its something that cant be taken back. and also shes very sought after proving to herself that jacob is just a friend. and even though jacob really doesnt get that concept. bella is trying to balance her different loves. her love for jacob as a best friend almost family like and then edward the person who is more than a soul mate to her, the person that is her destiny, part of her own life and soul and whole being. Katie Beth December 3rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm I would have a really hard time with all this if I were Bella, and I honestly don’t know what I would do. On one hand, I don’t want to make Edward mad, and I really do love him, but on the other hand, Jake is my best friend and I don’t want him mad either. So what gives? I completely agree with you. Bella was irritating me in this book, too. I mean, I know she loves Jacob a lot, and she doesn’t want him to hurt over her, I think that she owes more to Edward. He is, after all, her boyfriend. What I mean is that she owes Edward more…attention, I suppose. Anyhoo, if they would all just calm down and think about it for a while, and Bella wouldn’t push Edward into letting her see Jacob all the time, then eventually they could be more civil about it. twilight hater bella’s a whore and edward’s a man whore.when u read breaking dawn, u will find out y… Liz (From DC) Like many others, I’ve been in Bella’s shoes- with my current boyfriend, a definite Edward, and my ex-fiance, a Jacob. She sees Jacob as a friend that she doesn’t want to hurt to let go, and he’s a bit of a safety net for her- if Edward ever leaves again, she has someone who will step in. But she truly loves and wants to be with Edward, as we’ve seen. So, she tries to be friends with everyone and make everyone happy- which she can’t do without hurting someone. Ironically, this is the book that made me go, “WAIT A MINUTE” and have a stark realization about my own little triangle. Now, my “Edward” and I are still happily together, and I told my “Jacob” that we didn’t seem to be ready for friendship, and I was sorry to say good bye, but he couldn’t give me a platonic relationship, and I couldn’t give him a romantic one. So, I think Eclipse saved my relationship- hopefully Bella will come to the same realization that I did. heyyyyy! whats up? bella completely fell in my eyes in this book, although it is my favorite in the series. bella always compares herself to catherine in wuthering heights and that is a start. atleast she feels bad, but she was like the stupidest person ever and i really hated her in this book and breaking dawn, but not for the same reason… great post, i wish u could read more than a chapter… Whoops! And to answer your question, it is most certainly not right. No matter who she chose in the end, it hurt that person a lot. They both love her so much, they’d do anything for her. I’m pretty sure that she knows, somewhere in the back of her hard head, that she’s leading Jacob on. If I were her, I’d probably tell him that if he wanted to see me so badly, to drive his lazy butt up to my house himself. Haha Ahh!!! And one more thing. I love both Jacob and Edward!!! I just want to clear my name so no one hates me or anything. Tehe jk 😉 E- um no, I didn’t want an “everybody dies” ending. I was trying not spoil it for people that haven’t gotten through with all the books. What I mean is, this was a major conflict of the series, and I don’t like the way it was “resolved”, if you even want to call it that. devz30 Same. We’re actually very similar ^_^ It irks me that Bella can go with Jacob and she knows it hurts Edward. This is really what annoys me most about Eclipse, and why it is my least favorite book to me in the series. Stephenie did say that it is one of Edward’s major flaws: How he watched Bella Jacob get closer, and not do anything about it. It does make me angry. Sometimes I just think, “why doesn’t he do anything?!” It KILLS me that he doesn’t do anything. I really can’t help but pity him because of Bella. I think Bella does know what she’s doing, but she can’t help it. She and Jacob have grown quite close in New Moon. My answer? NO, IT IS NOT alright that Bella leads on Jacob and Edward. How can it be alright? In New Moon, Edward didn’t try to find a replacement for Bella or crutch, did he? Maybe every damn thing in Eclipse was alright if Edward did the same. Breaking Dawn didn’t even balance anything. I was really really annoyed at Bella, but hey, you can learn to get over it. Breaking Dawn really does help. ^_^ I suppose it’s not really okay for Bella to lead Jacob on, but she doesn’t know what she’s doing, sooooo… Also, although Edward is obviously not going to be happy that she’s hanging out with Jacob, there is of course a reason that he accepts it. He loves her! So he’s putting up with everything, because he doesn’t want to hurt her. bella is selfish » Blog Archive » » Reading Eclipse: Chapter 11 (Legends) […] Reading Eclipse: Chapter 10 (Scent) The song for this chapter is Dusk And Summer by… […] Rie Pie I think that Bella is kind of a selfish dink. She really is Kathy from Wuthering Heights. I also think the reason why Edward lets her stay friends with Jacob is to constantly allow Bella an out. I think Edward is amazing with his kindness. I also think that Jacob is a dink. Bell’s in denial about Jacob and how much she cares about him. She refuses to believe that her feelings for him are inappropriate and so she doesn’t see how much she’s in the wrong. She’s only eighteen and inexperienced so give her a break people. She’s not doing it on purpose, but Jacob certainly didn’t help matters. I don’t hate Jacob, he’s only a boy and immature, but still he acts selfishly in Eclipse and he treats Edward abominably. Though it probably seems worse because of the contrast between his treatment of Edward and Edwards treatment of him. Edward loves Bella so much that he wants her to be happy first and foremost. Not being able to read her mind he doesn’t have an insight into her thoughts and feelings like we do. He doesn’t know the depth of her feelings for him. When you look at their relationship Bella holds the power. Edward is always proclaiming his love and making sure Bella has no doubts about his devotion to her. Bella, on the other hand, isn’t near as vocal or as open with her own feelings leaving Edward feeling much less sure of her feelings for him. Sure, he knows she’s strongly attracted to him physically, but to him that might just be the vampire effect. And he knows human emotions are fickle. He is left constantly doubting her feelings. He needs reassurance, but Bella does the opposite; running after Jacob only proves to him she could leave him at any moment without a second thought. And he hates himself and loves Bella enough that part of him wants that b/c he thinks that would be better for her no matter how much it hurts him. As a vampire his emotions are not fickle or subject to change. He can never fall out of love with Bella. And still he lets her know that she’s free to do whatever makes her happy. Edward is amazing in his self-sacrifice and generosity. As long as she wants him he’s there for her and, lucky him, he get’s to be happy too. But if she treats him like a he’s a toy or completely ignores his feelings he’ll just take that too and still think he’s lucky. If only Edward could love himself more and believe that he’s not a soulless monster. But he needs Bella to show him he is worth loving, something she fails at miserably throughout eclipse. Bella should think of Edward more. He deserves it. Well… I haven’t read all the posts so I’m not sure if I’m repeating anything but… Jacob: He’s a teenage boy who’s been giving a ton to deal with. Tradition, the supernatural, being a werewolf, all this and still going through high school… He’s young. Not to mention the girl he loves is in love with a guy he views as a “leech” and a “monster” and wants to turn her into a monster leech too. He’s right now doing everything in his power to keep her alive (as in, nothing but human.) I don’t really see too much fault in Jake. He’s trying to do everything he can to postpone the vampirization date, to have her love him back and save her from being the one creature he is forced by nature to loathe, fight, and kill. Edward: He’s lived over a century alone, and the one person that he loves unconditionally is Bella, who happens to be a danger magnet and has a werewolf for a best friend. Edward is EXTREMELY conflicted because he feels he owes Bella something because he left (I left so you can keep the werewolf best friend you made while I was gone, because he patched you up after I hurt you) He feels remorseful for leaving in the first place– he knows he hurt Bella. (And Jacob had a little bit too much fun reminding him) He also can’t live without her and she keeps throwing herself at said guy (ok, throwing is a strong word…) who is dangerous because he could kill her in a flash. But at some point, not only does he trust Bella, I think he comes to trust that Jacob loves her enough not to hurt her either (that’s where this chapter comes in.) Does that mean he doesn’t want to mess with Jacob still? HALE NO! That’s why the whole hair and scent thing is in the chapter. Edward can’t read Bella’s mind, and not knowing the extent of what is happening must be very unnerving as well. Basically, Edward is being weighed down with so much stress over Bella (being conflicted, remorseful, worried, jealous, etc. etc.) that he’s trying to hide his pain, his annoyance FOR Bella. Because despite all the stress she causes him, he loves her more than anything in the universe. Bella: Bella is 18. Bella is human. Bella is a danger magnet who is madly in love with a vampire and has a werewolf for a best friend. Obviously, she has a few issues compared to most humans. Bella is madly and unconditionally in love with Edward, except in Twilight (in the first chapter, mind you) she tells us that she has a hard time showing her emotions. (This must bother Edward to death [lol vampire pun :D] because he can’t read her mind and doesn’t know what she’s really feeling… and we do.) Bella is naive, and I think that a corner of her mind accepts what Jacob is doing, but also craves the freedom and the friendship he gives her. Now everybody, I am Team Edward except get real: Jacob is like her escape, where being with the Cullens and Edward lately is a little more tense considering they’re all concerned with Seattle and Victoria and… you know what I mean. Jacob is fun, and they really bonded when she was a zombie. She can’t just erase that now that Edward is back… Do I think she is being fair? No way. I think that she is so sure of her love for him, and so sure that he is sure, (especially because she kinda can’t live without him) that she doesn’t even consider how all of the Jacob stuff affects Edward. She always considers herself as the one who is more obsessed, more in love with the other. So Edward being jealous of Jacob? It doesn’t even cross her mind until Angela suggests it. I don’t think that she really considers Jacob’s affect on Edward because she knows that she won’t take her relationship with Jacob any further, and she knows that she’s madly in love with Edward. It’s almost as if she believes Edward can read her mind or something, and know that she is so invested in him that Jacob really can’t do anything to her love for Edward. But he doesn’t know—and that’s where a lot of the pain, jealousy, and problems emerge in the story. This love triangle thing between Edward, Jacob, and Bella has so many problems because it seems Bella is indecisive, in love, and unable to really tell these boys how in the world she truly feels about anyone or anything. Maybe if she made her emotions and true feelings a little clearer, she would have saved them all the problems. Just my thoughts, my two cents, on what’s happening/ going through the heads of the characters 😀 Bella: She loves Jacob, and not as a best friend. Some part of her heart loves Jacob, can’t be without him, can’t just stay away from him, even though the rest of her heart is in denial over this. Bella truely does love two men deeply at this point, and doesn’t want to choose. So she spends time with both and avoids really thinking about why she can’t stay away from jacob. Edward: he understands that Bella loves Jacob, even if she doesn’t see it, and he respects and loves her far too much to force her anymore to do what he wants instead of what she wants. He would let her see Jacob because she WANTS to see Jacob, and that’s the entire reason. Seeing Jacob makes her happy, he will no longer get in the way of her happiness, even if it hurts him. Of course he’s jealous, of course he’s upset, but he won’t show it, he won’t tell her, because he wants her to ultimately choose him freely, without pursuasion from him. He won’t force her to do anything anymore against her will. This is very decent actually, and a big part of why I respect Edward, though really I wish he would trust her enough to say how he’s feeling, and let her decide after that, though he probably knows she would decide to do what makes him happy, and sacrifice herself, which he doesn’t want. Really this whole problem could have been avoided if they weren’t so self-sacrificing. 😉 Jacob: He has an annoying tendancy in this book of telling Bella what she is feeling even when she disagrees. He shows a distinctive lack of trust in her insight and judgement, which deserved or not, shows a lack of respect for her as a person. It’s demeaning. While Edward figured out that Bella should be allowed to think and feel and act of her own volition for her to be truly happy, Jacob still tries to control her, forcing her into situations she is uncomfortable with, telling her she should like it. It’s scary sometimes. And that’s my take on our love locked trio. About Bella and Jacob, she has made it clear that she is not interested in him like that. And Edward knows that he helped her when he was gone. He also just wants Bella happy, and im sure that whatever Bella wanted, she would get. Even if she wanted something outrageous like a pet dragon. Well, then again, i guess we could say ALMOST anything she wants. And thats your hint XD But think of it as, Edward has thousands of girls he could run to who are dying to date him, (Tanya) but do you see him avoiding them for any reason?? And they make Bella jealous. But he still has the right to be with them just like Bella can be with Edward. January 7th, 2009 at 3:57 am I dont think she is leading jacob on at this point, or any point. While you make a good point, because i was just in a situation where my boyfriend would go to a certain female about everything, its a complete double standard. Everyone can say what they want, but thats just how life works. Even when jacob crosses the line Bella never meant for their relationship to be that way. She loves him, and she needs him, just not the same way she needs edward. Edward understands this, and thats why he eased up. As much as he didnt want to, he also didnt want to keep causing her pain. Reading Eclipse: Chapter 16 (Epoch) » Blog Archive » Reading Eclipse: Chapter 16 (Epoch) January 21st, 2009 at 6:40 am Well, thats sort of a bad comparison, because Edward knows full well that Bella loves him more than she could ever love Jacob. Also, when Bella and Edward fight, their usually more like ongoing heated debates. and bella doesn’t go to jake every time they fight. Yeah, Bella is a tad bit selfish and Edward is a tad bit passive. I just started reading your blog the other day, nothing has made me laugh as heartily as that nice little chagrin action. Thanks for that. Brilliant. After rereading “Eclipse,” I surprised some friends by admitting that it wasn’t Edward or Jacob I disliked, but Bella. No, I don’t think she’s leading Jacob on intentionally, but she’s got to know it can’t be easy for him when she goes to LaPush and holds hands with him as they stroll the beach. As Edward is able to read Jacob’s mind, he knows that’s going on, too. It would tick me off if I were in either of their shoes. your so funny! Gothhic Goddess April 3rd, 2009 at 12:41 am If that album is ever made, I want it! I hardly ever lol* when finding funny things online, but you somehow got me to do it twice on this post. Go Team Kaleb! As to the running off to a model thing… A little backstory, first. I have been betrayed by most of my female friends, in some very painful ways. I have also learned that there are a lot of hateful, spiteful, back-stabbing girls out there as well. So I tend to have more males as my close friends, rather than female. How does this relate? I have been in the relationship where the guy was super controlling, especially when it came to my male friends (he went so far as to delete them from my myspace and address book once). Flipping out to that degree tends to push people away more. But with this story, Edward has to remind himself that 1.) he left her, which shattered them both. 2.) In spite of that, she risked her life for his, because of the amount of love she held for him. 3.) She is very much in love with him, and only wants to keep her friend in the process. But yes, I’m sure if it was switched, and he was running off to Tanya for friendship and guidance, Bella would become very much jealous/controlling as well. July 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 am what happened to jacob's hand I was angry with Bella throughout this entire book. I thought she was being completely selfish. She wanted everything and she continually hurt both Jacob and Edward in the process. IDoLoveTwilight WhoDoesnt i freaking hate everything about Jacob! Some People feel bad for him, but i have no sympathy for him. He never thinks about his actions, before actually acting them. Edward ROCKS! (: I think Bella is being a little selfish, and she is so caught up in wanting Jacob and Edward to be friends, to “have” both, etc. that she is kind of forgetting her impact on others. (love the song) It's wrong to lead 2people on at the same time but at times its uncontrollable because of the other person. Bella had always made it clear to Jacob that she wanted them to be friends because she was afraid to lose him ect… it pretty much is Jacobs fault for being in his position because he just never gave up (even when it was pretty clear that she wasn't going to choose him over Edward). Most of the time i don't think Bella really knows what she is doing to Jacob except for the pain that she is causing him but i can feel why she does it. She was a wreck when Edward left her and the person who brought light back into her life was Jacob. SO how can she just stop all the feeling she gathered for Jacob cold turkey just because Edward is suddenly back in her life?!!! ummhedaya –Bella actually can be trusted somewhat with her own safety (as long as this doesn’t involve cars, motorcycles, cliffs, water, tennis, needles, knives, mace spray, axes, shotguns, the pavement, the woods, climbing trees, airplanes, volleyball or a potted prickly cactus, which only through supernatural means made it from Arizona to Forks without sticking her in the eye).— I can't stop laughing at this post… but seriously, we have all gotta remember that Bella is very naive about things… well, relationship things that is… she really doesn't know she is delving into matters so much… Edward is trying very hard to make her happy and protect her at the same time… he doesn't like it, but perhaps he is not truly sure about the proper balance in this situation. Like, maybe he could be supportive without letting her romp off into his open arms all the time… Edward is 110 but still 17 when it comes to love… just a thought Maandacs All of us were 17 once. We know how that age can be. First love means so much you would rather die than be left by that someone. That age , most of us were not able to escape with flying colours, my self included. It is a very hard stage where everything seems only revolving you and that special person and nothing else matters. My answer to this is no, she cant be trusted to decide on her own, period Die Hard Twi-Hard No. I don't think it is right she needs to choose one or the other not both. I like your analogy about it being the boyfriend and the model, Bella can't keep going to Jacob because she already has a boyfriend and the more she hangs out with Jacob the more Jacob thinks there might be a chance that Bella would choose him over Edward. It hurts Edward every time she leaves to hang out with Jacob. Even though Edward think it might be safer for Bella to be with Jacob. Tai game Xeeng Online Hello, i think that i saw you visited my weblog thus i came to return the favor.I’m trying to find things to enhance my web site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!! Tai game thien long bat bo 3D Awesome post, hey I found this post while googling for lyrics. Thanks for sharing Ill email my friends about this too.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line863
__label__wiki	0.70208	0.70208	//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=dc895610-d442-44f5-a78d-3fbebee0e0f4 The Centre Cannot Hold February 14, 1994 — Andrei Chikatilo, the Butcher of Rostov, is executed for his murders By Loki 222 Content, Crime, Rock n Roll History of the World, The Rock'n'Roll History of the World Andrei Chikatlio, variously known as the Rostov Ripper, the Red Ripper and the Butcher of Rostov, was a Russian-born serial killer who confessed to 56 murders, and was convicted of 52 of them. His first murder was in 1979, a 9 year old girl whom he also raped. Another man was convicted and ultimately executed for the crime. Chikatlio was finally caught in 1990, after a manhunt that stretched over several months, and was cooperative with police, leading them to the places where he had buried various of his victims. His execution took place only after a lengthy trial and psychiatric evaluation. He was shot behind the ear with a single pistol round, killing him instantly. By Rostov Police Department – Rostov Police Department photographic records., Link As mentioned in: Rostov Ripper — Impious Citizen X (Erotophonophilia) — Divine Pustulence Red Ripper Blues (Andrei Chikatilo) — Church of Misery Tagged 1994, Andrei Chikatilo, Butcher of Rostov, Church of Misery, Citizen X, Divine Pustulence, Erotophonophilia, Feb 14, Impious, Red Ripper, Red Ripper Blues, Rostov Ripper The Rock ‘n’ Roll History of the World The Rock'n'Roll History Calendar Pick a random event! The Annotated Ten Commandments Daft Lyrics Database "Keating! The Musical" Annotations The Rock’n’Roll History of the World Role Playing Rules Conversions Many links leading to external sites on this site are for affiliate program links, which allow us to help cover the costs of the site. This is The Centre Cannot Hold, my assortment of various strange ideas that I've put on the internet to share with you all. I hope you enjoy them. Every entry in chronological order Crime, law and criminals All arts and popular entertainment. Dateless Events which have no recorded date. Depressions, booms, legislation and important firsts. Historical canards and misconceptions. Events that occurred only in works of fiction. Events projected to occur at some point in the future. Events of either dubious historicity or outright myth. Politics and wars. Events in religious history and religious dogma. Discoveries, new technologies and events discovered only through the application of science. Sporting events, or events related to athletes. The Annotated Ten Commandments \| Daft Lyrics Database \| "Keating! The Musical" Annotations \| The Rock’n’Roll History of the World \| Role Playing Rules Conversions \| Where Are They Now?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line871
__label__wiki	0.769802	0.769802	"black-ish" Is the Night's Only Program to Post Week-to-Week Growth ABC spins the numbers for Wednesday, October 7. [via press release from ABC] ABC's black-ish Grows Week to Week - ABC Claims 4 of Wednesday's Top 5 Shows After Empire Live + Same Day Results: ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 6.1 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49): After Fox's Empire, ABC aired 4 of the Top 5 next-highest-rated TV series on Wednesday with Modern Family (2.7/8), The Goldbergs (2.1/7 - 1-tenth ahead of Survivor), The Middle (1.9/7) and black-ish (1.9/6). Modern Family continued to narrow the Adult 18-49 gap with Empire on the night, trimming it by another 2-tenths of a rating point week to week (-2.3 points vs -2.5 points). ABC took 2nd place to Fox on Wednesday in Adults 18-49, moving 13% ahead of CBS (1.8/6 vs. 1.6/5) and beating NBC by 29% (1.4/4). · Earning 2nd to Empire in the 9:30pm half-hour among young adults, ABC's black-ish grew by 6% week to week in Adults 18-49. · At 10pm, ABC's Nashville (1.1/3) held steady week to week in Adults 18-49, tying CBS' Code Black (1.1/4) and closing the gap with NBC's Chicago PD (1.5/5), as the NBC and CBS dramas dropped week to week. Please Note: Nashville is one of ABC's biggest gainers in TV playback and delivered a larger L3 lift last week than either of its 10pm drama competitors: Nashville (+64%), Code Black (+53%) and Chicago PD (+47%). Wednesday (10/7/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections, including Multiplatform + 35 Days The Middle: L3 = 9.0 million/2.3 rating, L7 = 9.6 million/2.5 rating and MP+35 = 2.8 rating The Goldbergs: L3 = 8.8 million/2.7 rating, L7 = 9.5 million/2.9 rating and MP+35 = 3.3 rating Modern Family: L3 = 11.8 million/3.9 rating, L7 = 13.1 million/4.3 rating and MP+35 = 5.6 rating Black-ish: Live + 3 = 8.0 million/2.5 rating, L7 = 8.7 million/2.7 rating and MP+35 = 3.4 rating Nashville: Live + 3 = 6.9 million/1.6 rating, L7 = 7.6 million/1.7 rating and MP+35 = 2.3 rating Quick Take for Wednesday, October 7, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings) ABC Ranks Second on Wednesday in Adults 18-49, Leapfrogging over CBS "The Middle" Nearly Catches CBS' "Survivor" to Rank No. 1 in the 8pm Half-Hour ABC's "The Goldbergs" Builds on Its Lead-in to Win Its 8:30pm Time Slot "Modern" Is the Night's No. 2 TV Series, Cutting the Gap with "Empire" Once Again ABC's "Nashville" Holds Steady While Its NBC and CBS Competition Decline Wednesday (10/07/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections: "The Middle": L3 = 9.0 million/2.3 rating, L7 = 9.6 million/2.5 rating and MP+35 = 2.8 rating "The Goldbergs": L3 = 8.8 million/2.7 rating, L7 = 9.5 million/2.9 rating and MP+35 = 3.3 rating "Modern Family": L3 = 11.8 million/3.9 rating, L7 = 13.1 million/4.3 rating and MP+35 = 5.6 rating "black-ish": Live + 3 = 8.0 million/2.5 rating, L7 = 8.7 million/2.7 rating and MP+35 = 3.4 rating "Nashville": Live + 3 = 6.9 million/1.6 rating, L7 = 7.6 million/1.7 rating and MP+35 = 2.3 rating ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.1 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49): After Fox's "Empire," ABC aired 4 of the Top 5 next-highest-rated TV series on Wednesday with "Modern Family" (2.7/8), "The Goldbergs" (2.1/7 vs. 2.0/7 - 1-tenth ahead of CBS' "Survivor"), "The Middle" (1.9/7) and "black-ish" (1.9/6). "Modern Family" continued to narrow the Adult 18-49 gap with "Empire" on the night, trimming it by another 2-tenths of a rating point week to week (-2.3 points vs -2.5 points). ABC took 2nd place to Fox on Wednesday in Adults 18-49, moving 13% ahead of CBS (1.8/6 vs. 1.6/5) and beating NBC by 29% (1.4/4). · ABC's "The Middle" ran neck-and-neck with CBS' "Survivor" as the No. 1 series in the 8:00 p.m. half-hour among Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share - 1.9/7 vs. 2.0/7), while beating the first half-hours of Fox's "Rosewood" by 27% (1.5/6) and NBC's "The Mysteries of Laura" by 73% (1.1/4). · Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in (+11%), "The Goldbergs" won its 8:30 p.m. slot by 5% over "Survivor" (2.1/7 vs. 2.0/7). · At 9:00 p.m., opposite the first half-hour of "Empire," ABC's "Modern Family" spiked over its lead-in by 29% in Adults 18-49 (2.7/8), standing 1 full rating point ahead of CBS' "Criminal Minds (1.7/5) and 1.2 rating points ahead of NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" (1.5/5). · Earning 2nd to "Empire" in the 9:30 p.m. half-hour among young adults, ABC's "black-ish" (1.9/6) was the only program of the night to grow week to week in Adults 18-49 (+6%). · At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Nashville" (1.1/3) held steady week to week in Adults 18-49, tying CBS' "Code Black" (1.1/4) and closing the gap with NBC's "Chicago P.D." (1.5/5), as the NBC and CBS dramas dropped week to week. Please Note: "Nashville" is one of ABC's biggest gainers in TV playback and delivered a larger L3 lift last week than either of its 10:00 p.m. drama competitors: "Nashville" (+64%), "Code Black" (+53%) and "Chicago P.D." (+47%). Projections Rationale: Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2014-15 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere). Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals). New Series: Based on similar series. A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 48% in U.S. TV Homes. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which are increasingly not reflected in the overnight Live + Same Day numbers. As a result, the Live + 7 Day ratings are the most accurate Nielsen measure to gauge the size of the TV audience. Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings for 10/7/15. · BLACK-ISH (ABC) · CHICAGO PD (NBC) · CODE BLACK (CBS) · CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS) · EMPIRE (FOX) · GOLDBERGS, THE (ABC) · LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (NBC) · MIDDLE, THE (ABC) · MODERN FAMILY (ABC) · MYSTERIES OF LAURA, THE (NBC) · NASHVILLE (CMT) · ROSEWOOD (FOX) · SURVIVOR (CBS) most recent ratings \| view all posts Monday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC, "The Bachelor" Stay on Top in Demos The Alphabet wins Monday among adults 18-49 for the third consecutive week. Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: NFC Championship Puts FOX on Top The network's NFL coverage easily wins the night in all categories. Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Tops Demos with NBA Return "NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC" wins the night among adults 18-49. Friday's Broadcast Ratings: "WWE SmackDown" Keeps FOX on Top in Demos The network remains the adults 18-49 champ while CBS is the most-watched broadcaster. Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX Wins Tight Demo Race; CBS Tops Total Viewers The Eye's "Young Sheldon" is the top program in both categories last night. Paramount Network's "68 Whiskey" is #1 Cable Drama Premiere of the Season Among M25-54 and M18-49 Paramount Network spins the numbers for Wednesday, January 15. Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: "Chicago" Dramas Top Charts for NBC The Peacock network takes home top honors in both total viewers and adults 18-49. Tuesday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC's "Jeopardy!" Finale Tops Viewers, Demos For the night, NBC is the top draw among adults 18-49 while CBS is the most-watched broadcaster. ESPN spins the numbers for Monday, January 13. Monday's Broadcast Ratings: "The Bachelor" Tops Demos for ABC The Alphabet leads all broadcast networks among adults 18-49 last night. Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX Surges with NFL Playoffs The Seahawks/Packers showdown puts the network on top in all categories. Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: Titans/Ravens Shocker Puts CBS on Top The Eye dominates the evening in total viewers and adults 18-49. Friday's Broadcast Ratings: "WWE SmackDown" Pulls FOX Back in Front FOX wins the night among adults 18-49 while CBS is the most-watched broadcaster. more ratings >>	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line874
__label__cc	0.522722	0.477278	HomePoliticsElectionsSlouching Towards Election Day (by Wolf Howling) Slouching Towards Election Day (by Wolf Howling) October 18, 2018 Bookworm Elections Comments Off on Slouching Towards Election Day (by Wolf Howling) Brett Kavanaugh and Kanye West have combined to make sure that the 2018 midterm election will not be a normal one. . . . what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? — William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming, 1919 Many things will come to a head on our next election day, 6 November, 2018. This will not be a normal mid-term election. The Kavanaugh imbroglio clarified that. Usually midterm elections are, to use a football metaphor, the two parties arguing about where the football should be placed within ten yards of midfield. The questions now are much more fundamental, pitting our enlightenment-era Constitutional values and norms versus Marxist progressive identity / grievance culture. The two cannot coexist. Related to that is whether blacks, who have voted as a monolithic block for the the past 50 years, will continue to do so? It goes without saying that the playing field for deciding these issues will not be fair and balanced. The refs are in the bag, so to speak. Most of the media are openly an arm of the progressive left, running relentlessly negative press coverage against Trump and Republicans even as the Trump’s list of economic, foreign and domestic policy accomplishments (289 and counting) continues to grow. In a sane country, his administration would be celebrated at this point as the most effective (and honest) since World War II. Instead, the media paints our nation as in crisis. As Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit recently stated, “America is not in crisis. Leftists are in meltdown because they’re not in power, and they’re calling that a crisis.” Kavanaugh & the Marxist – Progressive Identity and Grievance Culture Marxism is toxic and, as all history has proven since 1919, has failed both spectacularly and bloodily as an economic and governing model. Progresive grievance culture, with its roots in Marxism, is doubly toxic. It borrows the socio-economic oppressed-oppressor framework at the heart of Marxism — as well as Marxism’s will to power by any means necessary — then grafts on identity politics and post-modernism, the latter of which explains the Kavanaugh imbroglio perfectly. Post-modernism elevates subjective assertions above objective facts. My reality is whatever I want it to be — and thus completely immune to contrary facts and rational argument. There is no need for evidence or due process in such a circumstance. Thus do you get “Believe All Women” (but only if and for so long as they are politically useful). This mindset was demonstrated with clarity in 2017, when a group of grievance studies majors at Pomona College composed a public letter to the college president protesting Heather MacDonald speaking at their school: Your statement [the college president’s remarks on freedom of speech] contains unnuanced views surrounding the academy and a belief in searching for some venerated truth. Historically, white supremacy has venerated the idea of objectivity, and wielded a dichotomy of ‘subjectivity vs. objectivity’ as a means of silencing oppressed peoples. The idea that there is a single truth–’the Truth’–is a construct of the Euro-West that is deeply rooted in the Enlightenment, which was a movement that also described Black and Brown people as both subhuman and impervious to pain. This construction is a myth and white supremacy, imperialism, colonization, capitalism, and the United States of America are all of its progeny. The idea that the truth is an entity for which we must search, in matters that endanger our abilities to exist in open spaces, is an attempt to silence oppressed peoples. . . . A bit later on in the letter, the student’s defend tactics to shut down speech they disagree with and to impose their will by mob rule. Do note their “ultimate goal” — for this is a zero sum game with these people: Protest that doesn’t disrupt the status quo is benign and doesn’t function to overthrow systems of oppression, which is the ultimate goal. Even Marx never went as far as our modern progressives in pushing the oppressed-oppressor framework beyond the socio-economic. In the wonderful utopia envisioned by Marx, the oppressed and the oppressors, defined by social class, disappear and all become one in the great communist collective where, as the old Soviet joke went, people pretended to work and the state pretended to pay them. In identity politics, the distinctions never disappear. Thus progressivism may be founded in Marxism, but its end point is the purest of tribalism. And, given that our nation is a melting pot of people from every conceivable “tribe,” that spells the end for this country. As a brilliant man once said shortly before our first Civil War, a “house divided cannot stand.” Just as an aside, let me note that you will find many on the left who reject “tribalism” and realize its toxic effect on society. But then you have to ask, how the hell they can support proggressive politics while admitting to tribalism’s dangers? As an author at the New Yorker recently opined, in what may be the worst case of projection I’ve ever seen, it is, he alledges, the right, with their fidelity to the Constitution and concern for the economy, who are the tribalists. Nothing demonstrates proggie neo-tribalism more than the ranting and ravings of Tamika Mallory, black female co-shair of the Women’s March, who penned an op-ed in HuffPo, “White Women: Stop Waiting for Black Women to Save You.” She rails against “white women” who “fail us” — the “us” being the tribe of black women and, as a second class subordinate appendage thereto, white women as well — by failing to end the career of Brett Kavanaugh over an evidence free allegation: Women of color have always known there is no justice for us under this current system. Many of our white sisters in the struggle woke up to that reality with the election of Trump. That awakening continues to this very day. It’s time for the 47 percent who voted against Trump to collect their white sisters. We need them all to choose us, their fellow women, over the white men who hurt all of us, but who grant white women a little bit of power along the way. White women are finally feeling the rage we have felt for the last 400 years. They are feeling the powerlessness we’ve wrestled with for generations. It’s time for them to stand with us — behind us [emphasis added]— to ensure equity and justice for all women, for all people. . . . We need [white women] to get comfortable with discomfort, to check their fellow white women when they prop up white supremacy and white male patriarchy, to sacrifice their bodies and support our work with their dollars as well as their voices. . . . How ignorant of history does one have to be to not know that tribalism is an utterly failed system. Nations have conquered while tribes, by definition self-limiting in appeal, have been the conquered. There is a reason Europeans were so easily able to colonize America, along the way conquering a multiplicity of indigenous tribes who were inevitably embroiled in inter-tribal warfare themselves. There is a reason Europe flourished while Africa, still today, has failed. Indeed, it is not unfair to say that the history of civilization and its advancement is one of rejection or defeat of tribalism. READ What the double endorsement at the New York Times tells us Even international Marxists reject this bastardization of Marx’s utopian vision. An op-ed at the World Socialist Website.org — published by the International Committee of the Fourth International no less — recently opined on the “‘Sokal Hoax Two’—the faux articles submitted and accepted for publication in various supposedly “premier” academic cultural studies journals.” States the committee: . . . The results expose the intellectual bankruptcy of identity politics and postmodernist philosophy. Their proponents, who dominate university humanities departments worldwide, are charlatans . . . Most chillingly, the authors also submitted a re-write of a chapter from Hitler’s Mein Kampf, with language altered to reference female identity and feminism. The paper, titled “Our struggle is my struggle: solidarity feminism as an intersectional reply to neoliberal and choice feminism,” was accepted for publication and greeted with favorable reviews. In the wake of their public disclosure, Pluckrose, Lindsay and Boghossian have come under attack by the proponents of postmodernism and identity politics, who claim the hoax is a right-wing attack on “social justice” disciplines. Typical is the argument of Daniel Engber, who wrote in Slate: “How timely, too, that this secret project should be published in the midst of the Kavanaugh imbroglio—a time when the anger and the horror of male anxiety is so resplendent in the news. ‘It’s a very scary time for young men,’ Trump told reporters on the very day that Pluckrose, Lindsay, and Boghossian went public with their hoax. Both express a fear of false attacks on men, whether levied by regretful sluts, lefty liberals, radical academics, or whoever else.” In reality, the hoax has exposed the fact that it is the proponents of identity politics who are advancing views parallel to the far right. While they are enraged with those who voice concern about the elimination of due process and the presumption of innocence for the targets of the #MeToo campaign, they are unbothered by the fact that the writings of Adolf Hitler are published and praised in feminist academic circles. Pluckrose, Lindsay and Boghossian are self-described liberals who are concerned that the present identity hysteria is “pushing the culture war to ever more toxic and existential polarization,” by fanning the flames of the far right. As a result, identitarians are “affecting activism on behalf of women and racial and sexual minorities in a way which is counterproductive to equality aims. . . . Just as an aside, if you are wondering how communists can continue to support Marxism but reject post-modernism — thus themselves seeming to embrace the hunt for objective truth — its by relying on the canard that, despite the number of places where Marxism has been tried and, every time, failed, it was just never properly implemented. In terms of current events, socialists simply never mention the words “socialism” and “Venezuela” in the same article. The international communists may reject post-modernism, but their utopianism renders them every bit as resistant to objective fact and rational argument. Progressives don’t seek equality, nor do they seek to protect and defend our Constitution; they seek power. To the extent there is anything in the Constitution or our governing system that stands athwart their goal, they seek to go around it or destroy it — be it the electoral college, the Senate, or the Supreme Court. The rules are only to be respected during times when they favor proggies — or as Hillary recently said: You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about,” she said. “That’s why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and/or the Senate, that’s when civility can start again. Perhaps the most dangerous nuance to the proggie will to power at all costs is that, with tribalism overlaid, they seek power to punish their proclaimed / perceived enemies of their tribe. There is nothing rational or fair about this. In modern history, it is closer to Hitler’s national socialism than it is to anything else. Before you start yelling “Godwin’s law,” note that I am not claiming that if proggies had their way, Brett Kavanaugh would have been sent to a gas chamber (but see . . .). They would have ruined his life and career though, and the vast majority of proggies were just fine with that — omlettes, eggs, etc. Moreover, no person of the wrong color, gender, sexual orientation or ideology would ever have been put on the Court in his place. Rule of law would be out; rule by empathy (presumably by “wise latinas)” would substitute. Most importantly, this toxic proggie tribalism is completely inimical to our Constitutional framework and the Enlightenment values undergirding it — summed up best in Thomas Jefferson’s turn of phrase, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, . . .” And it rejects a millennium of Anglo-Saxon legal traditions, all ensconced in our Constitution, to ensure that no government has the power to punish citizens subjectively. That is equally a danger of tyrannies and the mob rule of pure democracy, both of which were utterly rejected by our Founders. As Jeffrey Rosen states in an excellent article in The Atlantic, America is living James Madison’s nightmare: In 1788, Madison wrote that the best argument for adopting a Bill of Rights would be its influence on public opinion. As “the political truths” declared in the Bill of Rights “become incorporated with the national sentiment,” he concluded, they would “counteract the impulses of interest and passion.” Today, passion has gotten the better of us. The preservation of the republic urgently requires imparting constitutional principles to a new generation and reviving Madisonian reason in an impetuous world. Thanks to Kavanaugh, that is now one issue on the November ballot for anyone paying attention. A second issue that is on the ballot is whether blacks will finally discover that the progressive left is using them and that their interests are best served by Republicans. “The Black Vote” In 2012, I wrote an essay taking up Thomas Sowell’s call for Republicans to convince blacks to free themselves from the Democrat plantation: . . . One of the things that is long overdue is some Republican re-thinking — or perhaps thinking for the first time — about the approach that they have been using, with consistently disastrous results, for trying to get the black vote. The black vote was once consistently Republican, from the time of Abraham Lincoln to Herbert Hoover. Even after Franklin D. Roosevelt won over the black vote to the Democrats, it was not considered remarkable when Eisenhower got a higher share of the black vote than any Republican president in recent times has. It may be years before Republicans can again get a majority of the black vote. But Republicans don’t need to get a majority of the black vote. If they get 20 percent of the black vote, the Democrats are in trouble — and if they get 30 percent, the Democrats have had it in the general elections. Thomas Sowell, How Republicans Can Win The Black Vote, NRO, 22 Jan. 2010 One of the great travesties of the past half century has been how the far left has fully sewn up the black vote. It was LBJ’s championing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – over the objection on Constitutional grounds of Barry Goldwater – that cemented the black vote for Democrats. Since then, blacks have regularly voted near 90% for Democrats. The Democrats have been able to accomplish this by treating the blacks as servile victims permanently entitled to special treatment. Democrats substituted a brand of soft racism for the hard racism that was historically the hallmark of their party. And as we see today, that Faustian bargain has worked out much better for the hard left than it has for [rank and file] blacks in our society. But that house of cards is crumbling before our very eyes. Quite literally, all of the stars are aligned for conservatives to make a real push for the black vote. Blacks should be waking up to a hard lesson – that the left wing promises sold to them, the separatism and victimhood, they are all empty. And on the two most important issues facing blacks today, jobs and education, their best hopes lay with the right. . . . Well, Trump has done little on the education front, but he promised — and has delivered — for blacks economically. After suffering the most from the Obama economy for eight years, blacks now have an economy with the lowest black unemployment since record-keeping of the statistic began. And as the economy has improved, so has black approval of Trump’s presidency. As Thomas Lifson wrote at American Thinker in August: Dependence on 90% voting support from African-Americans for electoral success is the jugular vein of the Democratic Party. President Trump’s rising support among black voters is correctly seen as an existential threat to the party’s – and progressivism’s – ability to win national elections. That’s why I thought it was big news last Saturday when Rasmussen proclaimed that black approval of Trump had hit 29%, even though most of the media ignored it for reasons AT readers well understand. But the surge in black support for President Trump is real – so real that even the far-left NAACP discovered it in a poll, . . . Since then, the economy has improved even more for blacks. Rapper Kanye West expressed strong support for Trump, with the proggies publicly savaging Kanye for his sins. This from a black attorney writing at The Daily Caller: As punishment for these mortal sins, West has been cruelly targeted by very powerful liberal celebrities. Actor Chris Evans, for example, recently ripped West as someone “who doesn’t know history, doesn’t read books, and frames their myopia as virtue.” Equally dismissive, left-wing comedian Jimmy Kimmel has maliciously mocked West as “an irrational madman.” And countless other liberal elites have vented that West is “mentally ill,” “illiterate,” and “unwell” for daring to reject their “progressive” view of the world. Leaving aside the fact that white conservatives would be lambasted as racists if they made similar disparaging comments about any black person, what is particularly disturbing to watch is the zeal with which many African Americans have also rushed to attack West. Bucking group-think isn’t popular in Black America, and Kanye is learning the hard way. Rapper Snoop Dogg has accused West of being an “Uncle Tom” for supporting the President. And CNN host Don Lemon openly giggled while panelists on his show branded West a “token negro” who should be traded “in the racial draft” because black folks have “had it with him.” More recently, Lemon has accused West of putting on a “minstrel show”and of “embarrassing Americans, but mostly African-Americans.” . . . All of this while the Walk Away Movement is still going strong. Lastly, there is another curve — the attempt to lynch Brett Kavanaugh and how that is playing among rank and file black men. (And by rank and file, I mean those who are not beholden to Democrats and progressive politics for their meal tickets. Race hustlers at and in the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, and the majority of black academics long ago sold their souls — and well being of black Americans as a whole — to progressives as the price for their power.) This from Neo-Neocon: The Democrats thought Brett Kavanaugh was a safe target. Accusing a white prepster named “Brett” would be a great way to achieve several goals: stopping him from changing the balance of SCOTUS in favor of conservatives, and showing solidarity with women and with #MeToo. Who on earth would identify with Kavanaugh except other white preppy guys on the right, and they weren’t going to vote for Democrats anyway, so no great loss. Well, it turns out that some women are concerned about the men in their lives, too. False accusations can ruin nearly anyone (women included, although I’m not sure how many women consider that aspect). However, another obvious group that might look at the Kavanaugh hearings and become concerned about what was happening to him is black men. If that sounds counter-intuitive to some people, it certainly doesn’t sound counter-intuitive to me. It occurred to me, while watching the proceedings, that black men might not take too kindly to this little exercise in Believing Women No Matter What. . . . Why didn’t it occur to Democrats that their approach to Kavanaugh might bother black men as well as white ones? My theory is that Democrats now think so completely along racial lines that it probably wouldn’t occur to them that a black man could identify with something happening to a white man, and a preppy white man at that. That must be why writer Jemele Hill of the Atlantic could write something like this [emphasis mine]: On Tuesday night, I was in an auditorium with 100 black men in the city of Baltimore, when the subject pivoted to Brett Kavanaugh. I expected to hear frustration that the sexual-assault allegations against him had failed to derail his Supreme Court appointment. Instead, I encountered sympathy. One man stood up and asked, passionately, “What happened to due process?” He was met with a smattering of applause, and an array of head nods. Hill, who is a black woman (formerly a sportswriter), assumed that these black men would identify with the woman’s story of sexual assault, rather than the man’s story of false accusation. She thought they would accept and perhaps join in with the Democrats’ ridicule and demonizing of Kavanaugh’s rage at being falsely accused. I’m not a black woman; Jemele Hill is. I don’t pretend for a moment to have my finger on the pulse of the black community or the feelings of black men, and yet I’m not the least bit surprised at their reaction. Anyone with even a smattering of historical knowledge, or a particle of imagination and empathy, should probably have expected it. I am virtually certain that Hill has enough historical knowledge (since I don’t know her, I have no idea about the imagination and empathy part) to have predicted it herself. And yet she did not; her politics blinded her. . . . The black vote in the upcoming election will be important. If the progressives have started to lose a critical mass of black support, they face profound electoral consequences — while blacks as a whole will be stuck with an improving life. I believe that is called a ‘win-win.’ READ Buttigieg's rise highlights the travesty of the Democrat field GRIEVANCE CULTURE Why The Left Owns Venezuela Dems Can of Worms: Elizabeth Warren’s Ancestor was Member of Militia. Rounded Up Cherokees for ‘Trail of Tears’. What my Progressive Facebook friends are reading and saying February 4, 2017 Bookworm Politics, Propaganda 1 My Progressive Facebook friends’ feeds remind me that there are two Americas: mine, which is reality-based and conservative, versus theirs, which is delusional, paranoid, angry, and threatening. I thought I’d give you a look-see at what I routinely find on my real-me Facebook feed. Here’s the detritus I picked up [Read More] TRADE BRINKSMANSHIP, NOT TRADE WAR, VERSUS GLOBALISM July 30, 2018 Puma ByDesign Economics, World Comments Off on TRADE BRINKSMANSHIP, NOT TRADE WAR, VERSUS GLOBALISM Vassar Bushmills “Trade War” is a term the enemies of Donald Trump use to denigrate his proposals for restoring a balance to American trade policies. Only it’s not “trade war” but trade brinkmanship, which, as it was first used to define JFK’s strategy against the USSR in his years in the White House, were intended [Read More] A new entry in my ongoing Progressive Party of Poop Series June 6, 2018 Bookworm Pop culture 2 Every few years, some Progressive outdoes him- or herself when it comes to the Leftist poop obsession. Here’s my Twitter thread on the subject. (1) I do understand that the woman who did this is mentally ill. https://t.co/8NeBJ3bJMX — Bookwormroom (@Bookwormroom) June 6, 2018 Here’s the tweet to which I allude [Read More] WHILE THE WEST BENDS OVER AND LUBES UP FOR ISLAM--ISLAM DOES NOT BEND AT ALL, EXCEPT TO GRAB YOUR WAIST AND PLUNGE IN. "DEATH TO AMERICA!"	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line886
__label__wiki	0.745034	0.745034	Al Qaeda's air force "Syria's President Speaks: A Conversation With Bashar al-Assad" (in Foreign Affairs!!!): "But the Israelis have been very careful since the war began to not get involved except when they felt their interests were directly threatened. That’s not true, because they’ve been attacking Syria now for nearly two years, without any reason. But in each case, they say it’s because Hezbollah was being given weapons from Iran through Syria. They attacked army positions. What is the relation between Hezbollah and the army? Those were cases where the army accidentally shelled ... Those are false allegations. So what do you think Israel’s agenda is? They are supporting the rebels in Syria. It’s very clear. Because whenever we make advances in some place, they make an attack in order to undermine the army. It’s very clear. That’s why some in Syria joke: “How can you say that al Qaeda doesn’t have an air force? They have the Israeli air force.”" "A logical and cogent suicide thesis for Alberto Nisman" I don't for one second believe it was suicide, but the fact that the investigation is pointing that way is fairly strong evidence that the actual murder was conducted by Argentine intelligence services, the same group which was feeding Nisman the Zionist lies, and, of course, the same group which controls the investigation. The ultimate goal is a return to extreme right-wing government in Argentina. "Alberto Nisman shooting: Journalist Damian Pachter flees Argentina in fear for his life after breaking the story": "Argentina suspects rogue agents from its own intelligence services were behind Mr Nisman's death. The government said last week it believed Mr Nisman's allegations and his death were linked to a power struggle at Argentina's intelligence agency and agents who had recently been fired." 'Rogue' is the way to let the matter die without getting into a full-fledged battle with the out-of-control intelligence services. "Israel’s False Flags over Argentina" Tying the 1994 bombing to domestic Israeli politics at the time. "US Special Forces in Mariupol?" ""Out Of My Face Please" - Why Are US Soldiers In Mariupol?" The good news is that Americans are just as ineffective in Ukraine as they are everywhere else, and the freedom fighters continue to prevail. "Occupier’s justice: heads and tails you lose" by Jonathan Cook. An excellent example of the legal shenanigans which every honest person in the world identifies as 'Jewish'. See also Lawfare, various land-stealing tricks used by the Jewish National Fund, tax trickery in Canada and the US, Dersh's life work, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc . . . "WikiLeaks demands answers after Google hands staff emails to US government" Letter to Google. No shock at all when you realize that Google is no more and no less than a branch office of the Pentagon. The main problem with conspiracy theory these days is that it does not go far enough - things are much, much, much more radically fucked than anyone is capable of believing. The Highlands Forum is just a taste (note the fact that false-flag terrorism is an official part of American special operations, and, as usual, the central role of Rumsfeld): "Official corroboration that this strategy is now operational came with the leak of a 2008 US Army special operations field manual. The US military, the manual said, can conduct irregular and unconventional warfare by using surrogate non-state groups such as “paramilitary forces, individuals, businesses, foreign political organizations, resistant or insurgent organizations, expatriates, transnational terrorism adversaries, disillusioned transnational terrorism members, black marketers, and other social or political ‘undesirables.’” Shockingly, the manual specifically acknowledged that US special operations can involve both counterterrorism and “Terrorism,” as well as: “Transnational criminal activities, including narco-trafficking, illicit arms-dealing, and illegal financial transactions.” The purpose of such covert operations is, essentially, population control — they are “specifically focused on leveraging some portion of the indigenous population to accept the status quo,” or to accept “whatever political outcome” is being imposed or negotiated. By this twisted logic, terrorism can in some cases be defined as a legitimate tool of US statecraft by which to influence populations into accepting a particular “political outcome” — all in the name fighting terrorism. Is this what the Pentagon was doing by coordinating the nearly $1 billion of funding from Gulf regimes to anti-Assad rebels, most of which according to the CIA’s own classified assessments ended up in the coffers of violent Islamist extremists linked to al-Qaeda, who went on to spawn the ‘Islamic State’? The rationale for the new strategy was first officially set out in an August 2002 briefing for the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board, which advocated the creation of a ‘Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group’ (P2OG) within the National Security Council. P2OG, the Board proposed, must conduct clandestine operations to infiltrate and “stimulate reactions” among terrorist networks to provoke them into action, and thus facilitate targeting them. The Defense Science Board is, like other Pentagon agencies, intimately related with the Highlands Forum, whose work feeds into the Board’s research, which in turn is regularly presented at the Forum. According to the US intelligence sources who spoke to Hersh, Rumsfeld had ensured that the new brand of black operations would be conducted entirely under Pentagon jurisdiction, firewalled off from the CIA and regional US military commanders, and executed by its own secret special operations command. That chain of command would include, apart from the defense secretary himself, two of his deputies including the undersecretary of defense for intelligence: the position overseeing the Highlands Forum." Almost crushed Jeans, a jeans jacket and Ray-Ban sunglasses Enormous piles of scary detail He will read a book with a glass of wine Flight logs, 'Holy Grail' Facebook resignation Attempted Zionist coup in Argentina Make your own jokes Imperial decline Bikowsky and Casey An American conspiracy site, McLatchy No-Go Zones Who's awake? Je Suis White People Hate mistake Hidden dick 'Free speech' and 'hate speech' Blue eyes, suicide, left my ID in my ride Potemkin solidarity march World Hypocrisy Day Kosher Koincidence Neat and convenient Charlie was an idiot Atta-esque We should always assume false flag, first Does this look like a child molester to you? How to meet the Queen Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of Robert Maxwell!... Abu Anas al Libi 2015 already better than 2014 Sneak a quick coup in over the New Year	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line891
__label__wiki	0.858178	0.858178	Home / College Football / Got The Nat: LSU, Burrow finish perfect LSU head coach Ed Orgeron holds the trophy beside quarterback Joe Burrow, center, and safety Grant Delpit after a NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game against Clemson, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in New Orleans. LSU won 42-25. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Got The Nat: LSU, Burrow finish perfect Ainslie Lee January 14, 2020 College Football, Feature Sports News, Football, SEC 198 Views While Bourbon Street reeked of the all familiar smell of cheap booze, instead of jazz music piping from street performers, bar-goers belted Queen’s “We Are The Champions” in the street. Meanwhile, a dozen blocks over in the depths of the Superdome, the smell of tobacco leaves masked the smell of sweat as the LSU Tigers took drags off of championship stogies following LSU’s 42-25 victory over the Clemson Tigers to capture the 2020 College Football Playoff Championship. More importantly, instead of forgetting the night — like most New Orleans’ visitors do, it will be a night that LSU players, coaches and fans will never forget. On second thought, the 2019-20 LSU season as a whole will be something no one in America will be forgetting anytime soon. http://www.wruf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/0088_WW1-0001-13-2020-22-24-23-Joe_Burrow-NCAAF-LSU-Winning_For_NOLA_In_NOLA.mp3 To be frank, the amount of hardware the LSU Tigers brought to Baton Rouge this season is staggering. With Joe Burrow heeding the weight of the 45-pound Heisman Trophy, any typical football program would be more than happy if the list stopped there. But this season, LSU was everything but a typical football program. LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase catches a touchdown pass in front of Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell during the first half of a NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Also occupying the trophy case in Baton Rouge is Ja’Marr Chase’s Biletnikoff Award. And we can’t forget Grant Delpit’s Jim Thorpe Award. LSU’s offensive line also pulled their weight in winning the Joe Moore Award. Ed Orgeron will also have a trophy or two to show off having won the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award as well as the AP Poll giving him the same recognition. But the most important enshrinement doesn’t recognize one man or position — but rather an entire roster. And on Monday night, the everyone on the Tigers’ roster earned a place in the trophy case. Stretching 3-feet tall, the College Football Playoff Trophy will rise above the others in the case — just as the LSU Tigers rose above everyone else in the country all season long. Invaincu — that’s French for undefeated. In the 2019-20 season, the LSU Tigers became the first team in SEC history to go 15-0. And heading into the season, the likelihood of going undefeated looked grim. Ahead of the Tigers was a schedule that looked as treacherous as a Louisiana bayou at night. According to fbsschedules.com, the LSU Tigers’ 2019-20 season was ranked second in terms of strength of schedule. Some notable opponents: @ No. 9 Texas vs. No. 7 Florida vs. No. 9 Auburn @ No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 4 Georgia (SEC Championship) vs. No. 4 Oklahoma (CFP) vs. No. 3 Clemson (CFP) LSU opponents won… The SEC East The Orange Bowl The Fiesta Bowl The Sugar Bowl The Citrus Bowl The Alamo Bowl The Texas Bowl 7 were ranked in the top 10 when they played. — Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) January 14, 2020 To summarize, LSU beat seven Top-10 teams and each of the preseason Top-4 teams in 2019-20. Record-breaking Burrow Quarterbacks in the state of Louisiana love smashing records — one touchdown pass at a time. Earlier this year, the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees surpassed Peyton Manning for the most career passing touchdowns in the NFL. On Monday night, Joe Burrow captured a couple of records of his own. With a five passing-touchdown effort against Clemson, Burrow tallied his 60th passing touchdown of the season — the most a college quarterback has ever accounted for. https://twitter.com/LSUfootball/status/1216962057897226240?s=20 Burrow’s six total touchdowns on Monday also helped him etch his name in the College Football Playoff record book with the most touchdowns accountable for in a playoff game. With the storied career that Burrow has had, it’s no wonder that his high school back in Athens, Ohio will be renaming the football stadium after him. However, it seems that Athens won’t be the only place claiming the 2019 Heisman winner as the City of Baton Rouge will be calling Burrow their adopted son for years to come. And for Burrow, he wouldn’t have it any other way: http://www.wruf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/0085_WW1-0001-13-2020-22-19-44-Joe_Burrow-NCAAF-LSU-Journey_Ends_With_Championship.mp3 Well, there is no more football to be played — at least not for a couple of months. So, as they say in New Orleans, “Laissez les bon temps rouler.” LSU fans celebrate at Varsity Theatre, in Baton Rouge, La., after LSU defeated Clemson 42-25 in the NCAA College Football Playoff championship game, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Brett Duke) Tags Baton Rouge Bourbon Street Clemson Tigers College Football Playoff Drew Brees ed orgeron Grant Delpit Ja'Marr Chase Joe Burrow Louisiana Superdome LSU football LSU Tigers New Orleans New Orleans Saints Previous Ravens are Still in Disbelief Next How the Texans are overcoming stunning loss to the Chiefs LSU Losing Plenty of Talent to the NFL Draft All good things must come to an end. Sadly, the historic LSU team put together …	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line894
__label__wiki	0.979307	0.979307	1380 the Biz is no longer part of the Salem Media Group Tampa-Sarasota Family of Stations. If you are you missing your favorite business talk hosts? Tune in to am 860 The Answer (https://TheAnswerTampa.com) to hear… The Captain’s America – THIRD WATCH with Captain Matt Bruce \| Weekdays from 2:00 am – 6:00 am Phil’s Gang with \| Weekdays from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm The Consumer Quarterback \| Weekdays from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm The CEO Hour with Dean Akers Click here for WWMI's EEO report (https://cdn.saleminteractivemedia.com/247/media/eeo.pdf?t=2019-09-23T16:15:25) and here for our FCC online public file.( https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/am-profile/wwmi ) For further questions or concerns, please call 813-639-1903 'Stranger Things' Review: The Heroes Take on Russia in Season 3 By John Hanlon It seems appropriate that Stranger Things — a program that reference and celebrates the 1980s – features a group of Russians as one of its newest villains. Those characters arrive in the long-awaited third season, which builds upon the first two seasons while pushing the characters forward. This new season — which arrived on Netflix on July 4th — explores new settings, new characters and new ideas as it shows its beloved heroes developing into young adults. Like in the previous seasons, the early episodes focus on character growth with some sci-fi elements mixed in. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) are now in a relationship that aggravates Eleven’s adopted father Jim Hopper (David Harbour). Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) have their own budding on-again, off-again romance. Will Byers (Noach Schnapp), who has faced off with the monsters from the Upside Down more intensely than the other characters, longs for the carefree days of hanging out with his friends while Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) returns from his time at a science camp. When all of these main characters reunite, they know that something has changed about their relationships but no one voices that outright. The show has grown alongside these characters. The first season focused on a group of young boys who were thrust into an adventure (like the characters of Stand by Me). Now though, the program has now developed into something more akin to a John Hughes movie with each of the characters recognizing where they fit into the social scene. Like the characters in The Breakfast Club, the Stranger Things characters recognize how others perceive them but also realize that they are more complicated than the archetypes oftentimes assigned to them. No one seems to realize that more than the down-on-his-luck Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), who now works at an ice cream parlor alongside the sarcastic Robin (Maya Hawke), the show’s latest addition. The characters are growing in this new season and so too has the adventure itself. The series continues to mature and grow in both its plot and its references. In fact, this new season has more of an action-adventure vibe to it. Like many 80s movies, villainous Russians appear alongside a macho henchman who finds himself going up directly against Jim Hopper (David Harbour). Being fans of pop culture, some of the characters — who even reference the 1984 Cold War feature Red Dawn — recognize the threat posed by the Russians. Matt and Ross Duffer, who created this series, really enrich this third season by deepening the characters while also recharging the plot. They even introduce a highly-stylized mall, which serves as one of the main settings this season. There are plenty of special effects here and a big climactic battle but the show continues to thrive when it embraces its characters and the growing pains they encounter along the way. This season sets the characters on different courses that all come together in the final episodes. Each plotline allows the characters the opportunity to grow alongside their friends and colleagues. In season 2, Eleven was sidelined from the action for much of the series but this latest season fortunately doesn’t do that. Instead, it keeps the characters in different groups and each group has its own set of obstacles and setbacks to overcome. Even in season 3, Stranger Things continues to mature and grow. In addition to introducing new characters like Robin and new settings like the mall, the show has great fun changing up some key relationships and building new ones. In this season, for instance, Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) are paired up at a local newspaper following a story while Erica (Priah Ferguson) – Lucas’ younger sister — takes on a greater role as a spy for Steve and Robin. There are plenty of great turns and scary moments here but it’s the characters and their growth in the story that makes this season of Stranger Things really succeed. "Hillary" Series coming soon to Hulu Dave Chappelle endorses Andrew Yang Celebrities pledge to help the Australian relief effort Phil's Gang Del Walmsley Radio Show The Captain's AMERICA - Third Watch Captain Matt Bruce is a conservative, independent American voice for freedom >>Captain Matt Bruce is a conservative, independent American voice for freedom emanating from the Tampa Bay area. A veteran soldier and fire-fighter, the Captain approaches news and events both nationally and locally as an American first - period. Democrats, Republicans and Independents are all welcome to join the conversation - because it's all about the "we" and not the "me". Website: TheCaptainsAmericaThirdWatch.com Email: [email protected] << See the Full Program Guide	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line903
__label__wiki	0.608979	0.608979	Art & Design Achievements Any student achievement in fine art, literature, fashion, graphic design, music, or culinary arts; cool exhibitions, or design festivals organized by a college or institute etc. Total of 112 submissions. Help us reach our goal of 150 inspiring stories celebrating the achievements of colleges and institutes across Canada. NBCCD Alumna Samaqani Cocahq: Sharing the Teachings of her Ancestors NBCCD We tend to doubt our abilities to do the things we have never tried before. We intuitively gravitate toward the safe and familiar, the sure and reliable. We put projects on hold until some future moment when we will be better equipped, more knowledgeable, ready. Samaqani Cocahq (Natalie Sappier) has burned her doubts in a fire of… Graduate Cat Squires: How They Found Their Fit in Graphic Design Do you fit in yet? Cat Squires does. Graphic Designer Extraordinaire, Expressive Artist, Gender Fluid Person, Borderline Personality Disorder Manager, Non-Profit Supporter, Loving Daughter, Proud Mother, Devoted Wife. Depending on which direction you approach Cat, you could try to label them a hundred different ways. They are all of these things – but cannot be… Durham College art instructor’s unique project invites the community to take part Durham College from The Oshawa Express: A single person’s life is filled with countless stories. Some of them happy, some of them sad, some exciting and other times tragic; for one local artist, those stories can be the gateway to something bigger, and she’s looking to channel that idea into her latest project. Dani Crosby, an Oshawa… Photographer Kelly Baker: Telling Untold Stories What do an anthropologist and a photographer have in common? A pure obsession with storytelling. Little wonder that Kelly Baker was drawn to pursue both career paths. In fact, before entering the photography program, she had already completed a PhD in Anthropology: “I went to school for a lot of years to become an anthropologist,… The Queen Street Billboard Project The new billboards on display in downtown Fredericton are designed to intrigue your sense of thought – they reframe the concept of how a typical billboard is used and showcase colourful eye-catching designs that each have a story to tell. This project flips the marketing norms to use billboards as exhibition space, and to give… Dare to Achieve, by Gavin MacDougall To mark Centennial College’s 50th anniversary as well as Canada’s 150th birthday, the college commissioned an outdoor mural at the new Centennial Residence and Culinary Arts Centre (CRCA) at Progress Campus. The winning design, entitled ‘Dare to Achieve’ by artist Gavin MacDougall, a graduate from Centennial’s Fine Arts Studio program, was unveiled on June 22. “Art that’s in the… Monsters Rule at Selkirk College’s Tenth Street Campus Building on an educational foundation for both elementary and college students, the Selkirk College Digital Arts & New Media Program joined forces with Hume Elementary School for a spirited project that brought to life some wonderful creatures. From the minds of Hume Elementary School students to the computer screens of Selkirk College Digital Arts & New… NBCCD Alumna Kelsey Schroeder: Fashion Photographer & Content Creator Kelsey Schroeder, new graduate of the Photography Diploma, wasn’t even out the door before she was in high demand as a fashion photographer and content creator. She did not wait to graduate to start building her business and she did not wait to have a career handed to her on a platter. She plunged headlong into blogging and social… NBCCD Alumna Jennifer McInnis-Wharton: The Fire Tamer Jennifer McInnis-Wharton is a sight to behold as she fearlessly pulls pots out of 1050 degree kiln and drops them into a pile of newsprint and sawdust, igniting the lot with the heat of the glowing ceramic. Equal parts brutal and dazzling, the process of Raku gifts her with marvels of metallic colour. Jennifer is… Langara students pen the memoirs of local Holocaust survivors In Fall 2016, Langara launched Writing Lives: the Holocaust Survivor Memoir Project. Writing Lives is a one-time two-semester project at Langara College, coordinated by English instructor Dr. Rachel Mines, in which second-year students are connected with local Holocaust survivors to interview them and write memoirs of their lives before, during and after the Holocaust. An interdisciplinary initiative, the… NBCCD Textile Design Alumna Emily Blair Weaves a Poem Featured on CreatedHere: Weaving is a code that transcends mediums. Known by an exclusive group of highly skilled craftspeople, this code empowers the weavers who use it to create something incredible from nearly nothing: from string into cloth, and sometimes beyond. Emily Blair is an up-and-coming weaver on the verge of graduating with her Diploma in… Selkirk College alumnae embody homegrown philosophy at Lōkel Hair Studio The owners of Nelson’s chic Lōkel Hair Studio personify their namesake. It doesn’t get much more local than the duo Ashely Simon and Michelle Devine. They were locally born and raised, locally schooled and are now local business owners. “We’re local to Nelson. Our families are local to Nelson. Our learning is local to Nelson,” says Simon.… Virtual Reality 3D Modeling Software Created by Student Researchers at the Algonquin College Office of Applied Research & Innovation Masterpiece VR is a Virtual Reality application used to create stunning 3D art, including sculptures, paintings, and even whole scenes. This is all achieved through a combination of PhD level mathematics, cutting-edge technology and professional grade software/UI design. The technology also makes it possible for multiple users to collaborate seamlessly in real time across the globe… Digital Tools for Textiles: How They Are Being Used by a New Generation of NBCCD Designers Which kind of maker are you? Do you surround yourself with physical materials – bits of string, balls of clay, stones and metal? Or do you set yourself down in front of a computer – ready to skillfully use your powerful virtual tools? Or maybe, you lie somewhere in between… Craft is turning toward the… Alison Murphy: The Artist and the Administrator The line between artist and administrator has never been so blurry than in Felt/Mixed Media Artist and Craft NB Executive Director Alison Murphy. Alison the artist was born in her father’s studio. Touching his brushes, his palette, and his creativity, she developed a love for colour and for collecting. After graduating in 2004 with a… NB Heart Truth: Featured Fashion Designer Chavah Lindsay Chavah Lindsay of Chavah Designs has the honour this year of being the only designer showcased in both of the premiere New Brunswick Fashion events this spring: The New Brunswick College of Craft & Design (NBCCD) Annual Fashion Show in Fredericton and the NB Heart Truth Red Dress Event in Moncton. Chavah is creating two… NBCCD Metal Arts Student Rory Greythorn: Making Sweet Jewellery Rory Greythorn has made a conscious decision to slow down his path in Jewellery/Metal Arts, and have a more “textured” experience. Rather than rushing to get the basics, move on to the next learning project and putting “his eyes on the prize of the diploma”, Rory wants to build, explore and have time to absorb… NBCCD Alumna/Instructor Melissa LeBlanc: Characterizing Clay Melissa LeBlanc has found what many of us aspire to have – an ideal balance. Two days of every week, she has her hands in the mud, conjuring expressive animal characters from blocks of inert clay. Three days of the week, she teaches in the Diploma in Ceramics at NBCCD, pulling the best and most… La loi 63 et le design d’intérieur au Nouveau-Brunswick CCNB Les designers d’intérieur du Nouveau-Brunswick accueillent favorablement une nouvelle loi qui devrait créer davantage d’intérêt pour le baccalauréat de quatre ans conjointement offert par le CCNB – Campus de Dieppe et l’Université de Moncton. L’Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick a récemment adopté la Loi relative aux designers d’intérieur, ce qui est une étape déterminante pour l’Association… Indigenous Skateboard Workshop Sheridan College In the summer of 2016, Sheridan’s Faculty of Animation, Art and Design partnered with Sheridan’s Centre for Indigenous Learning and Support to create a skateboard workshop for First Nations high school youth. The skateboards were created in Sheridan’s Furniture Studio and the workshop was led by faculty member Connie Chisholm. Now in its second year,… Sask Polytech celebrates Indigenous culture with new mural The new mural at the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Moose Jaw campus is another aspect of the institution’s indigenization efforts, which are developed towards reconciliation and long-term positive change. With enrolment for Indigenous students increasing 31 per cent since 2011-12, it is the responsibility of the entire organization to ensure every student feels welcome on our campuses.… Hope and Fear Exhibition Portage College Portage College Native Arts and Culture students and instructors were invited by the University of Alberta to produce a piece for ‘Hope and Fear Our Collective Response’. An exhibition by the University of Alberta and Portage College Art and Design Departments. This artwork which incorporates caribou hair sculpting, porcupine quill plaiting, traditional leatherwork, beading, printmaking,… NBCCD Textile alumna Monica Memory makes little things you didn’t know you wanted Monica Memory. Let that name sink in. How fitting that an artist with such an evocative name is in the business of making little memories. Each earring, each pendant, each pocket mirror is a tiny perfect illustration. Her work is reminiscent of childhood – bright and cute and bringing a smile to the lips every… NBCCD graduate Vincent Briggs: Designing Identity Vincent Briggs was once known by a different name. In high school he kept to himself, spending more time in the library than with other students. He “tried to be invisible, and did a reasonably good job of it.” Fast forward to today. Vincent is a presence in any room, wearing spectacular handmade garments that… NBCCD Metal Arts Program is Tailored for Budding Entrepreneurs At a recent workshop, Brigitte Clavette held a bowl aloft and declared, “Now you can save your own life.” That sounds dramatic, but when it comes to teaching jewellery and metal arts at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD), Clavette takes her work seriously. “That bowl was hammered from a six-inch metal… NBCCD Support the Creation of Mawi’art: Wabanaki Artist Collective from Charles Gaffney, Department Head, NBCCD: In 2013, I had a vision regarding our graduating students of the Aboriginal Visual Arts (AVA) Program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD). How great would it be for them to transition from college to a supporting entrepreneurial environment that would enable them to refine their business… Amy Sullivan & Rachel Greenwood: Making Space for Clay Good partnerships don’t grow on trees. You find them buried in the mud. Amy Sullivan and Rachel Greenwood are mud goddesses. Both have been making a living with their work since graduating from the NBCCD Ceramics Diploma in 2006. Both of their respective businesses, Amy Laloon Pottery & Greenwood Pottery, are well known in the Maritimes. Now they have partnered… Michael Rurka: The Digital Nomad A decision faced by so many new grads: Build a Career or Travel the World What if you chose to do both? Before graduating with a Diploma in Graphic Design from the New Brunswick College of Craft & Design, Michael Rurka had already created an illustration that would be featured in Applied Art Magazine. Immediately after graduating he was… Photography graduate Lanaya Flavelle showcases women as role models Lanaya Flavelle was shy as a child, and being creative was the best way for her to express herself. Thanks to her mother who was an artist herself, Lanaya developed a love for art at a very young age. She credits this early exposure for helping her find not just photography, but a purpose and… Lethbridge College wins awards for its alumni and community magazine, Wider Horizons Lethbridge College from the press release: “Lethbridge College’s Advancement team received two awards on Friday in Seattle at the CASE District VIII 2017 Communication Awards ceremony. The winning submissions appeared in two different issues of Wider Horizons, the college’s alumni and community magazine that is distributed to nearly 40,000 people three times each year, and included: A gold… Red River College creative communications students organize fashion show in support of Winnipeg’s homeless Red River College from CBC News: “Dapper men who used to live on the street suited up for a fashion show last week that organizers now say helped raise thousands of dollars for Winnipeg’s homeless. The Runway to Change fashion show at the Fort Garry Hotel on Thursday raised $8,000 for the Main Street Project, a 24-hour drop-in homeless shelter in Point… GAME program partnership between Brock University and Niagara College teaches students about design and production of video games from Erie Media: “It’s a nice problem to have. Brock University staff have been flooded by applications in a new program where students learn about the design and production of video games. The GAME program is a partnership between Brock and Niagara College. When it launched for its debut season in September, nearly 400 applications… College of the North Atlantic student, alumna, and faculty member nominated for East Coast Music Association awards College of the North Atlantic from the press release: “Three people, three backgrounds, three awards. A College of the North Atlantic (CNA) student, alumna and faculty member will be contending for awards at the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) annual awards presentation, taking place in Saint John, New Brunswick this April. Leading by example, Sound Recording & Production instructor, Michelle… Kwantlen Polytechnic art exhibit explores Collective Unconscious Kwantlen Polytechnic from The Runner magazine: “Throughout the past few weeks, fourth-year art students have been exhibiting some of their work in the Arbutus gallery on the Surrey campus. The exhibit, Collective Unconscious, includes a number of powerful artworks ranging from oil paintings to sculptures, and offers a hint of what’s to come at the year-end grad… Fleming College and Sheridan College sign new pathway agreement for art and design students Fleming College, Sheridan College from Fleming College: “Fleming College and Sheridan College have signed a new agreement that provides a pathway from a Fleming diploma to the Honours Bachelor of Craft and Design (BC&D) degree at Sheridan. The agreement applies to eligible graduates of Fleming’s Visual and Creative Arts Diploma program who have specialized in fibre arts, glassblowing or… Vancouver Community College hair design grad finds dream job at Vancouver salon from the press release: “The one thing Jackie Penev knew she wanted to do after high school was play volleyball. After graduating, she entered an education program at a local college and made the varsity team. Only a few months into the season, however, Jackie developed a severe throat infection that prevented her from playing… Vancouver Island University celebrates 25-year anniversary of Bachelor of Arts program with profiles of successful grads from Vancouver Island University: “Happy Silver Anniversary, VIU BA! Twenty-five years ago, Malaspina College offered its first Bachelor of Arts program (Liberal Studies) in partnership with the University of Victoria. In 1996, the institution, which had then become Malaspina University-College, began offering homegrown BA degrees in a range of subjects. Today, as Vancouver Island University,… Red Deer College visual arts faculty and staff exhibit mixed-media works at First Friday gallery opening Red Deer College from the Red Deer Advocate: “Art doesn’t have to be serious — so how about catching some stand-up comedy or wacky printmaking at February’s First Friday gallery openings in Red Deer? Described as a combination of historical printmaking, pop culture “and a little bit of insanity,” the Making a Good First Impression exhibit is on at the… Emily Carr University artist and professor works to solve mystery of Tom Thomson’s death through clay facial reconstruction from the Regina Leader-Post: “A hundred years ago this summer, the painter Tom Thomson died in Ontario’s Algonquin Park. His artistic legacy is unquestioned. Barely five years of serious painting during the First World War produced works, like The West Wind and Northern River, that still inspire the Canadian imagination of wilderness. His contemporary admirers… Une table interactive aux surfaces irrégulières Cégep régional de Lanaudière INÉDI, le centre collégial de transfert de technologie (CCTT) du Cégep régional de Lanaudière, vise à faire progresser la pratique du design industriel et son utilisation dans les entreprises du Québec et dans d’autres CCTT par l’entremise du transfert technologique découlant de mandats et de projets de recherche appliquée. INÉDI a travaillé sur le projet du PARC… Anasthasia More: NBCCD Ceramics student make ball-jointed dolls New Brunswick College of Craft & Design Anasthasia More has always known what she wanted to do. She wanted to come to NBCCD for many years and now she is finally here, studying in the 2-year Diploma in Ceramics. But she’s not here to do functional pottery. Anasthasia is here to increase her skills and knowledge for making porcelain ball jointed dolls.… Algonquin College graphic design students and grads participate in digital comic book project to raise awareness about the immune system and vaccinations from Metro Ottawa: “A prominent Ottawa doctor has teamed up with graphic-design prodigies to convince children to get vaccinated. Immunization Warriors is a digital comic book that aims to get children thinking differently about needles and go over the heads of reluctant parents. Comparing viruses to invading extra-terrestrials, the comic aims to explain the role of white… Cumberland College calendar promotes Indigenous art Cumberland College from the Melfort Journal: “A new calendar for 2017 is promoting the work of Indigenous artists young and old while also promoting education. The calendar was created by Cumberland College, who is partnering with the North East School Division. “We want to acknowledge and celebrate the work of our Indigenous students,” said Brenda Mellon, Manager… Northwest Community College receives donation of Indigenous art Northwest Community College from the press release: “It was a momentous event for First Nations Fine Arts students on December 8, 2016 when two carvings, crafted by Freda Diesing herself, were donated to the art studio at Northwest Community College. Donors Kelsey Wiebe (on behalf of her grandparents, Jim & Jane Christison) and Corey Bulpitt, presented a Wolf… Sheridan College and Emily Carr University of Art + Design grads among Oscar nominees for animated short-films Sheridan College, Emily Carr University of Art + Design from Newscaf: “Canada is a leader in animation, pumping out scores of professionally trained artists every year from places such as Sheridan College in Oakville, Ont., and Vancouver’s Visual College of Art and Design. But as they enter the industry, they face a tumultuous landscape of rapidly changing technology and economic upheaval. Three of the… Algonquin College partnership with Shopify to offer students a hands-on experience in graphic design from Techopia: Shopify U has added graphic design to its course offerings. The e-commerce company announced a partnership with Algonquin College to offer 60 students a hands-on education in graphic design. Shopify employees partnered with instructors from Algonquin College to design a nine-week multidisciplinary course as part of the School of Media and Design. As… Capilano University Graphic Design students transform experiences from seniors into shareable posters from TrendHunter: “Capilano University’s IDEA School of Design, a department that’s located in North Vancouver, British Columbia, assigned its students to visit the Silver Harbour Seniors’ Centre in to interview those there. The goal was to get an understanding of their experiences and to attain useful advice that could be transformed into a graphic design.… Selkirk College Hairstyling grad finds successful, passion-filled career in Vancouver from the press release: “One of Selkirk College’s top Hairstylist Program graduates has cut, coloured and up-done herself to a successful career in a downtown Vancouver salon. Full of enthusiasm and ambition, she’s just 20 years old. Amber Beckjord graduated from Selkirk College’s Hairstylist Program in 2014 at the age of 17 passionate about all things hair.… Cambrian College Graphic Design students benefit from partnership with local businesses Cambrian College from the Sudbury Star: “Cambrian College Graphic Design students will be earning credits and pay cheques at the same time thanks to a partnership with four local businesses. The partnership was announced on January 13 between Cambrian College’s Graphic Design program; its applied research arm, Cambrian Innovates, and the Ontario Centres for Excellence VEBTA program. … Selkirk College professor brings the art and culture of graphic novels to students: from the Nelson Star: “Once condemned as a dangerous force of moral degradation, comics and graphic novels have come to be recognized as important cultural texts. “I’ve always been interested in popular culture as an expression of our deepest desires,” said Nelson professor Renée Jackson-Harper. “Graphic novels like Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and David B’s Epileptic,… Emily Carr University graduate exhibited at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver Emily Carr University from The Source, a forum for diversity: “In the upcoming exhibitions, running from Jan. 13–Mar.17 at the Contemporary Art Gallery (CAG), Wild Child and The Quantified Self Poems redress our preoccupation with labeling. “The two projects are conflated in some ways,” says Taşdelen. Always curious, the Emily Carr University graduate approaches his ideas through research – first through the… Student-powered OddBird Studio has a remarkable year The third-year Bachelor of Game Design students who fuel OddBird Studio entered the 2016 fall term at Sheridan in the same whirlwind manner that has characterized much of their past year as indie developers. They spent the first week of September in Seattle, showcasing their debut game Arrow Heads at PAX West – one of… Sheridan signs historic agreement with Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre from the press release: “Sheridan College took part last week in a Commercial Signing Ceremony held in Shanghai, China, and witnessed by the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Minister of International Trade. The agreement, signed by Michael Rubinoff, Associate Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at Sheridan, and Yang Shaolin, General Manager of the Shanghai Dramatic… Contemporary Artist Kent Monkman from Ovation, Sheridan’s Alumni Magazine: “It’s easy to be drawn into Kent Monkman’s paintings. He seduces the viewer with beautiful, richly colourful works, often depicting romantic 19th century western landscapes. But a closer look reveals images of violence and oppression central to the artist’s revisionist version of North American aboriginal history. Of Cree descent, Monkman… Les finissants d’Arts visuels du Cégep de Sainte-Foy s’exposent du communiqué de presse : « Les étudiants finissants du programme d’Arts visuels du Cégep de Sainte-Foy exposeront leurs œuvres dans le hall du pavillon des arts et du design du Cégep, dès le 27 mai. Le vernissage de l’exposition intitulée Callipyge aura lieu le vendredi 27 mai dès 17 h, une occasion rêvée de rencontrer la… Les étudiants du Cégep de Sainte-Foy récompensés à l’Exposition de Design industriel 2016 du communiqué de presse : « Du 20 au 26 mai dernier, la Galerie Espaces Parenthèse du Cégep de Sainte-Foy accueillait l’exposition des finissants en Design industriel du Cégep de Sainte-Foy. Les finissants, au nombre de 16 cette année, en ont mis plein la vue aux visiteurs. Lors du vernissage, le mercredi 25 mai, plusieurs prix ont été… Le Cégep de Sainte-Foy fête une Semaine Shakespeare du communiqué de presse : « Du 7 au 11 novembre, tous les étudiants du Cégep de Sainte-Foy vibreront au rythme de Shakespeare, dans le cadre du 400e anniversaire de la mort du célèbre auteur. La semaine thématique organisée conjointement par les quatre disciplines de la formation générale (Français, Philosophie, Éducation physique et Anglais) propose aux étudiants… Le Cégep de Sainte-Foy forme une nouvelle génération de graphistes avec le STUDIO Jeune coop du communiqué de presse : « Favoriser l’insertion professionnelle de la prochaine génération de graphistes et développer les aptitudes entrepreneuriales de ces derniers, voilà les objectifs que vise la toute nouvelle coopérative scolaire du programme de Graphisme du Cégep de Sainte-Foy : Le STUDIO jeune coop. Unique au Québec, cette coopérative scolaire permet à quelque 32 étudiants de… Les étudiants du Cégep Limoilou présente la pièce Les Marchands du communiqué de presse : « Pour sa 38e saison de théâtre d’excellence, le Cégep Limoilou présente la pièce Les marchands du 23 au 25 novembre, à 19 h 30, à la salle Sylvain-Lelièvre. Une représentation de jour aura lieu le vendredi 25 novembre à 13 h 15. Les marchands est un texte de Joël Pommerat, mis en scène par Joanie Lehoux. Produit par… Le Cégep Limoilou fête le succès du premier Show Mode socio du communiqué de presse : « La première édition du Show Mode socio qui s’est déroulé le 23 novembre dernier au campus de Charlesbourg, fut un beau succès! Plus de 40 étudiants se sont mobilisés pour ce projet socio qui a été chapeauté par des étudiants de 3e année en gestion hôtelière : Coralie Blairon, Jennifer Chabot-Plourde, Myriam Dostie, Jean-Michel… Le Cégep Limoilou lance un tout nouveau programme AEC Artiste 3D du communiqué de presse : « Une toute nouvelle AEC Artiste 3D voit le jour au Cégep Limoilou pour répondre aux besoins de l’industrie. Les cours débuteront dès le 27 février prochain. C’est donc le temps de s’inscrire ! Les artistes 3D créeront les environnements et l’ambiance d’une scène, pour le cinéma ou la télé, par exemple,… Le Collège Vanier ouvre une nouvelle librairie coopérative du communiqué de presse : « Le Collège Vanier est fier d’annoncer que l’ouverture officielle de Jake’s Co-op, la librairie coopérative du cégep, s’est déroulée le 7 décembre 2016. La nouvelle librairie est gérée par la coopérative étudiante et est membre de la Fédération québécoise de coopératives en milieux scolaires (FQCMS). L’équipe de la librairie avait du… Le Cégep régional de Lanaudière met en vedette les étudiants et enseignants du département de Musique du communiqué de presse : « Les étudiants et les enseignants en Musique du Cégep à Joliette ont connu un automne haut en couleur. Plusieurs spectacles donnés, présence radiophonique et télévisuelle, participation à des événements de grande importance; c’est la tête haute et le cœur rempli de fierté qu’ils terminent cette session d’automne 2016. Lors de la partie d’ouverture de… Le Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles lance une nouvelle version du programme d’Arts du communiqué de presse : « C’est avec beaucoup d’enthousiasme que le Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles annonce la mise en place d’une nouvelle version du programme d’Arts, lettres et communication entre les Campus de Carleton-sur-Mer et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, dès l’automne 2017. De la côte…aux Îles! Ce programme proposera une approche multidisciplinaire mettant de… Les étudiants en journalisme de La Cité récompensés lors de la soirée « Reportages vidéastes 2016 » du communiqué de presse : « La soirée de «Reportages vidéastes 2016» a récompensé des étudiants en journalisme lors d’une présentation qui s’est déroulée à l’amphithéâtre de La Cité. Douze reportages réalisés dans le cadre du cours Atelier de Journalisme Télé 1 ont été présentés. Chaque étudiant a effectué la recherche, la couverture, le tournage, le montage et la… Vancouver Island University Culinary Arts grads find rewarding careers with luxury hotels from the press release: “Vancouver Island University (VIU) Culinary Arts program graduate Perry Assu is living his dream. For fun, he snowboards down some of the finest slopes in the world at the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort and for work, he cooks up fine culinary creations in the luxurious Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Assu, 19, who… Former St. Clair College Graphic Art students launch cathartic exhibit in Southern Ontario St. Clair College from The Windsor Star: Artist Dave Mutnjakovic started drawing as a cathartic way to deal with the challenges of living with Crohn’s disease. “I nearly died when I was 14 because I was misdiagnosed,” said Mutnjakovic. “Suddenly I started drawing and it poured out of me for six years.” Now 34, he works as an… Red River College’s training restaurant is quickly becoming a culinary hub on Winnipeg’s hot new food scene from Maclean’s: “It started with Deer + Almond in 2012. The small-plate restaurant popped up on Princess Street in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, offering a new option to downtown office workers and hip university students. Then, King and Bannatyne’s sandwiches drew lunchtime crowds. Next, Bronuts and Chosabi opened side by side in 2015, each tempting diners… Architectural Technologies students learn both building sciences and interior design at Saskatchewan Polytechnic Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Architectural Technologies program incorporates interior design, building sciences, drafting methods, and geometry in a practical trades program. from Maclean’s: “Back in the ’70s they were known merely as draftsmen: people hunched over tables using pencils and mechanical tools to churn out blueprints for architects and contractors. But an evolutionary educational process has spawned… Durham College Music Business Administration grad makes it to Top 40 with debut single from Maclean’s: “Sarah Mark didn’t realize just how much she had learned in college until she got her first Top 40 hit on the radio. Granted, she had barely finished college when that happened. Her debut single “Tun Up,” a jaunty R&B summertime pop anthem, started getting serious airtime on Canadian radio stations just as… Emily Carr University of Art and Design grad turns technicolour paintings and love of baking into edible works of art Emily Carr University of Art and Design from The Globe and Mail: “What colours come to mind when you think of a dimly lit parking garage in the heart of an urban city centre, a Saskatchewan sunset at the beginning of autumn or a big, creamy scoop of Saskatoon berry ice cream? A visual artist and pastry chef in San Francisco, Leah… Red River College mechanical engineer designs handlebar adaptation for Canadian paralympian Red River College mechanical engineer designs a handlebar adaptation for Canadian competing in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. from CBC: “When Chantal Givens raced Sunday at the Paralympic Games, she had a piece of Winnipeg along for the ride. The three-time Canadian paratriathlon champion, who competed in the sport’s Paralympic debut in Rio, was born missing her left hand. In an effort to… Yukon College artistic collaboration explores climate change in northern communities A collaborative project from Yukon College art students looks to tackle climate change through multimedia: from Maclean’s: “A collaboration between Yukon College’s school of visual arts in Dawson City, its Yukon Research Centre in Whitehorse and the University of Saskatchewan is adding a human dimension to the science of climate change. “We are trying to… Giant pinhole camera offers a new experience for photography students Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) An associate professor from Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) developed a giant pinhole camera to offer students a view of how a camera works from the inside: from Maclean’s: “Think back to high school photography class and recall the pinhole camera. Remember nothing? A quick refresher: “When light comes into any light-tight chamber,… Cambrian College Graphic Design grad earns top award in RGD Student Awards Competition from the press release: “An outstanding graduate of Cambrian College’s Graphic Design program has been recognized for excellence in visual communication and design, earning top awards through the RGD Student Awards competition. Neli Nenkova’s winning work was selected by judges from the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) and was featured at the annual DesignThinkers conference held in Toronto in November 2016. Nenkova… Former student at Emily Carr University on display at Heritage Hall in Vancouver Paintings by Lan Yao, a former art student at Emily Carr University, on display at the Shiny Fuzzy Muddy show at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. from The Squamish Chief: “Squamish’s Lan Yao never really found the opportunity to produce art on her own time when she worked in 3D animation in Vancouver. But, in recent… Lethbridge College adds new way of designing to its Interior Design Technology program Lethbridge College Interior Design Technology program launches virtual-reality component to help both students and clients better visual projects. from the Lethbridge Herald: “There’s a new way of designing, and students at Lethbridge College are getting the chance to explore it firsthand. Students in the Interior Design Technology (IDT) program are getting the opportunity to work… George Brown College opens another BIM Visionarium lab George Brown College George Brown College opens its second Building Information Modelling (BIM) lab to help students develop digital skills in building design and modelling. from the press release: “The BIM Visionarium officially opened on Nov. 25, 2016 at the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies at Casa Loma Campus – the second space of its kind at the campus. BIM technology… Vancouver Art Gallery exhibit features artists from Emily Carr University An new exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery, Ambivalent Pleasures, features artists with ties to Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Of the 40 artists exhibited, 26 are either faculty or alumni of the University! The exhibit presents Surrealist strategies, a range of approaches to abstraction, and concepts which address today’s social contexts. from… Seneca College partners with CFC and AGO on ground-breaking virtual reality exhibit Seneca College’s School of Creative Arts and Animation, the Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab, and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) partner on Small Wonders: The Gothic Boxwood Miniatures exhibit to showcase rare boxwood carvings in 3D. from the press release: “The Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab (CFC Media Lab), Seneca’s School of Creative Arts and Animation and the Art… ACAD receives prestigious art & design designation from the press release: “ACAD is pleased to announce that it has received the National Association of Schools of Art and Design’s (NASAD) designation of Substantial Equivalency – their highest designation for a post-secondary institution not located in the United States. The institution is the only independent art, craft and design post-secondary institution in Canada… George Brown College signs agreements with Design schools in Ireland and Italy George brown college launches two exciting new opportunities for art & design students to further their education abroad, both with the Institute or Art, Design and Technology (IADT) in Ireland and with Politecnico di Milano in Italy. from the press release: “The creation of this opportunity is a significant announcement – not only for us,… Okanagan College once again hosts Short Story Contest to encourage young writers A challenge has been issued to local writers: go big on creativity while short on time. Okanagan College’s English department is once again inviting up-and-coming writers to step out of their comfort zones and into the frenzied creative world of the popular 3-Hour Short Story Contest, returning Saturday, Nov. 5 at all four campuses. The… Centennial College unveils new Culinary Arts Centre In fall 2016, Centennial College unveiled its new Culinary Arts Centre, complete with seven kitchen labs, a teaching restaurant and nine new classrooms that can accommodate 600 students. from Centennial College: “The striking new building takes the shape of a quadrangle with a central courtyard to allow natural light to reach all of the residence… Fleming College receives design award for Haliburton school rebranding Fleming College from the press release: “The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is recognizing the transformation and rebranding of Fleming College’s Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD) with a prestigious design award. Fleming College will receive an RGD In-House Design Award of Distinction at the Association’s upcoming DesignThinkers conference in Toronto on Nov. 4. Formerly known as… Medicine Hat College art installation raises awareness for MMIW across Canada Medicine Hat College In 2016, Medicine Hat College hosted its first ever REDress Project, an art installation in which red dress are hung around campus in order to raise awareness and memorialize the missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) across Canada. from Medicine Hat News: “A simple but beautiful red dress that’s easy to put on. It’s the… UFV Library literary arts project displays “human books” to bust stereotypes UFV’s unique literary arts project aims to display a Human Library that builds on personal experiences and outward appearances to challenge prejudices on campus. from the UFV blog: “Our mission is to present unique experiences that challenge peoples’ understanding of stereotypes and educate people on diversity,” says Lisa Morry, a UFV library technician and part of… Four institutions sign transfer agreement for Arts students Capilano University, Douglas College, Langara College, Okanagan College from the press release: “Four post-secondary providers have made it easier for college transfer students to complete a bachelor of arts at Capilano University. The University recently signed agreements to enable Douglas, Langara and Okanagan college students to transfer seamlessly into year three of Capilano University’s bachelor of Arts with a major in Liberal Studies.… College of the Rockies hosts “Repatriation as Reconciliation” art presentation College of the Rockies was pleased to host a unique presentation from University of Victoria professor, Dr. Andrea Walsh, entitled ‘Repatriation as Reconciliation: Children’s Art from the Alberni Indian Residential School’. from the press release: “A visual anthropologist specializing in 20th century and contemporary aboriginal art, Dr. Walsh is interested in collections of objects and images… Great Plains College students weld metal art for can’t miss-auction Great Plains College Great Plains College’s unique metal-art auction showcases student art achievements. as profiled in Maclean’s: “Chad Hittel, 21, has to step up his A game. Since he graduated in 2014 from the pre-employment welding certificate program at Great Plains College (GPC), Hittel always donates a piece of metal art to the program’s annual fundraising auction. In… Niagara College excels in Culinary Arts from the press release: Niagara College’s Junior Culinary Team Canada proved that it has the recipe for success, winning a gold medal in its first of two competitions at the 2016 Culinary Olympics. The team from Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute competed in its first competition at the IKA /Culinary Olympics in Erfurt,… University of the Fraser Valley launches “Bachelor of Arts 2.0” from the press release: “The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is reshaping the venerable Bachelor of Arts degree, the foundation of many university graduates’ education. The new BA is linked to UFV’s key learning outcomes and emphasizes four core competencies as well as personal and social responsibility, and adds a mandatory online ePortfolio that highlights the… MITT GPTech program thrives through industry collaboration Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology’s (MITT) Graphic and Print Technician (GPTech) program not only provides students a learning experience which spans the continuum from design to ship-ready product; it also gets them hands-on experience with bona fide industry tools, including a large-format printer which Hamilton says is “in huge demand” these days. This is… Candace Sanderson: The Sculptor Grande Prairie Regional College Candace Sanderson did not give herself a ‘Plan B’ when she made the decision to pursue her creative passion full time in 2012. “I always knew I wanted to be an artist even from a young age,” says Sanderson in work boots, with bright eyes and her hair pulled back into a braid that falls… Collection et Créations sous influences « Créations sous influences » est un projet qui existe depuis 10 ans. Ce projet, qui est une initiative du département d’Arts, lettres et communication du Cégep de Lanaudière à L’Assomption, a pour objectif de permettre à des étudiants de travailler sous la direction d’artistes professionnels. Depuis 2006, une cinquantaine d’étudiants ont ainsi produit une vingtaine… OFFF Tour Québec Cégep Édouard-Montpetit Le OFFF Tour Québec, créé par le Département de techniques d’intégration multimédia du cégep Édouard-Montpetit, est un événement annuel d’envergure internationale regroupant des centaines d’amateurs et de professionnels du domaine de la création numérique. Sur place, les participants assistent aux prestations d’artistes de renom des quatre coins du monde qui présentent le fruit de leur… Holland College student trades hockey stick for paint brush Three years ago, Dylan McQuaid’s résumé would have led one to expect that the 20-year-old would pursue a career in business or sports. After several years of playing hockey – the last three in the Maritime Junior-A Hockey League and the Island Junior Hockey League – he seemed destined to follow the path of many… St. Clair College’s Jason Fabok Windsor, Ontario born Jason Fabok is a graduated from St. Clair College’s Tradigital Animation program in 2007 and was honoured as an Alumni of Distinction in 2014! Fabok has carried his passion for creative pursuits since he was a young boy. A fan of television cartoons, he enjoyed drawing the characters and watching them come… Le design responsable du Collège LaSalle Collège LaSalle Le Collège LaSalle de Montréal “a pour mission d’offrir une éducation qualifiante de haute qualité en réponse aux besoins du marché du travail et à ceux du développement des individus, dans un contexte de mondialisation”. À l’aide de divers intervenants du milieu de la mode, les étudiants en Design sont appelés à développer leurs connaissances… Native Arts and Culture Alumni: Amy Malbeuf Portage College will be hosting a Visiting Artist Presentation in which accomplished alumni speak to students of the program from which they graduated. Recently, alumna Amy Malbeuf was invited to return to the College for a presentation to the public and for the students of the Native Arts and Culture Program. Having alumni return to the… Future Ways of Living Cultural Celebration and Pop-Up Lab The unique George Brown College Institute without Boundaries (IwB), a Toronto-based educational program and design studio, works to achieve social, ecological, and economic innovation through design collaboration. from George Brown College: “The Institute without Boundaries (IwB) was founded in 2003 by the School of Design at George Brown College, in consultation with Bruce Mau. The… I am my Ancestors…My Ancestors are me Amber Weasel Head is a visual artist, a student in Portage College’s Social Work program, and a graduate of the College’s Aboriginal Art Certificate program and its Artisan Entrepreneurship Diploma program. “I am my Ancestors… My Ancestors are me” tells her story: “This film is about my connection with my ancestors. I am the first… Hairdressing Fantasy Competition North West College North West College offers the full breadth of Adult learning opportunities, one of which is a pre-employment certificate program in Hairstyling, teaching students to perform techniques on hair, wigs, hairpieces, skin and nails. Each year, the Hairstyling students are challenged to compete in a Fantasy Competition. Judged by a panel of experts, students submit mannequins finished… Career training and culture coalesce at MITT When the Downtown Winnipeg Biz put out a call for street banners to celebrate the Year of the Monkey (“Fire Monkey”), students in Jan Hamilton’s Graphic and Print Technician program (GPTech) at Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology answered the call, submitting 22 amazing designs. One of those designs – by MITT student Zhiling (Lucia)… Lakeland College Interior Design student a double winner in design competitions Lakeland College Sydney Melnyk still can’t believe she’s a double winner in student design competitions. “It’s pretty crazy; I can hardly believe it,” says the Lakeland College alumna of winning first place in two National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) design competitions: the 2015-16 Charette Design Competition and the 2015-16 Schoolhouse Charm Student Design Competition. Competing against… Camosun College’s Comic Arts Festival celebrates the artistry of visual storytelling Camosun College in Victoria, BC, delivers a nationally unique certificate program in Comics and Graphic Novels each year to approximately 30 students. The one-of-a-kind program was created for students who have a desire to learn the language of visual storytelling, and focuses on skills-based learning for six career paths: comic book creation (print & online),… “Carrying On” Indigenous Art Exhibition 2016 Portage College students from the Native Arts and Culture program were successfully juried into the “Carrying On” Indigenous Art exhibition at the Alberta Craft Council Discovery Gallery last year from June 18th to July 23rd, 2016. The show was also part of The Works Art and Design Festival in Edmonton, which is presented by The… Fanshawe collaborates on motion capture suit for Parkinson’s patients Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology Fanshawe College has collaborated with researchers at Movement Disorder Diagnostic Technologies Inc. (MDDT), a locally-based medical device company to create a prototype of a motion-capture suit and tremor arm sleeve to be used in the diagnosis and monitoring of Parkinson’s patients. MDDT collaborated with Fanshawe’s School of Design to create a prototype suit that can… The Medicine Hat College Conservatory of Music and Dance The Medicine Hat College Conservatory of Music and Dance is an important contributor to the Southern Alberta arts community – one that also enjoys the distinction of being one of the institution’s eldest programming areas, opening its doors shortly after the College was founded in 1965. On an annual basis, almost 1,000 multi-generational students enrol… Full Blood Moon Entertainment: Films that Shifts Perspectives They call themselves “The Four Horsemen.” They have more to do with film-making than the apocalypse, but the four gentlemen who make up Full Blood Moon Entertainment Inc. are working hard to create a global shift nonetheless. Today, however, they are taking a break at their shared alma mater. Sitting in dark suits in the… Kelsi McInnes found her calling Before Kelsi McInnes became a music therapist she first had to discover the profession existed. It all started when the Manning, AB, native was working in part-time respite care as a university student. Her client was a little girl with spinal muscular atrophy. McInnes found it incredibly fulfilling to help improve the well-being of another… Dalen Landis is a man of many talents As a photographer, landscape painter, custom tiler, videographer, music-festival organizer and now, professional beer brewer, Dalen Landis is not kidding when he says “I have my fingers in a few different pots.” This morning his fingers are busy filling kegs with fresh Redwillow Falls Amber Ale. A co-owner of Grain Bin Brewing, Landis has also… Copyright © 2017 Colleges and Institutes Canada	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line905
__label__cc	0.708922	0.291078	Insights From An International Scout- Sacha van der Most van Spijk by John Pranjic 2 Comments On this episode, I’m joined by Sacha van der Most van Spijk. At the 3four3 and HFA clubhouse event. Sacha’s life story has some interesting twists and turns, but with a little bit of random luck, he’s been able to forge a career for himself in soccer here in the United States. Insights From An International Scout- Sacha van der Most van SpijkJohn Pranjic https://343coaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/SachaPodcastEditedFINAL.m4a When I say luck, I mean it, and Sacha will explain that during the interview, but I don’t want to downplay the amount of hard work Sacha has put in. He has absolutely paid his dues. Some of the highlights from this episode include: Insights from an international youth scout Personality, and how most special players seem to have it Sacha’s decision to hire Brian Kleiban at Chivas USA And I ask him who he wants to see win a World Cup: Holland, United States, or Mexico Sacha also runs a non-profit organization that focuses on community building and youth development in Downtown Los Angeles. He’s a busy guy and I was fortunate to get an hour of his time. Links to things mentioned: Humans Unlocking Potential Article referenced at the beginning of the interview Sacha is a good friend of 3four3, and I’m honestly surprised I haven’t brought him on the podcast sooner. But maybe the wait was worth it? Because this interview is loaded with plenty of gold nuggets for you whether you’re a coach, a player, a parent, or just a fan. Don’t want to miss an episode of the 3four3 Podcast? Subscribe to 3four3 FM on iTunes or 3four3 FM on Stitcher. Just a reminder, this episode, and all of our episodes are brought to by 343coaching.com. Seth says Good stuff. Great segment on the differences between how the sport is organized here and abroad. Also, nice article from Sacha on thehup.net. I’d like to know more about the finances of a typical American club and Quick. How are the costs so much lower? Are most of the games intra club? Is most of the coaching teenage volunteers? How much does the club depend on other sources of revenue and what are they? Interesting point about how the youth players often go and watch the adult game on Sunday. That is a connection youth players in the U.S. don’t have. Even their high school team is something most won’t even see until they enter high school. Sacha van der Most van Spijk says Hey Seth, excuse me for the delay of my reply, i honestly just noticed your response. The main difference between a club in the US and a club like Quick, is that the Dutch clubs are community driven vs $ driven clubs in the USA. Looking at the club structure, you notice that recreational and competitive teams fall under the same club organization, leaving open the opportunity to always continue to develop and move up the ladder. The other big structural difference is that both youth and adults play under the same organization, which again opens up the opportunity for continued development of youth players. If a youth player develops well and plays his / her games on Saturday, the first team coach can pick the player up to play on Sunday with the adults. Looking at the finances, there are several reasons why the Dutch clubs keep the costs a lot lower. Most coaching within the club is done on volunteer base. A club like Quick starts identifying teenage youth members as potential coaches, and provides opportunities to get involved with coaching, including getting licensed by the Dutch Federation (KNVB). Usually a club will have a few paid coaches, like the youth development director, and the first team coach, but most youth coaches get involved because they love it, and like to help out their club. They do the same thing with referees. In the younger age groups and more recreational teams, the federation does not schedule the referees, but the club does. A similar model as with the coaches is being used, by identifying youth club members to get involved with reffing games. Once again, referee education is being provided. Pretty much every neighborhood has a club, and fields are being provided by the city, while the clubs have to make sure that their fields are maintained, as well as their club-houses and locker rooms. Like this the clubs play a big role in the neighborhood’s social life. Besides coaching, referee, and field fees, traveling is another factor that makes USA club sports so expensive. Obviously the Netherlands is a much smaller country than the USA, but the focus on local and regional development, and having one non $ driven scheduling organization (KNVB), helps keeping the cost low. Teams play within their own cities and regions, against other clubs. Competitions where youth players jump in an airplane, sleep in a hotel, or need to eat at restaurants do not exist up to the professional level. Just think about where US soccer could be if we start spending our $ on developing youth soccer coaches, referees, and better facilities available for everyone, instead of continuing to focus on travel clubs and leagues…. To me that is an easy choice. John Pranjic This podcast is sponsored by the 3four3 coaching education program. Learn more and join over 400 coaches using our proven possession-based methodology. Learn our possession-based soccer methodology. Videos, Audio, eBooks, networking, a program that reduces your trial & error cycle. Not ready for a premium education? We’ve got an introductory membership for you at no charge.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line910

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