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Read all about it: Mirror owner eyes Daily Express
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ANALYSIS: Why crowds turned out for Soleimani's funeral
NEWS » World » World. Main
[img]https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/720x405/p07zqvf4.jpg">
Huge crowds took to the streets in Soleimani's hometown on Tuesday
Some of the biggest crowds ever seen for a funeral in Iran turned out for that of Qasem Soleimani, the top commander killed in a US air strike last week. In scale, it was second only to the funeral in 1989 of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic revolution.These scenes are perhaps surprising to outsiders, and even to some of the country's most senior leaders.Only seven weeks ago, Iran witnessed the most violent anti-government demonstrations in decades. Security forces killed anywhere between 330 and 1,500 protesters in more than 100 cities across the country. Thousands more were injured and arrested. So why have so many people come out to pay homage to Soleimani[/img]
Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif took to Twitter with a message to President Donald Trump: "Have you seen such a sea of humanity in your life?... Do you still think you can break the will of a great nation and its people?"But it is also clear that the government launched a massive effort to mobilise as many people as possible. The huge turnout sent a strong signal to President Trump that the government enjoys widespread support.
In pictures: Tehran mourns Qasem Soleimani
Voices from Iran: 'Soleimani did not deserve such a fate'
It also sent the message that any foreign aggression would rally Iranians behind their leaders and any war could well be long and costly. For years, whenever they were short of answers to big problems facing the country, Iranian leaders have relied on mass shows of popular support. Historically, rallies have been to intimidate and silence opposition.The organisers are now expert in their work. From declaring national holidays to rallying university students or demanding that military personnel and government employees come out with their families, every method of gathering crowds has been used. Buses, trains and trucks are provided to transport people from villages and towns across Iran to rallies that are relentless advertised by state TV.
Soleimani's killing has raised fears of a conflict between the US and Iran
People turn up in large numbers because they feel required to do so. Hardline organisers have powerful supporters, including in the Basij paramilitary force and in the Revolutionary Guards, who can always be relied on to do their duty.Other factors help explain why so many ordinary Iranians closed ranks behind the country's leaders.Some see Soleimani as a hero who devoted his life to defending the country. They feel he was uncorrupted and dedicated to his work, unlike many senior soldiers and officials. He was also a commander of the Revolutionary Guards for much of the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, when Iranians - in spite of Western support for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein - managed to stop Iraqi forces from overrunning their country.
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In recent years, Qasem Soleimani also helped check Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Iraq, who had advanced almost to the Iranian border. For nationalist mourners, Soleimani had projected Iranian power in the Arab world. He was seen as the architect of Iran's presence and reach from Lebanon to Syria, Iraq and Yemen. There are reports that mourners came out of sheer anger at the assassination of an Iranian general abroad. They felt by killing him, the US was starting a war and that it was time to close ranks in defence of the country.
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Jeremy Bowen in Baghdad: "There will be consequences" over death of Qasem Soleimani
Former Tehran university professor Sadegh Zibakalam tweeted from the capital that in spite of efforts by the hardliners to own Soleimani, he was a national figure. Another factor behind the high turnout was loose talk from President Trump. He tweeted that the US had selected 52 targets in Iran for a possible attack if Iran acted to avenge Soleimani's death. He said these included a number of sites of cultural importance to Iran. Attacking cultural centres is a war crime.It was immediately clear that this was not the way for the US to win hearts and minds in a country proud of a history that goes back thousands of years.
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But many millions did not join the crowds - including those who did not see Soleimani as a force for good.
They saw him as a key cog in an oppressive machine. The reformists in Iran have not forgotten that he was one of 12 commanders to wrote to then-President Mohammad Khatami in 1999 threatening a coup unless he put an end to university unrest. Many saw him as the architect of Iran's misguided involvement in the regional wars. He directed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon in the fighting against Israel in 2006. He involved Iran in the civil war in Syria, where pro-Iranian forces he organised were responsible for thousands of civilian deaths. He established and financed dozens of Shia militias in Iraq that operated outside government control, brought instability to that country, and helped create the condition for IS to rise. In Yemen, he involved Iran in support of Shia Houthis who had overthrown the elected government. Billions of dollars of Iranian money that could have been spent at home to help the millions living in poverty were instead spent on faraway adventures. Most importantly, as it is now clear, in life his activities across the region brought Iran close to a war with the US and the world's most powerful military.Perhaps he has brought Iran even closer to that reality in death.
» EXPLAINER: The US, Iran and Soleimani
» Pentagon chief denies U.S. leaving Iraq; Tehran crowds mourn commander
» VOICES: Iranians on the death of Soleimani
» Qasem Soleimani: PM 'will not lament' Iranian general's death
» The Iranian military chief is dead. Here are the other pro-Iranian forces the US is watching in Iraq.
» Qasem Soleimani: UK urges calm after US kills Iran's top general
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ALSACAT -> Home
Cette page en français
ALSACAT:
As its name suggests, ALSACAT is my comprehensive catalog of UFO sighting reports in Alsace, the region is the North-East of France, whether they are "explained" or "unexplained".
The ALSACAT catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file. A general index and thematic sub-catalogs give access to these Alsatian case files.
Case of Huningue, on May 26, 1980:
ALSACAT-1980-05-26-HUNINGUE-1
The main witness of this sighting in the Huningue area in the Haut-Rhin on May 26, 1980, at around 7:00 p.m., introduced himself as a flight mechanic officer of a civil airline company, the Antillean Society of Tourist Transport. He wrote a handwritten report on his observation, with a situation map and a sketches of the observed object, the very next day, and gave this report to the gendarmes. He also phone the Basel Mulhouse airport, 5 km from the observation place, and they filed a report form.
The second witness was his spouse, she undersigned her husband's report.
The observation is reported as follows: at about 7 p.m. local time, the couple was walking on the harbor area of Huningue, on the banks of the river Rhine. At about 7:06 pm or 7:07 pm, his attention was drawn by the flicker of a metallic object with a round base, the top of which was shaped like a dome. The object was in the sky on the other side of the Rhine at a height of 60° above the horizon, and according to his estimate at 200 or 300 meters above the ground.
For about 3 minutes, the object was stationary, and showed a north-south oscillation that he estimated at 25° on both sides of the horizontal. This oscillation gave him the impression of a flapping as if the craft had difficulties of stabilization. He specified that he could not tell if the object was rotating on itself or not.
The base of the object was circular or slightly elliptical, dark in color, almost black, with a peripheral red hue, that is to say, a reddish glow was visible intermittently.
The top or dome was silver-colored, strongly shining.
He estimated the probable dimensions of the object as a height of 2 meters and a diameter of 4 to 5 meters.
Then the object started to move for about 3 minutes in the direction of the east, thus moving away, while ascending, as if it was pausing from time to time, and this at relatively slow speed, still oscillating, and it was lost from sight in the clouds at 07:12 p.m. local time.
There was no noise related to the craft, nor condensation.
The witness asserted that since he has 25 years experience in the aeronautics, he is certain that the object was neither a weather balloon, nor some other balloon, nor a kite, nor a helicopter; and that by its shape, it does not match with any flying machine that he would have known about.
The control tower at the Basel-Mulhouse airport informed him that during the observation, the visibility in the sector was greater than 10 km, the ceiling was 6/8 at 1800 meters. There was no mist, the lighting was good.
The day after the observation, he went to the gendarmerie, gave his report, and signed a statement.
At the end of their hearing of the witness, the gendarmes contacted the head of the Electronic Division at the Basel-Mulhouse Airport. The latter, after examining the videotape recording of the radar tracks, indicated to them by telephone that at the time and in the sector of the sighting, there had been, indeed, a radar echo, but as it was drowned in the middle of the traffic of private and general navigation, they thought it was hardly exploitable.
The gendarmes also contacted the gendarmerie squad closest to the observation site, but the latter had not received any reports of UFO sightings.
The official record of the time, anonymized, was published by GEIPAN in the 2010s, the case being noted as lacking an ordinary explanation.
Temporal data:
~07:00 p.m.
5 or 6 minutes.
First known report date:
Reporting delay:
Hours.
Geographical data:
Huningue
Harbor area on the Rhine at Huningue, UFO in the sky.
Uncertainty ratio:
Witnesses data:
Number of alleged witnesses:
Number of known witnesses:
Number of named witnesses:
Witness(es) ages:
Witness(es) types:
Ufology data:
Reporting channel:
Type of location:
Harbor area on river, UFO in the sky.
Visibility conditions:
UFO observed:
UFO arrival observed:
UFO departure observed:
Photographs:
Sketch(s) by witness(es):
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es):
Witness(es) feelings:
Puzzled.
Witnesses interpretation:
Hynek:
DD, RV
Possible extraterrestrial craft.
[Ref. ge1:] GROUPE D'ETUDES ET D'INFORMATIONS SUR LES PHENOMENES AEROSPATIAUX NON IDENTIFIES (G.E.I.P.A.N.):
HUNINGUE(68) 1980
Observed on: 05/26/1980
Region: Alsace
Department: Rhin (Haut)
Class: D
Summary: Observation of an object in the shape of a cuppola.
Description: On May 26, 1980, around 7 p.m. two walkers see an unusual object in the clear sky. A navigating engineer officer, one of the witnesses describes an object of metallic appearance which on a round base, with the shape, in its upper part, of a dome of silver color. The object hovering at 200 or 300m from the ground seems to oscillate on its axis. Its lower part is darker and intermittently presents a reddish luminescence. During 6 minutes of observation, no noise and no condensation were noticed. The object disappeared in the clouds by marking successive levels. At Basel / Mulhouse airport a radar echo was recorded but drowned in the traffic of the private and general navigation and therefore not very exploitable. No other witnesses or other information was collected in France or in the German border area. This phenomenon remains unexplained.
Report: None.
Details of the testimony
Date of the observation 05/26/1980
Age Adult (more than 18)
Profession Other category
Reaction Active Curiosity
Credibility Normal Credibility
Environment Urban Landscape
Weather conditions Not-specified
Hour of theobservation Numbered: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Reference frame Sky or clouds
Distance between phenomenon and witness Not-specified
Start of the observation start of the observation by witness
End of the observation End of the observation by phenomenon
Angle of the site Numbered
Direction of observation Geographic landmarks (Name of city, village, numbered, etc.)
Heading Not-specified
Trajector< Immobile;Other;With change of direc
Nature of the observation Objet
Characteristic of the observation Unique
Global shape Other form (comparison)
Color Other (other colors)
Apparent size Not-specified
Apparent speed Null;Slow, constan
Noise No noise
Effect on the environment Not-specified
Détails du témoignage
Age Adult (more than18)
Hour of the observation Numbered: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Direction of observation Not-specified
Trajectory Immobile;Ascending;Other
Nature of the observation Object
Global shape Other shape (comparison)
Color White (light-colored)
Apparent speed Fast, large, quick
Bruit Not-specified
NATIONAL GENDARMERIE
BRIGADE: XXXXXXX
Squad []
Rep. Nr 821 / 1980
SHIPPING SLIP
CONSTITUTE WITH THE ATTACHMENTS IT LISTS THE REPORT RECORDED AT THE UNIT UNDER THE NUMBER INDICATED HERE
U.F.O.
CASE H[]
FRAME TO USE BY THE RECIPIENT
JUDICIAL INFORMATION:
OBSERVATION OF AN UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT
(X) PRELIMINARY
( ) IN THE ACT
( ) ON DEMAND
DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHMENTS
Report of transportation notification and measures taken.
Report established by the witness
SITUATION MAP Nr 1
NUMBER OF COPIES / INDICATION OF RECIPIENT
1 Mr. the Prefect of the [Haut-Rhin] in [Colmar].
1 Mr. the General Cdr of the [] Military Region at [].
1 Mr. the General Cdr of the [] Air Region at [].
2 Mr. the Minister of the Armies - Head of the Gendarmerie
and the Military Justice - Employ Information Office at ......
SEEN AND FORWARDED BY
Lt-colonel R[]
Commanding the Gendarmerie Group of the []
COMPANY XXXXX
UNIT CODE 03548
REPORT Nr /197
REPORT OF PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
DOCUMENT Nr
SHEET Nr
PRECISE NATURE OF THE FACTS - REFERENCE
JUDICIAL INFORMATION
WE THE UNDERSIGNED J[] J[], Gendarme, Agent of Judicial Police; GIVEN THE ARTICLES 20 & 75 of the Penal Procedure Code; REPORT THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS WHICH WE PERFORMED, ACTING IN UNIFORM AND IN CONFORMITY WITH THE COMMANDS OF OUR CHIFS.
DATE HOUR
This day Twenty Seven of May One [thousands] and Eighty at dix o'clock in the afternoon, at the office of our squad, come Mr. D[] A[]. He wishes to inform us on an observation of unidentified flying object.
Immediately, we Gendarme J[], hear:
D[] A[], [] years old, Flying Mechanic Officer, civilian aviation, residing at [] ([]), son of E[] and of O[] H[], maried, without children, of French nationality, who states to us at 06:05 p.m.:
"""On Monday, May 26, 1980, at about 7 p.m., wandering, with my spouse, at the harbor [] of [], I noted the following facts:
"""An object of metallic aspect, was in the sky, approximatively above [] and it did not possibly compare to an aircraft I would know. This object was at an altitude of about 200 to 300 meters and was "stationary". During the observation, it oscillated on its axis, giving the impression of a flapping as if it had difficulties of stabilization. In the observation, he showed on its top part, the shape of a cuppola. Its lower part was darker almost black and intermittently a red gleam was visible there. Our observation lasted about 6 mn. At the end of the observation, the object disappeared little by little in the clouds, as if it made pauses and this at a relatively slow speed.
"""O. Q. [On questionning] I am particularly interested in these phenomenon because of my job.
"""I therefore give you the report I wrote immediately after the fact and that I forwarded to the Commander of the Airport of [].
"""There had been no noise activity or even condensation in the proximity of the object.
"""This is all that I can tell you on this case.
On May 27, 1980, at 6:30 p.m.:
Havind read the above statement, I persist in it and I have nothing to change, to add or to remove from it.
The heard person: [signature]
The Agent of judicial Police. [signature]
DATE OF CLOSURE ON 02 JUNE 1980
At the end of Mr. D[]'s interview, we made contact with Mr. S[] R[], Head of the Electronic Division at [the Basel-Mulhouse] Airport. The latter, after reviewing the tape recorder radar image, informed us by telephone that at the time and in the sector concerned, there is indeed an echo, but it was drowned in the middle of the private and general navigation traffic, thus hardly exploitable.
The location of the witnesses and the area of ??observation were materialized by the witness on Situation Maps 1 & 2 (cf Attachments 3 & 4).
The technical report submitted by the witness is attached to the present proceedings under Nr. 2.
During our investigations, we also contacted the police [] of [] ([]), which is territorially competent for the observation area. They informed us that no testimony had been collected from the population of [].
Since no other witness has appeared at our Brigade, we close this proceeding on June 2, 1980.
PREPARED IN SEVEN SHIPMENTS for recipients::
The first: To Mister the Judge of the Republic at ...
The second: To Mister the Prefect of [] at .....
The third: To Mr. the General commanding the [] Military Region at .....
The fourth: To Mister the General commanding the [] Air Region at .....
the sixth: To minster the Minister of the Armies - Head of the Gendarmerie and the Military Justice - Employ-Information Office a ....
The seventh: To the archive.
Written at [] On May 27, 80
Mister A[] D[].
Flying mechanic officer
[] airlines at []
About: Observation of an unknown flying object.
On Monday, May 26, 80, around 19:00, I was walking with my wife on the banks of the [Rhine] (harbor area of []).
My attention was attracted by the flicker of a metallic-looking object with a round base, whose upper part was shaped like a dome
CONDITIONS D'OBSERVATION:
- visibilité: supérieure à 10 Km
- ceiling: 6/8 at 1800 m (informations given by the control tower of [Basele-Mulhouse airport])
Lighting: good
- Haze: none
POSITION IN RELATION TO THE AIRPORT:
- In the 90 ° / 100 °
from the observation point, about 60 ° above the horizontal
estimated height 200 to 300 m above the ground
- "[]" estimated, side [] of [].
SHAPE AND PROBABLE DIMENSIONS:
[Sketch with "height 2 m" and "diameter 4 to 5 meters]
OBSERVED BEHAVIOR:
- Stationary (about 3 minutes) with oscillation around a horizontal axis N / S, [?] for lack of seeing:
- the base: circular or slightly elliptical, dark in color, with peripheral redness
- the dome: silver metal color, high gloss.
The inclination on both side of the horizontal is estimated at 25 °, the rotation on itself has not been observed.
- Displacement: (about 3 minutes) In the direction of the east, with incrase of altitude, still while oscillating, and loss of sight in the clouds. It was 07:12 p.m. local time.
[Sketches "Base", "cupolla"]
This object cannot be mistaken with:
- neither a weather balloon or a free balloon
- nor wuth a kite
- nor with a helicopter
The shape and the flight of this object, do not match with any of my knowledge aquired in 25 years of aeronautics
WITNESS Mrs D[] [signature]
A[] D[] [signature]
SITUATION MAPR Nr 1
[Captionned map]
Area above which the craft was observed
SECRETARY OF THE TRANSPORTS
GENERAL OFFICE OF THE CIVILIAN AVIATION
North Aerial Region
AIRPORT OF []
Nr 042807
At [], on June 02, 1980
GEPAN - CENTRE NATIONAL D'ETUDES SPATIALES
18, avenue Edouard Belin
31055 TOULOUSE CEDEX
SHIPPING SLIP - MESSAGE (1)
Report form for the observation of unexplained aerocpace phenomena .... 1
Checking of the identity done and observations confirmed
The engineer of the Studies and Exploitation of the Civilian Aviation
Head of the Air Traffic Subdivision
CENTRE NATIONAL D'ETUDES SPATIALES
GROUPE D'ETUDES DES PHENOMENES AEROSPATAUX NON-IDENTIFIED
REPORT FORM (STATEMENT)
Form to be used by the pilots who wish to send reports of sightings of unidentified aerospace phenomena, and by the agents of the air traffic control services who note or receive such reportsby phone, teletype or radio.
A PILOT CONTROLLER
B Rank, name firstnames
(rank/name) D[] mechanic officer
C Company or service (company or flight control center) Address S.A.T.T.
D Identification of the aircaft (aircraft identification)
F Call number (call or flight number)
G Start airport (departure airport)
H Destination
I Estimated position and heading at the start of the observation Observation made from the ground at []
J Date and UTC time of the start of the observation (Zoulou time) 17 40
K Altitude/altimetric position at the start of the observation (flight level) ... m/ft
L type of flight plan IFR () VFR ()
SECOND PAGE OF THE REPORT (STATEMENT)
M Weather [N/A]
N Description of the observation / of the phenomenon / trajectory / relative position / duratio / shape / color / other
sketch (drawn it [sic]) grey white metallci-looking object on its top part. the to, black in its central part and orange colored with reflections on the rest. The object had the shape of a disc. duration of the phenomenon 5 minutes, mostly in stationary flight. Then fast ascent while oscillating -
+ height ~200 m/ground
+ place: [], direction []
O Ground dara [N/A]
P On board radar (bord radar [sic]) [N/A]
Q CAI, TAC detector [N/A]
R Abnormal functioning of fligh instruments (anormal [sic] function [sic] of flight instruments) [N/A]
S Was the observation rsreported by radio / phone / teletype? To what service? Yes - Phone - Civilian service
T Date: 05/26/80
UTC hour of the report (of the statement): 17 55 Signature of the reporter (sign [sic])
FORM TO SEND TO THE AIR TRAFFIC BASEL-MULHOUSE
These documents were composed by the GEPAN (Groupe d'Etudes des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non Identifiés)
[GEPAN Address] [unreadable]
[Ref. lc1:] LUC CHASTAN - "BASE OVNI FRANCE":
Huningue (68) on May 26, 1980
Num Base: 2471
Department: Haut Rhin (68)
Place of observation: Huningue
Latitude: 47.6
Longitude: +7.583
Date of observation: May 26, 1980
Hour: 07:00 p.m.
Weather: No weather indication
Type of observation: Visual: Distant
Nbr of witness(es): 2
Official investigation: Yes
Features of the object
Nbr of object: 1
Type of object: Half sphere
Size: 2 to 5 meters
Color: Metallic (silver,)
Luminosity: Not specified
Visual characteristics: No indication
Speed: Motionless then slow
Movement/Displacement: Ascending by steps
Object on the ground: No
Instantaneous disappearance: No
A couple walks along the banks of the Rhine in the harbor area when the man's attention is attracted by the glitter of an apparently metallic object with a round base whose top is dome-shaped on the German side of Rhine. The object oscillated on its axis. It remained stationary for about 3 minutes, and then moved towards the east for about 3 minutes uphill to finally disappear in the clouds, marking during this phase steps at slow speed. Estimated size of 4-5 m by 2 m high.
Lumières dans la Nuit issue 227/228
Sketch validated by the witness
[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
Huningue, Alsace, France
A hovering object was observed. One object was observed by two witnesses in a town for over three minutes.
Hynek rating: DD
Vallee rating: FB1
The sources are indicated as: "Lumieres dans la Nuit, Lumieres dans la Nuit; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002."
[Ref. ct1:] CLAUDE THINNES WEBSITE:
HUNINGUE(68) - 1980
Observation of an object in the shape of a cuppola.
On May 26, 1980, around 7 p.m. two walkers see an unusual object in the clear sky. A navigating engineer officer, one of the witnesses describes an object of metallic appearance which on a round base, with the shape, in its upper part, of a dome of silver color. The object hovering at 200 or 300m from the ground seems to oscillate on its axis. Its lower part is darker and intermittently presents a reddish luminescence. During 6 minutes of observation, no noise and no condensation were noticed. The object disappeared in the clouds by marking successive levels. At Basel / Mulhouse airport a radar echo was recorded but drowned in the traffic of the private and general navigation and therefore not very exploitable. No other witnesses or other information was collected in France or in the German border area. This phenomenon remains unexplained.
OFFICIAL REPORT. : HERE [broken link]
MINISTERE DES TRANSPORTS : ICI [broken link]
[Ref. sp4:] SPICA UFOLOGY GROUP:
Date and hour of observation
General shape
HUNINGUE Monday 26 May 1980 at 19h00 saucer, rugby ball (3D)
Unidentified red
None Unsolved -lack of info
The two witnesses were walking somewhere on the yellow line. On the witness's map, it can be seen that the reporting witness places the UFO in the yellow circle on the other side of the Rhine.
On the left of the witnesses, Huningue, on the left of Huningue, the strips of the Basel Mulhouse airport.
If the position, in terms of distance, was the right one, this gives a maximum observation distance of 3.5 km and a minimum of 300 meters. The uncertainty is great, since the witness did not indicate exactly his position, given only as the harbor area of Huningue, an area of about 3 kilometers long.
The direction of observation is thus between 60° and 150°.
In the report form for aviation personnel, the time of observation seems to be indicated as 17:40 (05:40 p.m.). This is in universal time, it corresponds to 07:40 p.m. in local time. So there is probably a mistake since the witness said the sighting ended at 07:12 p.m. This is a "non-round" hour that probably corresponds to a look at his watch. It should be noted that this report was not completed by the witness, but by a person at the airport at 07:55 p.m., while the witness had telephoned the airport. 07:40 p.m. could then be the time of the beginning of his call.
In that same report, he gave a place and a direction, but it was censored.
It is still daylight at the hour of observation. The moon was at 131°, and an elevation of 21°, and it was a full moon. But the object was at 60° elevation, which is really much higher. The moon does not oscillate by 25°, does not produce reflections, and does not resemble the object described.
What is unfortunate is that there is no angular direction, no exact position of the witness, no angular size. Nevertheless, the case does not seem to me to correspond to any ordinary explanation.
Sources references:
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
[ld1] ? Ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, # 227/228, May / June 1983.
[lc1] * "Huningue (68) on 26 mai 1980", case record by Luc Chastan, on his ufology website Base OVNI France, France, circa 2004, at http://baseovnifrance.free.fr/listgen.php?typlist=1&page=1&numobs=2471
[ge1] * "HUNINGUE(68) 1980", case record from the ufology database of the "Groupe d'Etude et d'Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non Identifiés" (GEIPAN), public service, branch of the "Centre National des Etudes Spatiales" (CNES), France, as of January 30, 2014, at http://www.geipan.fr/index.php?id=202&cas=1980-05-00775
[ud1] * "26 May 1980 - Huningue, Alsace, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2013, at http://thecid.com/ufo/uf11/uf8/118346.htm
[ct1] * "O.V.N.I. (Objet Volant Non Identifié) - LES APPARITIONS FRANCAISES (5)", web page, France, not dated, at http://www.thinesclaude.com/ovni-les-apparitions-en-france-5.php
[sp4] * "DEPARTEMENT 68 - HAUT-RHIN", listing of UFO sighting reports by the Alsatian ufology group SPICA, Alsace, France, not dated, found in May 2015, at http://www.spica.org/Page_Listing_68.htm
File history:
Authoring:
Patrick Gross
Changes history:
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0.1 Patrick Gross June 5, 2018 Creation, [lc1], [ge1], [ud1], [ct1], [sp4].
1.0 Patrick Gross June 5, 2018 First published.
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Search Results (19,893 titles)
Classical Mechanics (X) Published for the American Physical Society, by the American Institute of Physics (X) Language (X)
* Classical Mechanics
American Institute of Physics, American Physical Society, Cornell University
Published for the American Physical Society, by the American Institute of Physics
Subjects: Classical Mechanics, Physics
Physical Review: A Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics : Volume 33
Published for the American Physical Society, by the American Institute of Physicsetc.
Date: 1911, Vol. 33
Eastern Association of Physics Teachers
Jamaica Plain, M.A.; Jamaica Printing Co.; University of California Libraries
Subjects: Physics, Natural Sciences, Force and energy
Instruction in Physics in Small High Schools; A Report of a Committee of the Eastern Association of Physics Teachers
Malden, M.A.; Dunbar-Kerr Co.
Areas of Calcium Flocculi on Spectroheliograms, 1906-1908. Measured and Reduced at the Solar Physics Observatory, South Kensington
Solar Physics Committee (Great Britain); Lockyer, Joseph Norman, Sir 1836-1920
London, H. Majesty's Stationery Office; Eyre & Spottiswoode, Ltd., Printers
Subjects: Classical Mechanics, Physics, Language
University of Toronto David Dunlap Observatory, Cambridge Solar Physics Observatory, N Lockyer, Yerkes Observatory : Publications : Volume 2
University of Toronto David Dunlap Observatory, Cambridge Solar Physics Observatory, N Lockyer, Yerkes Observatory
Date: 1900, Vol. 2
Report of the Committee of Physics and Meteorology of the Royal Society of
Royal Society (Great Britain). Committee of Physics and Meteorology; Royal Society (Great Britain), Committee of Physics and Meteorology
Printed by Richard andJohn E. Taylor
Subjects: Classical Mechanics, Astronomy, Physics
Royal Society (Great Britain). Committee of Physics and Meteorology, Royal Society (Great Britain), Committee of Physics and Meteorology
Press of Richard Andjohn E. Taylor
Physical Review : Volume 7
Physical Review, Volume 22
Published for the American Physical Society by the American Institute of Physics, 1906
Physical Laboratory Manual
Harvard University. Department of Physics; Crawford, F. H. (Franzo Hazlett), 1900 Joint Author; Chaffee, E. L. (Emory Leon), 1885; Saunders, F. A. (Fredereck Albert), 1875
Cambridge, M.A.; Harvard University Press
Proceedings of the Physical Society, Volumes 5-6
Institute of Physics and the Physical Society, Physical Society (Great Britain)
Printed by Taylor and Francis, 1884
Report of the Director : 1913-14
Cambridge, Eng. Solar Physics Observatory
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Identification and characterization of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) demethylase and TMAO permease in Methylocella silvestris BL2
Zhu, Yijun , Jameson, Eleanor, Parslow, Rosemary A., Lidbury, Ian, Fu, Tiantian, Dafforn, Tim, Schäfer, Hendrik and Chen, Yin (2014) Identification and characterization of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) demethylase and TMAO permease in Methylocella silvestris BL2. Environmental Microbiology, 16 (10). pp. 3318-3330. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.12585
WRAP_0676431-lf-120814-manuscript_rv3.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12585
Methylocella silvestris, an alphaproteobacterium isolated from a forest soil, can grow on trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as a sole nitrogen source, however, the molecular and biochemical mechanisms underpinning its growth remain unknown. Marker-exchange mutagenesisenabled the identification of several genes involved in TMAO metabolism, including Msil_3606, a permease of the amino acids-polyamine (APC) superfamily, and Msil_3603, consisting of anN-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF1989) and a C-terminal tetrahydrofolate-binding domain. Null mutants of Msil_3603 and Msil_3606 can no longer grow on TMAO. Purified Msil_3603 from recombinant Escherichia coli can convert TMAO to dimethylamine and formaldehyde (1 TMAO [RIGHTWARDS ARROW] 1 dimethylamine + 1 formaldehyde), confirming that it encodes a bona fide TMAO demethylase (Tdm). Tdm of M. silvestrisand eukaryotic TMAO demethylases have no sequence homology and contrasting characteristics. Recombinant Tdm of M. silvestris appears to be hexameric, has a high affinity for TMAO (Km= 3.3 mM; Vmax=21.7 nmolmin-1mg-1) and only catalyses demethylation of TMAO and a structural homologue, dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide. Our study has contributed to the understanding of the genetic and biochemical mechanisms for TMAO degradation in M. silvestris.
Q Science > QR Microbiology
Gram-negative bacteria -- Genetics, Soil microbiology
Environmental Microbiology
October 2014 Published
3 August 2014 Available
24 July 2014 Accepted
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Great Britain) (BBSRC), University of Warwick, Natural Environment Research Council (Great Britain) (NERC)
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600 Words or Less
Curiospondence
Winter Wilder Sample -Chapter 1
April 10, 2013Taniasample4 comments
The words escape my lips before I realize what I am saying. I hold my breath as a wave of sheer terror overcomes me. My skin ripples, my teeth ache.
Jeff and I still haven’t exchanged the big “L” word yet. I’ve been meaning to save it for whenever we might be together in person again, or at least until he said it first.
But there it is.
The silence on the other end of my iPhone feels infinite. With each passing millisecond quicksand sinks into my chest, a sickening chasm. But then Jeff’s voice returns, almost inaudible. “I love you too, Winter.”
The sinking feeling transforms into a somersault of pure joy and elation. I can’t help but let out a nervous laugh as Jeff chuckles shyly in return. What a sense of relief. It’s finally out in the open! We may have only been dating a month, but I feel like I’ve been waiting to exchange those three magical words ever since I first laid eyes on Jeff, over 3 years ago.
It’s a dream come true.
We eventually say goodnight and hang up, but I can’t stop grinning like a fool as I pace excited circles around the motel parking lot, somewhere in mid-Ohio in mid- September. The frigid air is a far cry from the balmy Los Angeles weather I’m used to, but I don’t even feel the cold as I replay Jeff’s words in my mind over and over again.
Finally, my adrenaline rush fades, and I quietly return to the room. My mom is fast asleep, her jagged snores cutting through the dark. It doesn’t bother me. I lie on the starchy pillow and smile at the ceiling and the intermittent blink of the fire-alarm. It’s hard to drift off to sleep, but when I finally do my dreams are filled with a joyous mix of bright colors, soothing sounds, the smell of Jeff’s cinnamon breath, and the taste of his ocean skin on my tongue.
But, of course, I can’t even have that.
Because she always takes it away. Just when I start to feel good about something, just when things start to go my way, she invades my dreams to haunt me, to put me in my place.
She has a wicked smile and a lenticular face that shifts between frostlike beauty and sunken, corpselike horror. Her hair is the color of dried blood and floats around her ever-changing face in gauzy, web-like strands. As always, she is flanked by black skeletal wolves, their eyes glowing like lanterns in the purple twilight. In this dream, I’m not a girl, but a Fenris. My tail is curled between my legs, my ears flattened against my head, as I regard her with a mixture of fear and reverence. A pale, soft hand reaches out, beckoning me, and I go to her trustingly. The wolves watch with glistening eyes, poised with muscles tensed.
When I’m finally within her reach she snarls and, in a flash, a thin silver chain is around my neck, choking me, cutting into my flesh. The purple slash of her mouth opens and she shrieks words at me – sharp, angular sounds that I do not comprehend. My inability to understand seems to anger her further and, with a dreadful baying, the wolves pounce upon me in a blur of fur and fangs, smothering me in chilling blackness.
I howl in fury and fear and wake in sweat as cold as marble.
“Oh, God.” The bed sheets are twisted around me. I thrash out of the covers, my pulse thumping like a drum, blood thrumming painfully in my ears.
“Not now, not now!” I whisper, kneading my hands furiously. But it’s already starting to happen.
“Mom!” I yell, and she leaps out of her bed and to my side in an instant, one cool hand on my shoulder, the other fumbling for the bedside light.
A click, and the lamp illuminates the room. Even now, after all this time, I see fear in her eyes as she struggles to repress her horror. “Oh, Winter!” she moans. “Please, not here!”
“I’m trying, mom!” I grit my teeth and try to fight the ache in my bones, try to quell the shaking.
“Shh, shh,” my mom says gently as she takes my hands in hers, massaging my fingers. “Say it with me.”
“Fingers… fingers… fingers,” I grunt against a thickening tongue. “I have fingers, not claws. Fingers, fingers, fingers. I have hands, not paws.”
It takes everything I have, in addition to my mom’s soothing voice, her human touch, to keep me from submitting to the Change. It’s exhausting to fight it, but ultimately so much better than the alternative. I win this round.
I stagger to the bathroom to vomit.
“Are you sure you’re ok?” my mom asks, knocking lightly on the door. “Coast is clear?”
“Yes, mom,” I say, annoyed with her, despite all her help and concern. “Go back to bed. I’ll be out in a bit.”
I stand, wiping my mouth as I stare at myself in the mirror. My usually tanned face looks pale and drawn, my brown eyes are bloodshot, my shoulder-length blonde dreads stick out at weird, messy angles. I look like a hot mess. Or rather, just a mess.
I brush my teeth to get rid of the taste of bile in my mouth and marvel, as always, at how flat and herbivorous my teeth are. Someone looking at me would probably take me for your average 16-year-old Venice Beach hipster. They would never suspect that I could turn into such a beast. It doesn’t even make sense to me.
My hand drifts to the pendant at my breast, clutches it like an anchor. It’s during weird times like this, under a fluorescent light in a shitty motel bathroom, that I miss my dad the most. He would know what to do. My mom does the best she can, but she only knows so much. She’s not a Fenris.
She’s not a freak like me.
The night before my mom and I left L.A., my best friend, Dreya, Jeff, and I met at Dockweiler beach for a little bonfire farewell party.
My mom even let me stay out way past my curfew. Maybe she was just being generous, or maybe she felt guilty about tearing me away from everything I loved so she could pursue a new editorial job in Valhalla, New York.
I couldn’t blame her for everything though, not completely. She did say I could stay with Dreya until the end of the school year, and even through summer, if that’s what I really wanted. The offer was tempting… so tempting, because it would mean I could spend more time with my friends, with Jeff. But none of them, not even Dreya, knew about my Change, and I wasn’t about to risk their lives or sanity by telling them about it either.
The truth is, I just don’t think I can handle it without my mom at my side.
Dockweiler beach was chilly that night as we huddled around the bonfire, looking out over a swath of gray ocean and gray gulls. Dreya, known for her explosive freckles, and a temper to match, had managed to procure a flask of whiskey that she passed between us. It tasted awful, but it warmed my insides, and gave me a pleasant glowy feeling as I snuggled against Jeff.
“I wish you could have stayed at least until your birthday,” Dreya said with a sigh. My birthday fell on Halloween, and we always planned something epic to celebrate, but this year would end that tradition.
Despite it all, the uneasy truth weighed upon us… regardless of my move, goodbyes were inevitable after our senior year, when we’d set off for college, or dead-end jobs, and our separate adult lives. None of us knew what the future held. I was just the first to break away from the structure of our tightly knit group, and we all secretly feared the day when it would break apart even further until it crumbled completely.
But I didn’t want to think about that as I nestled in Jeff’s arms, warmed by the fire and wishing the night could go on forever. Eventually Dreya gave me a knowing look and got up to leave, saying she had to get home before it was too late. We exchanged sniffly goodbyes and swore to text each other every day, and visit each other soon.
And then it was just me and Jeff laying next to a fading fire. It was only 10:30; I didn’t have to be home until midnight. “I have an idea of what we can do until then,” Jeff murmured, nuzzling my neck.
We had made out plenty in the past month, trying to make up for lost time, but we stopped short of sex. Despite how desperately I loved Jeff and desired every inch of him, a part of me wasn’t ready. Everything had happened so fast… after I had announced I was moving, he kissed me for the first time, and our relationship sprung out of nowhere. We were like starving lovers, devouring each other with urgency, constantly aware of the clock that ticked over us, counting down the weeks, the days, and now the hours and minutes to my departure.
My heart ached for a slower love, one that has time to develop, one that can grow and unfurl into something beautiful and mature. I didn’t want to rush things just because I was leaving. I wanted it to be just right.
Jeff tilted me back onto the beach blanket and kissed me tenderly all over my face, my neck, the scar on my collarbone. I ran my fingers through his soft brown curls, memorizing his face by touch – his long nose and bowed lips, the faint stubble on his chin.
His hands fluttered over my body – I could smell the scent of his perspiration mingled with his desire, he still seemed nervous at times, unsure of where to touch or how long to linger in any one spot, or perhaps he was just anxious to touch everywhere all at once, desperate to feel every bit of me before it was too late. I enjoyed his eager and nervous affection, his puppydog desire to please. I too let my hands roam over his body, over his slender frame, his long torso, and cute ass. I adored him, I wanted him. Still, once things began to get too hot and heavy, I stopped him. “Not yet,” I whispered.
“When?” he replied breathily. “This is our last chance.”
“No, it’s not,” I said firmly. “We’ll be together again. We need something to look forward to.”
He didn’t seem convinced, but drew back with a heavy sigh. I loved him even more for being so respectful.
So we just held each other under the moonlight, realizing there was nothing more either of us could say to each other – words simply weren’t enough. We shivered as the fire died and the wind misted us with fragments of the ocean and the unknown.
Vibrant, changing scenery blurs by our car window, but even though I’ve never seen trees so alive with color, I feel nothing but gray inside.
My mom tirelessly attempts to coax me out of my funk through the force of her enthusiastic chatter, or by blaring her favorite, mostly obnoxious music that even my iPod headphones can’t block out. I don’t want to sing along with her. I don’t want to play “I Spy”.
Finally she says, “Winter, this moping has to stop.”
Anger flares inside me and my first instinct is to snap, “You’re not the one losing everything you love!” But then I stop myself, because she did lose my dad and I know he was everything to her.
But before I can think of a less hateful thing to retort, she says, “Look, I know this is hard. But there’s something about moving to Valhalla that may cheer you up.”
My interest is piqued, but I cross my arms stubbornly. “I doubt it.”
“Alright. Never mind, then.”
“Ok, fine. What is it?”
My mom’s expression shifts from playful to uncertain. “Your father’s family… they’re from the area. At least, I assume they’re still living here.”
I bolt upright in my seat. “Are you serious? Why didn’t you say something earlier?”
I’ve never had contact with anyone from my dad’s side. I know almost nothing about them, and they’ve never reached out to me either. My dad cut ties with them after he married my mom and they moved out to L.A before I was born. I never really felt like I was missing out because my mom’s side, full of boisterous aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins, more than fulfilled the extended family quota in my life.
“I didn’t want to get your hopes up,” my mom says apologetically. “Your father didn’t exactly leave his folks on the best of terms, and they never really accepted me into the family either. I can’t say they’d be welcoming if we showed up on their doorstep.”
I slump back into my seat. “Well, that’s nice. Thanks for cheering me up.”
“Well, there’s more.” My mom’s voice sounds harder; so unlike her usual breezy tone. I look over to see that her body is rigid as she grips the steering wheel. She dreads telling me whatever’s coming next, and it makes my stomach twist.
“Mom? What?”
“They’re Fenris too.”
CONTINUE TO CHAPTER 2
© 2010-2014 Tania del Rio
This article was written by Tania
DianneApril 14, 2013 at 3:09 pmReply
I really enjoyed this. Yo are a telanted writer, Tania!
TaniaApril 14, 2013 at 10:45 pmReply
Thanks, Dianne!
Rivkah La FilleMay 12, 2013 at 4:53 pmReply
LOVE this Tania!
TaniaAugust 13, 2013 at 5:12 pmReply
Thanks so much, Rivkah!! Sorry I didn’t see your comment until now!
Winter Wilder is ©2012 Tania del Rio
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Consideration of Poland - 1759th Meeting, 67th Session of Committee Against Torture
23 Jul 2019 -
Delegation of Poland
1. H.E. Mr. Łukasz Piebiak, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Jusfice, Head of the Delegation
2. H.E. Mr. Zbigniew Czech, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva, Deputy Head of the Delegation
3. Ms. Zuzanna Kierzkowska, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva
4. Mr. Adam Wojda, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the UN Office at Geneva
5. Mr. Krzysztof Masło, Ministry of Justice
6. Ms. Katarzyna Naszczyńska, Ministry of Justice
7. Ms. Luiza Sałapa, Ministry of Justice
8. Ms. Anna Stachurska, Ministry of Justice
9. Mr. Paweł Jaros, Ministry of Jusfice
10. Mr. Piotr Charkiewicz, Ministry of Justice
11. Mr. Przemysław Domagała, Ministy of Justice
12. Mr. Paweł Kaczor, Ministry of Justice
13. Ms. Marta Kaczmarska, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
14. Ms. Anna Prekurat, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy
15. Ms. Jolanta Spychała, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy
16. Ms. Katarzyna Napiórkowska, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy
17. Ms. Agnieszka Goździk, National Public Prosecutor’s Office
18. Ms. Beata Sobieraj-Skonieczna, National Public Prosecutor’s Office
19. Mr. Robert Król, National Public Prosecutor’s Office
20. Ms. Alicja Kozłowska, Central Board of Prison Service
21. Mr. Andrzej Leńczuk, Central Board of Prison Service
22. Mr. Jacek Wierzbicki, Central Board of Prison Service
23. Mr. Zbigniew Gospodarowicz, Central Board of Prison Service
24. Mr. Jakub Kubacki, Ministry of Health
25. Mr. Tomasz Cytrynowicz, Office for Foreigners
26. Ms. Iwona Przybyłowicz, Border Guard
27. Ms. Marta Krasuska, General Police Headquarter
28. Mr. Dawid Grochowski, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration
29. Mr. Kamila Trajnerowicz, Interpreter
30. Mr. Marcin Turski, Interpreter
English 24 Jul 2019
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Online since Monday, November 25, 2019
Safer dissection of spinal accessory nerve from sternocleidomastoid muscle during neck dissection p. 55
Akhlak Hussain, Ashish Singhal, Nida Siddiquee, Bimlesh Thakur
DOI:10.4103/aiao.aiao_17_18
Background: The spinal accessory nerve (SAN) may damage during its dissection from the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle during modified neck dissection type II due to their intimate relation. Routinely, it is dissected from the anterior aspect of the SCM. The aim of this study is to describe and simplify the safer dissection of the SAN from the SCM muscle. Objectives: We proposed a different method of dissection describing it to be posterior approach. Materials and Methods: Posterior dissection of SAN was done as routine. Conclusion: Although more studies are required to depict the superiority of one over another, we found this method to be easier and time-saving approach.
Mucormycosis in head-and-neck region – Our experiences at a tertiary care teaching hospital of Eastern India p. 58
Santosh Kumar Swain, Ishwar Chandra Behera, Jatindra Nath Mohanty
DOI:10.4103/aiao.aiao_9_19
Introduction: Mucormycosis is a rare clinical entity and often affects immunocompromised patients. It is caused by the fungus of the order Mucorales. Rhizopus species are the most common causative organism associated with mucormycosis. It is an emergency situation and has poor prognosis.Materials and Methods: A retrospective study included eight patients with head-and-neck mucormycosis diagnosed over a 3-year period from December 2016 to March 2019. Results: There are five male and three female patients, aged from 29 to 65 years. Out of eight patients, four were diabetic and the rest were with hematological disorders. There were five sinonasal mucormycosis and three nonsinonasal involvement. Diagnoses were confirmed by histopathological examination. Two cases were fatal due to cerebral involvement.Conclusion: Prompt diagnosis with tissue biopsy, local control of the disease by aggressive surgical debridement, and appropriate systemic antifungal treatment improve the prognosis and survival of the patients. Treatment of mucormycosis needs antifungal agents such as amphotericin B and wide surgical debridement. Early diagnosis and treatment is often needed for survival of the patients.
Effectiveness of isolated septal surgeries in nasal septal deviations: A prospective study with reference to the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation scale p. 63
Saai Ram Thejas, Sindu Mohan
Introduction: Nasal septal deviation is a common diagnosis made by an otorhinolaryngologist, and septoplasty or submucous resection is among the most common daycare procedures practiced in the clinic. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess clinically if at all, there is any change in the symptoms of a person post an isolated septal surgery without dealing with the external contour and cosmetic appeal. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with complaints of nasal obstruction, trouble breathing through the nose, and headache were selected for the study. The initial preoperative assessment was done based on a symptomatic score (Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation Scale [NOSE]). The presence of a septal deviation (cartilaginous or bony) was confirmed with a computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses and a diagnostic nasal endoscopy. Surgery was then performed to correct the pathology based on the location of the deviation. The postoperative assessment was done after 12 weeks based on the NOSE Scale. The results were analyzed and documented. Observations and Results: It was found that the symptomatic picture was better post surgery. Conclusion: The conclusion obtained from the study was that septoplasty and submucous resection as isolated surgical procedures are still relevant in today's world for symptomatic betterment and a healthier lifestyle.
A dreadful complication of peritonsillar abscess drainage managed endovascularly p. 69
Apratim Chatterjee, Anshu Mahajan, Vinit Banga, Gaurav Goel
A 11 year female presenting with sorethroat and diagnosed as peritonsillar abscess ,drained outside under aseptic precautions lead to bleeding, later presented with hemiparesis with DSA revealing a large pseudoaneurysm formation in ipsilateral carotid with patchy infarcts on CT. At emergency repeat bleeding occurred and patient started deteriorating following which the patient was managed by endovascular parent vessel occlusion following which she recovered gradually with regaining normal strength in paretic limbs within a few days . The case highlights the dreadful complication of peritonsillar abscess drainage as well as its endovascular management.
Endoscope-assisted excision of recurrent frontotemporal dermoid: A case report p. 73
Renu Rajguru, Anubhav Singh, TS Lingaraju
Craniofacial dermoids develop as a result of sequestration of epidermal and adnexal components within mesodermal and neuroectodermal structures during embryonic development. Frontotemporal dermoids are the most common of these and usually present as slow-growing masses without discharging sinus or deep bone or intracranial extension. We present a case of recurrent frontotemporal dermoid with discharging sinus and invasion into the sphenoid bone with bone erosion and intracranial extradural extension of dermoid. The patient was managed with surgical excision and clearance of dermoid. Complete surgical excision was ensured with the help of angled nasal endoscopes. Endoscopes provide a wide angle of view and are available in various angles, hence helping in complete visualization of bony cavity and clearance of its contents. The use of endoscopes in surgeries of craniofacial dermoids can help in reducing chances of residual lesion and requirement of subsequent revision surgery and ensure a better cosmesis.
Congenital hypofibrinogenemia – A cause for neck swelling p. 76
Kartikesh Gupta, Amit Kumar, Amit Kumar Tyagi, Saurabh Varshney, Manu Malhotra
Congenital hypofibrinogenemia is a rare condition which can present as spontaneous hemorrhage. We present a case of a 7-year-old male who presented with complaints of sudden swelling over the cheek and neck after an episode of fever and upper respiratory tract infection. The diagnosis was delayed as the initial diagnosis of deep neck space infection was suspected, and the patient was treated in that line. The diagnosis was suspected when the child developed swelling in the knee joint and workup was done for hypofibrinogenemia. The child was transfused with cryoprecipitate and he has complete recovery by day 7.
Pseudodiverticulum formation by metallic foreign body in esophagus: A concealed presentation p. 79
Anshuman Darbari, Neeraj Kumar, Ashikesh Kundal, Anil Pandey, Saurabh Varshney
Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common problem in children, and coins are the most frequently ingested FB all over the world due to easy availability in household area. In the majority of these cases, coins usually pass through the esophagus without any complication, but rarely impacted coins can cause complications due to pressure necrosis of wall. Hereby, we report a case of pseudodiverticulum formation due to retained metallic FB (coin) and later successful surgical management.
An unusual cause of long-standing foreign body sensation in throat p. 82
Santosh Kumar Swain, Biplob Bhattacharyya, Mahesh Chandra Sahu
Foreign body (FB) sensation in the throat is often a common symptom encountered in clinical practice. FB sensation in throat has numerous causes. Long-standing FB in the soft tissue of the neck is sometimes asymptomatic and presents only with throat irritation or FB sensation, although it is an extremely rare incidence. The diagnosis of this clinical event is based on the clinical presentations and imaging. The treatment is done by securing the airway, removal of FB, and antibiotic coverage. Here, we report the case of a 16-year-old boy presenting with chicken bone embedded in the soft tissue of the posterior pharyngeal wall and retropharyngeal space for 2 months in the throat without any major symptoms except FB sensation. Imaging confirmed the diagnosis of chicken bone in the retropharyngeal space with mild abscess formation, which was removed by transoral approach.
Thyroglossal duct cyst papillary carcinoma: A treatment puzzle yet to be solved! p. 85
Neha Shakrawal, Bharti Varshney, Aman Kumar Verma, Sudeep Khera, Amit Goyal, Sourabha Kumar Patro
Thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is the most common congenital aberration of the thyroid gland. On the contrary, TGDC malignancies are rare events constituting <1% of all cases of thyroid carcinoma reported in the world. The rarity of the lesion precludes the formulation of clear guidelines and makes management decisions difficult. We describe a case of a young male who presented with a midline neck swelling and underwent radical Sistrunk's procedure and total thyroidectomy for primary papillary carcinoma in a TGDC. The need of total thyroidectomy in high-risk cases needs clinical suspicion and careful consideration of this differential.
Orbital apex syndrome due to invasive aspergillus flavus sinusitis p. 89
Mansoor C Abdulla
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© Annals of Indian Academy of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow
Online since 12th Sep, 2016
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European Acoustics Association (EAA)
Journal Information » Most Read Papers
Lee, J. S.; Violato, D.; Polifke, W. Acoustical characteristics of two-phase horizontal intermittent flow through an orifice
Acta Acust united Ac. Vol. 102, No. 5 (2016), pp. 804-812(9)
DOI: 10.3813/AAA.918995
Abstract: This study addresses acoustical characteristics, in particular, sound generation of intermittent flow regime in a horizontal pipe through an orifice, based on recorded pressure fluctuations and videos of upstream and downstream flow of the orifice. The flow regimes of interest are plug flow and slug flow, respectively, where sharpedged and rounded entrance orifice are tested. In principle, the noise generated in the intermittent flow regime through an orifice increases with a higher gas flow rate. The pressure fluctuation spectra show a "haystack" configuration with a peak at a low frequency associated with a sequence of elongated gas bubbles. It demonstrates that the sound generation is predominately governed by dynamic of elongated gas bubbles in intermittent flow through the orifice. Particularly, in plug flow, an additional small hump is detected close to St = 0.2, i.e., vortexshedding at the orifice exit contributes the sound generation in addition to the bubble dynamic. Furthermore, non-dimensional power of the downstream intermittent flow decays with St –α . The value of α increases with a higher liquid rate, and the "haystack"-like shape at the peak frequency widens as the gas rate increases. In plug flow, the rounded entrance orifice generates less noise by resulting in a smaller pressure drop compared to the sharp-edged orifice in general; however, it generates noise in high frequency.
Garai M, Schoen E, Behler G, Bragado B, Chudalla M, Conter M, Defrance J, Demizieux P, Glorieux C, Guidorzi P. Repeatability and Reproducibility of In Situ Measurements of Sound Reflection and Airborne Sound Insulation Index of Noise Barriers
Acta Acust united Ac. Vol. 100, No. 6 (2014), pp. 1186-1201(16)
Abstract: In Europe, in situ measurements of sound reflection and airborne sound insulation of noise barriers are usually done according to CEN/TS 1793-5. This method has been improved substantially during the EU funded QUIESST collaborative project. Within the same framework, an inter-laboratory test has been carried out to assess the repeatability and reproducibility of the newly developed method when applied to real-life samples, including the effect of outdoor weather variability and sample ageing. This article presents the statistical analysis of the inter-laboratory test results, and the values of the repeatability and the reproducibility, both in one-third octave bands and for the single-No. ratings. The estimated reproducibility values can be used as the extended measure of uncertainty at the 95% credibility level in compliance with the ISO GUM. The repeatability and reproducibility values associated with airborne sound insulation are also compared with the corresponding values for laboratory measurements in building acoustics and an acceptable agreement is found.
Lindau, Alexander; Erbes, Vera; Lepa, Steffen; Maempel, Hans-Joachim; Brinkman, Fabian; Weinzierl, Stefan. A Spatial Audio Quality Inventory (SAQI)
Acta Acust united Ac. Vol. 100, No. 5 (2014), pp. 984-994(11)
Abstract: The perceptual evaluation of spatial audio systems may be based on singular auditory qualities such as the localization accuracy or the perception of coloration, on overall criteria of perceptual accuracy such as plausibility and authenticity or on detailed catalogues of auditory qualities. However, only the latter will be suited for the perceptual characterization of a simulation's technical shortcomings and allow for its focused improvement. Therefore, a common vocabulary containing all perceptual attributes which are relevant in this context appears desirable. Existing vocabularies for the evaluation of sound field synthesis, spatialization technologies and virtual acoustic environments were often generated ad hoc by authors or were focused on specific perceptual aspects or on specific spatialization techniques only. To overcome limitations with respect to the relevance and completeness of these vocabularies we have developed a Spatial Audio Quality Inventory (SAQI) for the perceptual evaluation of all spatial audio technologies used for the (re)synthesis of acoustic environments. It is a consensus vocabulary comprising 48 verbal descriptors of auditive qualities assumed to be of practical relevance when comparing (re)synthesized sound fields to real or imagined references or amongst each other. The vocabulary was generated by a Focus Group of 21 German speaking experts for virtual acoustics. Five additional experts helped verifying the unambiguity of all descriptors and the related explanations. Moreover, an English translation was generated and verified by eight bilingual experts. This article describes the applied methodology and presents the English version of the final vocabulary.
Hornikx, Maarten; Forssén, Jens; Botteldooren, Dick; van Renterghem, Timothy; Wei, Weigang; Ögren, Mikael; Salomons, Erik. Urban Background Noise Mapping: The Multiple-Reflection Correction Term
Abstract: Mapping of road traffic noise in urban areas according to standardized engineering calculation methods systematically results in an underestimation of noise levels at areas shielded from direct exposure to noise, such as inner yards. In most engineering methods, road traffic lanes are represented by point sources and noise levels are computed utilizing point-to-point propagation paths. For a better prediction of noise levels in shielded urban areas, an extension of engineering methods by an attenuation term A can has been proposed, including multiple reflections of the urban environment both in the source and in the receiver area. The present work has two main contributions for the ease of computing A can. Firstly, it is shown by numerical calculations that A can may be divided into independent source and receiver environment terms, A s and A r. Based on an equivalent free field analogy, the distance dependence of these terms may moreover be expressed analytically. Secondly, an analytical expression is proposed to compute A s and A r for 3D configurations from using 2D configurations only. The expression includes dependence of the street width-to-height ratio, the difference in building heights and the percentage of façade openings in the horizontal plane. For the expression to be valid, the source should be separated from the receiver environment by at least four times the street width.
Lindau, Alexander; Weinzierl, Stefan. Assessing the Plausibility of Virtual Acoustic Environments
Acta Acust united Ac. Vol. 98, No. 5 (2012), pp. 804-810(7)
Abstract: Aiming at the perceptual evaluation of virtual acoustic environments (VAEs), 'plausibility' is introduced as a quality criterion that can be of value for many applications in virtual acoustics. We suggest a definition as well as an experimental operationalization for plausibility, referring to the perceived agreement with the listener's expectation towards a corresponding real acoustic event. The measurement model includes the criterion-free assessment of the deviation from this non-explicit, inner reference by rating corresponding real and simulated stimuli in a Yes/No test paradigm and analyzing the results according to signal detection theory. The specification of a minimum effect hypothesis allows testing of plausibility with any desired strictness. The approach is demonstrated with the perceptual evaluation of a system for dynamic binaural synthesis in two different development stages.
Rajabi, Majid; Mojahed, Alireza. Acoustic Manipulation of a Liquid-filled Spherical Shell Activated with an Internal Spherical Oscillator
Abstract: Following the advent of acoustic manipulation techniques and micro-scale delivery systems, especially in engineering and medical applications, a novel configuration of spherical carriers activated with an internally oscillating radiator is proposed in order to achieve complete handling. The theory of acoustic plane harmonic wave scattering and the exerted radiation force are developed for a spherical thin-shell filled with ideal fluid and activated with an internal dipole rigid spherical oscillator, in an exact manner. It is shown that the non-intuitive phenomenon of acoustic radiation force cancellation is viable for oscillation properties belong to a frequency dependant straight line equation in a real–imaginary plane of oscillating characteristics. This characteristic line divides the real–imaginary plane into two distinct regions: "the positive radiation force or pushing effects and the negative radiation force or pulling effects". This capability of producing both pushing and pulling effects leads to possibility of complete acoustic handling. This investigation introduces a new branch in acoustic manipulation techniques and carriers with great application in modern medicine and engineering.
Grothe, Timo; Baumgart, Johannes. Assessment of Bassoon Tuning Quality from Measurements under Playing Conditions
Acta Acust united Ac. Vol. 101, No. 2, 2015, pp. 238-245(8)
Abstract: In reed woodwinds, the pitch of a sound is the result of an interaction between the air column, the reed, and the player. The air column is well described by its resonance frequencies and their damping. The reed is a pressure-controlled valve, which drives a coupled oscillation that settles with a fundamental frequency near a resonance frequency of the air column. The musician provides the blowing pressure and can alter the dynamical properties of the reed with his embouchure. An experimental study is presented that investigates from the player's perspective the tuning quality of the whole system under playing conditions for the case of the bassoon. A strong influence on tuning is reported for the bocal or crook, which is the interchangeable part of the resonator's top end. Here we focus on the lip force a musician has to exert for the instrument to play in tune. For normal playing regimes, the relation between lip force and pitch is roughly linear: higher lip force at constant blowing pressure increases the pitch. However, as each fingering requires a different lip force, playing a succession of notes may require considerable lip force changes that are tedious: the instrument appears to be badly tuned. Covering the full tonal and dynamical range on three modern German bassoons, this study investigates the tuning properties in two ways. Firstly, a professional musician has been asked to play notes without embouchure corrections on three bassoons. Secondly, the lip force and blowing pressure to play notes in tune were measured on these bassoons with an artificial mouth. A linear fit explains a half of the observed relation of the tuning discrepancy in uncorrected playing to the measured lip force when playing in tune. This link between objective and subjective tuning measurements justifies the method of measuring lip forces during playing with an artificial mouth to assess tuning quality. The results point to a common tuning trend of bassoons of the modern German type independent of the bocal and reed.
Kuusinen, Antti; Lokki, Tapio. Wheel of Concert Hall Acoustics
Abstract: More than a hundred years of research on concert hall acoustics has provided an extensive list of attributes to describe and evaluate the perceptual aspects of sound in concert halls. This brief overview discusses the current knowledge, and presents a "wheel of concert hall acoustics" in which the main aspects are gathered together with the descriptive attributes that are commonly encountered in the research literature.
Brücker, Ch.; Kirmse, C.; Triep, M. Feedback of the Glottal Jet Flow with Supraglottal Wall Oscillations
Abstract: Within this study the influence of wall oscillations in the supraglottal space on the evolution of the glottal jet is investigated. Special focus is laid on the modification of the jet evolution in space and time when small varicose vibrations are excited externally on the walls of the second constriction (ventricular folds) in the supraglottal space. The experiments are carried out in a water flow channel representing a 3:1 upscaled model of the glottal region. Instead of fixed walls in the second constriction we use silicone membranes with an internal air cushion. Sinusoidal pressure oscillations of various frequencies are excited from outside pressure lines. Flow studies show that the glottal deflection in the supraglottal space is highly sensitive to these weak oscillations, hinting on the non-linear interaction of the oscillatory waves with the shear-layer roll-up of the jet. This is known as modelocking in jet dynamics and is expected to have consequences on the sound spectrum in phonation, too.
Postma, Barteld N. J.; Demontis, Hugo; Katz, Brian F. G. Subjective Evaluation of Dynamic Voice Directivity for Auralizations
Abstract: It is possible to include static directivity patterns into auralizations to better represent the way in which real sources radiate sound and subsequently excite the room. Sources such as the voice have directivity patterns which vary with frequency and also due to dynamic movements of the performer. This study presents an investigation of the inclusion of dynamic voice directivity into room acoustic auralizations based on geometrical acoustics (GA) software. Previous studies have performed this using multi-channel anechoic recordings. In contrast, this study employs single channel anechoic stimuli. Focus is on the incorporation of dynamic orientation presenting the means by which it is included into the GA software as well as the results of a subjective listening test. Results indicate that dynamic voice directivity orientation auralizations are perceived as more plausible, more enveloping, and exhibiting greater apparent source width than auralizations with a static voice directivity and omnidirectional sources.
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Search Results for query '"Tyrone Power"' >
Armed forces× >
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The Universal Archives
James Stewart , Hedy Lamarr , Irene Dunne , Greer Garson , James Cagney , Joan Fontaine , Clark Gable , Gary Cooper , Ronald Colman , George M. Cohan , Dorothy Lamour
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Universal Newsreel 1942
02:34 America Goes All Out For The War Effort
Hollywood stars board trains heading for Washington D.C. with stops at any city whose citizens subscribe to at least one million dollars worth of War Bonds. Selling bonds for Uncle Sam are Hedy Lamarr, Irene Dunne, Ronald Colman and Greer Garson. Among those enlisting in the armed services are Clark Gable, Tyrone Power, James Stewart, heavyweight champion Joe Louis. President Roosevelt's son James is already in the Marine Corps; Franklin, Jr. in the Navy. In Washington D.C., the drive for funds is launched when 50 stars gather on the steps of the Treasury Building.
05:53 Army's Newest Branch - Motorcycle Riders
The US Army is training men to be Motorcycle Dispatch Riders. Follwing six weeks of basic instruction, the troops on wheels are sent off on a bruising cross-country course. Taking the bumps in high gear over the rugged terrain, they become real veterans of the saddle.
06:43 US Navy Tests New Flying Boat
Dubbed the "Mars", a 70-ton seaplane has four monster motors that can take it across the Atlantic and back without refueling. The two-and-a-half-million-dollar experimental flying boat is designed to transport both troops and equipment to the battlefronts.
07:33 Tennis Champions In Match For The Title
At Long Island's Forest Hills, two of tennis's finest battle for the national professional championship. Donald Budge is remembered for his brilliant play with the Davis Cup team, and this day he wins the crown from Bobby Riggs, taking three straight sets.
08:41 Back Home In New York, New York
Films made for viewing by troops overseas show GIs how the folks at home are doing. Manhattan's traffic has almost disappeared, with thousands of cars stowed in dead storage. Times Square no longer glitters at night; ships in New York docks would be outlined against city lights, and so the dim-out. Housewives line up to receive books of rationing stamps, then in more lines to buy scarce food. The food and the gas are going where they're needed most - the US fighting men.
12:14 Mail Call Is Favourite Radio Programme Overseas
Armed Forces Radio sends films of radio broadcasts to American battlefronts. This one from California features Don Wilson introducing Dorothy Lamour, who in turn presents Abbott & Costello. The comedy team delivers their classic routine. "Who's On First?" (** ABBOTT & COSTELLO FOOTAGE NOT FOR RESALE)
16:14 War Plants Speed Production
An American plant turning out a bomber every hour is visited by British VIPS. Afterward, they view the assembly line at a tank plant which six months ago was manufacturing cars. On the Pacific coast, General James Doolittle inspects a bomber plant and tells workers "Thanks for some great planes".
17:15 Victory At Midway Filmed Under Fire
First pictures of the victory at sea which gives the balance of power to the US American warplanes surprise a Japanese invasion force sent to capture Midway, and destroy 18 Japanese ships. Admiral Nimitz pins medals on flight crews of Army, Navy and Marine planes.
18:32 GIs Reap Profit From Belmont Stakes
The Army & Navy Relief Fund collects profits from the racing classic at New York's Belmont Park. 30,000 fans see Shut Out, the Kentucky Derby winner, take the $53,000 Belmont purse.
19:40 Women In The War Effort
Eleanor Roosevelt presents medals for valor to heroic Army nurses returned from servig at Manila, Bataan and Corregidor. They were the last to leave, caring for the wounded until told to go. On the home front, women in overalls operate lumber mills, and test tanks and guns.
21:35 Private Snafu Anticipates GI Gripes
In training films shown to rookie service men, the cartoon character, "Private Snafu", grumbles along with the troops about K.P. duty, waiting in lines, enduring endless needle punctures.
25:19 Japanese Repelled On Guadalcanal
US Marines dig in to sweep the enemy from the South Pacific, beginning with occupation of Guadalcanal, key island of the Solomons which are the gateway to Australia. With supply lines finally established, troops have a needed rest but are constantly alert against attack from Japanese patrols.
26:50 New York City Puts On Big Athletic Meet
In the first classic competition since the pre-war Olympics, youngsters of college age take the field in a major show of physical prowess. The shot put is nearly 60 feet, the 110 meter high hurdles are run in 14 seconds, and for the first time ever, more than 15 feet is cleared in the pole vault.
28:01 The Jeep Is Born
In war plants across America, mass production turns out the new Army scout car. Soldiers welcome the sturdy little vehicle and nickname it the "jeep". Rolling off assembly lines, it becomes the legs of the motorized infantry.
28:56 Soldiers Entertained By Stage Stars
In Manhattan, the Stage Door Canteen opens to offer food and glitzy shows to anyone in a uniform of the Allies. Entertainment is provided by top stars as well as chorus girls, and as the idea catches on, canteens are established in almost every large American city.
30:17 Alaska And USA Linked By New Highway
There's a new Northwest Passage, this one leading from the US to Alaska. Cut through the Arctic wasteland by American Army eingineers, the road is 1600 miles long. Completed ahead of schedule, the Alcan Highway's opening ceremonies are attended by Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
31:09 America Increases Her Naval Power
At shipyards on both coasts, new warships are sliding down the ways. Only a year after US involvement in the war, ship production is breaking records. 26 new vessels were launched in a single day, and the carrier New Jersey, largest ever built, will soon be completed.
32:45 British Chase Rommel Across The Libyan Desert
The "Desert Fox" is defeated at last, by Britain's 8th Army under command of General Montgomery. As Rommel retreats across Africa's scorching sands, Monty and his Tommies give chase, covering 100 miles a day as they flash past wrecks of Nazi tanks and guns. Germans left behind to fight rear guard action are captured without resistance.
34:20 American Rodeo Introduced To British Soldiers
Worldwide curiosity about the life style of American cowboys is satisfied in part when visiting British soldiers see a bona fide rodeo in California. The Brits are fascinated by the strength and stamina required to stay at least 60 seconds in a saddle attached to a bucking bronco.
35:02 Houses Built In 80 Minutes
The pre-fab home is invented to solve the housing shortage for workers in war plants. Model houses spring up overnight, to be trucked to areas near factories working around the clock.
36:03 English Sailors Harvest US Crops
British Tars on leave while their ships are refitted in American ports help local farmers with their crops. Thw switch from sea to soil is welcome to English farm boys, who are rewarded for their labors with mountains of food and all the beer they can drink.
36:49 World's Largest Bus
Called an autobus, the mammoth vehicle built to carry 117 passengers features an upper deck that swings away from the lower portion when navigating corners. Transporting war workers, the autobus saves the space and gasoline of 23 automobiles.
37:39 Royal Air Force Pilots Raid European Targets
A camera in the nose of an RAF plane records the flight over the English Channel, flying at low altitude to avoid spotting by enemy observers. We view an actual air raid as the bombardier lays his 1000-pound "eggs" on chemical plants and port facilities in Nazi-occupied France .
38:55 Navy Day Observes In New York
Fifth Avenue is the scene of a sailors' parade in observance of the holiday named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt. Regiments of US Navy men are followed by marching Red Cross nurses and units of the British Navy all honoring the Navy as first line of attack in war.
39:49 Women At War
A year after Pearl Harbor, thousands of women are joining America's fighting forces. Nurses have always been the first and foremost heroines, but now there is the newly formed Womens Army Auxiliary Corps. Following exams and training, the recruits live like army regulars, and th WAACS are given a woman commander. A motorcycle corps is established to carry messages and give first aid.
41:25 Military Mail Via Film
Called "V-Mail", letters to and from servicemen overseas are photographed after censorship, put on micro-film so small that 1500 letters can be reduced to 100 feet of film. At destination, the letters are enlarged to legible size. The new mini-mail saves valuable cargo space.
42:21 US Aircraft Carrier Photographed Under Attack
A carrier takes a hit on her flight deck as Japanese planes swarm to the attack. The Navy cameraman sticks to his post on the bridge, photographing the subsequent fire and battle at sea as the ship's gunners down two Japanese bombers. As the conflict ends, all American planes are accounted for.
44:23 Hollywood Hands Out Its Oscars
James Cagney wins best actor Academy Award for his performance as George M. Cohan in the film "Yankee Doodle Dandy". He accepts his Oscar from Gary Cooper, winner last year for "Sergeant York". From Joan Fontaine, Greer Garson gets the top award for her portrayal of the title character in "Mrs Miniver".
44:58 New Anti-Aircraft Gun Produced In US
The 40-millimeter gun credited for downing Nazi planes attacking London during the Battle of Britain is now produced in an arms plant somewhere in midwest America. Workers who formerly made automobile tires now turn out the gun that is reputed to be almost fast enough to hit a plane diving 500 miles an hour.
46:46 China Unconquered In Sixth Year Of War
Five million civilians of the Chinese Republic have been killed, but china fights on. Mme Chiang Kai-shek mobilizes the women of her country, and an army of 26 million men supports the leadership of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to fight the invading Japanese.
48:09 New York Welcomes Heroes Of The United Nations
Manhattan gives its most tumultuous welcome of the war to 15 military heroes who arrive to launch the drive for the sale of War Bonds. After the tickertape parade, thousands of New Yorkers gather at City Hall Plaza to cheer men famous for their courage above and beyond duty.
49:01 Armed Forces Radio Sends Programme To The Front
Men in the field with the US Fifth Army view a programme broadcast in California. Dorothy Lamour croons "I'm In The Mood For Love" and sends California GIs nostalgic views of the Pacific coast, the orange groves, dairies - and war planes working around the clock.
Armed forces , Military affairs , Defense , Government and Politics , Corporate capital , Naval ships , Navy , Defense , Army , Armed forces , Sports , War and Unrest , Corporate news , Business , Track and field , Military affairs , Military leadership , General News , Production facilities , Facilities , Navy , Army
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Main Page I Northern I South I East I Central I Sabah & Sarawak I Versi B. Melayu I BERNAMA.COM
Penang to focus on rent-to-own method for PPR home ownership
GEORGE TOWN, Nov 8 -- The Penang government will focus more on the adoption of rent-to-own (RTO) method to tackle the issue of People Housing Programme (PPR) home ownership among the underprivileged people in the state.
State Housing, Local Government, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state government had identified three sites in Jelutong, namely Lot 10042, Lot 10043 and part of Lot A in Section 1, Bandar Jelutong to build PPR rental units.
“Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin has agreed in principle with this proposal and has asked the state government to initiate squatters relocation plan before the project can be implemented.
“However, the federal government is focusing on the development of affordable houses with a minimum size of 900 sq ft each, and has also proposed for the sites to be developed on request for proposal (RFP) basis for the purpose,” he said in reply to Gooi Zi Sen (PH-Pengkalan Kota) at the state assembly sitting here today.
Gooi had wanted to know the state government’s stance on PPR following the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s announcement to postpone the implementation of PPR projects.
Jagdeep, who is Datuk Keramat assemblyman, said the state government had also proposed four other sites for the purpose namely the government-owned land at Jalan Mayang Pasir in the southwest district, Ujung Batu in Seberang Perai Utara, Kampung Tongkang in Seberang Perai Selatan and Chief Minister Incorporated-owned land in Batu Kawan.
He said the state government is also in the opinion that the development of PPR houses, especially in the island, is necessary, taking into consideration the 1,051 applications received for the houses as of October.
He also proposed for 10 per cent of the 180,000 units of affordable houses in the state to be offered through the RTO method.
Lim: Govt moving progressively to boost economy
Relocation of Indonesian Capital: TDM gives government security options
More coastal lifeguards at tourist spots to prevent drowning - Terengganu APM
Tun Siti Hasmah enthralls audience at Galeria Perdana with violin performance
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Find Northern Cricket Frog information at
AmphibiaWeb
Northern Cricket Frog
Acris crepitans
A. crepitans is a small (0.75 to 1.5 inches), slim-waisted frog with slender webbed toes and a triangle mark on the head. Dorsal coloration can be gray, light brown with dark bands on legs. There is a white bar from eye to base of foreleg. The skin is bumpy. Males have a single vocal pouch. A. crepitans is a non-climbing member of tree frog family (Barket 1964, Stebbins 1966).
It may be confused with the Striped Chorus Frog which has a whitish stripe along upper lip and length-wise brownish stripe on sides and back, toes slightly webbed. Northern Spring Peeper has smooth skin and x-shaped marking on back (Harding 1997).
Eastern and middle United States, Michigan to Northeastern Mexico, entering the short grass plains of eastern Colorado and northern Mexico along rivers (Stebbins 1966).
A. crepitans lives on the edges of ponds and streams with submerged or emergent vegetation (Stebbins 1966).
rivers and streams
How do they grow?
A. crepitans reaches sexual maturity at one year. Winter to summer, active all year except midwinter in the north. Female responds to male calls April through May and beginning of August. Call sounds like a metallic "gick, gick," resembles steely marbles, lasting approximately one second long. Eggs are less in number than other frogs. One at a time are laid and attached to plants in a pond or pool, while the male releases his sperm. Eggs hatch in a few days. Tadpoles have a black tipped tail unlike any other tadpole. Metamorphosis occurs between July and August (Conant & Collins 1991, Harding 1997).
How long do they live?
Range lifespan
4.9 (high) years
Life span averages four months. With a such a short life span, populations can have a complete turn over in six months.
Activity is diurnal. They can jump more than three feet. This would be like a six foot person jumping 200 feet. They can be found basking on sunny banks of shallow pools in groups.
Predators include fish, snakes, herons, and minks. To escape predators they jump in a series of zig-zag motions (Barket 1964).
Main diet is insects, including mosquitos.
How do they interact with us?
Important to humans for research and management. Used as an indicator species of water quality. Also used to measure pond and stream ecological standards (NPWRC 1999).
This species was common until the early 1970's. It is uncertain why the decline happened so quickly. Suspected reasons are drought, increased use of pesticides, fertilization, highway salts and other pollutants. Low populations and short life span limit recovery. Acris crepitans blanchardii disappeared in some sites, but remains common in southern and western regions. This subspecies is listed as special concern in the state of Michigan. It is important to monitor existing populations and to identify and preserve known habitats. MI has a volunteer frog survey program, through the MDNR wildlife division, Lansing. Residents in other states can contact their local DNR.(NPWRC 1999, Harding 1997).
There are three subspecies: A.c.crepitans, northern cricket frog. Range: southeast New York to Florida and eastern Texas; this subspecies is extinct on Long Island.
A. c. paludicola, coastal cricket frog. Range: southwest Louisiana to southeast Texas.
A. c. blanchardii, Blanchard's cricket frog. Range: Michigan and Ohio to northeast and most of Texas, scattered records in Minnesota and Colorado (Harding 1997).
Shannon Chapman (author), Michigan State University, James Harding (editor), Michigan State University.
Barket, W. 1964. Familiar Reptiles and Amphibians of America. Harper and Row.
Conant, R., J. Collins. 1991. Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central Norht America. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Harding, J. 1997. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes region. University of Michigan:
NPWRC Government, 1999. Accessed October 1, 1999 at http://www.npwrc.gov/narcam/idguide.crepitan.html.
Stebbins, R. 1966. A Field Guide of Reptiles and Amphibians.. Cambridge: The Riverside Press.
Chapman, S. 2000. "Acris crepitans" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 19, 2020 at http://www.biokids.umich.edu/accounts/Acris_crepitans/
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Uncategorised 28th October 2017 28th October 2017
Bath Volleyball Club
Written by bathvolleyball.co.uk
Aqvae Svlis or Bath Volleyball Club is based in the beautiful city of Bath in England, home of the Roman Baths and elegant Georgian townhouses.
The club is made up of five teams: the men’s first team plays in the South West Premier League, the second team plays in the Wiltshire League Division 1, the third (mixed) team plays in the Wiltshire League Division 2, and a women’s team has just entered the South West League, but also play competitions in the Wiltshire Ladies League.
Our open training sessions are becoming more popular, and we are getting a lot of new players of all abilities and ages. If you are interested in playing for a team, or would like to try out volleyball in Bath, then come along to one of the training sessions.
We would like to encourage support for our teams when they play their league matches, so if you want to come along and watch some volleyball and support your local team, then have a look at our fixtures for the upcoming games. Alternatively, have a look at the sports pages of the Bath Chronicle, where our games are also announced. All four of our teams play their home fixtures at the Bath Sports Centre.
For players and students our Coaching Notes contains articles and insights applicable to club-level players and volleyball students who are interested in more than the basics of dig, set, spike.
TRAINING SESSIONS We have an open social training session on Fridays at Bath Sports Centre aimed at social and developing players from 6:30 to 8:30 – just turn up and play. Team training session are on Tuesdays between 7:30 and 9:30 and are by by invitation only. If you are new please come and meet us on Fridays first.
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A Hole to China: Part 1
By J.J. Tindall
The first of five parts.
She left.
I asked for it, I think. Yes. Come to think of it, I believe I did ask for it quite specifically. Well. There. There you go.
I wanted to get back to her.
It would be like digging a hole to China.
Not like a slow boat to China, because that is a reality, something that could readily happen. This hole is a hole in my soul, rendered by the arrow having been pulled back out by Cupid, crudely and diagonally back through my heart, as though through a flesh globe, and which to fill would require the dirt dug out from a hole to China. Cupid breaks the arrow over his chubby knee.
Another hole. They keep happening. There goes a ghost of me. I put it on the payroll. Kind of thing that happens a lot here in Stinkweed.
Yes: Chicago is Pottawattomie for Stinkweed.
And I tell you this: I know I'm not the Shit, but I smell it everywhere. This town, at this time, is rife with it, and Time will bear this fact out. In the meantime, I urge you to believe.
I'm not the Shit, but I'm close to it, real close.
Actually, I pulled it out, this arrow, she and I pulled it out together, but it's easier to blame somebody else. Big, fat, Jupiter-red Cupid got sick of us bitching and pulled his fucking arrows back out. You hate what you have and love what you want. You'll no sooner cure that wont than dig a hole to China, but, if it makes you feel better for now, set about your plans.
You get to thinking a lot about trowels and levels, polishing up the high school French for when you get there.
That kind of thing.
And, in the weeks after you stop seeing someone, if you like, you think a lot about getting back together, or, I do anyway, even though you know it will never happen, and isn't supposed to happen. It's just something you imagine, a soothing fantasy that helps you get through that particular day, and gradually it gets easier. A fantasy is a pain reliever. All the relief you can legally buy without a prescription. Go ahead and start digging the hole if it helps for now. Slowly. If there were a boat, it would definitely be slow. And somewhat drunken. So. Best get started.
She left. Gone. "Goodbye now." Goodbye now.
I wanted to get back at her. Yes. Living well is (often) the best revenge and revenge was seeming sweet, truly sweet. Sweet even if it was wrong. Sweeter even for being wrong.
She always wanted me to write about her. As a result, I never did.
Then one day I and I suddenly and (not quite) wholly without warning had to come up with something to do other than hate myself for the six months it would take just to decompress from having been with this powerful woman so long after the future became more important than the present, the six months I was figuring it was going to take before I would be myself again, whoever the fuck that was. There. Six months of being somebody else, a guy in less pain. And, of course, it ends up being a fuck of a lot longer than six months, in the end, when it stops.
Love is the drug? I had to live through withdrawal. OK, then.
I hired my pre-ghost to Ghost the novelization.
Fucker charges too much. Go:
Billy was mangled.
Mangled = brutalized by booze and drugs and their attendant hangovers. Self-abused in the guise of distraction or even celebration. It starts before love ends, it starts as the end of love looms and carries one through the end and past it, into near-oblivion if not actual oblivion. Invariably, the morning after, Billy was mangled. The self-destruction could end only when he realized, "This has got to stop."
"You're just a penis with an act." She actually said that to me once. Early on. I couldn't believe it. It resonated for days. It seemed really true. And really scary.
"Power corrupts," I would go now. "Behold a beautiful woman."
Absolute power absolutely. Boom. There.
Nobody stays together anymore. We were both single and we were both at a party. I and I like to party a lot. She isn't into it so much. And this is where it begins and ends, basically. I'll just come out and go: this is like one of those stories about a guy who I'll just say is a friend of mine. It's not me, it's this friend of mine that I'm close to, I swear to God. He has, like, sextophenia or something. At least six different, distinct personalities by my last perhaps faulty count. His is a myriad of voices in three-dimensions: six different guys, then each are manic/depressive, then a couple aren't sure they're entirely just guys. Would you blame a guy? Could you blame the guy?
People are animals. They are compelled to obey the laws of nature (gravity, physics, physicality). She and I were like two little party squirrels whose endless movements converged in an energy that surged and then waned geometrically. It burnt pretty hot and pretty fast, in a sometimes truly cruel friction, and with a remarkable, regretful, strictly inescapable gravity. One squirrel was red, and one was black.
"Nobody should get married anymore. It ruins everything. It really ruins everything."
Billy began to think. It was a big moment.
Billy was broker than shit. And he did not care. It was almost un-American.
He figured America was broker than shit too and could still kick anybody's ass. That was the big difference. We're fried too, but we can kick your motherfucking ass, so, it's OK, right? RIGHT?
Billy is a patriot. A true lover.
He'd been recently let go as journalist for a financial rag, journalism being the kind of day job an aspiring creative writer like Billy thought would be perfect. Turns out, no day job is any perfecter than any other. He didn't get any more creative writing done as a journalist than he would've done as a housepainter bartender. Journalism was no better or worse than anything else, provided it wasn't celebrity journalism.
If there was one thing Billy hated more than poetry, it was celebrity journalism.
Coming Tuesday: She drank beer. "Beer!" Billy was very, very excited about that.
J. J. Tindall is the Beachwood's poet-in-residence. He can reached at jjtindall@yahoo.com. Images graciously provided by Brett Johnson.
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Home Matchday Reports Villa 1-3 QPR
Villa 1-3 QPR
Stuart Young
It is amazing what a difference in a few days make. Euphoria at the weekend following the demolition of Wolves and then last night heartbreak at how we didn’t turn up against an impressive QPR side.
Steve Bruce opted to stick with the same team that beat Wolves, something he later regretted when speaking to the media.
The result was probably the shock of the night in the division and one that puts a massive dent in any hopes Villa had of automatic promotion.
QPR clearly enjoys playing in the Midlands as their only other away wins this season have come at Birmingham City and Burton. The truth was though, they deserved it and possibly more.
Ian Holloway’s men started with more intent and really looked fired up for this once and they took the lead on 12 minutes.
Jake Bidwell crossed from the left and Ryan Manning was able to beat a slow-moving John Terry in the air to glide his header past Sam Johnstone in the Villa goal.
Villa tried to up their game but they struggled for ideas and tried lumping balls into the box that the QPR defence was more than comfortable in dealing with.
The away side doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Bidwell gained possession from Pawel Wzolek on the end of the area to fire a left-footed show low into the bottom corner of the net.
Villa did come close just before half-time but Jack Grealish could only head his effort directly at Alex Smithies.
Bruce’s men began to dominate for large spells in the second half as QPR sat deep and frustrated the home side by time wasting at every opportunity.
More poor defending resulted in QPR scoring the third goal through Luke Freeman with a low left-footed shot that Johnstone could do nothing about.
James Chester scored a late consolation in the 88th minute for his third goal in three games but it was way too little, too late.
Another mistake by the manager which he has admitted to again, combined with a flat crowd and lacklustre performance from the players may have just cost Villa any hopes of automatic promotion as the result leaves them seven points adrift of Cardiff.
I stated on Saturday after the victory over Wolves, that it would count for nothing if we are not able to beat QPR.
Steve Bruce: “It was always my fear that this would happen after last Saturday’s win over Wolves. I toyed and toyed with making changes. With hindsight, I should have done. I blame myself because I always thought it would be difficult to get the bandwagon rolling again.
Ian Holloway: “Villa caught us cold the other week. They made us come up from London when they said the game was on. We had an eight-hour wait on the side of the motorway so you can say it was payback time for us! To be three up against Villa away from home after watching what they did to Wolves at the weekend was a bit of a shock.
Highlights courtesy of avfc.co.uk
Previous articleSign Snodgrass, Steve
Next articleNot the time to panic
http://www.avillafan.com
I am the owner/editor of Avillafan.com and have been a season ticket holder for 20+ years now.
FA Cup: Fulham 2-1 ASTON VILLA
StuWolf March 14, 2018 At 14:13
Well, what can we say, after Saturday our Wolves blogs were inundated with Villa fans giving it Big.
Well today the Silence is deafening.
All this talk of Grealish the new Messiah becoming the best player in the Championship is coming true, because that’s where you are going to be next season because he didn’t turn up last night.
I believe Cardiff are going to end up in the playoffs and Fulham coming up with us, but I honestly can’t see Villa beating Cardiff or Fulham in the play offs.
I am genuinely disappointed, as it would have been great to have two local clubs there, but Fulham are the form team I believe.
All the same, good luck for the rest of the season.
Stuart Young March 16, 2018 At 17:05
Stu – I guess some got a little carried away following the win. On our day, as we have proved we can beat anyone but our consistency is still a big issue for us.
On a personal note, I would have loved both Villa and Wolves to go up and hopefully it will still happen.
Best of luck to yourselves also.
Poor start to the season hurt us - AVFC - Aston Villa Fansite, Blog, & Forum.. March 21, 2018 At 17:17
[…] Villa 1-3 QPR […]
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A Guide To Protecting Trees In The Community and the High Hedge Act
Protected Trees
Local Planning Authorities have specific powers to protect trees by making Tree Preservation Orders. Special provisions also apply to trees within conservation areas designated by local planning authorities. The information given below is written for the benefit of tree owners, the general public and amenity groups and answers some of the most commonly asked questions about Tree Preservation Procedures. It is for guidance only and is not a statement of the law. You should consult a solicitor if you are unsure of your legal rights or obligations.
More information on Tree Preservation Orders is available at the bottom of this page.
Please note that before submitting a planning application it may be prudent to contact the Tree Preservation Officer to obtain help and advice on information that will be needed to validate an application. The Tree Preservation Office can be contacted on 01543 464307.
The High Hedge Act
High Hedges have become a problem to local residents in some respect and action can now be taken if required to deal with these matters. Click on the links below to access information. Please note that the fee for dealing with a high hedge application is £420 and must be submitted with the relevant forms together with evidence after all avenues to resolve the matter have been sought.
For further information please ring the Council number 01543 462621 and ask to speak to a member of the Environmental Services team.
High Hedges - Complaining To The Council
High Hedges - Complaints, Prevention and Cure
Trees and Problem Hedges
Guidance Notes - Completing The Complaints Form
High Hedges - Height Height and Light Loss
High Hedge Complaints Form
A Guide To Protecting Trees In The Community
What Is A Tree Preservation Order or TPO?
A Tree Preservation Order is an order made by the local authority which generally makes it an offence to cut down,top,lop,uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a tree without the planning authority's permission.
What Is The Purpose Of A Tree Preservation Order?
The purpose of an order is to protect trees which are deemed to be of significant impact to the local surroundings especially if they are in immediate danger. All types of trees including hedgerow trees can be covered but not hedges, bushes or shrubs. To gain consent to work on a protected tree an application form giving full details must be completed and submitted to the local authority for consideration. Work can only commence once consent is granted by the authority.
How Can I Find Out If A Tree Is Covered By An Order?
Details of orders are available for inspection at the local authority. Official searches can be made to reveal the existence of a Preservation Order or whether a property is in a conservation area, when purchasing a property these searches are carried out and solicitors should inform their clients if trees are protected.
When the local authority applies for an order, the owner of the tree and other interested parties will be written to enclosing a copy of the order. If anyone wishes to object or support the order a letter must be forwarded to the authority within the time period which will be stated on the letter. The planning authority will take any comments into account when deciding whether or not to confirm the order. Once the order is confirmed details will be sent out to interested parties. A number will be allocated to the preserved tree or group of trees which will be kept on files at the authority for future reference. Once the order is made the owner of the tree remains responsible for the condition and any damage that is caused. Permission to work on any preserved tree must be obtained as described above.
If work is carried out on a protected tree which damages or destroys the tree without consent you could face a fine of up to £20,000 if convicted in the magistrates court. In determining the amount of the fine, the court will take into account any financial benefit arising from the offence. For other offences you could be fined up to £2500.00. You will normally have to plant a replacement tree if the tree was cut down or destroyed.
Applications to work on protected trees is sometimes refused and if this happens you can appeal to the Secretary of State in writing within 28 days of receiving the decision. Appeals are normally decided without a formal hearing, on the basis of written statements followed by a site visit. Both you and the local planning authority have the right instead of a public local inquiry or hearing. The Secretary of State may allow or dismiss the appeal or vary the original decision.
If I See Work Being Carried Out On A Protected Tree, How Can I Find Out If The Owner Has Permission?
Contact the Trees, Landscape & Countryside Team who will check records to see if the tree in question has a protection order on it. If the tree concerned is protected the Tree Officer will investigate and take the necessary steps to stop work being carried out until permission has been granted.
There Are Trees Which I Think Should Be Protected. What Can I Do?
Contact the TLC Team giving details of the trees and the reasons why you think the trees should be protected. The Tree Officer will make an assesment and decide whether or not the trees form a prominent landscape feature in the area and also adds to the amenity of the area.
What Must I Do If I Want To Fell A Tree Protected By A Tree Preservation Order?
You must write to the local planning authority to seek permission, specifying the tree, what you want to do and why. You may find it helpful to consult a tree surgeon to clarify what you need to do. The Arboricultural Association has a list of approved tree surgeons on their website. Alternatively you can write to Ampfield House, Ampfield, Romsey, Hants SO5 9PA or telephone 01794 368717.
Can I Get Compensation If My Application To Carry Out Work On Protected Trees/Woodland Is Refused Or Conditions Are Imposed?
If consent to work on a protected tree is refused or granted with conditions you can seek compensation from your local planning authority for any loss or damage which results. However you cannot make a claim where, under the terms of the order, the planning authority has issued a certificate saying either;
That the refusal or condition is in the interests of good forestry or
That the trees or woodland have an outstanding or special amenity value.
Claiming compensation under a Tree Preservation order must be done within 12 months of its decision, or that of the Secretary of State if you appealed.
Restrictions in a Conservation Area.
If you wish to work on trees not protected by a Tree Preservation Order but in a Conservation Area, you must notify the local authority giving six weeks notice in writing. You must not carry out any work until consent has been given. If you do you could be fined as described above. You may also have to plant a replacement tree. Confirmation of designated conservation areas can be obtained from the local authority.
Useful Contact Details
Forestry Commission's booklet Tree Felling - Getting Permission.
The Forestry Commission
231 Corstorphine Road
EH12 7AT
Website: The Forestry Commission
Further Helpful Websites
The Tree Advice Trust
The Tree Council
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Arboricultural Society
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carbondale-times-1
Breaking News Bar
Miners suffer heartbreaking loss to Joliet Slammers take two of three to win series
Taylor Sparks drives the ball for an extra-base hit in game action last week. Since joining the Miners, Sparks has most certainly been a spark for the offense.
Miners Media Relations photo
Miners second baseman Omar Obregon tags out Florence's Trevor Craport who was attempting to steal second base last Thursday. Credited with the throw was Miners catcher Andy Cosgrove.
Randy Risley photo
Yeltsin Gudion of the Southern Illinois Miners is shown here scoring a run last week against Florence. Gudino has been a steady contributor in the No. 2 hole of the batting order.
SUBMITTED BY JASON GUERETTE
SI Miners Media Relations
Posted on 8/20/2019, 1:00 PM
JOLIET -- The Southern Illinois Miners had a 5-1 early lead on the Joliet Slammers on Sunday afternoon, then a 9-8 lead late in the contest, but lost both in a 10-9 defeat at DuPage Medical Group Field, dropping the weekend series two games to one.
Joliet loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the first, but scored just once as Ryan McAuliffe induced a double play ground ball to help minimize the damage. In the next half-inning, the Miners batted around and scored five runs, including a two-run homer to center field by Taylor Sparks, and back-to-back RBI singles with two outs by Yeltsin Gudino and Jamey Smart, taking a 5-1 lead.
Joliet got one run back on a single and an error with two outs in the bottom of the second inning to make it 5-2, then exploded for six runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning, including a go-ahead, two-out RBI double by former Miner Harrison Bragg, and a two-run home run from Riley Krane to take an 8-5 lead.
Southern Illinois responded right back in the top of the fifth inning, as Arturo Nieto singled with two outs and went to second base on a wild pitch before Andy Cosgrove brought him in with a single to make it 8-6. In the sixth inning, Southern Illinois was able to retake the lead with a three-run rally- Davis made it 8-7 with an RBI double, with a wild pitch by Isaac Sanchez then tying the game at 8-8. Sparks then smashed a go-ahead single to left field to put the Miners back in front by a score of 9-8.
The lead held for one inning, but Joliet again came back, tying the game on a two-out, RBI single by Dash Winningham in the bottom of the eighth at 9-9. In the ninth, after the Miners stranded the potential lead run on second base in the top half, three straight walks with two outs loaded the bases for Clayton Harp, whose fourth hit of the game, an RBI single to center field, won it for the Slammers.
Sparks finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs for the second day in a row, with Gudino finishing 2-for-5 with two RBIs as well. Davis, Nieto and Kirvin Moesquit also scored two runs apiece, as Southern Illinois put up nine runs of offense for the second time in the series, but lost the set two games to one.
With 12 games remaining in the regular season, and now one and one-half games back of a playoff spot, the Miners return home next for a crucial, three-game home series against the Evansville Otters, beginning on Tuesday, August 20, at 6:35 p.m. at Rent One Park.
Saturday's Game: Power and pitching lead Miners to victory
JOLIET -- The Southern Illinois Miners grabbed the lead early on Saturday night against the Joliet Slammers, and held it the rest of the way thanks to effective pitching in a series-evening 5-2 victory at DuPage Medical Group Field.
In the top of the first inning, with two on and two out, Taylor Sparks kicked off the game in grand style, smacking his seventh home run of the season out to left field to put the Miners ahead 3-0. In the third inning, Jamey Smart added to the lead with a solo home run, his fifth of the season, to make the score 4-0 against Joliet starter Kit Fowler (0-1).
Southern Illinois starter Frank Moscatiello made the lead stand up, working scoreless frames in the first three innings. Joliet then scored a run on a groundout in the bottom of the fourth by Jacob Crum, and got within 4-2 on a solo homer in the sixth by Riley Krane, but that was all Moscatiello (1-0) allowed, while walking three and striking out six to eventually earn his first Miners victory.
Southern Illinois was able to score an insurance run in the top of the seventh, as with two outs and runners at first and second base, Sparks reached on an infield hit to third, with third baseman Milton Ramos' throw to first base getting away from Dash Winningham, allowing Yeltsin Gudino to score on the play to make it 5-2.
The Southern Illinois bullpen took care of the rest- Jake Waters struck out one in two perfect innings in his Miners debut, and Will Headean threw a scoreless eighth inning, setting up Gabe Gentner, who worked a perfect ninth inning for his 11th save, striking out Chaz Meadows to end the game and even the series.
Friday's Game: Epic rally in ninth comes up short at Joliet
JOLIET -- The Southern Illinois Miners came into the top of the ninth inning trailing the Joliet Slammers by eight runs, and nearly came all the way back with a tremendous push in the final frame, but ended up on the wrong side of a 10-9 final score at DuPage Medical Group Field.
Joliet grabbed the lead in the second inning on a grand slam home run by Clayton Harp off Marty Anderson (5-4), then scored three more runs in the third and two additional runs in the fourth inning to build a 9-0 advantage. Southern Illinois' offense, meanwhile, was held to no hits through the first five innings by Joliet starter Tyler Jones (2-2) before they got on the board and in the hit column on an RBI double by Ryan Stacy in the top of the sixth, making the score 9-1.
The Miners then loaded the bases in the seventh inning with one out on two hit batters and a walk to chase Jones, and Kirvin Moesquit brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it a 9-2 game. In the bottom of the eighth, a Riley Krane solo home run against Kyle Davis made the score 10-2, setting up the incredible final inning against Slammers reliever Matt Burleton.
Davis led off with an infield single and Taylor Sparks lined another single to left field, extending their hit streaks to 15 and 10 in a row, respectively. A rocket double by Arturo Nieto to center field then made the score 10-3, scoring pinch-runner Andy Cosgrove from second base. After a strikeout, Moesquit then tripled in two more runs to make the score 10-5. Stacy followed with his second RBI double of the game for a 10-6 deficit, and Yeltsin Gudino smacked a double of his own to plate him and make the score 10-7, extending his own hit streak to 12 in a row, and chasing Burleton from the game.
The Miners were still not done. The Slammers brought in Mario Samuel, and after another strikeout for the second out of the inning, Jamey Smart lined an RBI double down the right field line to make it 10-8 and bring the tying run to the plate. Cosgrove then hit a fly ball to left field that dropped to the turf between the defense, scoring Smart and making it 10-9. Unfortunately, that is where the rally would end, as Sparks flew out to left field to end the game with the tying run at first base.
Stacy finished 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and RBIs off the bench, while Moesquit drove in a season-high three runs and also scored two others for the Miners to lead the charge. Cosgrove, Nieto, Smart and Gudino each had a run scored and RBI in the big ninth inning as well.
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Marion Republican
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Harvey Miller
Studies in Medieval and Early Renaissance Art History (HMSAH)
M. Tanner
Sublime Truth and the Senses: Titian's Poesie for King Philip II of Spain
IV+232 p., 71 b/w ill. + 77 colour ill., 220 x 280 mm, 2018
Languages: English, Italian, Latin
Retail price: EUR 110,00 excl. tax
In this fascinating study Marie Tanner examines the ways in which Titian incorporates new concepts of sensuality and spirituality in the mythological paintings for King Philip II of Spain.
The paintings for Philip II, known as the Poesie, are among the most frequently discussed works of art that address a favored Renaissance theme, the influence of the pagan gods on human actions. The commission is traceable to 1549, when Emperor Charles V summoned the artist to Augsburg following Prince Philip’s triumphal parade through the empire as his father’s heir apparent. The cycle that took shape comprises Danae and Venus and Adonis (Madrid, Prado); Diana and Actaeon and Diana and Callisto (Edinburgh, National Gallery of Scotland); Perseus and Andromeda (London, Wallace Collection) and Europa (Boston, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum). These masterpieces of the artist’s mature period can be considered the most important Renaissance grouping of mythological paintings executed by a single artist.
The author proposes that Philip’s expected elevation prompted the commission and that the subjects form a cohesive program of Hapsburg ethical views and political concerns, and that Titian created new visual idioms to represent the complex issues which the subjects address in part by engaging themes with a significant prior history in family patronage. While Titian's Poesie for Philip II are well known monuments of western culture, they have never before been investigated with this focus.
The dispersal of the pictures' in the seventeenth century resulted in a scholarly focus on the single pictures and a concentration on their sensual aspects. In Aretino, a Venetian dialogue on painting, Titian’s friend and apologist Lodovico Dolce is a spokesman for art that following poetry, entices through beauty, while hiding important truths beneath the veil of allegory. This study analyzes the ways in which Titian incorporates new concepts of sensuality and spirituality in a Venetian vernacular to create masterpieces whose originality and ravishing beauty belie their didactic content.
Marie Tanner an expert on Renaissance art an architecture, is the author of the prize winning study The Last Descendant of Aeneas: The Hapsburgs and the Mythic Image of the Emperors (Yale, 1993). Her most recent book is Jerusalem on the Hill: Rome and the Vision of St. Peter's in the Renaissance (Harvey Miller, 2010).
Medieval art history
This publication is also distributed by: ISD, Marston
"Tout le temps du veneour est sanz oyseuseté"
Hediger From Hus to Luther
Horníčková et al. The Practice of Art History
Pächt Iconographie médiévale entre Antiquité et art roman
Leclercq-Marx et al. Iconographie de saint Augustin
Courcelle et al. Stained Glass Windows
Caviness L'iconographie du Speculum Virginum
Hidrio
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Office of Equity & Inclusion
City of Albuquerque Establishes Blueprint for Financial Empowerment
City of Albuquerque Establishes Blueprint for Financial Empowerment Blueprint will provide education and access to financial security for Albuquerque residents. http://www.cabq.gov/office-of-equity-inclusion/news/city-of-albuquerque-establishes-blueprint-for-financial-empowerment http://www.cabq.gov/office-of-equity-inclusion/news/city-of-albuquerque-establishes-blueprint-for-financial-empowerment/@@download/image/COA%20Logo_Horizontal_EquityInclusion-with%20tag.png
Blueprint will provide education and access to financial security for Albuquerque residents.
Today, Mayor Tim Keller announced the BankOn Burque Blueprint for Financial Empowerment. The blueprint was established following a stakeholder engagement process that will focus on what the City of Albuquerque can do to promote access to safe, affordable banking and financial education among City employees and community members.
The BankOn Burque touches on four keys of financial empowerment emphasized by Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE), who provided funding and technical assistance to the City for the blueprint process: asset building; banking access; consumer financial protection; and financial education and counseling.
The first phase of the BankOn Burque blueprint is to provide access to secure and affordable checking and savings accounts for City of Albuquerque summer youth employees, interns, and other seasonal employees, as well as provide age-appropriate financial literacy training. In the second phase, expert financial advisors will guide the scaling of financial education and access to safe banking practices to all City employees and Albuquerque residents.
“The City of Albuquerque has a responsibility to provide services that protect and enhance the lives of all residents,” said Mayor Keller. “Creating a foundation for success, especially for our young people, and those who have come to work for the City, is critical to ensure the best possible path to success for the rest of their lives.”
A stakeholder group of over 30 representatives of Albuquerque-area economic development, financial inclusion and advocacy organizations began meeting last November. The consensus of the group was to focus on promoting access to safe, affordable bank or credit union accounts and financial products, and on providing financial literacy education to economically at-risk Albuquerque residents, beginning with seasonal City employees and interns.
The BankOn Burque blueprint discusses Albuquerque’s high poverty rates, high rates of delinquent debt, incidence of wage theft and relatively large unbanked population, defined as reliance on non-traditional financial transactions, which can lead to predatory lending and unnecessary fees for cashing checks, paying bills and everyday transactions.
“We’re thrilled with Mayor Keller and his team’s commitment to financial empowerment for Albuquerque residents, and we are proud to assist in their participatory Blueprint process,” said Jonathan Mintz, President and CEO, Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. “Building up residents’ financial stability, including safe core products in the financial mainstream, are critical to family and community success.”
About Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund:
The CFE Fund, a national non-profit organization, provides funding and technical assistance to mayors and their teams in almost 80 cities to develop, launch and replicate financial empowerment strategies to improve the financial stability of low and moderate-income households by embedding those strategies into local government infrastructure. The CFE Fund’s City Start initiative is supported by JPMorgan Chase Foundation and others.
Native American Affairs
Immigrant & Refugee Affairs
ADA Advisory Council
Office of Equity & Inclusion on Twitter
Tweets by @CABQRaceEquity
Michelle Melendez
Dial 311 (505-768-2000)
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Greek and Turkish music thread
Questions, comments, criticisms and conundrums raised by listeners
Re: Greek and Turkish music thread
by Chris P » Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:35 pm
Kalan are one of this planet's great labels. Very varied, but almost always worthwhile. Having said that, the vagaries of personal taste mean there's a mining operation to be done & more than some sorting
by Chris P » Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:25 pm
via Ian A Anderson:
london uk based Olcay Bayir: http://youtu.be/Mm60k7kzpEQ
doesn't that accent on 'thank you very much' take u by surprise! almost scottisch?
http://www.worldmusic.net/news/news/2014-08-14/olcay-bayir-forthcoming-album-live-performance/
by Chris P » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:03 pm
New York Gypsy All Stars perform EZ-Pass
http://youtu.be/XwWuPlYQyyQ
beautiful tune & playing (loses it's way briefly half way thru with short bass solo, but they Feel the music still! Perhaps goes on just a touch or two too long? very worth hearing though)
Tamer Pinarbasi, kanun (Turkey); Ismail Lumanovski (Macedonia), clarinet; Engin Gunaydin (Turkey), drums; Panagiotis Andreou (Greece), bass; Jason Lindner (US), keyboard
by Jamie Renton » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:19 pm
A big thumbs up from High Barnet for the NY Gypsy All Stars. Very cosmipolotan, but somehow in a very New York kind of way.
Re' Olcay Bayir. She was very good live at Wilton's Music Hall earlier this year, I'm looking forward to catching her live again at Musicport and Ian A has given me the go-ahead to write something on her for fRoots
Jamie Renton
Location: Exotic Barnet
by Chris P » Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:57 am
forgive the enthusiasm, but this could maybe float a lead boat:
http://youtu.be/KofEBH2u-t4
(pity about the swanky boho audience & surrounding stylings - I just listen to the music)
gigs in UK in November
24th London (UK) @ Cargo
26th Leicester (UK) @ The Musician
27th Glasgow (UK) @ King Tuts
28th Leeds (UK) @ Howard Assembly Room
29th Newcastle (UK) @ The Cluny
30th Coventry (UK) @ Coal Vaults
and Dec 1st Brighton @ the Hope
by Chris P » Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:07 pm
Turkey's multi-national Light in Babylon with a spirited version of their Baderech el Hayam
http://youtu.be/2hHfAan74ek
a chance to overcome prejudice against paleskins with dreadlocks, on the grounds that in this case you'd miss some good music
by MartinOwen » Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:16 pm
These guys are having some fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RxXNV4hVos
MartinOwen
by Chris P » Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:43 pm
NormanD wrote: Has the book "The House On Paradise Street" by Sofka Zinovieff had a mention on SOTW? It covers that period of the post-war Greek civil war.
article on same period (just before - 1944, also refenced in Zinovieff's book) by Ed Vulliamy & Helena Smith:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/30/athens-1944-britains-dirty-secret?CMP=twt_gu
by Gordon Neill » Sat Jan 17, 2015 12:24 am
I've been listening to a various artists compilation of Greek stuff. Amongst the pleasant and the unpleasant, 'Mikri Mou Mov Ventalia' by Rita Antonopoulou has got under my defences. I suppose she would get filed under 'popular' on the basis that quite a lot of folk would like her. Here's a live TV peformance. It's not quite as good as the version on my CD, but it does prove she can sing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NRJsOxUFwg
And, on the basis of a quick YouTube search, I like her version of 'Αυτή η νύχτα μένει' even better. But I've no idea what album it might be on. Help! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tme53CRZOo
Gordon Neill
Location: up the Bongos without a paddle
by kk » Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:04 pm
Imam Baildi - "III" - album stream
http://www.popmatters.com/post/194315-i ... -premiere/
by Chris P » Sat Aug 22, 2015 6:39 pm
From the film "Rembetiko", this goes down well on an unpredictable-weathered Saturday, or anytime (lyrics helpfully translated):
https://youtu.be/QR4avmuBDhY
by AndyM » Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:18 pm
Chris P wrote: From the film "Rembetiko", this goes down well on an unpredictable-weathered Saturday, or anytime (lyrics helpfully translated):
Song almost as good as the facial hair!
by Kari Salonen » Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:14 pm
Where to start this contribution... The local TV is currently running a series of world music travelogues called Sound Tracker, hosted and researched by one time Hanoi Rock and New York Doll, Sam Yaffa. The show is on its second season, passing through places like Indonesia, India and Senegal.
One of the best shows so far has been the one on Turkish music. A beautiful, thoughtful visit to a Mevlana session plus an interview with this band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9HG48GRnM0
I would very much want to see them (Baba Zula) live...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV_BrV2Tu9w
A short teaser to the program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv7Kjpd50pw
Kari Salonen
by Chris P » Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:22 pm
Baba Zula are playing Dalston London in two nights time (22nd), be there or miss out on one of the best (imo), turkish bands
In a film I would hop on a taxi to catch the next flight...
But with things being as they are, I'll be looking for consolation in this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emLWASonTxs
Return to Sound of the World Forum
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You are not logged in. [Log In] BowlingFans.com Home » Forums » Amateur Bowling » Leagues & Sport Bowling » Fall/Winter 2018-19 Leagues Thread
Page 11 of 14 < 1 2 ... 9 10 11 12 13 14 >
#199820 - 02/14/19 05:36 PM Re: Fall/Winter 2018-19 Leagues Thread [Re: Richie V.]
Richie V.
Virtual League Secretary,
Virtual League Champion x4
A/S/L: 52/M/Brockton, MA
Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame
Found out that my Hy-Road is still useful for down & in shots, but not carrying and missing the spares is still not going to cut it. The missed 10s were particularly frustrating, as I'd thought I'd found a way to cut the hook and the ball still went left.
Result: 150-174-151=475
Average (66 games): 170
Average for last 9 games: 163
Next week's AVG+1 score: 549
Composite average (72 games): 172
Si had a clean 195-ish game second game, and, where that was my better game, we won it and hung on for total. All three games could have been won, really.
Edited by Richie V. (02/14/19 05:38 PM)
Arsenal (all 15 lb.)
Alpha Crux
Marvel Pearl
IQ Tour Fusion
Avg.: 197 (Summer 2008)
Series: 707
Game: 288
Brunswick Mixed - Avg: 168 HS: 615 HG: 255
Composite avg. (w/ Sun. night sub): 170
The Tenth Board: My bowling blog
Richie's BowlSK profile
bigcall
3x Virtual League Champion
A/S/L: 55/M/NoVA
I had been struggling over the last few weeks, some of which had to do with lane conditions and ball options/choices. I decided to revive a couple of my older balls and had them plugged and adjusted at the same time since my span has changed over time.
Used my Nomad Dagger that I got back on Friday and had much better success 269-232-193.
Unfortunately we were absolutely crushed in spite of bowling a net +266 over average as a team. The other team's 4th bowler with a 198 average was out of his mind and shot 264-279-300, 843 which is +249 by himself!
You just have to tip your hat sometimes I suppose...
I'm looking at picking up a Hy-Road X to get some more length when I need it while retaining some back end since my old Mutant Cell Pearl just isn't working like it used and my Hy-Road Solid is picking up too early on the lanes lately.
We'll see how it goes.
Very inconsistent (moves would have the opposite effect) as well as being unfortunate (all of the stone 7s). This is probably part of a February slump I think I get into.
Si had a bad night for the first time in a while, so the team only won one (first game).
#199843 - 02/23/19 07:07 AM Re: Fall/Winter 2018-19 Leagues Thread [Re: Richie V.]
It's been a while since I posted on this thread. I've just been muddling through much of the last 2-3 months, but still likely averaging around 215-220 for that interval. It feels like it has been a battle to stay around my average. Shot 621 after starting with a solid 168 game. 10-15 was fried by the 2nd game, so I made a big jump inside and it was a great move. However, like clockwork my Vintage Danger Zone which first reacted great inside started to fade by the middle of the 3rd game. Our team took 5, we've been near the top all season. It looks like it will be a close battle for 1st.
Meanwhile, for the last two weeks our center has decided to have large group events with lots of kids right before our league. The parking lot has been a mess of people parked in fire lanes to load in their kids who apparently cannot walk to the car for whatever reason. There's rental shoes, house balls, and garbage left all over the place. Needless to say, the conditions of the lanes could also be better.
#199848 - 02/23/19 03:14 PM Re: Fall/Winter 2018-19 Leagues Thread [Re: Mkirchie]
82Boat69
A/S/L: 71/M/California
We pay extra in our league dues to have a pristine shot put on before our league. I think its only 2-bits per bowler. You might see if you can do that where you bowl. As for the garbage left by others, that something that needs to be taken up with management.
#199850 - 02/23/19 03:29 PM Re: Fall/Winter 2018-19 Leagues Thread [Re: 82Boat69]
It's going to happen again on Friday next week. I wish we could arrange something like that for a fresh shot, but our center is starting to not like us league bowlers very much. They wouldn't have time to recondition the lanes anyway, these groups are getting done around 6:00 and we're supposed to start practice at 6:25.
My team got good news when Eric, who is on the Sunday night team I sub for, messaged me on Facebook asking if I had room on my Wednesday night team and asked if he could join us after I affirmed that fact. Eric carries a 213 average on Sunday night, so he became our new anchor bowler, with me moving to set-up.
Other than the splits and the washout in the third game, my night was pretty good. The real issue, however, was carrying my 7 pin, all but one of the solid variety.
Si was really the one who stole the show, with a second game 267 that was just one pin from a 300 game, and had a 604 total. Eric shot a slightly bigger 600, and even Steve got into the act with a 134 third game. Needless to say, team won all four.
After a just completely miserable set last week where I just couldn't get any carry (10 strikes all night, despite 26 shots in the pocket), I rebounded well with much better carry (24 of 32) and had a clean series making all 10 spare leaves.
I tried out my new Hy-Road X last week, but it was just too strong given the lack of oil. This week there was a little more volume so I was able to stick with it until midway through the final game when I had to ball down.
247-257-233 for 737
My son had his first 700 series 215-259-226 to hit it on the nose!
6_ball_man
A/S/L: 60/m/downtown churchville
clean serieses are awesome! Nicely done!!!
In decreasing order of reaction:
Brunswick Danger Zone re-release
Storm Reign-of-Fire
Hammer Onyx Vibe (original)
Rotogrip Winner - box
Elite Gold Label
Storm Polar Ice - 4k+polish
avatar is out of date
equipment list too
Multi-pin spares, particularly splits and washouts, doomed this night, with the prime example being the back-to-back 4-5-7s, which told me I could no longer swing it. I missed two single pins, but neither was a 10.
Eric couldn't make it (car trouble) and Si missed the first game; team won no points.
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NME Poll Winners, Dungen, Brian Wilson, Cutout Bin, Biker Dogs
...with THE 1965 NME POLL WINNERS' CONCERT! The Animals perform "Boom Boom," "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." and "Talkin' Bout You/ Shout" The Moody Blues play "Bo Diddley" and "Go Now." Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders play "Game Of Love" and "Just A Little Bit Too Late." Herman's Hermits play "Wonderful World" and "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter." Donovan plays "You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond" and "Catch The Wind." The Kinks crank out "You Really Got Me" and "Tired Of Waiting For You." The Rolling Stones play "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love/ Pain In My Heart," "Around And Around" and "The Last Time." The Beatles play "I Feel Fine," "She's A Woman" "Baby's In Black," "Ticket To Ride," and "Long Tall Sally."
GREEN RIVER is reuniting and playing previously unreleased songs at the two-day 20th anniversary bash of Sub Pop Records
MATES OF STATE stopped by KUT's Studio 1A for a chat and mini-set you can stream on demand via NPR.
RON SEXSMITH talks to the Associated Press about the biz and his new album, which is streaming through the weekend via Spinner.
DUNGEN is currently streaming "Satt Att Se," the new single and album opener from their upcoming LP.
BRIAN WILSON rolls out a trailer for his upcoming concept album "That Lucky Old Sun," which finds him back at the studios beneath Capitol Records.
T-BONE BURNETT is profiled by PopMatters.
SAM BUCK ROSEN does the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, including one unreleased.
PHIL SPECTOR is getting sued by Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, Fanita James (Bob B. Soxx) and others for unpaid royalties.
CUTOUT BIN: From the Bay City Rollers to Bob Dylan, from The Stooges to Steely Dan, from Otis Redding to Josie Cotton to Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds can be jukeboxed or streamed separately via the Pate page at the ol' HM.
JESSICA BIEL talks about marriage, kids, Dancing with the Designers and more at Harper's Bazaar. There's behind-the-scenes video of the photoshoot also.
NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases include Hellboy II: The Golden Army, currently scoring 87 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Eddie Murphy's Meet Dave, currently scoring 27 percent; and the Disneyfied, 3D is some theaters Journey to the Center of the Earth, which is scoring a surprising-to-me 60 percent.
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY DIVORCE TRIAL ends in a sudden settlement, after a negotiations seemed to fall apart the otther day. Brinkley received sole custody of their two children (w/ sole decision-making power), and gets to keep all 18 properties in the Hamptons, for 2.1 milion.
MADONNA & BRITNEY SPEARS will reportedly appear together almost naked apart from tiny leather bondage pants and knee-high boots in the video they have made for Madge's upcoming tour.
JACKO hits a toy shop in pajamas, a surgeon's mask, a rasta wig and a wheelchair. Pic at the link.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS: Quentin Tarantino has just sent out his long-anticipated WWII movie script to four studios, and it appears to have landed with New York magazine's Vulture blog, which proclaims it "exactly as batshit over-the-top insane as we hoped... it reads like Kill Bill meets The Dirty Dozen meets Cinema Paradiso." No cast is yet in place, though Brad Pitt's name has surfaced.
BRUCE CAMPBELL talks about Burn Notice, the Evil Dead and more in a video series for Entertainment Weekly.
JEN & JOHN: Did Aniston find "a batch" of love letters from Mayer's ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson in his guitar case? A source claims they were surprisingly well-written, so I'm doubting it. BONUS: Pics from Simpson's birthday party.
SACHA BARON COHEN & ISLA FISHER have been forced to postpone their wedding over religious issues.
UMA THURMAN's engagement may be bumming out Elle Macpherson. OTOH, Uma is probably not thrilled about her ex Ethan Hawke marrying the ex-nanny of their kids, either.
IRAN test-fired more long-range missiles overnight in a second round of exercises. However, Iran's Revolutionary Guards doctored a photo of the first missile test to conceal a failure of one the missiles to launch. The fauxtography was caught by Charles Johnson's Little Green Footballs, which has previously uncovered fauxtography during the recent Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and played a major role in exposing the 60 Minutes document scandal that caused Dan Rather to get the boot from CBS.
IRAQ's army and police will be fully manned and operational by mid-2009, possibly as early as April. Turkey and Iraq signed trade and security agreements, while Kuwait will name an ambassador to Iraq. US troops captured a "key" Special Groups leader in Baghdad. Iraqi forces captured five Special Groups operatives in central Iraq. Iraqi troops captured 20 insurgents in Babil, 19 in Baghdad, and 10 Islamic State of Iraq fighters in Mosul. Coalition forces detained 30 al Qaeda fighters.
BIKER DOGS seems to be a new trend. Here's Minnie.
A SERVAL was captured in Midtown Atlanta Thursday morning. No, I'm not going to tell you what a serval is.
BABY ELEPHANT debuts at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Awww...
TURNING CATS INTO HATS: More ewww than awwww.
TINY CREATURES, otoh, are definitely awww....
A LARGE SHARK has been spotted just off the beach at Martha's Vineyard. What say you, Police Chief Brody?
Flaming Lips, Watson Twins, Albert Hammond, Jr., Cow Gas
Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 08:00 AM
THE FLAMING LIPS rehearse the "Tommy Medley" they will perform in tribute to the Who at VH1's annual Rock Honors concert in Los Angeles.
BEST OF 2008 SO FAR: You can stream the top picks of the NPR Listeners' Poll, with a linkthrough to the full list of results.
ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO is interviewed at Aquarium Drunkard, along with two MP3s -- one of which is a cover of the Gun Club's "Sex Beat."
THE WATSON TWINS stopped by the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set (including a cover of The Cure's "Just Like hEaven") you can stream on demand via NPR.
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN? Market value is over half a billion dollars US.
ALBERT HAMMOND, JR. has a brand new video out for "GfC," which sounds a bit like the Strokes, but perhaps more Wilco-ish.
CALEXICO has a new behind-the-scenes trailer for their upcoming alum.
BON IVER is profiled (w/audio) at JamBase.
EXENE CERVENKA is interviewed on NPR's Day to Day, with a take on creating in a vacuum.
DEVO: Four out five dentists recommend it.
MADONNA: New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez was smitten with Madge six months ago when he was exchanging text messages with her while dining with a friend in Miami. When Lenny Kravitz learned he was being accused of having an extramarital affair with Alex Rodriguez's wife, Cynthia, he "looked like he was going to throw up," according to a witness.
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY DIVORCE TRIAL: Hopes of a settlement -- raised by an unexpected recess yesterday -- were stalled when both parties returned to the courtroom before adjourning for the day.
JAMIE LYNN SPEARS, 17-year-old mom, has the baby pics coming to OK! magazine.
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY sold the first baby pics of his newborn to OK! for a cool three million, reportedly. Well, alright alright alright...
BRADGELINA baby bic will sell for megabucks, but the buyer must agree not to call the couple Brangelina. Well, I never do.
BEN AFFLECK & JENNIFER GARNER are expecting their second child, according to new reports.
PAM ANDERSON has made a career out of flaunting her figure, but the Hollywood sex siren won't be stripping off in the Aussie Big Brother house, where she is set for a three-episode arc. Leaking that won't kill the ratings.
DENISE RICHARDS has reportedly put her Hidden Hills, California home on the market after neighbors complained to local officials about the actress using the estate for her reality show.
AMY WINEHOUSE hit a pubgoer in the face during a night out, it has been claimed.
HONOR KILLING in GEORGIA? A Clayton County man was behind bars Sunday, accused of killing his own daughter. Investigators said 54-year-old Chaudhry Rashad was so outraged at his daughter, Sandela Kanwal, and her plans for divorce that he killed her after a heated argument at the family's home. Investigators said Rashad confessed to strangling the 25-year-old woman. Rashad wept in court Tuesday, saying, "I have done nothing wrong." Rashid, who is being held without bond, told the judge he wanted to observe his Muslim beliefs in the Clayton jail.
IRAN's Revolutionary Guards test-fired nine missiles in war-game maneuvers on Wednesday, including at least one the government in Tehran described as having the range to reach Israel -- presumably to supplement their peaceful generation of nuclear power.
IRAQ: Two perspectives on Prime Minister al-Maliki's talk of a timetable for withdrawal of US troops, via the Wall Street Journal, and Iraq The Model's Mohammed Fadhil.
A ZOOKEEPER'S CAT has adopted a baby red panda abandoned by its mother and is nursing the cub along with her own kittens, the Artis zoo said Wednesday.
TUNNELING INTRUDER is stopped by Odie, a 4-year-old male Chihuahua, and his owner, who was packing a .357 Magnum. But mostly by the owner with the Magnum.
HEY IS THAT A BAT IN YOUR PANTS, or are you... oh, it is a bat. And this is not the "bat in a bra" story linked here yesterday.
TICKS ON A PLANE delayed a Des Moines bound United Airlines flight from Denver for six hours.
REDUCING COW EMISSIONS 'is key to tackling climate change.' Lovely pic of a cow with a plastic collection tank.
Fleet Foxes, Man Man, Kaki King, Canine Kahunas
FLEET FOXES played DC's Black Cat the other night, so you can stream the gig on demand via NPR. Greg Kot briefly profiles the band on his blog at the Chicago Tribune. And the has some evocative claymation in the new video for "White Winter Hymnal," courtesy of singer Robin Peckhold's brother.
MORE NEW RELEASES: I should have noticed that albums from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Willie Nelson & Winston Marsalis and Los Lonely Boys are streaming in full via AOL.
THE POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE nominees are announced, complete with MySpace links.
KATE PIERSON of the B-52s has a leaked nudie pic? I won't link it, though you can figure out where to find it.
BEN FOLDS talks to Paste about his Eurotour and his upcoming album, now slated for Sept. 16th.
MAN MAN performs "Doo Right" in a Black Cab Session.
DAVID LEE ROTH was saved by two Ontario police officers after suffering anaphylactic shock from his allergy to nuts.
KAKI KING did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, one previously unreleased.
COMING TO THE SMALL SCREEN: The Osbournes will host an hour-long variety show in the grand tradition of Donnie & Marie or Sonny & Cher. Elvis Costello has started taping his "Spectacles" which will see Costello having conversations and collaborations with guests like Elton John, Lou Reed, Elvis Presley's guitarist James Burton, and more...
BETTYE LaVETTE talks to the Montreal Gazette about the silver lining of not having become an R&B star.
LINDSAY LOHAN got a diamond ring from Samantha Ronson worth nearlly 22K for her 22nd birthday. Ronson also posted a pic of her and Lindsay kissing on her MySpace page. NTTAWWT.
JESSICA SIMPSON got a head start on her 28th birthday (Thursday), which included taking a header into a post office sign.
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY and longtime girlfriend Camila Alves have welcomed their first child into the world, Levi Alves McConaughey.
NICOLE KIDMAN & KEITH URBAN: Is their baby's name a jab at Scientology? Probably not, but Kidman probably doesn't mind if you think it is.
STING is hardly walking on the moon after learning that his teenage daughter Coco shared a tent with Pete Doherty at Glastonbury.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BATMAN: PopSugar has highlights and pics from Christian Bale's sitdown and photoshoot for GQ.
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY should get custody of her two youngest children, according to the court-appointed psychologist in her divorce trial. Dr. Stephen Herman testified that her ex Peter Cook is a narcissist whose unrealistic expectations could "cause great harm to the children." Later, Brinkley answered accusations that she's an angry, vindictive wife with enough vitriol to temporarily shut up her husband's ace divorce attorney.
FRIENDS REUINION rumors appear to have been exaggerated.
IRAN will hit Tel Aviv, US shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American interests around the world if it is attacked over its disputed nuclear activities, an aide to Iran's Supreme Leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday. An Iranian who infiltrated Iran's Revolutionary Guard for the CIA accuses the mullahs of orchestrating - among other things - the 1988 explosion of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
IRAQ said for the first time yesterday that it wanted to set a timetable for withdrawal of US troops from its territory. The White House said it is not negotiating a "hard date" for a US withdrawal from Iraq despite Baghdad's call for a timetable, but did not rule out "time-frames" discussions with the Iraqi government. The comments reflect the political dilemma confronting Maliki and other members of his Shiite-led government. Their primary rival in upcoming provincial elections, Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, is a leading critic of the American presence who has long called for a timetable, a position that is widely popular among Iraq's majority Shiites.
CANINE KAHUNAS: About 60 dogs, big and small, competed for medals and bragging rights last week at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach, Calif. Prizes included a pet vacation at the resort and a feature in Modern Dog Magazine. Pics and video at the link.
HEY, IS THAT A BAT IN YOUR BRA, or are you... oh, it is.
MERCEDES-CLIMBING GOAT arrested in Capshaw, Alabama. The role of the dog is yet to be determined.
MONKEY ROBOT CONTROL only started with the arm; now monkeys can control entire robots, making one walk on a treadmill.
FIRST FERRET? One more possible historic moment in the US presidential election.
SHERIFF HITS COW en route to invesitigate a complaint of.... guess what?
New Releases, Advance Streams, Ha Ha Tonka, Austin Chickens
Tuesday, July 08, 2008 - 08:00 AM
BLOC PARTY consorts with those d^mn dirty apes in the video for a new song, "Mercury."
NEW RELEASES: David Bowie's oft-bootlegged Santa Monica '72 gig, a Bowie tribute, Ron Sexsmith, The Baseball Project, a Joe Strummer doc sdtk and more are among those streaming in full via Spinner this week. Beck releases Modern Guilt. The Capstan Shafts release the lo-fi Fixation Protocols. CocoRosie
ADVANCE STREAM albums from Black Kids and The Vines before their US release dates.
IN THE WORKS: New albums from Dungen, Grizzly Bear (a "sunnier" effort) and The Avett Brothers (to be produced by Rick Rubin).
CALEXICO: Joey Burns talks to Beatroute about the back-to-basics approach to the upcoming Carried To Dust, while John Covertino talks to Metro Times about playing festivals.
ABBA: Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson quashed any hint of a musical reunion, despite the four band members getting together last weekend at the Swedish movie premiere of Mamma Mia. The Independent asks Tim Rice the secrets of the band's enduring (if kitchy) appeal of songs like "SOS" and "Take A Chance On Me."
HA HA TONKA does the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, one previously unreleased.
KIM GORDON of Sonic Youth is interviewed in Issue 666 of TimeOut NY about her hearing, her Free Kitten side project and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
ANTIETAM gets an in-depth profile at PopMatters, befitting their strange, 28-year trip, including interesting stuff on the recording of their double album, Opus Mixtum. Audio link at the link also.
MGMT is profiled in New York magazine, mostly on trying to live up to the buzz.
NICOLE KIDMAN & KEITH URBAN welcomed their first child together, daughter Sunday Rose, born Monday morning in Nashville.
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY seeks comfort in ex Billy Joel as her bitter divorce rages on. Brinkley also said Monday that she's devoted her life to her children and - in stark contrast to her playboy hubby - hasn't gone out on a single date since she learned of his philandering two years ago.
DREW BARRYMORE & JUSTIN LONG have split, her rep tells US magazine. Was she too PC for him?
EVA MENDES talks about substance abuse and being a Latina in H'wood in Interview magazine, via the HuffPo.
HUGH HEFNER once faced death in a bizarre sex toy incident.
ELLEN DeGENERES & PORTIA de ROSSI were... wait for it... caught canoodling on camera on a yacht off the Italian coast. The good news is that only Portia was topless for any of this. The bad news is that the photos do not flatter her. So much so that I would recommend the new Marissa Miller photoshoot for GQ instead.
MADONNA: Alex Rodriguez's relationship with Madge was "an affair of the heart" - not "sexual infidelity" - according to Cynthia Rodriguez's lawyer. Does she know A-Rod may have a stabbin' cabin in NYC? Guy and Madge's peeps reportedly have been planning the current are-they-or-aren't-they divorcing drama for months, hoping the hubbub will sell more tickets to her upcoming tour. Or is that the counter-spin? Britney Spears will join Madonna on her tour, but only through a taped video performance, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
OUR FRIENDS, THE SAUDIS: A Saudi appeals court is due this week to review the case of a biochemist and his female student sentenced to jail and flogging after a lower court ruled their research contact was a front for a telephone affair. The man was sentenced to 8 months in prison and 600 lashes and his student to 4 months in prison and 350 lashes last November for establishing a phone relationship that led her to divorce her husband.
IRAN: Pentagon chiefs fear that Israeli plans for an attack on Iran's nuclear program will fail to destroy the facilities because neither the CIA nor Mossad knows where every base is located. Perhaps a head fake, but seems likely.
IRAQ: In Helsinki, all of the main Iraqi political parties signed onto a statement of principles for working on further reconciliation. The Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq aims to capitalize on the disarray within Moqtada al-Sadr's movement ahead of provincial elections planned for October. The United Arab Emirates has forgiven nearly 7 billion dollars in Iraqi debt. Prime Minister al-Maliki raised the prospect of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops as part of negotiations over a new security agreement with Washington. US officials in Baghdad had no immediate comment.
STRANDED KILLER WHALE hitches a ride back to the ocean.
MINIATURE DACHSHUND finds a diabetic's toe a tasty treat.
OCTOPUSES have been given Rubik's Cubes in a study aimed at easing their stress levels in captivity.
ZARA UPDATE: The lion cub may be headed for Africa, but has made friends with the housecat.
LIVE CHICKEN SALES double in Austin, TX. Some say people are looking for fresh eggs, but it could be the bingo competition.
Duffy, Burt Bacharach, Teddy Thompson, Rosay, Cats & Dogs
Monday, July 07, 2008 - 08:00 AM
DUFFY plays "Mercy" and "Rockferry" at Glastonbury. It's Twofer Monday, cause the BBC is on the prowl.
BURT BACHARACH performs a medley-filled hour-long concert at Disney Hall, streaming on demand via NPR.
EL PERRO DEL MAR: Sarah Assbring talks to Drowned in Sound about her new From the Valley to the Stars LP. Videos at the link also.
TEDDY THOMPSON has a chat and mini-set streaming via NPR's Weekend Edition.
THE WATSON TWINS are profiled by the Times of London and interviewed by the Baltimore Sun.
SUPERGRASS: The rocking-for-them video for "Bad Blood" was released back in March, but is making waves in the US now.
EX-PIPETTE Rose Elinor "Rosay" Dougall talks to Pitchfork about developing her new music and dispels rumors about her former band.
COCOROSIE: Sierra and Bianca Casady get a lengthy profile in the New York Times magazine.
BECK talks to the New York Times about the making of Modern Guilt, which comes out tomorrow (on his 38th birthday).
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS' A.C. Newman talks to Nerve about Nietsche, nerds and sex after marriage.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Will Smith's Hancock dominated the holiday weekend, making 66 million over the three-day frame and over 107 million since opening. It is the 5th film he has opened No. 1 during the Fourh of July holiday and his 8th No. 1 opening in a row and his 8th film to gross over 100M in a row since July 2002. WALL-E and Wanted felt the Hancock effect and the impact of the 4th falling on a Friday, dropping 47 and 59.5 percent respectively to make 33 mil and 20.6 mil. Get Smart and Kung Fu Panda also dropped a notch apiece, bringing in 11.1 and 7.5 million, respectively. Below the Top Five, the story is that Kit Kittredge: An American Girl expanded, but languished in eighth place; Picturehouse has to be thinking it should have opened the pic wide on June 20th, instead of letting Will Smith and WALL-E bulldoze it to the DVD market.
MADONNA: Alex Rodriguez's heartbroken wife Cynthia believes A-Rod has been "brainwashed" by kabbalah-pushing pop icon Madonna and lured away from his family. Madge reportedly has asked troubled Britney Spears to join her on tour - and pals hope she will give guidance to the young star. The Sun also highlights some dirt from the upcoming book from Madge's brother, including a story about Madonna giving Gwyneth Paltrow a steamy kiss on the lips during a table dance at a boozy showbiz party.
AMY WINEHOUSE sipped from a glass of red wine and looked a bit unsteady on her feet as she appeared in front of a large audience at the Rock in Rio music festival southeast of Madrid on Friday.
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY forgives her hubby's then-teenage mistress, who is also said to have dallied with Puff Daddy when he was supposed to have been with his longterm girlfriend and mother of his twins.
CINDY BRADY was hungover and nearly vomited in the studio of an oldies radio station in Colorado Springs Thursday morning. Video at the link!
PRESTO! And the slapstick short running before the movie about the robot appears... until the Mouse makes it disappear, so hurry.
ISLAMISM in the UK: Two schoolboys were given detention after refusing to kneel down and 'pray to Allah' during a religious education lesson. Police sniffer dogs will have to wear booties when searching the homes of Muslims so as not to cause offense.
IRAN says its stance on its nuclear program remains unchanged, despite an EU offer of incentives to suspend uranium enrichment. The Netherlands will ban Iranian students from studying nuclear technology, the Dutch government said Friday. Syria is ready to break off its close links with Iran if America gives it financial and military backing, a former Israeli diplomat involved in unofficial peace talks has revealed to The Sunday Telegraph.
IRAQ: American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror. The Times of London has a detailed account from Mosul. Iraq's foreign minister said that concessions by both sides had advanced the prospects for a new security agreement needed for US forces to remain in the country beyond the end of the year. The Iraqi parliament voted to postpone its summer recess for 30 days, in a bid to finalize legislation needed to hold provincial elections in the fall. US Servicemembers from all over Iraq gathered in the Al Faw Palace rotunda at Camp Victory, Baghdad, to reenlist and celebrate Independence Day. The L.A. Times profiles Baghdad's hot-rodders and gearheads.
CATS AND DOGS, living together... with the occasional duck and monkey. A disaster of Biblical proportions
A PERVERT has admitted downloading 30000 depraved images - including sex acts with an octopus. And a tiger, though apparently not together.
AN AGGRESSIVE COW was shot dead by British police marksmen claiming it posed "a danger to the public."
A PANDA relocated after China's deadly earthquake damaged her home gave birth to twin cubs on Sunday, a state news agency said.
MARLEY the CAT dropped 14 storeys out of a window of a high-rise and lived to meow about it.
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The Hollywood Blacklist
Atom Bomb Dancers
SFVA Goat Memorial
"Atomic" Sunrise
Mock Bombing
"The Family Group" at the Parker Center
"Atoms for Peace" Mobile Exibits
Operation Alert
The Soviet National Convention
The '84 L.A. Olympics & Friendship-84 Games
Daffodil Metamorphosis
Oral & Written Histories
Alert America! Convoy at the Armory-Exposition Park
The “Alert America!” Civil Defense Convoy was a national campaign to demonstrate the value of preparing for an atomic attack. The campaign consisted of three separate convoys, each with ten 30-foot trailers, covering different routes throughout urban and rural America. It became what author Tracy Davis called “the most far-reaching public-education project of its kind.” Built off of the concept of the Freedom Train tour (1947-9), an exhibition of American triumph that stopped at train stops across the country, the Alert America campaign was less celebratory and much more aimed at educating and mobilizing the public. It was promoted as “The show that may save your life.”
The convoy’s exhibits included displays meant to shock the audience through the representation of possible, yet seemingly inevitable, events. For example, visitors saw the atomic devastation of “City X,” an average city that audiences all over America were told “…could be your city!” The exhibit was organized as a cumulative display, from the destruction of life, to how to save yourself, your neighbor, and even other cities by joining Civil Defense. As Bill Geerhart states, “If the first half of the Alert America displays were intended to shock, the second half was intended to sell the hope of civil defense. Exhibits and demonstrations on shelter preparation, radiation detection and rescue work were presented.”
USC Digital Library Los Angeles Examiner Collection. Inside the Los Angeles Exposition Park exhibition.
USC Digital Library Los Angeles Examiner Collection. Driver of the lead truck in the Alert America caravan is greeted by Miss Alert America (right) and two hostesses of the exhibition in Los Angeles.
The Alert America Convoy was an excellent example of Cold War pageantry related to the overall performativity of Civil Defense. “Civil Defense was a domestic policy, yet sent signals abroad: the Kremlin was the implied spectator of rehearsals and Soviet assessment of efficiency was crucial to deterrence” (Davis). In as much as such events claimed to rally the public toward defense, they were also part of convincing “the enemy” that attempts to break American morale would be unsuccessful. “In keeping with the other Cold War pageants of the era, including the Freedom Train, the Alert America Convoy was, at its core, intended to reinforce American values in the face of “Kremlin aggression” as one piece of promotional material put it” (Geerhart).
In each city that the convoy entered, it was accompanied by defense related activities such as parades, military exercises, air raid siren tests, mutual aid exercises, and even mock air raids performed by the Air National Guard (Davis). The Los Angeles edition of the convoy was installed at the Armory at Exposition Park, at Exposition Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Although it targeted major cities for its week-long events, the convoy also stopped in other, smaller cities along the way. As reported in The Van Nuys News, after it left Los Angeles, it made a stop on Van Nuys Boulevard; however, its arrival was unannounced, and its turnout consisted of only "a few chance passersby."
Take a look through the slideshow below for news articles and images of the actual exhibits that were on display!
(Images courtesy of USC Digital Library Los Angeles Examiner Collection, Newspapers.com, and Conelrad.com)
Back to timeline
Tracy Davis, The Stages of Emergency
Geerhart, Conelrad
The Van Nuys News
Copyright © COLDWAR: L.A. 2013. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. Backlinks are allowed.
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3 Great Winter Breaks All Close to Home
By Kelly Aiglon / Featured / Latest / November 27, 2019
Repeat after us: Midwest is best. Sure, it’s the time of year when the weather makes us question our sanity. But there are so many reasons to stick around — even for vacation. Spend winter break exploring the scene in some of our region’s best cities.
The best restaurants and nightlife
San Morello
THE HOT SPOTS
Downtown is on the rise and San Morello (sanmorello.com) is its restaurant star. Chef Andrew Carmellini’s urban Italian spot steers dinner conversation to its heaping bowls of handmade pasta, and the wood-fired pizzas are also on point. Up the street in Midtown, Grey Ghost (greyghostdetroit.com) is a butcher-focused eatery from two Chicago chefs (Joe Giacomino and John Vermiglio) with a flair for the unexpected. Their creativity extends to dishes like duck breast with peppercorn crust, celery root pancakes, and berry jam. Next door at New Order Coffee Roasters (newordercoffee.com), there’s a stark Bauhaus vibe but also sense of humor (yep, those are oversize marshmallows and Froot Loops floating in your drink). If you can make it southwest to Mexicantown, check out Flowers of Vietnam (flowersofvietnam.com), a former pop-up that’s now planted permanent roots. It’s run by George Azar, who worked in the kitchen at Alinea and now finesses traditional Vietnamese. After dark, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge (theofficialbakerskeyboardlounge.com) on the northern fringe of town is the place to go for live jazz and strong martinis.
THE STAY
Newly opened at the beginning of the year, the 129-room Shinola Hotel (shinolahotel.com) marries two lovingly restored buildings, the onetime T.B. Rayl & Co. department store and a former Singer sewing-machine store. While you’ll want to kick back in the guest rooms featuring design details inspired by Shinola watches, you should also hang in the library, bar, and annexes — all social scenes unto themselves. Rates start at $255.
The most inspiring arts and culture
Our neighbor to the north paints a colorful picture when it comes to culture. This winter, the Milwaukee Art Museum (mam.org) hosts “A Modern Vision: European Masterworks from the Phillips Collection,” which includes works by Manet and Monet. Take a wellness break with yoga classes held in the museum’s Santiago Calatrava–designed wing. Also a must: Oriental Theatre (mkefilm.org), which reels foreign and art-house films in an eclectic, East Indian-inspired setting once visited by Greta Garbo. Before the show, slink around the back of the theater to discover Black Cat Alley (blackcatmke.com), a string of murals created by local and national artists (just call it Instagram central). Go gallery hopping in the Third Ward, stopping at Tory Folliard Gallery (toryfolliard.com) for contemporary and emerging works and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (miad.edu) galleries for student projects as well as national exhibitions. Don’t miss a trip to the Wisconsin Black Historical Society (wbhsm.org), home to a replica of the NAACP Civil Rights Tribute Bus.
The patron Saint of Artists herself gets a nod at downtown’s new Saint Kate — The Arts Hotel (saintkatearts.com). It’s more than a hotel, featuring numerous gallery spaces ranging from a 1,700-square-foot stunner focusing on Wisconsin artists to a small immersive installation called “The Closet.” There’s also a black-box theater, featuring everything from dance to improv, and pop-up performances in the lounge. Before you hit your room, swing by the Dark Room, an intimate speakeasy where hushed conversation is all part of the mystique. Rates start at $209.
The wildest family fun
Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium
Say what you will about shopping malls. But you haven’t really seen them until you’ve been to Mall of America (mallofamerica.com). This epic destination is more than its 520-plus retail stores; it’s a full-blown entertainment district where you can scream as you drop on a roller coaster and smile as you pet a stingray. At the center of the mall is Nickelodeon Universe, which has rides for toddlers through adults (our fave: the Pepsi Orange Streak, which zips through the whole atrium). Zipline over the theme-park action at Dutchman’s Deck and soar across a simulated Grand Canyon and other landmarks at Fly Across America. In the lower level of the mall is Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, which has a 300-foot-long tunnel in which hammerhead sharks cruise overhead. Also cool: Crayola Experience, an interactive museum where your colored creations come to life; and Rock of Ages Blacklight Minigolf, a family-friendly course illuminated by neon. Outside of the mall, it’s worth a day trip to St. Paul to see one of only four triceratops skeletons in the world at Science Museum of Minnesota (smm.org) and zigzag through a laser maze at Minnesota Children’s Museum (mcm.org).
Hibernate at Radisson Blu Mall of America, attached directly to the mall. This winter it offers a Shop in Your Slippers package, including two pairs of slippers, two cocktails at the onsite FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar (be sure to eat here, too, and choose a dish made with the honey gathered on the rooftop), a complimentary mall deals book, and free shopping bag pickup from anywhere in the mall. The kids may prefer the Fort Blu Kids Camping package, which transforms your room into the ultimate campsite complete with a projector to illuminate the walls with stars; kids tent and log-shaped pillow to keep; games, storybooks, ice cream treats, and more. Rates start at $179.
Photos: Detroit: Nicole Franzen; Minneapolis (Radisson): Courtesy Radisson Hotel Group
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calories in spinach
spinach nutrition facts
protein in spinach
carbs in spinach
fat in spinach
sugar in spinach
sodium in spinach
potassium in spinach
saturated fat in spinach
cholesterol in spinach
magnesium in spinach
iron in spinach
fiber in spinach
calcium in spinach
zinc in spinach
vitamin a in spinach
vitamin c in spinach
vitamin d in spinach
vitamin k in spinach
vitamin b12 in spinach
vitamin b6 in spinach
folic acid in spinach
riboflavin in spinach
phosphorus in spinach
niacin in spinach
thiamine in spinach
Home / Nutrition / Water / spinach
Amount of Water in Spinach
Welcome to the nutritional water content in 10 different types of spinach, ranging from 93.22 g to 70.73 g per 100g. The basic type of spinach is Spinach, raw, where the amount of water in 100g is 91.4 g.
For a typical serving size of 1 cup (or 30 g) the amount of Water is 27.42 g.
Top five spinach products high in water
Below is a summary list for the top five spinach items ranked by the amount or level of water in 100g.
1. Spinach, canned, regular pack, solids and liquids : 93.22g
2. Spinach, canned, no salt added, solids and liquids : 93.22g
3. Spinach, canned, regular pack, drained solids : 91.78g
4. Spinach, raw : 91.4g
5. Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt : 91.21g
Following on from the five top spinach items or products containing water we have a more comprehensive break down of Spinach, raw, and the highest item containing water which is Spinach, canned, regular pack, solids and liquids. We also give a comparison of average values, median values and lowest values along with a comparison with other food groups and assess the effects of storage and preparation on the 10 types of spinach.
At the bottom of the page is the full list for the 10 different types of spinach based on the content in different servings in grams and oz (and other serving sizes), providing a comprehensive analysis of the water content in spinach.
Spinach, raw - Nutritional Content and Chart
The full nutrition content, RDA percentages and levels for Spinach, raw should be considered along with the water content. This food profile is part of our list of food and drinks under the general group Vegetables and Vegetable Products.Other important and water related nutrients are Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate. For this 100g serving in your diet, the amount of Calories is 23 kcal (1% RDA), the amount of Protein is 2.86 g (5% RDA), the amount of Fat is 0.39 g (1% RDA) and the amount of Carbohydrate is 3.63 g (3% RDA). The nutritional content and facts for 100g, which includes Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate is shown in the RDA chart below as percentages of the recommended daily allowance along with the water levels in spinach.
Our proprietary nutritional density score gives a nutritional value out of 100 based on 9 different vitamins, minerals and macro nutrients. Spinach, raw has a nutritional value score of 68 out of 100.
100 calories of spinach, raw is a serving size of 4.35 g, and the amount of Water is 397.39 g. Other important and related nutrients and macronutrients such as Fat, in 100 Calories are as follows; Protein 12.43 g (21.74% RDA), Fat 1.7 g (4.35% RDA), Carbohydrate 15.78 g (13.04% RDA). This is shown in the water RDA percentage chart below, based on 100 Calories, along with the other important nutrients and macro nutrients.
Content per Typical Serving Size 1 cup (or 30 g)
For the food Spinach, raw the typical serving size is 1 cup (or 30 g) which contains 27.42 g of Water. In terms of the gram weight and total content for this serving the Calories content is 6.9 kcal, the Protein content is 0.86 g, the Fat content is 0.12 g and the Carbohydrate content is 1.09 g. The percentages are shown below in the water chart, for the typical serving of water and the related and important nutritional values.
Macronutrients in Spinach, raw
The amount of protein, fat and carbs from this food described above is measured in grams per 100g and grams in a typical serving size (in this case 1 cup or 30 g), although it is also useful to give the number of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrate which are the most important macronutrients. For this serving in your diet here are the macronutrient calories. From protein the number of calories is 2.1 (kcal).The number of calories from Fat is 1.0 (kcal).The total calories from carbohydrate is 3.9 (kcal).
Grams of water in spinach (per 100g)
This list of 10 types of spinach, is brought to you by www.dietandfitnesstoday.com and ranges from Spinach, canned, regular pack, solids and liquids through to Spinach souffle where all food items are ranked by the content or amount per 100g. The nutritional water content can be scaled by the amount in grams, oz or typical serving sizes. Simply click on a food item or beverage from the list at the bottom of the page to give a full dietary nutritional breakdown to answer the question how much water in spinach.
The list below gives the total water content in the 10 items from the general description 'spinach' each of which show the water amount as well as Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate. Below, is the top 10 food items shown in the water chart. This gives a quick and easy dietary comparison for the different items, where each item is listed at the bottom of the page with a nutritional summary.
The corresponding nutritional value for spinach based on our density score out of 100 (ranked by the amount of water per 100g) is shown in the below nutritional density chart.
The corresponding Calories for spinach ranked by the amount of water per 100g is shown below in the spinach calories chart.
The level of water can be affected by the method of storage for example canned or frozen and also by the method of preparation for example either raw, cooked or fried. The total number of frozen food items is 3. The highest amount of water from the 3 frozen items is in Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, unprepared where the water content is 90.17 g per 100g. The number of food items classified as canned is 3 items. The highest amount of water from the 3 canned items is in Spinach, canned, regular pack, solids and liquids where the level is 93.22 g per 100g.The total food items which are raw is 1 item. The highest amount of water from the 1 raw items is in Spinach, raw where the content is 91.4 g per 100g. The number of food items which are cooked are 4 items. The highest amount of water from the 4 cooked items is in Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt where the amount is 91.21 g per 100g. Comparing raw and cooked spinach shows that cooking can change the levels of water by 0.19000000000001 g in a 100g serving.
Average Content for spinach
The average (or more correctly the arithmetic mean) amount of water contained in 100g of spinach, based on the list below of 10 different items under the general description of spinach, is 89.08 g of water. The averages for the different nutrients are as follows; the average amount of Calories is 39.60 kcal, the average amount of Protein is 3.54 g, the average amount of Fat is 1.74 g and the average amount of Carbohydrate is g.
The median value of Water is found in Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt which in 100g contains 91.21 g of Water. For this serving the amount of Calories is 23 kcal, the amount of Protein is 2.97 g, the amount of Fat is 0.26 g and the amount of Carbohydrate is 3.75 g.
Using the list below for the 10 different spinach nutrition entries in our database, the highest amount of water is found in Spinach, canned, regular pack, solids and liquids which contains 93.22 g of water per 100g. The associated percentage of RDA is %. For this 100g serving the Calories content is 19 kcal, the Protein content is 2.11 g, the Fat content is 0.37 g, the Carbohydrate content is 2.92 g.
The lowest amount of water in 100g is in Spinach souffle which contains 70.73 g. This gives as percentage of the recommended daily allowance % of the RDA. For this 100g serving the amount of Calories is 169 kcal, the amount of Protein is 7.89 g, the amount of Fat is 12.95 g, the amount of Carbohydrate is 5.9 g.
The difference between the highest and lowest values gives a water range of 22.49 g per 100g. The range for the other nutrients are as follows; 150 kcal for Calories, 5.78 g for Protein, 12.58 g for Fat, 0 g for Carbohydrate.
Please remember that the above gives an accurate value in 100g for high water foods in your diet. For example 100g of Spinach, raw contains 91.4 g of water. However, there are other factors to consider when you are assessing your nutritional requirements. You should also take into account portion sizes when you are considering the water nutritional content.
The food with the highest water content per typical serving is Spinach, canned, no salt added, solids and liquids which contains 218.13 g in 1 cup (or 234 g). For this serving the Calories content is 44.46 kcal, the Protein content is 4.94 g, the Fat content is 0.87 g and the Carbohydrate content is 6.83 g.
From the list below you can find a full nutrition facts breakdown for all foods containing water which can be scaled for different servings and quantities. We have also sorted our complete nutritional information and vitamin database of over 7000 foods, to give a list of foods rich in water.
Spinach List, water Content per 100g
1. Spinach, canned, regular pack, solids and liquids - Water
Nutritional Value : 53 / 100 food group - Vegetables and Vegetable Products
218.13 g 44.46 kcal (2%) 6.83 g (5%) 0.87 g (1%) 4.94 g (9%)
2. Spinach, canned, no salt added, solids and liquids - Water
3. Spinach, canned, regular pack, drained solids - Water
91.78 g 23 kcal (1%) 3.4 g (3%) 0.5 g (1%) 2.81 g (5%)
196.41 g 49.22 kcal (2%) 7.28 g (6%) 1.07 g (2%) 6.01 g (11%)
4. Spinach, raw - Water
Typical Serving size of 1 cup (or 30g):
27.42 g 6.9 kcal (0%) 1.09 g (1%) 0.12 g (0%) 0.86 g (2%)
Other serving sizes 1 bunch (or 340g):
310.76 g 78.2 kcal (4%) 12.34 g (9%) 1.33 g (2%) 9.72 g (17%)
Other serving sizes 1 leaf (or 10g):
9.14 g 2.3 kcal (0%) 0.36 g (0%) 0.04 g (0%) 0.29 g (1%)
Other serving sizes 1 package (10 oz) (or 284g):
259.58 g 65.32 kcal (3%) 10.31 g (8%) 1.11 g (2%) 8.12 g (15%)
5. Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt - Water
164.18 g 41.4 kcal (2%) 6.75 g (5%) 0.47 g (1%) 5.35 g (10%)
6. Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt - Water
7. Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, unprepared - Water
256.08 g 82.36 kcal (4%) 11.96 g (9%) 1.62 g (2%) 10.31 g (18%)
8. Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt - Water
Typical Serving size of 1 package (10 oz) yields (or 220g):
Other serving sizes .5 cup (or 95g):
9. Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt - Water
10. Spinach souffle - Water
70.73 g 169 kcal (8%) 5.9 g (5%) 12.95 g (20%) 7.89 g (14%)
96.19 g 229.84 kcal (11%) 8.02 g (6%) 17.61 g (27%) 10.73 g (19%)
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Jacksonville Criminal Defendant Speaks Out On Jordan Davis Shooting
Last November, Michael Dunn shot and killed Jordan Davis in Jacksonville FL. He has been in custody at the Duval County Jail for almost a year. He is awaiting trial. For the first time, Michael Dunn reached out to the media and spoke to First Coast News of Jacksonville. First Coast News summarized the facts of this Jacksonville Florida shooting death:
Dunn writes letter to news reporter
“It was the day after Thanksgiving. Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old Wolfson High School student, had just left the mall with his friends when they stopped at a Southside Gate gas station to grab a snack. Jordan and his friends waited in a red SUV while the driver went inside. Michael Dunn, 45, a Brevard County software developer, had been at his son’s wedding in Orange Park and was on his way to a hotel when he and his girlfriend stopped to get a bottle of wine. A chance encounter placed them next to each other in the parking lot.”
As a Jacksonville criminal lawyer, I know that there is more than one story when it comes to a criminal case. Often a Jacksonville criminal attorney will talk to her client and obtain one story. Then, she will talk to the alleged victim and have another story. The police officers involved give another story, and there may even be witnesses that have several different recollections of the events. The local media has reported what appears to be Dunn’s side of the story:
“Dunn asked the teens to turn down their music. They did. But he said they then turned it back up.
That’s when Dunn told police he saw a weapon. ‘It was either a barrel or a stick, but sir they’re like, ‘We are going to kill you and then they said you are dead (expletive)’ Dunn told police in a recorded interview. During the interrogation, Dunn described how he reached into his glove box, pulled out his gun and fired four times, fatally shooting Davis. ‘Quicker than a flash, I had a round chambered in it and I shot,’ said Dunn.”
Dunn has been quite about his case while it has been pending. In fact, the overall media has been quite about this case. It is not receiving even a fraction of the attention that the George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin case received. I am surprised by this considering that Dunn will likely argue that he acted in self defense in Jacksonville. He may even use the Florida Stand Your Ground Law.
I am assuming that Dunn has been quite, because he was advised to do so by his criminal defense attorney. As a Jacksonville criminal lawyer, I would likely advise him to do the same. You want to focus on the criminal charges and not on the media right now.
First Coast News stated that Dunn recently wrote a letter to one of their news achors, Heather Crawford. He wrote, “This case has never been about loud music. This case is about a local thug threatening to kill me because I dared to ask him to turn the music down.” He also spoke about the Duval County State Attorney’s Office. He stated, “I have quite a bit to say with regards to the way the DA’s office has been mis-representing the facts. It’s terrible to see such an abuse of power by a public official.” It appears that Dunn was speaking of Angela Corey. She is the state attorney prosecuting the case. Although Dunn has alleged an abuse of power, the article does not discuss the details or examples that he is referring to. Dunn did give details about the night of the shooting at that Jacksonville FL gas station. He stated:
“I have been around firearms most of my life and have never had cause to draw a weapon on someone, let alone fire one at anyone. Deadly force is only to be used in circumstances of self-defense! After multiple threats of death by Jordan Davis and his brandishing of a weapon, I was convinced that my life was in danger. When Mr. Davis opened his door and said ‘You’re DEAD expletive! This expletive is going down NOW,’ I was convinced that the loss of my life was imminent, I had no choice but to defend myself, I am NOT a murderer. I am a survivor.”
I am assuming that Dunn did not consult with his attorney before sending this letter. You should always speak with your Jacksonville attorney before making any statements about your criminal case.
Posted on October 21, 2013 by Cynthia Veintemillas, Attorney at LawOctober 21, 2013
Posted in Florida Stand Your Ground Law, Homicide, Murder, Self Defense permalink
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The Crooked Bough
…from beneath the crooked bough, witness 230 years of brutal tyranny by the al Khalifas come to an end
Advocate of Russian Mass Murder by Nuclear Inferno, Tymoshenko now Christian Peacemaker
by Courtesy
Alle-Yulia! Redemption of Western Regime Change in Ukraine
Finian CUNNINGHAM – 20 April, 2014 – Strategic Culture Foundation
Convicted embezzler and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was on a tour of east Ukraine this Easter weekend talking about finding «compromise» and «national unity». She said she wanted to hear the grievances of the people in cities like Donetz, Kharkov and Slavyansk, where anti-Kiev protesters continue to occupy public buildings despite the Geneva agreement worked out this week on de-escalating tensions across the country.
This conciliatory tone, expressed to media in Donetz by Tymoshenko, sounded like a miraculous conversion – Alle-Yulia! – appropriate for the Christian celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Perhaps the lady’s plaited hairstyle is supposed to now signify a virtuous halo.
Only a few weeks ago, Tymoshenko was caught saying in a private phone call how she wanted to turn pro-Russia eastern Ukraine into ash from a nuclear attack. In the same leaked phone call – which Tymoshenko confirmed as authentic – the disgraced politician also called for ethnic Russians opposed to the Kiev junta to be «whacked in the head» by death squads…
Such criminal incitement is now expected to be forgotten, it seems, as Tymoshenko posed as a voice of reason on her «tour» of the east. It is doubtful that she actually did take soundings from protesters over the weekend – so deep is the contempt felt for her – and she probably confined herself to briefings from the various oligarch figures that the Kiev junta has newly imposed as political governors for the region.
The conversion from death-wish embezzler to matriarch of the nation was the second such miracle involving Tymoshenko. While in prison before being released by the Kiev junta that seized power at the end of February, Tymoshenko claimed that she was confined to a wheelchair allegedly because of her deteriorating health. Now, released from prison, the lady appears to have made a full recovery, walking on to public platforms to sing the praises of the coup-appointed Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who is also a leading figure of her neo-fascist Fatherland Party.
For years during her incarceration, Tymoshenko sent out distraught appeals to her backers in Western governments and the media claiming mistreatment by the former Ukrainian authorities. Her forlorn appeals were made from a prison wheelchair, which she said was necessary because of paralysis brought on by her cruel imprisonment. Never mind that her seven-year jail sentence was a result of a court prosecution, which found her guilty on counts of massive corruption involving state gas supplies and millions of dollars.
Her conviction was quashed by the Western-backed regime that seized power in Kiev on February 22. Pro-Western, pro-IMF looting of the economy, and pro-NATO, Tymoshenko came to fame during the CIA-backed Orange Revolution of 2004. She is now planning to run for the Ukraine presidency in elections scheduled for next month. Perhaps her presidential ambitions are having a cathartic effect, not only enabling her to ditch the wheelchair and stride forth, but also to abandon harboring odious ideas for mass murder.
And now – alleluia! – Tymoshenko is extending the hand of mediation to people whom she wanted to drop nuclear weapons on only a few weeks.
It may be Easter, but the protesters occupying buildings in eastern Ukraine are right to not buy this particular miraculous conversion. Nor should they vacate the buildings they began occupying earlier this month, or to disarm. …more
April 21, 2014 Add Comments
US Threatens Russia Over Petrodollar-Busting Deal – Russia Barters for the Better
US Threatens Russia Over Petrodollar-Busting Deal
by Tyler Durden – 4 April, 2014 – Zero Hedge
On the heels of Russia’s potential “holy grail” gas deal with China, the news of a Russia-Iran oil “barter” deal, it appears the US is starting to get very concerned about its almighty Petrodollar
– *U.S. HAS WARNED RUSSIA, IRAN AGAINST POSSIBLE OIL BARTER DEAL
– *U.S. SAYS ANY SUCH DEAL WOULD TRIGGER SANCTIONS
– *U.S. HAS CONVEYED CONCERNS TO IRANIAN GOVT THROUGH ALL CHANNELS
We suspect these sanctions would have more teeth than some travel bans, but, as we noted previously, it is just as likely to be another epic geopolitical debacle resulting from what was originally intended to be a demonstration of strength and instead is rapidly turning out into a terminal confirmation of weakness.
As we explained earlier in the week,
Russia seems perfectly happy to telegraph that it is just as willing to use barter (and “heaven forbid” gold) and shortly other “regional” currencies, as it is to use the US Dollar, hardly the intended outcome of the western blocakde, which appears to have just backfired and further impacted the untouchable status of the Petrodollar.
“If Washington can’t stop this deal, it could serve as a signal to other countries that the United States won’t risk major diplomatic disputes at the expense of the sanctions regime,”
And here is Voice of Russia, “Russia prepares to attack the Petrodollar”:
The US dollar’s position as the base currency for global energy trading gives the US a number of unfair advantages. It seems that Moscow is ready to take those advantages away.
The existence of “petrodollars” is one of the pillars of America’s economic might because it creates a significant external demand for American currency, allowing the US to accumulate enormous debts without defaulting. If a Japanese buyer want to buy a barrel of Saudi oil, he has to pay in dollars even if no American oil company ever touches the said barrel. Dollar has held a dominant position in global trading for such a long time that even Gazprom’s natural gas contracts for Europe are priced and paid for in US dollars. Until recently, a significant part of EU-China trade had been priced in dollars.
Lately, China has led the BRICS efforts to dislodge the dollar from its position as the main global currency, but the “sanctions war” between Washington and Moscow gave an impetus to the long-awaited scheme to launch the petroruble and switch all Russian energy exports away from the US currency .
The main supporters of this plan are Sergey Glaziev, the economic aide of the Russian President and Igor Sechin, the CEO of Rosneft, the biggest Russian oil company and a close ally of Vladimir Putin. Both have been very vocal in their quest to replace the dollar with the Russian ruble. Now, several top Russian officials are pushing the plan forward.
April 7, 2014 Add Comments
West has no play against Russia over Kiev gas subsidy: Editor
6 April, 2014 – Interview with Jim W. Dean
Press TV has conducted an interview with Jim W. Dean, the Managing Editor of Veteran’s Today from Atlanta, about Ukraine’s gas debt owed to Russia and Russia now hiking up the price of gas exported to Ukraine.
The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: Is this a policy of economic aggression now that Russia has hiked the prices or is it their right to do that with Kiev?
Dean: Well, it certainly is. There were ways they were supporting Ukraine – which has 8-10 million Russians in it – get through their economic problems and this was to subsidize the gas prices.
This is something that Russia has an awful lot of so that was the least expensive way for them to try to support the Ukraine getting through its economic problems.
But then again, un-said in that, Ukraine would not become a bastion for Western military power or NATO or be seduced by them into putting missiles or NATO bases right on the Russian border and they made a very good deal with them.
The EU tried to get a deal by just moving Ukraine’s debt around, but never really wanted to give them any cash because they didn’t really have a lot to give. So, Russia countered that by continuing the gas discounts – which really is ‘cash’.
And that’s why [Viktor] Yanukovych [, former President of Ukraine], he basically went the other way (siding with Russia) and now we saw the West decided that we have to make a move now and we all know that they were totally behind the coup.
So, sure, Russia now is not going to support the Kiev government by continuing to subsidize a government that they say is an illegal coup. …more
Imposters, Criminal Oligarchs organize new totalitarian regin over people of Ukraine
Imposters in Kiev and Criminal Oligarchs: Alliance against People of Ukraine
30 March 2014 – Strategic Culture Foundation
The Kiev regime is bouncing back after the first shock of the events in Crimea. It starts to quash the unrest in the south-eastern part of the country where people resist the coup. Its leaders have been widely rejected recognition. There is a reason to believe that the regime will use the most repressive and outright coercive methods to deal with the population and resistance leaders.
“Taming” the south-east is the main goal for those who grabbed power in the country as a result of the coup. The people are to put up with unlawfulness; their voices should be excluded from the decision making process in Kiev because their mindset and values don’t fit with the would-be state goals including the pro-Euro Atlantic foreign policy.
The Ukraine’s security service is to pursue the leaders of separatist movement. First, there is a substitution of notions here. The right for self-determination is called separatism. It’s absurd, the leaders in the south-east want local referendums to define the will of people, and no pulling out of Ukraine is envisioned. Second, there is no legal government in Kiev at present which could assess the causes of south-eastern unrest. Nobody in the capital asks why this part of the country stood up in resistance after the February 22 coup, the very coup that gave rise to the protests. It’s only natural for the people to say no to recognizing the imposters.
The situation is aggravated by the activities of Bandera movement Neo-Nazi groups who openly say (their statements are made public and everyone can see for himself what they profess) that they intend to launch terror campaign against political opponents and all Russians. Anyone who dares to speak Russian and defend his right to do so in public is a potential victim.
In Donetsk the Ukraine’s security service has launched a criminal case against the commander of Donbass Peoples Militia Pavel Gubarev on the charges of, as they put it, “encroachment on Ukraine’s territorial integrity”. The local branch of security service said it has 11 cases to investigate. There have been formal admonitions sent to seven public activists of Lugansk, Smolensk, Kharkov regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea warning that their activities violate article 110 of the Criminal Code (the encroachment of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and inviolability of borders).
The criminal leaders (oligarchs related to criminal activities) have joined the efforts to quell the south-east. Two of them – Kolomoisky and Taruta – have been appointed heads of Dnepropetrovsk and Donetsk city governments. Kolomoisky controls the industrial group Privat which comprises a number of banks, metallurgical and ferroalloy factories as well as ore and oil processing enterprises. Taruta, the new head of Donetsk, is a shareholder of Alchevsk metallurgical, Alchevsk chemical-recovery, Dneprovsk-located metallurgical Dzerzhinsky enterprises as well as Dneprovsk pipe construction facility. In 2011 Taruta was the 9th richest Ukrainian with the wealth of 2, 126 billion. …more
Slavoj Žižek on Jaws and The Ideological Trap of Fascism
March 22, 2014 Add Comments
The new Cold War “shield”
Washington is making hay of its defeat in Ukraine: it is getting the Europeans to cut themselves off economically from Russia and is already imposing on them the expansion of its missile coverage. While the Western media focus on NATO’s narrative of events (the so-called “military annexation” of Crimea), the Alliance is noiselessly deploying its imperial apparatus.
by Manlio Dinucci – Voltaire Network – 22 March, 2014
Vice President Joe Biden’s flash visit to Poland and Estonia to ensure that, in the face of “Russia’s shameless incursion” in Ukraine – a country determined to build “a government for the people” (guaranteed by the neo-Nazis [1] brought to power by the “new Gladio” coup [2] ) – the United States reiterates its unwavering commitment to comply with Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty on “collective defense.” As Ukraine is now a de facto, but not official, member of NATO, there is always “non-Article 5,” urging members to “execute evolving missions not described under Article 5,” which was promoted by the Italian government of Massimo D’Alema during the NATO war on Yugoslavia in 1999, and later also applied to the wars on Afghanistan, Libya and Syria.
To help “NATO emerge from this crisis stronger … than ‘ever’,” the United States repledged its commitment to the “missile defense” of Europe. However, by correlating the “missile defense” to the Ukrainian crisis, Joe Biden gave his game away. Washington had persistently maintained that the U.S. “shield” in Europe is not directed against Russia, but against the threat of Iranian missiles. In Moscow, on the contrary, this was always perceived as an attempt to gain a decisive strategic advantage over Russia: the U.S. could hold it under the threat of a nuclear first strike, relying on the ability of the “shield” to neutralize the retaliation effects [3] The new plan launched by President Obama, compared with the previous one, provides for a larger number of missiles lined up on Russia’s doorstep. Since they are under U.S. control, no one can find out whether they are interceptors or nuclear missiles.
Having rejected the proposal to jointly manage with Russia the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan, the United States began building in Poland the site that will host 24 Aegis system SM-3 missiles. In addition, the Polish government has pledged to lay out more than 30 billion euros to achieve (with U.S. technologies) their own “shield” aimed to be integrated into the U.S. and NATO structure. And Joe Biden applauded Poland for its willingness to take on “part of the financial burden, something that all allies should do” (Italy is on notice). Another 24 SM-3 missile site, currently under construction at the Deveselu airbase in Romania, will become operational in 2015 and will be manned by 500 U.S. soldiers. These missile facilities comprise a super-powerful radar installed in Turkey and mobile radars that can be quickly deployed to “advanced positions.” …more
Ukraine as Stalking Horse: The Rise of Fascism in the West
Norman Pollack – 21 March, 2014 – The 4th Media
Fascism dribbles off the tongue too easily, yet it is possible to wrap one’s arms around the concept and practice with, allowing for historical variations, some degree of precision. Hitler’s Germany may be the gold standard by which to measure all else, but even there correction can be made for both underlying structural features and ideological themes applied to other and different settings.
By that I mean, e.g., functional equivalents of Nazi societal organization, if you will, foundations or perhaps sub-foundations of the social order and political culture.
If we return to Franz Neumann’s Behemoth, the now-neglected classic on the subject and Robert A. Brady’s Spirit and Structure of German Fascism, also near-forgotten, focused on the ideology of business organization, we can say that the primal factor in fascism’s internal composition is capitalism, not your everyday Smithian variety happily ensconced in Econ. 101 textbooks, but the real thing at an advanced form of development: monopolization, greater cohesion through trade associations, neutralization of labor as a collective-bargaining social force, above all, an hierarchical class system with commanding decisions at the top then filtered down through gradations of rank, integrated with and complemented by the political-structural framework of business-government interpenetration.
This paradigm of centralized power embedded in the synthesis of corporatism and the State, the latter, itself the more powerful the better, in order to serve and protect the business system, its dominance over labor, its penetration of foreign markets, its further concentration through preventing internecine competition, is equally characteristic of 1930s Germany (already mostly evident under Weimar) and the US beginning in earnest still earlier but perhaps taking more protracted form.
Diagrammatically, we are, circa 2014, more than superseding that German stage, our “cartels” disguised by other names, our rate of concentration the apogee of capitalist inner logic. From here it is readily apparent the appetitive and combative nature of capitalism, egged on or reinforced by the Statist dimension: America’s version of globalization to a tee.
This underpinning, not the concentration camp or gas chamber, establishes the bedrock on which the fascist edifice rests, makes them possible, embodied in militaristic aggression in Germany, but, for the US, and as Barrington Moore pointed out, in Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy, for Japan as well, what is critical to fascism is not only business-government interpenetration (Masao Maruyama years ago termed this, for Japan, the “close-embrace” system), but also the regimentation of the people, glimpses of which appear in the NSA wholesale surveillance of the public, and a prepackaged ideology of permanent-war readiness buttressed by a saturated climate of counterterrorism.
I think you get the picture. America is not all Innocence and Milk-and-Honey, the hegemonic demiurge in full throttle under Obama, now poised for the much anticipated (and, I believe, welcomed) conflict with Russia, having carefully arranged the chess board, the rooks, IMF and NATO, the queen, all-purpose privatization, the pawns, “friends and allies” persuaded to do America’s bidding, finally, the king, not the innocuous piece, nor here, a single individual, but Obama’s collective national-security advisors, taking in CIA, NSA, Pentagon officials, even then, the tip of the iceberg of war-making, war-striving apparatus, Washington up to its neck from every quarter, bipartisan all the way, in sharpening the killer instinct.
Kerry and Biden are the cheerleaders for imperialism and, increasingly, militarism, for they, and Obama, recognize the two are inseparable, to which they seem especially dedicated. Ukraine has found its soul mates. …more
Crimean ‘Check’ on Western Machinations in Ukraine
“American geo-strategic planners are fond of the chess game analogy, as articulated foremost by former National Security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. In the wake of the resounding vote for Crimean unification with Russia at the weekend, it may be said that this move by the Crimean electorate declares a «check» on Washington’s machinations in the Ukraine…”
18 March, 2014 – nsnbc – Finian Cunningham
A reading of reactions from officials in Washington and their allies in Europe indicates that the game was not meant to turn out this way. When the US and the EU started to ramp up destabilization of the Ukraine at the end of November, things seemed to go to plan. A concerted campaign of political interference from Western capitals, massive Western media distortion and the covert sponsoring of violence in the capital, Kiev, created unbearable pressure on the incumbent government of president Viktor Yanukovych.
With Western-backed covert terrorism claiming up to 100 deaths among protesters and police, as well as hundreds injured, and with anarchy descending on government buildings, the elected authorities capitulated on February 22. The unelected regime that came to power in Kiev, led by self-styled prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, has quickly moved to implement the regime-change agenda of Washington and its European allies. Financial, trade and military pacts are already being drawn up with Washington, Brussels and NATO.
So far, so good, it seemed, from the Western point of view. The ultimate geopolitical prize from regime change in Ukraine, as set out by Brzezinski and other US planners, is to roll back Russia’s presence in a vital sphere of influence. In this calculus, plucking Ukraine into the Western/NATO orbit would weaken Russia, politically, economically and militarily. This tactic has already succeeded with Western incorporation of the Baltic states, in addition to Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, parts of the Balkans and Georgia on Russia’s southern flank. But Ukraine represents a quantum leap towards corralling Russia. It would allow the ever-closer installation of US missiles on Russia’s borders, making an American first-strike offence a greater enfeebling threat to Moscow. A pro-Western regime in Ukraine would also mean the end of Russia’s naval presence at Sevastopol on the Black Sea, which would in turn undermine Russian energy interests in the Caspian region and with regard to the lucrative European market.
But then came the surprise counter-move. Russia increased its military security on Ukraine’s southern Crimean Peninsula within days of the Western-backed coup d’état in Kiev. This gave a political space for the autonomous republic to assert its pro-Russian loyalty without the threat of intimidation from the Kiev junta and its fascist paramilitaries. Given the limited transport access to the Crimea from the Ukrainian mainland, Russian defenses were able to seal off the peninsula from the intrusion of neo-Nazi shock troops that had ushered in the regime in Kiev and who have since gone on to threaten other cities in the East of Ukraine. Several people have been killed in clashes in the cities of Donetz and Kharkiv where the neo-Nazi Svoboda cadres have attacked pro-Russian rallies. There are also reports of Western-backed mercenary gunmen operating in the Eastern cities, while, ironically, Kiev and its Western sponsors accuse Moscow of deploying agent provocateurs and of overseeing the election in Crimea under armed threat. …more
American’s March to Fascism Western Media is a Propaganda Arm of the State
Western Media is a Propaganda Arm of the State
by Finian Cunningham – Veterans News Now
Western news media have long functioned as a propaganda arm of the state, concealing elite corruption at the heart of government: the collusion between corporate, financial and ruling power and the deeply anti-democratic nature of that power. Despite the formality of recurring elections and parliamentary style appearance, Western states are in the nuts-and-bolts of working power more accurately described as fascist corporate entities with a patina of popular democracy for window-dressing.
Wall Street BailoutLook at the global financial collapse that was triggered in 2008. From the US to Europe, the crisis can be attributed to the criminal practices of major banks and other financial institutions operating casino capitalism – the last refuge of bankrupt capitalism as an organizing social system. Yet far from being pursued with prosecutions, the financial oligarchy has been bailed out time and again by their bought-and-paid political rulers to the tune of trillions of dollars with public money, while the public is clobbered with swingeing austerity and poverty. How can we describe this arrangement as anything but fascism – the inexorable endpoint of capitalism?
In this audacious, gargantuan expropriation of wealth by the financial oligarchy in cahoots with the political class – all across the Western world – where is the critical, campaigning, investigative functions of the supposed «free press» – the much-vaunted «fourth estate» which conceitedly refers to the media acting as a guardian of public interest and democratic rights? It does not exist. The Western media are an integral part of the fascist plutocracy.
The established media have thus acted as a vital propaganda arm of the fascist state by concealing or diverting from what is a huge systematic crime of corporate theft and public immiseration.
Of much more damning importance is the question of war. The wholesale mass murder of people and destruction of countries – without even a modicum of justification on the principle of self-defense – is the supreme crime. This crime of war of aggression was established at the post-1945 Nuremberg Trials of Nazi German leaders.
The American-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, beginning in 2001 and 2003, which together have resulted in more than one million dead and millions more wounded, their livelihoods destroyed, are episodes that clearly conform to the category of «wars of aggression». The official justifications used by American and British leaders to instigate these wars – eradicating global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction – have transpired to be baseless, or at the very least cry out for proper investigation. More than this, there are serious grounds to support a prosecution case that these wars were based on deliberate fabrication and lies. …more
The Spoils of War and Regime Change
Ukraine’s Gold Reserves Secretly Flown Out and Confiscated by the New York Federal Reserve?
By Prof Michel Chossudovsky – Global Research – 14 March, 2014
A Russian Internet news site Iskra (“Spark”) based in Zaporozhye, eastern Ukraine, reported on March 7, that “Ukraine’s gold reserves had been hastily airlifted to the United States from Borispol Airport east of Kiev”.
This alleged airlift and confiscation of Ukraine’s gold reserves by the New York Federal Reserve has not been confirmed by the Western media.
According to Iskra News:
At 2 a.m. this morning [March 7] an unmarked transport plane was on the runway at Borispol Airport (right) [east of Kiev]. According to airport staff, before the plane came to the airport, four trucks and two Volkswagen minibuses arrived, all the truck license plates missing.
Сегодня ночью из Fifteen people in black uniforms, masks, and body armor stepped out, some armed with machine guns. They loaded the plane with more than 40 heavy boxes.
After that a mysterious man arrived and entered the plane.
All loading was done in a hurry.
The plane took off on an emergency basis.
Those who saw this mysterious special operation immediately notified the airport officials, who told the callers not to meddle in other people’s affairs.
Later a returned call from a senior official of the former Ministry of Revenue reported that tonight, on the orders of one of the new leaders of Ukraine, the United States had taken custody of all the gold reserves in Ukraine.” Сегодня ночью из “Борисполя” в США страртовал самолёт с золотым запасом Украины, iskra-news.info. Zaporozhye, Ukraine, March 7, 2014, translated from Russian by the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc (GATA), emphasis added)
Following this disclosure, GATA’s Secretary Treasurer Chris Powell requested the New Federal Reserve and the US State Department to indicate whether the NY Fed had “taken custody” of Ukraine’s Gold.
A spokesman for the New York Fed said simply: “Any inquiry regarding gold accounts should be directed to the account holder. You may want to contact the National Bank of Ukraine to discuss this report.”
GATA’s similar inquiry of last night to the U.S. State Department has not yet prompted any reply.
Last night GATA called this issue to the attention of about 30 mainstream financial journalists and newsletter writers in the admittedly bizarre hope that they might pose the question as well.
1) The first rule of mainstream financial journalism and particularly financial journalism about gold is never to put a specific critical question about the monetary metal to any of the primary participants in the gold market, central banks. That is, nearly all gold market reporting is, by design, irrelevant distraction at best, disinformation at worst.
2) The true location and disposition of national gold reserves are secrets far more sensitive than the location and disposition of nuclear weapons. Chris Powell, Secretary/Treasurer
Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.
While the unconfirmed report regarding Ukraine’s gold reserves has not been the object of coverage by the mainstream financial news, the story was nonetheless picked up by the Shanghai Metals Market at Metal.com. which states, quoting a report from the Ukrainian government, that Ukraine’s gold reserves had been “moved on an aircraft from … Kiev to the United States… in 40 sealed boxes” loaded on an unidentified aircraft. …more
Crimea and Western ‘values’ – Escobar
Crimea and Western ‘values’
By Pepe Escobar – The Roving Eye – 14 March, 2014
Every sane sentient being knows that Ukraine’s “unity” is not worth a new hot or warm war. Or even the current Western-peddled Cold War-style hysteria. Especially when Russia, once again, fights fascism – as embodied by some of the key players now in power in Kiev, and the US and EU’s response is to relentlessly demonize Russia.
Crimea – historically, culturally, sentimentally – is Russian, conquered by Catherine the Great from the Ottomans in 1783. Sevastopol was founded by Catherine. If a swing band would play a version of I Left My Heart in Sevastopol, all hearts involved would be Russian.
Yet those eminent Western practitioners of state idolatry have ruled that the population of Crimea has no right to conduct a referendum to decide its future – be it rejoining Russia or remaining in Ukraine with a huge degree of autonomy, according to the 1992 constitution. The eminences could not possibly admit that does not suit their geopolitical power play.
Thus the current Mass; a ritualistic, hysterical invoking in unison of “international law” (Obama), (distorted) history and even morality (in the US’s case, considering the historical record, a positively dreadful joke).
No question the original inhabitants of Crimea are the Tatars – whose rights will be fully protected in a new Crimea. They had not achieved their self-determination for the same reason Native Americans also did not.
Yet much more alarming in the whole case is how the West once again conveniently, selectively manipulates the arbitrary carving of colonized lands – the key reason of ongoing, intractable geopolitical disasters.
South Sudan’s independence was obsessively fought for by Washington – helped by Hollywood clones of the Clooney variety. The pretext was to correct an arbitrary colonial carving. So that applies to Sudan, but it does not apply to Crimea.
Thomas Jefferson’s “insurgents” had the right to rebel against the British, but Crimeans cannot rebel against what most view as an illegal, fascist-laden, putschist regime in Kiev.
And that is superimposed on an arbitrary colonial carving; Ukrainian-born former premier Nikita Khrushchev, then at the head of the USSR, gave Crimea away to Ukraine, in the name of Soviet solidarity, without a Crimean referendum.
Washington – via a NATO war – dismantled the former Yugoslavia in the name of the “right of nations”. While Crimea is not allowed a peaceful referendum, Kosovo – essentially a drug mafia scam – had the right to be “liberated”. It would be so complicated to explain to public opinion that was essential for the maintenance of Camp Bondsteel – the largest military base outside of the US. The Empire of Bases trumps any “right of nations”. …more
US imperialism, Ukraine and the danger of World War III
World Socialist Web Site – 5 March, 2014
Are we standing on the brink of a nuclear war? That is the question that everyone should be asking.
The US-backed coup in Ukraine has triggered the most dangerous international crisis since the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962. American and European officials are denouncing Russia for sending troops into Crimea in response to the installation of an anti-Russian regime in Ukraine that has seized power through a coup d’état staged by fascist militia.
The Obama administration appears determined to escalate the confrontation with Moscow. Demanding a withdrawal of all Russian forces from Crimea and the Kremlin’s total acceptance of the new US-NATO puppet regime in Kiev, the US is calling for sanctions aimed at the complete economic isolation of Russia.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry threatened at a press conference in Kiev that the US is seeking to “isolate Russia politically, diplomatically and economically.” His statements were echoed by bellicose threats from leading American politicians.
Senator John McCain delivered an anti-Russian rant from the well of the Senate in which he again expressed regret that the United States had not intervened in the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia. He accused Putin of engaging in “the old Russian, Soviet doublespeak” and called for a “quick path for Moldova and Georgia to move into NATO.”
The Obama administration feigns shock and horror over the Russian response to the Ukrainian coup. This is nothing but deceitful and cynical posturing. It knew full well that the imposition of an anti-Russian puppet regime in Kiev, controlled by the US and NATO, would be viewed by Putin and the Russian military as a massive change in the geo-strategic environment in Eastern Europe and an existential threat to Russia.
It is inconceivable that the White House, the Pentagon and the CIA did not foresee that Putin would respond to the coup in Kiev. Can anyone seriously believe that Washington did not expect that Russia, at the very minimum, would deploy military forces to secure control of Crimea—a part of Russia until 1954, the home of Russia’s Black Sea fleet and its sole access point into the Mediterranean? Or that Washington knew Russia would not simply turn the other cheek as the installation of an extreme rightwing government in Ukraine, in which xenophobic nationalists exert immense influence, transformed the country into the new forward base for NATO forces, armed with missiles, on the very border of Russia? …more
The fascist danger in Ukraine
A politically sinister propaganda offensive is underway in the media to either deny the involvement of fascists in the US-backed coup in Ukraine or present their role as a marginal and insignificant detail.
The New York Times, for example, asserted, “Putin’s claim of an immediate threat to Ukrainian Russians is empty,” while Britain’s Guardian dismissed as a “fancy” claims that events in Crimea were an attempt to “prevent attacks by bands of revolutionary fascists,” adding that “the world’s media has [not] yet seen or heard from” such forces.
This is an obscene cover-up.
The reality is that, for the first time since 1945, an avowedly anti-Semitic, pro-Nazi party controls key levers of state power in a European capital, courtesy of US and European imperialism. The unelected Ukrainian government, headed by US appointee Arseniy Yatsenyuk, includes no fewer than six ministers from the fascist Svoboda party.
Less than a year ago, the World Jewish Congress called for Svoboda to be banned. But the party’s founder and leader, Oleh Tyahnybok, who has spoken repeatedly of his determination to crush the “Russkie-Yid mafia that controls Ukraine,” was feted by US and European Union officials as they prepared last month’s coup.
Following the 2010 conviction of John Demjanjuk as an accomplice in the murder of nearly 30,000 people in the Nazi concentration camp at Sobibor, Tyahnybok called him a hero. Tyahnybok’s deputy, Yuriy Mykhalchyshyn, founded a think tank called the Joseph Goebbels Political Research Center.
Svoboda was the major political force in the Maidan protests that overthrew Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. In return for providing the shock troops for the coup, it has been given control of vital ministries.
Svoboda co-founder Andriy Parubiy acted as “security commandant” in the protests, directing attacks by the Right Sector—an alliance of fascists and extreme right-wing nationalists, including the paramilitary Ukrainian National Assembly-Ukrainian National Self Defense (UNA-UNSO). Dressed in uniforms modelled on Hitler’s Waffen SS, its members boast of fighting Russia in Chechnya, Georgia and Afghanistan.
Parubiy is now secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, overseeing the Defence Ministry and the armed forces. Dmytro Yarosh, leader of the Right Sector, is his deputy.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Sych is another leading Svoboda figure, as is Oleh Makhnitsky (prosecutor-general), Serhiy Kvit (Education Minstry), Andriy Makhnyk (Ecology Ministry) and Ihor Shvaiko (Agriculture Ministry).
Others reportedly connected to UNA-UNSO are Dmytro Bulatov (youth and sports minister) and the “activist” journalist Tetyana Chernovol, who was named chair of the government’s anti-corruption committee. …more
Organising Revolt
Organizing Revolt from the stimulator on Vimeo.
A “tribune of the people” in Donetsk – neo-Nazis on the side of Putin
UKRAINE: Paul Gubariew – a “tribune of the people” in Donetsk, ie neo-Nazis on the side of Putin
8 March, 2014 – by tahriricnv – by Tahrir-ICN
We reported earlier exploits of Ukrainian nationalists. Now it turns out that the “other side” is crowded with nationalists and neo-Nazis.
According to the Russian website Lenta.ru , Paul Gubariew who, along with joining-Russia supporters from Donbass, occupied administration buildings of Donetsk and proclaimed himself the “people’s governor” and a local authority, is not only a capitalist, but was also a member of the neo-Nazi organization “Russian National Unity” ( Русском национальном единстве ) and then a councilor the racists and anti-Semitic Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine.
After he was arrested by the Kiev authorities, a part of the western left, clueless in the situation, announced him a “repressed tribune of the people”.
While vesti.ru reported that the Serbian Chetniks, extreme chauvinists with bad reputation gained during the ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia, arrived in Sevastopol “to help their Russian brethren”. The Chetniks pursue an active foreign policy, appear every year on Independence March in Warsaw and inspire demonstrations of Polish nationalists under the slogan “Kosovo is Serbia”. This is all the more important that a large minority of the Crimea are Tatars, who, like the people of Kosovo are Muslims. For Chetniks it may be an extension of the struggle for Kosovo with the “Islamic threat” and lead to ethnic cleansing of the Crimean Tatars, who were already deported once and exterminated by Stalin. Recently, someone began labeling homes of Crimean Tatars, which could be a prelude to pogroms.
Also during many demonstrations, promoted by Putin propaganda as “anti-fascist”, extremely nationalist and neo-Nazi elements were present, both at the demonstration in Odessa and in Sevastopol. …source
NGO Corruption and Integrity
Ukrainians, Russians and Europeans against Putin’s war
2 March, 2014 – libcom.org
Ukrainians, Russians and Europeans were on the streets today protesting against the Putin regime’s attack on Ukraine.
The anti-war demonstrations today are the only shaft of light I can see in a dark sky overshadowed by the danger of war, with 6000 Russian troops reportedly on Ukrainian territory in Crimea, some of them surrounding Ukrainian bases.
In Moscow, anti-war demonstrators were detained in large numbers. Each time protesters assembled on Manezhnaya square in the city centre, more were arrested. Novaya Gazeta, the liberal opposition paper, reported 265 arrests and counting just after 16.00 Moscow time.
Voices on the Russian radical left were unequivocal. “It is necessary to call a spade a spade: what’s happening in Crimea these days is a classic act of imperialist intervention on the part of the Russian state”, said the Open Left group in a statement published in English here.
“Maidan has opened the sluices of activity of the far-right thugs – and at the same time has spurred to political life great masses of people, who perhaps for the first time perceive that they themselves are capable of determining their fate. This range of possibilities has the potential to resolve itself both into progressive social changes, and into the victory of extreme reaction. But the final decision must, without doubt, be left to the people of Ukraine themselves”, Open Left wrote.
Large numbers joined demonstrations against the war not only in Kyiv but in all the large Russian-speaking cities in the east. Ukrainska Pravda reported a demonstration of 5-10,000 people against Putin’s aggression in Nikolaev, a predominantly Russian-speaking city in southern Ukraine. The report said that agricultural and public sector workers, students and the intelligentsia were all at the march.
In Dnipropetrovsk, a predominantly Russian-speaking industrial city, and Odessa, the predominantly Russian-speaking port city in southern Ukraine, several thousand people joined similar marches. There were demos in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporozhye – smaller than pro-Russian marches … but shamefully downplayed by western media reports.
In Kyiv, the radical left called for working-class solidarity against Putin’s militarism. “There’s no point in waiting for ‘rescue’ from Nato”, said a statement by the Autonomous Workers Union, published in English here. “The war can be averted only if proletarians of all countries, first and foremost Ukrainian and Russian, together make a stand against the criminal regime of Putin.” …more
Media Confusion on Ukraine Revolt
Venezuela at the crossroads
Article originally written in Spanish for the latest issue of the Chilean anarchist paper Solidaridad- The recent events that have shaken Venezuela reflect not only the level of interference that the USA maintains in the region or the pervasive coup-mongering trend in the Venezuelan elite which knows by heart the manual of the Chilean coup strategy. It primarily reflects the latent tensions in the Venezuelan model which should start to work themselves out from below, through struggle. Today more than ever we need critiques to be the essential tool of revolutionaries, rather than the attitude of passive approval of everything the Bolivarian leadership does.
3 March, 2014 – by José Antonio Gutiérrez D.
The recent events that have shaken Venezuela reflect not only the level of interference that the USA maintains in the region or the pervasive coup-mongering trend in the Venezuelan elite which knows by heart the manual of the Chilean coup strategy. It primarily reflects the latent tensions in the Venezuelan model which should start to work themselves out from below, through struggle. Today more than ever we need critiques to be the essential tool of revolutionaries, rather than the attitude of passive approval of everything the Bolivarian leadership does.
The genesis of Bolivarianism
An event that marked the recent history of Venezuela was the Caracazo, that gigantic, spontaneous popular mobilization the structural adjustment measures decreed by the Social-Democratic government of Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1989, which was drowned in the blood of between 500 and 2,000 Venezuelans. It is surprising to note that to date there are no reliable figures on the number of dead, which to some extent reflects their status as “nobodies”, “disposable”, “marginal”. After earning a reputation for his coup attempt in 1992 – in direct response to a government widely seen as illegitimate by the working classes – the retired officer Hugo Chávez Frías stood in the 1999 elections, an outsider in the circles of power which, during the so-called Punto Fijo period, divided up bureaucratic quotas between two parties. His populist, direct speeches, his denunciation of a status quo increasingly tired out by the oil crisis which eroded the corrupt networks of clientelism, immediately captured the fascination of the majority, alienated by the political-economic system.
Although his first redistributive measures were timid, Chávez immediately alienated the elite because for the first time in the history of the republic they were displaced from the circles of power. This abrupt change was ratified in 1999 by the constituent assembly, where the old parties ended up disappearing. The new Constitution, which even the Right led today by Capriles lays claim to, has established certain social guarantees and rights that have benefited sectors previously excluded from access to health or education, counter to the neoliberal trends that dominate throughout the world. Principles of participatory forms of democracy are also experimented with through the institutionalization of Poder Ciudadano (Citizen Power). From the point of view of guarantees, this Constitution is almost unique in recognizing the right of civil disobedience in cases where the government violates the Constitution.
The years that followed the Constitution were turning points in the leftist turn of the Chavista political project; at each attempt to remove him from power, the masses at the grassroots of the Bolivarian project responded with increased demands. Some of these measures included the April 2002 coup and then came the bosses’ lockout from December 2002 to February 2003, both decisively defeated by popular mobilization and support from the Army for the process. The lockout, which was centred on a shutdown of oil production, saw workers self-manage sectors of that industry so as to keep the economy running. In this process, the rentier capitalist class became worn out and important areas of it were ousted from a significant centre of power when Chávez fired 19,000 technicians, directors and middle managers. The Bolivarian project thus took control of oil revenues and set about a series of social programmes called “missions”, through which the newly conquered social rights were extended to the most marginalized areas of the country. But even in this process, the experience of self-management came to an end and albeit with new faces, there was a return to the same labour dynamics as before.
But it was only after the victory in the recall referendum of 2004 and his overwhelming victory in the presidential elections of December 2006, that he dared publicly to describe his project as “Socialism of the 21st Century”.
Socialism of the 21st Century
Chávez now defined the five motors of the construction of socialism: the nationalization of telecommunications and electricity; control of 60% of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA, state-owned oil and gas company) of the multinational oil operations; constitutional reform to declare Venezuela a Bolivarian, Socialist republic; political education and ideological struggle to overcome capitalist prejudice, a new system of territorial administration of the country in line with the people’s needs; and the development of organisms of community power. It was intended with these measures to move from developmentalism to poder popular (people’s power).
The first measures to promote people’s power, such as urban land committees, invariably came from above, while the main emphasis continued to be redistribution through the missions, which were skillfully created by-passing the structures of the State’s administrative bureaucracy, mixing social mobilization with Army participation. These bodies provided perhaps the most spectacular achievements of the Bolivarian project, such as the virtual elimination of illiteracy.
Other initiatives yielded more mixed results due to distortions caused by the oil-rentier economy and Dutch Disease, together with the persistence of the clientelist, bloated State. Land reform is a good case in point. Venezuela imports 70% of its foodstuffs, 12% of its population is rural and 5% of landowners in 1997 controlled 80% of the land. Since 2005, various farmers have received land and migration from urban areas to rural ones has been stimulated; however, it has not been easy to achieve the goal of food sovereignty because the distortion of the oil economy makes food production more expensive than that of Venezuela’s neighbours. Paradoxically, Mercal, the subsidized stores, sell most of the imported food because its cheaper price. And to the slow expansion of food production (lower than demand), the problem of sabotage and stockpiling must be added.
Workers’ control too is contradictory. The first expropriations by Chávez came about up to 2005, when some companies went under the control of the workers, alone or together with the State. But radicalized workers who were demanding the abandoning of old-style management patterns, consideration of not only profit but the need and sustainability as productive criteria or an end to the division between manual and intellectual workers, found their bitterest enemies in the Labour Ministry itself, while Chávez distanced himself from the “radicals” until in 2009 his interest in them was reborn with the need to fight against the “corrupt”. Many companies were left isolated in the swindle that was “socialism in one factory”, while sectors of the left denounced this adventurism, opting for purely statist schemes. But beyond the existing industries, the dream of economic diversification remained elusive: the economy continued to be dominated by oil revenues and the creation of initiatives such as cooperatives fell into a vicious circle – the exchange rate distorted by the rentier economy did not help competitiveness in the market in accordance with the capitalist laws in force in Venezuela and the region, and the subsidies and support for these diversification initiatives depended on oil revenues, which reinforced the structural weakness of the productive economy. …more
US hypocrisy over ‘Russian aggression’ in Ukraine
Nile Bowie – March, 2014 – RT
As divisions deepen between the eastern and western regions of Ukraine, the backers of the putsch regime in Kiev portray Russia as a reckless aggressor to absolve their own responsibility for engineering the crisis.
While denunciations of Moscow have streamed out of western capitals in recent days over the standoff in Crimea, it should be understood that the political crisis currently unfolding in Ukraine could have been wholly avoided. In attempts to defuse unrest and maintain legal and societal order, ousted President Yanukovich offered remarkable concessions in his proposal to install opposition leaders in top posts in a reshaped government, which was rejected. Russia expressed readiness to engage in tripartite negotiations with Ukraine and the European Union with the hope that both Moscow and Brussels could play a positive role in Ukraine’s economic recovery, but the EU was unwilling to accept such a proposal. The February-21 agreement was mediated by Russia, France, Germany and Poland and aimed to end the bloodshed in Kiev by reducing presidential powers and establishing a framework for a national unity government, in addition to electoral reform, constitutional changes, and early elections.
There was clearly no shortage of opportunities to ease the polarization of the Ukrainian state through an inclusive political solution, and yet the opposition failed to uphold its responsibilities, resulting in the ouster of Ukraine’s democratically elected leader to the detriment of the country’s political, economic, and societal stability.
As the new self-appointed authorities in Kiev dictate terms and push legislation through a rump parliament, the reluctance of western capitals to address the clearly dubious legitimacy of the new regime suggests that the US and EU condone what is effectively a coup d’état with no constitutional validity.
The leaked phone call between Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and the US Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, is a testament to Washington’s proclivity for foreign meddling and its brazen disregard of Ukraine’s sovereignty. It is no coincidence that Arseniy Yatsenyuk – handpicked by Nuland for the role of prime minister – now occupies that position in Kiev’s new leadership, and much like the reckless agitation strategies employed by the US elsewhere, extremist groups were manipulated to allow the nominal moderates to seize power on Washington’s behalf.
A new dawn for the far right
In order to maintain enough momentum to oust Yanukovich, Ukraine’s opposition leaders relied on allies in the radical camp such as fascist groups like Svoboda, Trizub, and the Right Sector. These organizations espouse ethnic hatred against Jews and Russians and promote neo-Nazi ideals. The foot soldiers of these movements laid the groundwork for the putsch by occupying the Maidan [Independence Square], storming government offices, and attacking riot police with Molotov cocktails, firearms, and other lethal weapons. …more
March 9, 2014 Add Comments
Anonymous Workers Union Statement about the situation in Ukraine
UKRAINE: Statement about the situation in Ukraine from AWU (Autonomous Workers Union)
by tahriricn – 19 February, 2014
Civil war began in Ukraine yesterday. A less than peaceful demonstration clashed with state defense forces and divisions formed by the adherents of the current government near the Vekhovna Rada (Parliament). On February 18, police, together with the paramilitaries, arranged a bloodbath in the governmental quarters during which numerous demonstrators were killed. Butchers from the special divisions finished off arrestees. Deputies of the ruling Party of Regions and their bourgeois lackeys from the “Communist” Party of Ukraine fled from the Parliament through an underground tunnel. The vote for constitutional amendments, intended to limit presidential power, did not take place after all. After their defeat in the governmental quarters, demonstrators retreated to the Maidan. At 6 P.M., the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Internal Security Bureau (SBU) declared an ultimatum to the protesters, demanding their dispersal. At 8:00 P.M., special police forces and paramilitaries, equipped with water cannons and armored vehicles, began their raid on the barricades. Police, the special divisions of SBU, as well as pro-governmental troopers made use of their firearms. However, the protesters managed to burn down one of the armored police vehicles, and it turned out that governmental forces were not the only ones in possession of guns. According to the data released by the police (on February, 19, 4 p.m.), 24 people were killed: 14 protesters and 10 policemen. Thirty-one policemen received gunshot wounds. Even if their estimate of losses on the side of the police is accurate, the number of victims among the protesters was definitely diminished. Maidan’s medics cite at least 30 killed.
One gets an impression that President Yanukovich was certain that by morning the resistance would be crushed, and so arranged for the Opposition leaders to meet with him at 11 A.M. on February, 19. As the negotiations did not take place, we can conclude that the government’s plan had failed. During the unsuccessful operation to clear off the Maidan, the citizens of several western regions occupied administrative buildings and chased away the police. At the moment the police, as an institution, do not exist in L’viv. According to the SBU, protesters have captured 1500 firearms. In less than 24 hours, the central government lost control over a section of the country. Right now, the only solution may be the stepping down of the President, however, that would mean that he, his family, and their multiple acolytes and dependents, which form a rather large group in the ruling government, would lose their source of profit. It is likely that they will not accept this.
In the event of Yanukovich’s victory, he will become a ruler for life, and the rest will be doomed to a life in which they face poverty, corruption, and the abolition of their rights and freedoms. Rebellious regions are now experiencing massive restorations of “the constitutional order.” It is not improbable that the suppression of such “terroristic groups” in Galicia will have the character of ethnic cleansing. Mad Orthodox radicals from the Party of Regions have, for a long time, seen the conservative Greco-Catholics as the aids of “Eurosodom.” Such an “antiterrorist” operation would be carried out with the assistance of the army, as the Minister of Defense, Lebedev, has already announced. …more
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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 17 July 1998 Article 6 Genocide
For the purpose of this Statute, "genocide" means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
- Killing members of the group;
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
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Yousif Ali al-Nashmi
Bahrain Prison Reports
UN Report Cruel, Inhuman, Treatment – Feb.12
Treatment of Political Detainees in Bahrain Prisons
In Defence of The Streets
Street Defenders Protect Villages agsinst Rape, Vandlism, Looting and Gassing by Riot Police
"Many things unsettled me. I felt constantly under pressure. The routine was very hard. I had eye problems, I was unable to focus. I was completely alone. I had nothing to do, so I began to play with the ants crawling in my cell. I used to feed them, too. Then one day the guards came and sprayed my cell with insecticide - the ants died. They were all I had" Bahrain Political Prisoner, Amnesty Report 1991.
Bahrain Detained
حجي أحمد #البحرين: The detainee #Muhammad_Sahwan was wounded with more than 50 shotgun bullets in the head and neck, and for 4 years,… https://t.co/d1vjCGJnKj
حجي أحمد #البحرين: The detainee #Hussein_Ali_Khamis suffers from a psychological state and loss of memory, and instead of treatment he… https://t.co/eHxF81cCEq
حجي أحمد #البحرين: The detainee Hussein Abdul-Aziz was deprived of treatment of local retinal detachment, which turned into complete d… https://t.co/TsHyK7gBrN
SALAM DHR: The blind detainee in #Bahrain #Jaafar_Matoq, detained in April 2014, is denied treatment at Jaw Central Prison and… https://t.co/09EJPtmzzF
The Crooked Bough is a privately held blog operated from the Northern Chihuahua Desert
Kasi_007: Again Pray For Gaza #GazaUnderAttack https://t.co/ZcKfyuLrDK
Asmaa Asmaa: To those who tell us to "stay safe": I truly appreciate your support but: 1- #Gaza has no shelters. 2- I'm staying… https://t.co/yVnSkhRqim
✌❤🇵🇸Ameera_Ahmed🇵🇸 ❤✌: To those who tell us to "stay safe": I truly appreciate your support but: 1- #Gaza has no shelters. 2- I'm staying… https://t.co/9nQzXWxYKS
Ramzy Baroud: True solidarity should aim at forcing Israel to end the protracted occupation and siege on the Palestinian people,… https://t.co/8xWoovM5PS
Watch Documentary about the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico - Here
I met a tree once, called "big tree", it was over 1000 years old. I laid my hands on it and cried in honor for its age, its witness and beauty. As I honored it, it honored me with its majesty. .
The Women of Chiapas
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Election Errata
AuthorTopic: Election Errata (Read 132817 times)
Surly1
Re: 🗳️ Warren leads Democratic field by 3 points in new national poll
Quote from: RE on October 14, 2019, 04:29:20 PM
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/465727-warren-leads-democratic-field-by-3-in-new-national-poll
Warren leads Democratic field by 3 points in new national poll
By Max Greenwood - 10/14/19 03:49 PM EDT
Warren is coming to Norfolk on Friday!
"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it."
Quote from: Surly1 on October 14, 2019, 04:43:47 PM
Are you signing on to her campaign? I personally think she can beat Trumpovetsky, even if he doesn't get impeached first.
I don't know the I'm "signing on," but she is my fave, and I plan to attend if I can.
She can definitely win, IMO.
Definitely the best candidate for the Demodopes. With your experience in advertizing, you'd be a great addition to the Norfolk staff, and you're not working as much now anyhow.
Well, get some pics and vids at the rally anyhow.
🗳️ RE's Live Report on the Demodope Debate
Been watching the latest Demodope debate, which first of all is terrifically unfair. The top candidates are getting 95% of the questions and airtime from the mods.
Second observation, as the new front runner, Liz is getting hammered on by about everyone on her refusal to give a straight answer on taxes for the middle class. She always responds evasively to this question saying the total cost will go down, but not that taxes will go up. Because of course, admitting taxes will go up for anyone but the super rich is a death sentence at the polls.
Uncle Joe is looking pretty sad again in his performance, Bernie is doing OK but nothing new from him really. Most of the rest of them have had so little airtime it's impossible to say how they are doing. They'll probably drop out of the race for the most part before the November debate.
🗳️ Takeaways From the October Democratic Debate (NYT Version)
Here's the take from the MSM, NYT version, which I generally agree with.
Mayor Pete definitely had his best appearance to date. Still an open question how well a homosexual can reach anybody in the Repugnant Party, which is necessary for victory IMHO. I remember when Ed Koch ran against Mario Cuomo for Gubernator of NYS. One of the slogans for Cuomo was "Vote for Cuomo, not the Homo" (Koch was rumored to be gay), and not sure things have changed that much. Also, what will the "First Lady" be called? "First Partner? "First Bottom"? Who goes on top? Do they take turns?
Liz stood up quite well to the onslaught, and Bernie looked decently healthy. However, the fact he is going to be endorsed by AOC may not be such a good thing. Uncle Joe's poll numbers are likely to go down. Beto looks like he should drop out now and run for TX Senate instead.
We'll see what happens in the November installment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/16/us/politics/democratic-debate.html
Politics|6 Takeaways From the October Democratic Debate
Debate Takeaways
Speaking Time
Who’s Running
State of the Race
Politics Newsletter
6 Takeaways From the October Democratic Debate
Warren was called out by rivals for a change while Biden failed to stand out, and Sanders calmed concerns about his health. Buttigieg had his biggest night yet. But no game-changing moments for other candidates.
Twelve Democratic presidential candidates are on stage for this month’s debate in Westerville, Ohio. Here are the key moments from the first half of the evening.CreditCreditTamir Kalifa for The New York Times
Shane GoldmacherReid J. Epstein
By Shane Goldmacher and Reid J. Epstein
Updated 2:12 a.m. ET
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — The CNN/New York Times debate on Tuesday night revealed new dynamics in the Democratic presidential race: Senator Elizabeth Warren took sustained fire from multiple rivals, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. struggled to make an impact and Mayor Pete Buttigieg and other candidates were newly aggressive in making their points.
Here are six takeaways from the debate:
Warren takes incoming, for a change
ImageSenator Kamala Harris challenges Senator Elizabeth Warren on whether Trump’s Twitter account should be shut down.
Senator Kamala Harris challenges Senator Elizabeth Warren on whether Trump’s Twitter account should be shut down.CreditHilary Swift for The New York Times
For the first time this year, Ms. Warren was frequently called out and criticized by her rivals:
Mr. Biden called her health care plans “vague” and argued she had never accomplished anything big.
Mr. Buttigieg implied she didn’t trust the American people to decide whether they wanted to remain on private health insurance plans.
Senator Amy Klobuchar denounced Ms. Warren’s plans as a “pipe dream.”
Senator Kamala Harris wanted to know why Ms. Warren didn’t join her call for Twitter to ban President Trump from its social media platform.
For a candidate who has risen in the polls based on her policy acumen and specifics, Ms. Warren’s unwillingness to address the question of whether her “Medicare for all” plan would require higher taxes on the middle class was striking. And her opponents put her on the defensive.
Ms. Warren in large part survived the attacks, though she never did answer questions about whether she’d raise those middle-class taxes. Nor did she explain to Ms. Harris why she thinks Mr. Trump should remain on Twitter. But she did present a concise counterargument, saying that only her ambitious ideas can produce an electoral mandate from disaffected Americans to defeat Mr. Trump.
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In all, the debate served as a certification of Ms. Warren’s status as one of two front-runners in the race, alongside Mr. Biden. It also crystallized much of the 19-way race as a contest to be the Biden alternative. The candidates sparring with Ms. Warren were auditioning to Democratic voters not just how they would go toe-to-toe with President Trump, but also how they would stack up against Ms. Warren as the campaign narrows to just a few candidates.
Biden shrinks
Joseph R. Biden Jr. speaks about his accomplishments.
Joseph R. Biden Jr. speaks about his accomplishments.CreditTamir Kalifa for The New York Times
Unlike the previous three debates, nobody instigated a fight with Mr. Biden. It was a sign both of his diminished status in the race — he’s no longer the solo front-runner, having ceded ground to Ms. Warren — but also evidence that attacking Mr. Biden hasn’t served his rivals well when they’ve tried.
The toughest moment for Mr. Biden came when the moderators pressed him on his son Hunter Biden’s work in Ukraine. When no candidate pressed him on the topic, it faded from the discussion after Mr. Biden delivered a garbled and wobbly explanation.
Mr. Biden, as is his custom, at times wandered away from the question at hand. During a monologue about tax rates, he bemoaned the size of the field and the relatively brief amount of time allotted candidates to answer questions.
He was strongest when on offense against Ms. Warren. But it was a telling sign that his rivals tried to present themselves as a Biden alternative by contrasting themselves with Ms. Warren instead of Mr. Biden. She. not the former vice president, looked like the candidate to beat on Tuesday night.
Sanders calms concerns post heart attack
Senator Bernie Sanders addressed his health after a heart attack at the debate.
Senator Bernie Sanders addressed his health after a heart attack at the debate.CreditTamir Kalifa for The New York Times
He railed against billionaires. He pitched “Medicare for all.” He tossed out his campaign URL. He said “damn” — twice.
It was vintage Bernie Sanders on Tuesday — and that was a relief to his supporter and advisers two weeks after the 78-year-old suffered a heart attack.
“I’m healthy, I’m feeling great,” Mr. Sanders said as the debate approached the two-hour mark. But by then Mr. Sanders had made that case with his performance, dueling with Mr. Biden over their ideological differences and thrusting his arm into the arm to seek more airtime.
“We are going to be mounting a vigorous campaign all over this country. That is how I think I can reassure the American people,” Mr. Sanders said when asked about his health.
When Senator Cory Booker interjected with a joke that Mr. Sanders also supports medical marijuana, Mr. Sanders did not hesitate with the retort, “I’m not on it tonight.”
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He may not have won over new supporters, but he looked like the same old Bernie Sanders. For this debate, that was more than enough.
Buttigieg’s biggest night yet
Mayor Pete Buttigieg addresses expanding the Supreme Court.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg addresses expanding the Supreme Court.CreditTamir Kalifa for The New York Times
For months, Mr. Buttigieg has been satisfied to make most of his points at the debates without scoring them at the expense of his rivals. That ended Tuesday.
Mr. Buttigieg sparred sharply with former Representative Beto O’Rourke on guns. He rebuked Representative Tulsi Gabbard on foreign policy. And, most notably, he engaged in the most substantive and sustained contrast of any candidate yet with Ms. Warren.
It was Mr. Buttigieg’s exchange with Ms. Warren over “Medicare for all” that was most memorable, pressing her as she declined to say, yet again, whether her plan would require a middle-class tax increase. (She says her plan would curb middle-class “costs.”)
“A yes or no question that did not get a yes or no answer,” Mr. Buttigieg said, adding, “Your signature, Senator, is to have a plan for everything. Except this.” He rattled off how her plan would “obliterate” the private health insurance of 150 million Americans while pitching his “Medicare for all who want it” alternative.
Mr. Buttigieg’s rebuke of Mr. O’Rourke — “I don’t need lessons from you on courage” — may lend itself more to a viral moment. But the bigger leap was to be seen as a foil to Ms. Warren.
It felt at times on Tuesday as if the sprawling 12-person stage had actually narrowed to a four-person debate, with Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders representing the left, and Mr. Biden and Mr. Buttigieg representing the center-left. The occasional television shot of just those four served to hammer home the point.
Booker and Harris settle for staying out of fray
Senator Cory Booker and Senator Kamala Harris speak on women’s healthcare.
Senator Cory Booker and Senator Kamala Harris speak on women’s healthcare.CreditTamir Kalifa for The New York Times
Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris were not the main course on Tuesday. They were the palette cleansers. Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris both came into the debate struggling for support and attention. And it was apparent by the end of the first hour that they had adopted a similar game plan: seeking to rise about the fray and food fight unfolding around them while punching at President Trump.
“Tearing each other down because we have a different plan is unacceptable,” Mr. Booker said. He had been the first candidate to castigate the media for asking Mr. Biden questions about his son’s work in Ukraine.
At one point, Ms. Harris aired a complaint that women’s advocates have pressed for months: the lack of questions about abortion. “This is the sixth debate we have had in this presidential cycle. Not one word with all of these discussions about health care, on women’s access to health care. It’s outrageous,” Ms. Harris said.
On Tuesday, both Ms. Harris and Mr. Booker hit Mr. Trump harder on foreign affairs than any rivals onstage. This is not a new strategy. Ms. Harris focused on Mr. Trump during the last debate, too. And for two candidates who have punched their ticket to November, this was a bloodless way to sell themselves without much risk on a crowded stage.
No game-changing moments for low-polling candidates
The 12 candidates take the stage at the Democratic presidential debate.
The 12 candidates take the stage at the Democratic presidential debate.CreditTamir Kalifa for The New York Times
The sixth night of Democratic presidential debates delivered three hours of discussion but no signature moments and little likely to be remembered when the primaries and caucuses begin in February.
The most contentious exchanges — between Ms. Warren and Mr. Buttigieg, and then again between Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren — were intermittent, spaced throughout a debate that by obligation had to include seven candidates who haven’t sniffed 5 percent in a poll in months.
With so many low-polling candidates obligated to get speaking time too, the debate meandered through exchanges with Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. O’Rourke and Mr. Castro, each of whom faces long odds to appear at the party’s next debate on Nov. 20 in Atlanta. The billionaire investor Tom Steyer was there too, though, in his first debate appearance, spent more time introducing himself to Democratic voters than he did making a case why he’d be better than anyone else onstage.
While exposing the divisions between the party’s factions, the most taut moments of contrast served more as an example of what is to come once the field shrinks.
Shane Goldmacher is a national political reporter and was previously the chief political correspondent for the Metro Desk. Before joining The Times, he worked at Politico, where he covered national Republican politics and the 2016 presidential campaign. @ShaneGoldmacher
Re: 🗳️ RE's Live Report on the Demodope Debate
I watched about half of it before giving up, for many of the same reasons. I thought Liz did OK in spite of the crab-pot mentality of the rest of the candidates.
Your observations about Mayor Pete are indistinguishable from those of a republican ratfucker. But given the lack of agency and personal fragility of most American males, you probably have it right. Imagine a Buttegieg campaign in a general election as a target for the spiritual heirs of Donald Segretti.
Quote from: Surly1 on October 16, 2019, 04:17:33 AM
It's not that hard to think like a Repugnant. It's not the most complicated brain to visualize. They're not the brightest bulbs in the box.
🗳️ 'I am back': Sanders tops Warren with massive New York City rally
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/466539-white-house-staggers-after-tumultuous-48-hour-hours
'I am back': Sanders tops Warren with massive New York City rally
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduces Sen. Bernie Sanders at campaign rally
By HOLLY OTTERBEIN
LONG ISLAND CITY, New York — Bernie Sanders one-upped Elizabeth Warren.
In his first rally since he suffered a heart attack, the Vermont senator delivered a speech Saturday to a crowd his campaign estimated at 26,000 people, the largest number any Democratic presidential candidate has drawn this year. And he was joined by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the star liberal congresswoman who made her endorsement official onstage.
It was a triumphant moment for Sanders, coming after his hospitalization triggered questions about his candidacy. The crowd apparently eclipsed the more than 20,000 people that Warren's team said attended her September rally a few miles away in Washington Square Park, as well as the estimated 20,000-plus at Kamala Harris' campaign kickoff in January.
Against the backdrop of the Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing development in the nation, Sanders railed against President Donald Trump, income inequality, racial disparities, status quo politics and the economic elite.
“A few miles away from here, people on Wall Street make unbelievable amounts of money and live in incredible and ostentatious luxury,” he said, “while right here, across the street from us, people are struggling day after day just to survive.”
He also assured the crowd that he is equipped to be president despite his recent health setback.
“I am more than ready to take on the greed and corruption of the corporate elite and their apologists. And I am more ready than ever to create a government based on the principles of justice,” Sanders said.
“To put it bluntly," he added, "I am back.”
Ocasio-Cortez, his “special guest,” described Sanders as an iconoclast who has consistently fought for economic and social rights, especially when it was unpopular.
“When I was a child that relied on CHIP so that I could see a doctor, Bernie Sanders fought for a single-payer health care system,” she said. “When the federal government decided to discriminate and abandon my queer family and friends, Bernie Sanders was putting his career on the line for us.”
Ocasio-Cortez said Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign “fundamentally changed politics,” and that he has pushed Democrats to embrace Medicare for All and reject corporate donations. Her appreciation for Sanders has only grown since she arrived in Congress: “Every trick in the book, psychological and otherwise, is used to get us to abandon the working class.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement delivered a much-needed jolt to Sanders’ campaign. Sanders had been eclipsed in national and early-state polls by Warren even before his heart attack, and his health scare brought unwanted attention to his age.
Even worse, Warren has cut into his support among young people and liberals, two key voting blocs in his coalition.
But Ocasio-Cortez’s nod has sent the unmistakable message that the battle for the left wing of the Democratic Party is not over. Both Sanders and Warren had been courting Ocasio-Cortez for months, meaning that his gain is indisputably her loss.
“There are few more notable endorsements on the Democratic side than AOC’s,” said Rebecca Katz, a progressive consultant who advised Cynthia Nixon’s left-wing gubernatorial campaign in New York. “This is a real shot in the arm for Bernie and helps energize the base.”
Sanders’ aides believe that Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement will not only excite his current voters, but also broaden his appeal among young voters, people of color, and women who are not yet behind him. She is expected to campaign for him soon in the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa.
“She has broad approval across the Democratic Party. People really find her very compelling in how she talks about the issues,” Faiz Shakir, Sanders’ campaign manager, told POLITICO. “She extends Bernie Sanders’ argument and reaches many of the same people with her core message, but her background and language may make her able to reach additional people.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), another member of the so-called “Squad,” also said this week that she is endorsing him. A third member, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), is expected to back him soon as well, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Sanders’ advisers said Ocasio-Cortez and Tlaib’s endorsements demonstrate the multiracial working-class movement that he is building.
“They are the symbol of the diversity the senator has always had, but not gotten credit for,” said Nina Turner, Sanders’ campaign co-chair.
Though Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement certainly prevented a raft of negative headlines that would have been written if he’d lost her support to Warren, political insiders and even some of Sanders’ allies are skeptical that it will help him pull in new voters.
Jonathan Tasini, the author of "The Essential Bernie Sanders and His Vision for America" and a national surrogate for Sanders in 2016, said the Ocasio-Cortez fans who weren’t already with Sanders “could fit into a booth at the local diner.” Omar’s nod, though, might have more clout, he said.
“I doubt any single endorsement ever changes the nature of a race,” he said. “I’d wager that Omar’s support, though less flashy in the media sphere, is more significant if one is thinking, ‘How does this expand Bernie’s voting base?’”
Sanders was off the campaign trail for nearly two weeks before returning to the stump on Tuesday for the Democratic debate. He delivered what was widely considered to be a strong performance in Ohio.
Cat Fight of the Decade ! Gabbard v. Clinton
What else can be said about such a reprehensible public figure and serial loser as Hillary Rodham Clinton?
Really, has there ever been a more despicable and shamelessly malevolent individual in the U.S. political history?
The recent comments Clinton made about Tulsi Gabbard are just so foul and repugnant that it’s time for her to be removed from the American political scene for good.
http://stateofthenation2012.com/?p=130323
Re: Cat Fight of the Decade ! Gabbard v. Clinton
Quote from: azozeo on October 24, 2019, 11:07:04 AM
Hell, yes. His name emerges from the lips of most Americans every day. I despise the Clintons, as my record here will indicate, but better a dozen Hillaries than one Dump.
And I have steadfastly refused to jump into the pile-on-Gabbard hobby of most of the left, but I have been doing my due diligence. the more I read the less I like her.
🗳️ Warren and Sanders race to out-left each other — and moderates are terrified
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/25/warren-sanders-progressive-race-056903
Warren and Sanders race to out-left each other — and moderates are terrified
The two have mostly avoided direct conflict, but their one-upsmanship on a flurry of policies speaks to growing tensions between their campaigns.
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
By HOLLY OTTERBEIN and ALEX THOMPSON
10/25/2019 05:08 AM EDT
Updated: 10/25/2019 07:43 AM EDT
When Bernie Sanders unveiled his education plan a few months ago, he proposed tripling so-called Title I funding for schools. No top Democrat offered anything more generous — until Elizabeth Warren this week called for quadrupling the spending.
That's just a taste of the tit-for-tat between the two: In August, Warren unveiled a plan calling for 40 percent of corporate board members to be elected by rank-and-file workers. Last week, Sanders raised her, saying it should be 45 percent.
In February, Sanders reiterated his proposal to increase Social Security benefits by about $110 a month for low-income seniors and boost cost-of-living adjustments for all recipients. To which Warren countered: No, it should be $200 a month — for everyone. And after Warren unveiled her signature wealth tax for fortunes over $50 million and estimated it would raise $2.75 trillion over the next decade, Sanders, not to be outdone, proposed a wealth tax that he said would bring in $4.35 trillion partly by lowering the threshold to $32 million.
If these seem like distinctions without much meaning to critics — since even the least ambitious of these plans would require liberal Democratic majorities in Congress to pass — they’re all part of the contest between Sanders and Warren to be recognized in the Democratic primary as the lead champion for progressives. At the same time, the war over white papers has terrified moderate Democrats, who worry that a race to the left will damage the party’s chances of defeating President Donald Trump — even as it electrifies the base.
"This is exactly the primary we should be having,” said Alex Lawson, executive director of the advocacy group Social Security Works. “When candidates compete to release the boldest policies, everyone wins — except the billionaires.”
But the escalating ambition and price tag of the proposals has also been turned into ammunition for Sanders and Warren’s more moderate opponents, such as former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
“When candidates compete to release the boldest policies, everyone wins — except the billionaires.”
- Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works
“The stakes of defeating Donald Trump and the assaults on our values he commits daily are too great for our primary to devolve into who can sacrifice our policy advantages in a general election the fastest,” said Biden spokesman Andrew Bates.
Warren and Sanders regularly dismiss such criticism and argue that the dearth of big ideas is what caused the party to lose the White House to Trump in the first place.
From criminal justice to campaign finance to foreign affairs, the policy skirmishes between Sanders and Warren have touched on nearly every big topic in the primary and broadened the debate among Democrats. For instance, along with Sanders, several candidates endorsed the idea of a wealth tax or said they were open to it after Warren rolled out hers.
Sanders and Warren have largely avoided direct conflict on the campaign trail, and neither campaign provided a comment for this story. But the policy feuds speak to growing tension between the two candidates below the surface.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo
Sanders and Warren have also used the liberal plans to elevate their candidacies at critical moments in their campaigns. Warren kicked off the tit-for-tat when pundits were writing her off for dead at the beginning of the primary. She outflanked Sanders in the spring by outlining her student loan debt proposal and wealth tax. At the time, Sanders had said he would “substantially lower” or “eliminate” student debt, but hadn’t revealed a specific proposal. Likewise, Sanders had suggested a wealth tax as a way to pay for “Medicare for All” in 2017 and expressed support for it in a 1997 book, but had no official plan.
Sanders, meanwhile, has used his plans to get to Warren’s left as she has slowly overtaken him in most national and early-state polls. For instance, he has cast himself as the candidate with the “most comprehensive” climate change plan. Warren rolled out a green manufacturing plan and other climate proposals that together total about $3 trillion. Sanders’ “Green New Deal,” released in August, would invest $16.3 trillion.
Sanders’ allies argue that he was the original candidate who transformed the debate in the Democratic Party by popularizing Medicare for All, free college education and a $15 minimum wage in his 2016 campaign.
Warren’s supporters similarly say that she shifted the Overton window on student loan debt cancellation by calling to eliminate $640 billion of debt in April. Sanders later put out a plan to get rid of all $1.6 trillion of it. He also proposed canceling all medical debt. Then this past week, after Sanders called for universal school meals, Warren proposed forgiving K-12 student breakfast and lunch debt.
Even when the one-upmanship has flown under the radar, it has addressed issues that could be important to activists, labor unions and elected officials being courted by the two candidates.
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Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren. | Scott Olson/Getty Images
In his criminal justice policy, Sanders proposed that mandatory minimum sentences should be scrapped, whereas Warren suggested Congress should “reduce or eliminate” them. Sanders would also ban the use of facial recognition technology in law enforcement and put an immediate moratorium on “algorithmic assessments” — controversial tools used to predict how likely a defendant or incarcerated person will reoffend — until an audit is conducted. Warren would establish a task force to examine facial recognition and algorithms.
Even as some of the more moderate candidates criticize Sanders and Warren’s proposals as unrealistic and politically damaging, the jockeying between the two shows how much the Democratic Party has changed since 2016, when Sanders was the sole unabashed progressive in the race. In fact, left-wing activists and insiders see 2020 as the first presidential race in years featuring two bona fide progressives, creating a competition the likes of which they’ve never seen.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Rebecca Katz, a New York-based progressive consultant. “What their campaigns are doing is they’re allowing people to have real, substantive discussions about very detailed progressive policies and discuss the merits and really dream big.”
The wealth tax is a telling example, said Mike Konczal, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. There is no divide among progressive leaders over whether to establish it; the only disagreement between Warren and Sanders is over how much to tax.
“In every policy world, there is a much more progressive vision than the status quo before it,” he said. But in this primary, Konczal added, “It’s moved at such a rapid pace, it’s hard to keep track of. It’s sort of amazing."
🗳️ Why the Democratic superdelegate whispers are starting again
Should be the best Free-for-All since the '68 DNC.
http://www.youtube.com/v/ddrKLqpH5AA
Why the Democratic superdelegate whispers are starting again
The dynamics of the race could prevent any one candidate from seizing insurmountable momentum from the early nominating states.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren talks with potential voters in South Carolina on Saturday. | Sean Rayford/Getty Images
By DAVID SIDERS
Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren are holding steady, Bernie Sanders is bouncing back from his heart attack and Pete Buttigieg is springing to life in Iowa.
After months of consolidation, there are signs the top tier of the Democratic presidential primary may be expanding, leaving Democrats to confront the prospect of a lasting, multi-candidate contest that could drag on long into next year.
“I think it will be a brokered convention,” said former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who said he came to that view within the past month, after seeing “Warren’s rise, and Sanders staying where he’s always been … and, I think, Biden’s steadiness.”
Richardson’s outlook remains a minority view. But it highlights the implications of a field still stacked with a handful of highly organized, well-funded candidates — and a race that remains unsettled in ways that could prevent any one candidate from seizing insurmountable momentum from the first four nominating states.
Saturday marked 100 days until the Iowa caucuses, and still three candidates — Biden, Warren and Sanders — are polling above 15 percent in national surveys. Buttigieg, meanwhile, hit 10 percent in the latest Quinnipiac Poll — and 13 percent in Iowa, according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll. And Amy Klobuchar, who is suddenly drawing new interest, on Thursday became the ninth candidate to qualify for the November debate.
James Zogby, a Democratic National Committee member and longtime president of the Arab American Institute, a Washington think tank, said, “I don’t see anyone emerging early or late with 50 [percent] plus.”
He said of the convention, “I think it will be [contested].”
Polls show former Vice President Joe Biden is trouncing his competitors in South Carolina. | Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Conventions are contested far less frequently than the quadrennial ventilations about them would suggest. But the Democratic primary field this year is historically large, and the race is unsettled in ways that could diffuse momentum any one candidate might gain from an early state victory.
Warren eclipsed Biden in some polls in Iowa and has an advantage in New Hampshire, while Biden is trouncing his competitors in South Carolina. Buttigieg’s prodigious fundraising is allowing him to make a late push in Iowa. Nevada remains wide open, and Sanders’ competitors believe he has a floor of 15 percent — enough to secure delegates — in nearly every state.
Even the two-person contest in 2016 between Sanders and Hillary Clinton was not called until June, and the conclusion of that race was aided by early superdelegate commitments to Clinton — the endorsements from members of Congress, DNC members and other top party officials who made up about 15 percent of delegates to the national convention that year.
In 2016, the effort to sign on party leaders was a major feature of Clinton’s early campaign, in which she pressed superdelegates to pledge support to her — and announced support from hundreds of superdelegates — as early as summer 2015. By November of the year before the election, the Associated Press was tabulating that Clinton had secured more than 350 pledges of support from superdelegates, a number that carried into the primaries and colored news coverage the race.
This year, superdelegates have been relegated to a backwater. The Democratic National Committee elected to strip superdelegates of much of their power, but just as important, the idea of influential party insiders playing a significant role in the nomination carries a negative connotation among the grassroots . And with Biden and several senators running, many superdelegates have been more hesitant this year to commit.
If the nomination is contested at the convention, their ballots could become critical. Superdelegates are allowed to vote on the second ballot at a contested national convention.
Biden, the former vice president, appears to carry the most establishment support, leading in endorsements among governors and members of Congress. But the differences between candidates' high profile endorsements are measured this year not in hundreds, but in dozens or fewer. And superdelegates can freely switch their allegiances.
William Owen, a Democratic National Committee member and Biden supporter from Tennessee, said he fears that if the nomination remains unsettled by the time of the national convention, “we will look like a dystopian Hunger Games auction,” with delegates trading support for appointments and other political favors.
Owen said the current primary “would certainly lend itself to not having a clear nominee by June of next year.”
“It just looks to me like relatively stable polling,” he said, adding that in addition to Biden and Warren, “Mayor Pete is picking up some speed … and now Bernie’s back and he has plenty of money.”
Owen said he urged Biden’s advisers this summer to begin developing a second-ballot strategy for the convention. But while most major candidates have said they are cognizant of or are tracking superdelegates, the effort is nowhere near as prominent as it was in 2016.
Zogby, a Sanders supporter, said, “We will at some point start talking to people, but it isn’t happening now.”
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Ed Rendell, a former Pennsylvania governor and one of Biden’s most vocal supporters, said he can run through any number of scenarios in which Biden, Sanders or Warren could reach 50 percent before the convention.
However, he said, “If you’re operating under the theory that Buttigieg could really become a factor, then there’s no chance — with four of them drawing significant number of delegates — there’d be no chance that there wouldn’t be a brokered convention.”
A plausible scenario, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee said, is three or more candidates “splitting up the first 20 states or so, which means it’s going to be hard for any one of them to have 50 percent.”
Even lower tier candidates may upset the math, with proportional allocation of delegates in large Super Tuesday states encouraging some candidates to remain in the contest. Harris could win delegates in California that day, even if she does not carry the state. And former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s campaign has repeatedly pointed to his prospects in his home state of Texas, despite his weak national polling and the fact he has yet to qualify for the November debate.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s prodigious fundraising is allowing him to make a late push in Iowa. | Sean Rayford/Getty Images
One DNC member who declined to be identified said that if the early states become a “hodgepodge” with different winners, “If I were one of those candidates, I would stay until the very end. If you’ve won one, and it doesn’t look decisive, why get out?”
Jeff Cohen, co-founder of RootsAction.org, an online activist group that supports Sanders, said he has been speaking with other progressives about the possibility that Warren or Sanders enters the convention ahead of “a more corporate candidate” such as Biden “and the superdelegates go behind the corporate-oriented candidate who is in second place.”
“I don’t think it could stand,” he said.
“It’s likely that no one candidate will get 50 percent pre-convention,” Cohen said. “But I think it is likely that Bernie and Warren together will be over 50 percent, and that’s the goal of many progressive Democrats.”
The uncertainty surrounding the primary — and the various flaws of all of its candidates — has resulted in a sense of uneasiness throughout the party in recent weeks. Intraparty sniping can wound a nominee, and an elongated contest would delay Democrats’ ability to turn resources to the general election.
But Kelly Dietrich, founder of the National Democratic Training Committee, which trains candidates across the country, said a longer primary could also prevent Republicans “from trying to pigeonhole or define the opponent early.”
He suggested an extended primary, meanwhile, could bolster Democratic engagement in later-voting states, and he said it is a “distinct possibility that we have three or even four different winners in the first four primary states.”
“I think chances are it’s going to be a long primary,” Dietrich said.
🗳️ Court throws out North Carolina's congressional district maps
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/court-throws-out-north-carolina-s-congressional-district-maps-n1073081
Court throws out North Carolina's congressional district maps
The ruling said that the maps were "drawn in violation of our North Carolina Constitution."
Demonstrators protest against gerrymandering at the Supreme Court on March 26, 2019/Evelyn Hockstein / The Washington Post via Getty Images file
Oct. 28, 2019, 2:46 PM AKDT
By Pete Williams
North Carolina cannot use the existing maps for its congressional districts in next year's elections, a state court ruled late Monday, declaring them to be invalid partisan gerrymanders.
The ruling was a victory for state Democrats who lost a battle when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that such challenges were beyond the authority of federal courts to referee. So the fight resumed in state court, citing violations of North Carolina's constitution.
A three-judge panel of state judges issued an order Monday barring state officials from using the current map for the coming elections, including the March presidential primary. The panel stopped short of ordering the legislature to draw new maps but said disruptions could be avoided "should the General Assembly, on its own initiative, act immediately and will all due haste to enact new congressional districts."
The ruling said delaying the primary could reduce voter turnout and increase the cost of the election. But it said, "those consequences pale in comparison to voters of our state proceeding to vote, yet again, in congressional elections administered pursuant to maps drawn in violation of our North Carolina Constitution."
The legislature designed the current maps in 2016 after a court declared the congressional district boundaries to be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. But the new maps were drawn to ensure the partisan breakdown of the state's congressional delegation: Ten Republicans and three Democrats.
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In 2016, a Republican state legislator involved in the process, Rep. David Lewis, said "I think electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats," adding at the time that he drew the map "to help foster what I think is better for the country."
In their lawsuit, the challengers said the map may be "the most extreme and brazen partisan gerrymander in American history." The legislature limited the ability of Democrats to elect the candidates of their choosing by concentrating them into just three districts and diluting their voting strength in the remaining ones, the court concluded.
The state court earlier this year struck down the boundary lines for state house and senate districts on similar grounds. The legislature declined to appeal and instead redrew the maps in time to meet the court's two-week deadline.
The Supreme Court's ruling in June declared that partisan gerrymandering cases were off limits for the federal courts. But it nonetheless said state courts could consider such challenges. Some justices were stinging in their criticism of North Carolina's map and a similar gerrymander in Maryland. Such blatantly partisan moves, said Elena Kagan, "debased and dishonored our democracy, turning upside-down the core American idea that all governmental power derives from the people."
Pete Williams
Pete Williams is an NBC News correspondent who covers the Justice Department and the Supreme Court, based in Washington.
Killary sez... "God put her on Earth to be Da' Prez", BAHAHAHAHAH
Hillary Clinton thinks ‘God put her on earth’ to be president, former Bill Clinton adviser says !
Despite a failed run at the presidency in 2016, one former adviser to Bill Clinton reckons Hillary is waiting in the wings for another try in 2020, claiming “She feels like God put her on the earth to do it.”
Speaking to New York talk radio host John Catsimatidis on Sunday, Dick Morris said that Hillary Clinton is likely eyeing up Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, expecting the former vice president to drop out so she can take his place as the Democratic establishment’s chosen candidate.
“My feeling is that she wants to,” Morris said. “She feels entitled to do it. She feels compelled to do it. She feels that God put her on the Earth to do it. But she’s hesitant because she realizes the timing is bad.”
https://www.rt.com/usa/472060-hillary-clinton-god-president-adviser/
Divide and Distract: If Donald Trump Wins the Election He Loses, But if He Loses the Election He Wins (part 2/3)
Started by Guest Geopolitics
by monsta666
Spelling & Grammar Gestapo Errata
Started by RE « 1 2 » FAQs
by RE
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The winless run has hit five for Sporting Kansas City after the club was unable to break down another bunkered, shorthanded defense in their 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy last night at Children's Mercy Park. After a 3-0 start to the season, Sporting has now gone 1-4-2 over their last seven games to see them fall well down the standings in MLS. With that fall, Peter Vermes made some changes to the lineup for the game against the Galaxy and even went to a new formation to try to get more out of the team. Vermes played all three of the club's healthy center backs, and seemed to go from a three man back line to a four man back line depending on whether KC was defending or attacking. If KC had three in the back it was Sporting's three center backs. When they switched to four in the back, Seth Sinovic and Graham Zusi took over the outside back positions with Nuno Coelho sliding up into the holding midfield role.
The formation switched paid off for Kansas City as they came out and controlled the game against the Galaxy, but really failed to test goalkeeper Brian Rowe. Finally in the 30th minute though KC found a way through the Galaxy defense. A long ball by Matt Besler was knocked into the path of Brad Davis by Zusi, the left footed winger dribbled at his defender before cutting inside to his left foot where he curled a shot around Jelle Van Damme around Rowe and into the far side netting, a beautiful finish by Davis to put KC on top 1-0. Kansas City kept up the pressure but was unable to add to their lead. The inability to capitalize on their possession came back to bite them in the 40th minute when a quick counter by the Galaxy led to the equalizer. A poor header back by Benny Feilhaber was picked off and Gyasi Zardes immediately raced up field before playing a ball over the top to Giovanni Dos Santos. Dos Santos took a shot touching the ball into the box and then softly chipped the ball over an on rushing Tim Melia and into the net to tie the game at 1-1.
With the game tied again it set off a flurry of activity for Kansas City in front of the LA goal but they were still unable to find a second goal. Feilhaber and Ike Opara both missed good chances on goal from inside the box, putting efforts wide of the posts as the teams went into the half tied at 1-1.
The second half continued to be more of the same for Kansas City as they pushed forward and kept the Galaxy pinned back for the most part. Kansas City though couldn't get through their defense and get a good look at goal. The game changed further in KC's favor in the 69th and 70th minute where Galaxy defender Ashley Cole picked up a pair of yellows in a matter of a few seconds. The first came as Cole was getting ready to take a throw in. He took longer than referee Chris Penso liked and the referee handed him a yellow card. Seconds later after the throw in Feilhaber won the ball and was heading towards goal when Cole came sliding through, getting the ball but putting his exposed studs right into Feilhaber's ankle. Penso went to his pocket again and produced a second yellow for Cole giving him his marching orders.
Up a man for the fourth time this season Kansas City kept up the pressure but remained unable to break down the Galaxy defense. Over the final 20 minutes KC couldn't manage a single shot on goal during that stretch, in fact KC recorded just three shots in those 20 minutes, two of which were from distance and blocked away. In the end KC again couldn't take advantage of the man advantage and ended with a 1-1 draw with the Galaxy
Wizards Man of the Match - Jimmy Medranda - The Colombian has had himself a good run of games with Kansas City this season. After playing the Swope Park Rangers first game, Medranda has pretty much been a fixture for Sporting KC and has been making the most of his time too. He's been dangerous on the wing and has caused plenty of trouble so far.
Player Ratings - Melia 5, Besler 6, Opara 6, Coelho 6, Sinovic 6, Espinoza 7, Feilhaber 6, Zusi 7, Davis 6, Dwyer 4, Medranda 7. Subs Mapp NR.
Labels: Brad Davis, Jimmy Medranda, LA Galaxy, Sporting KC
I'd rate Feilhaber a 5. He's not creating chances. Also Zusi put in a lot of work, but was ineffective on offensive end, rate him a 6. Liked the changes to get more of the better players on the field. Goal scoring still an issue. Would have liked to see Rubio on the field with Dwyer
Ky said...
I keep patiently waiting for the chances to start coming; it looked like we had that with Nemeth. In spite of all the talent we have on the pitch, we really are not generating the offensive production necessary. We can applaud work rate, but when it does not produce, it is a wasted effort (poor Jake Peterson is a shining example of that).
rigitrite said...
That last 20 min looked like we were trying to open up spaces and create a crafty beautiful goal. Yeah....well there ISN'T any space to open up. LA had that goal bunkered! At that point, you just keep hammering stuff into the box and hope to get a favorable rebound. I fail to understand how this has happened two games in a row.
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CHINA 2 (1) - (2) 3 ENGLAND
Yi Bo 27 (F) Alex Danson 12 (F)
Ye 40 (F) Lucilla Wright 29 (F)
Crista Cullen 55 (PC)
England women opened their World Cup campaign with an important victory over China in Madrid - re-establishing their lead twice after equalisers from their opponents.
Slough's Alex Danson and Olton's Lucilla Wright both saw their first-half goals cancelled out before Leicester defender Crista Cullen, making her 50th international appearance, scored the winner from a penalty corner.
The Chinese, ranked fifth in the world, finished second only to Olympic gold medallists Germany in July's Champions Trophy and posed a tough test for Danny Kerry's side.
England contained China's early energy - although they needed some help from the umpires when Ma Yi Bo's ninth-minute penalty corner conversion was ruled out after going in off a team-mate's body.
England struck in the 12th minute when Cullen's free-hit created a goalmouth scramble from which Danson was able to capitalise.
Another Yi Bo penalty corner brought China's equaliser in the 27th minute, her drag-flick beating goalkeeper Beth Storry to her right.
But England restored their advantage two minutes later when Wright drove into the 25, combining with Danson to create panic in the defence and then following up to slot home the second.
The lead was intact until five minutes after the interval when a free-hit was deflected past Storry by Ye.
There followed a period of Chinese domination before Danson stole the ball off Yi Bo, rounded two defenders and fired in a good shot which was saved.
Midway through the second half, China were reduced to 10 and England seized their chance, Cullen flicking in a 55th-minute penalty corner.
A late scare saw a goalmouth scramble cleared to safety by the England defence, before Danson missed the chance to seal the victory by shooting wide.
Coach Kerry was pleased to get the World Cup off to a winning start.
"China are one of the world's best teams and they wanted to come out and attack - and that suited what we wanted to do," he said.
"It was good to get our tournament up and running."
England now face world number ones Holland on Friday (1300 BST).
England: Storry (GK), Wooding, Cullen, Clewlow, Grant, Richardson, Wright, Walsh, Bimson, Herbert, Williams. Substitutes: Ellis (Doncaster), Rogers, Walker, Danson, Ellis (Ipswich). Did not play: Roberts (GK), Walton.
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Reportedly, the national highways building authority NHAI is in talks with Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to raise around Rs 25,000 crores through the sale of bonds this financial year, a senior official said. It would be as a part of its long term funding arrangement with the insurer.
On Friday, NHAI chairman NN Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of an event, “We are in talks with LIC to raise around Rs 25,000 crores this financial year.” He further added that the NHAI and LIC had previously held initial discussions on the funding arrangement. “LIC has agreed to fund at the current subscription for the next 5 years,” Sinha told.
Sinha mentioned that the maturity period of the bonds will be for 30 years and the coupon rate is yet to be worked out. The move to raise funds comes as the highways ministry faces stiff targets to raise funds outside of the budgetary allocation of Rs 36,691 crore for FY 20.
Read EquityPandit’s
Bondsbudgetary allocatioNfunding arrangementLICmaturity periodnational highways building authorityNHAI
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Drivers in Italy brace for two-day nationwide petrol station strike
The Local Italy
06 November 2019 in Fuel Retailing Europe
Drivers in Italy have been warned to fill up their gas tanks ahead of a two-day strike this week affecting every petrol station in the country.
Italian trade unions have confirmed the planned two-day petrol station strike will go ahead from Wednesday until early on Friday morning. Unions said the strike action will affect all fuel stations on roads and motorways across the country, including on toll motorways.
Stations will close 6am on Wednesday 6th November and the strike will continue until 6am on Friday 8th November.
The action hasn't been called by disgruntled gas station employees, but rather by petrol station owners and managers reportedly angry at measures being brought in by the government, including the introduction of electronic invoicing, which they say “increase bureaucracy without having any value in the fight against illegality or fiscal infidelity.”
Drivers are being advised to fill up their tanks ahead of the strikes and avoid long journeys during the strike action where possible.
Tags: Fuel Retailing Europe
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Thierry Escaich, Composer and Organist - Official Website
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
By Escaich Thierry
In Presse gauche
Thierry Escaich Composer Portrait concert / BBC National Orchestra of Wales, cond. Franck Ollu
“Such is [his music’s] energy and buoyancy that the listener is carried irresistibly in the flow. To counterbalance this apparently unstoppable force, Escaich concerns himself with structure and, in characteristically French fashion, also explores the colour and timbres of sound, with sometimes cataclysmic peaks.”
Guardian, January 2015
CD Organ Concerto No.1
Liège Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Pascal Rophé with Olivier Latry / Escaich Organ Concerto No.1 (Accord)
“His concerto exploits the full sonic and colour ranges of the orchestra and organ in this thrilling three-movement work, the second rising to an awe-inspiring climax only topped by the shattering coda of the finale.”
Gramophone, September 2014
In Presse centre
Orchestre de Paris, cond. Paavo Järvi / Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony No.3 / BBC Proms
“Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony (No.3) is becoming quite a Proms favourite — this was its third performance in the past six years — and with the mighty Albert Hall instrument in full-throated voice for the finale, it’s not hard to see why. It wasn’t until the last stages, however, that Paavo Järvi let his Orchestre de Paris off the leash, allowing soloist Thierry Escaich to pull out the stops, leading to a roof-raising ending.”
Evening Standard, September 2013
“With Thierry Escaich at the organ, the pomp and circumstance of the finale brought the house down.”
Guardian, September 2013
CD Les Nuits hallucinées
In Presse droite
Les Nuits hallucinées / Orchestre national de Lyon, cond. Jun Märkl (Accord/Universal)
“La Barque solaire with organ is an exhilarating race for organ and orchestra, in which the organ, played by the composer himself, melts into the symphonic material to pulse and beat with the flow of the music…the entire symphonic poem with organ weaves its own path, brought inevitably by its necessary interior: a strength which the writing conveys as a strong and impressive wildness, until its final explosion which resounds like a triumphal note.”
Classique News, mai 2011
“This is surely this year’s most significant contemporary music release…In listening to these three new works, each as successful as the other, one can recognise the essential qualities of Escaich’s music; the originality of his harmonies, the richness of his orchestration and an unerring understanding of shape.”
L’Express, mai 2011
• Thierry Escaich, A LITURGY OF ANXIETY, by Jean-François Zygel
• Thierry Escaich, MUSIC FOR THE EAR, by Gérard Condé
• Thierry Escaich : l'orgue, « Une machine pour exprimer DES FORCES TEMPÉTUEUSES »
Dossier « Orgue » dans La Croix, 18/12/2009
• Thierry Escaich improvise sur le FAUST de Murnau : l'art d'accompagner les films muets
Libération, 29/07/2008
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Home > Get involved > Our stories > Emma – Senior Section
Emma - Former Scottish Youth Parliament Representive
Morag Anna – Brownie
Mhairi – District commissioner
Rosy – Brownie leader
Heather – Rainbow
Emma – Senior Section
Heather – Flexible guiding
Julie – Growing Guiding
Jill – County commissioner
Sam – Assistant outdoor adviser
Maria – Guide
Ruth – Guide leader
Kirsten – Brownie
Lauren – Queen’s Guide
Natasha – The Senior Section
Lorraine – Parent volunteer
Joining for girls
Emma Rattray, 16, was one of two Girlguiding Scotland Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs).
She was elected to the parliament, which exists to give young people a voice on issues they care about, by our youth forum, also known as Polaris (which is currently undergoing a name change). She championed young people’s voices to decision-makers during her two-year term of office.
Emma, a ballet, yoga and running enthusiast, started off in Girlguiding Scotland as a Rainbow and has stuck with it ever since. She’s now a member of The Senior Section and a Rainbow leader in Clackmannanshire – and says she can’t imagine life without guiding!
“Being a part of Girlguiding Scotland has given me access to so many amazing opportunities, as well as the chance to meet people from all over the country.
“Since joining Rainbows at the age of five, my confidence and social skills have only grown with me as I’ve grown older.
“I have grown up with guiding as a huge part of my life and I can’t even imagine a world without it!”
So what’s been the highlight?
“My favourite guiding memory is attending Girlguiding’s leadership event Camp CEO.
“I met a bunch of awesome people, some of whom of whom I still keep in contact with today, and learnt great skills such as speed networking, mental toughness, public speaking and using social media.
“We also got the chance to work one-to-one with a female CEO, who helped us think about our careers in the future, and try out teambuilding activities like off-road 4×4 driving and quad biking.”
Twitter: @EmeRats
Find all the latest news from Girlguiding Scotland members, volunteers and supporters here.
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Goodnight, Neverland!
Interview – Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club September 21, 2010
A little while back I got to interview Dave Monks. He was a cool person. I know I say that a bunch, but it’s honestly always surprising to me. I get all ready for people to be dicks and rock stars that even after all this time it boggles my head that most are just people. Strangers with wives and children, as a bard said.
Think about your accomplishments in high school. Tokyo Police Club took a slightly different path. Honour society, pep squad and Model U.N. are all noble bullet points, but they lack the panache of “rock star.” It’s doubtful your secondary school career sent you vaulting onto record store shelves on the legs of infectious anthems and hooky romps, and it’s less likely that ring put you on David Letterman around the time you walked the stage to grab your diploma. That said, their latest record, Champ, feels like the first step in a fruitful adulthood for the band.
“Each record we’ve made was under really different circumstances. I feel like we’ve arrived somewhere more sustainable,” says bassist and lead singer Dave Monks. “They’re just the result of the environment we wrote it in,” he continues, recognizing the differences between albums, “as opposed to conscious decisions. Maybe we made conscious decisions to change the environment. But not the music that was the result.
“We had written (the first albums) in sort of a vacuum. There was no outside pressure,” Monks explains. “It was just us doing our thing. The next one came within all that, and those pressures reflected onto the record. I think Champ is the first time we cut some space out for ourselves.”
No one would accuse Tokyo Police Club of not being fun, and in some ways they up the ante on Champ. Tracks like “Bambi” and “Big Difference” clip along with the band’s trademark velocity and “Favourite Food” and “Favourite Color” explore catchy, inscrutable lyrics (with subject matter including Ike and Tina Turner, and the nostalgia of old movies played at max volume), a feat for a band that once wrote a stunningly casual song about robots. All of this on tracks that flirt with a previously-unheard-of four minutes, a sign of a reckless youth now a little further behind them. “Elephant Shell was a way more thought out record. It was kind of uncalled for, really. We’re just trying to feel it more than think it. I’m really proud of it.”
Tokyo Police Club grew out of adolescence with Champ. But can enthusiasm trump the transition from hobby to career? Monks seems unfazed. “It is a job. A job that I love.” The success and romance wears thin at times, but Monks understands that comes with the territory. “You totally fall into that trap sometimes. When the touring keeps going and you don’t really get time off, it becomes the main focus. I try to make sure I’m not in that zone when I’m writing. Even if that means not writing a note for six months.” It’s something necessary for the process, he says. “You just have to trust that you’ll get back to that place where it’s just an outlet for other things going on in your life.”
Being globally recognized rock stars at such a young age has been the narrative of the band since its inception and has always begged a question likely posed to child stars of other media: was this part of the plan? “We had always been in a band together. That was the plan: be in a band forever.” After high school, college was a fleeting feature of their lives. “I think I was at McGill for, like, a semester. I really wanted to give the band a shot. I turned nineteen and the record came out.” Monks knows his twenties are atypical, but his resolve speaks to the effort easily seen on Champ.
“I just want to be able to do this.”
1 Comment on Interview – Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club
Tags: beatroute, dave monks, interview, tokyo police club
Categories: Official Works
Review – Champ by Tokyo Police Club June 14, 2010
The following was originally published in Beatroute Magazine. I like TPC, and I like this album. Adam Cristobal does not. He called this album lame. My head is filled with confusion.
Tokyo Police Club is a band haunted by it’s moments of greatness. Between the EP standout and de facto theme song “Cheer It On” and definitive tracks like “Your English Is Good”, it would have been all too easy to make their latest a retread of well formulas established on a couple of well received productions. The sad part is that while Champ represents a ton of excellent steps forward in the songwriting chops of the band, there may be elements of their fanbase opposed to this advance.
The Tokyo Police Club school of songwriting thus far has been to lay down a series of fuzzy hooks and energetic phrases to create moderately danceable songs that stand pretty much on their own, islands unto themselves. Champ does not fully reject the lessons learned doing so, but seems to badly ache for some sophomore maturity. The result is a more cohesive, dependent set of songs coming together to form Tokyo Police Club’s first satisfying full album experience. Tracks such as “Hands Reversed” take their time and represent a little a calm on the album, where “Boots of Danger (Wait Up)” provides a pop answer to such leanings, a trend that repeats on Champ. Avoiding any kind of sleepiness, they dial up the synth and speed on “Big Difference” and “Not Sick”, the latter finding new life in guitar theories examined heavily on Elephant Shell.
The vigor here not gone, it’s just different than their previous work. Champ lacks the kind of recklessness seen on the Smith EP and A Lesson In Crime, but is no less potent. They’re taking a breath and taking their time and are better off for it. Fear not though, because with “Favourite Colour” and “Bambi” effectively flanking first single “Breakneck Speed”, there is more than enough to satiate the craving for fun summer indie rock Tokyo Police Club has made a career out of providing.
Comments Off on Review – Champ by Tokyo Police Club
Tags: beatroute, cd review, champ, elephant shell, tokyo police club
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The Wraith to release debut full-length album “Gloom Ballet” on November 29th 2019
Submitted by newseditor on Wed, 10/09/2019 - 14:42
Los Angeles-based dark punk band The Wraith will release their Mat Mitchell-produced debut full-length, “Gloom Ballet”, through Southern Lord Recordings on November 29th, 2019. The label this week unveiling the album’s track listing, cover art, and new details on the album. The news comes just days ahead of the band’s performance at LA Dark Fest this weekend.
The Wraith’s “Gloom Ballet” delivers twelve infectious tracks drenched in the band’s 80s UK post-punk (Death Cult, Killing Joke, Chameleons) and SoCal deathrock (T.S.O.L., Samhain) influences. Recorded by Pucifer guitarist/producer Mat Mitchell, “Gloom Ballet” was mastered at Audiosiege by Brad Boatright (From Ashes Rise, Tragedy, Alaric) and the artwork was handled by Rebecca Sauve.
“Gloom Ballet” will see release through Southern Lord on November 29th, 2019. See the track listing and artwork below and watch for audio premieres from “Gloom Ballet” to be issued in the days ahead.
1. Ballad of Aeon
2. Wing of Night
3. Prevail
4. Toil
5. Of the Earth
6. Pyro
7. Piano Interlude
8. Devil’s Serenade
9. I Expire
10. Gift of Suffering
11. Barbed Wire
12. Cannot Die
The Wraith will perform at LA Dark Fest this Saturday, October 12th with Only Theatre Of Pain (Rikk Agnew of Christian Death), Joe Wood (ex-TSOL), Meldamor (Dave Parley from Prayers), Deth Crux, 13th Sky, Detoxi, and more. Watch for additional tour dates to be issued shortly.
Live Show 2019:
10/12/2019 The Viper Room - Los Angeles, CA @ LA Dark Fest [info]
The Wraith was founded by imposing frontman Davey Bales, formerly of Virginia peace-punks Lost Tribe, and Alvis shortly after they separately washed up in Los Angeles. Their irresistibly distinctive sound – skeletal basslines and tribal beats propelling Alvis’ textured swathes beneath Bales’ poetic, anguished bark – immediately gained a following, with homemade demo Comatic Romance racking-up thousands of YouTube views.
Convulsive, chaotic West Coast shows honed the songs that became The Wraith ’s lauded 2017 EP, “Shadow Flag”. A couple of videos and line-up changes later – the band is now completed by Belgian drummer Jef Pauly and Brit bassist Paul Rogers – their evocative songwriting and pure-punk authenticity earned the ear of Mat Mitchell, who has worked with Love And Rockets, The Flaming Lips, Meat Puppets, King Crimson, and more.
Kaz Alvis – Guitar/vocals
Davey Bales – Vocals
Jef Pauly – Drums
Paul Rogers – Bass/vocals
www.facebook.com/TheWraithPunk
www.instagram.com/TheWraithPunk
atmospheric rock
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Tamara Adams is a full time artist who has been painting for over 20 years. She exhibits her work in juried art events and galleries throughout the Pacific Northwest. Tamara’s stunning and colorful acrylic paintings of children and women and her interpretations of contemporary traditional iconography pay tribute to the strength, mystery and beauty of her female spirit. The values and concepts she reflects in her work are meant to inspire people from all walks of life to a deeper spiritual connection. With a wide range of artistic influences, she draws much of her inspiration from culture, mythology, religion, and spirituality. While exploring her divine potential and her own beliefs through art, healing practices and writing, Tamara has created a powerful vision of women and thousands of sacred images that are a true blessing to her clients. She believes that encountering the divine can be as simple as a moment of quiet contemplation and these moments are what she wants to create through her art. Art Lovers from all walks of life have embraced and supported her work.
A Native Oregonian, Tamara is a painter and mixed media artist who continuously evolves. She relies heavily on her imagination, without reference books or models and few outside influences. For her, painting has always been her way to escape the ordinary aspects of her life. She began painting exotic themes long before she had been exposed to Rivera, Gauguin and other great artists. Doing what she loves and believing in the power of art is what comforts and enriches her soul. Her portrayals of women are reflective, whimsical, and warm.
Bountiful Garden
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France Is Free: Anaïs Nin and Ernest Hemingway on the Liberation of Paris, August 19, 1944
by Maria Popova
“One is stunned before catastrophe, one is stunned by happiness, by peace, by the knowledge of millions of people free from pain and death.”
On August 19, 1944, the Liberation of Paris commenced, marking the beginning of the end of World War II in France. Six days later, on August 25, the occupying German garrison surrendered. That week, in a journal entry found in The Diary of Anais Nin, Vol. 4: 1944-1947 (public library) — which also gave us Nin on the meaning of life, why emotional excess is essential to creativity, how our objects define us, and how inviting the unknown helps us live more richly — the beloved diarist and reconstructionist breaks out of her usual contemplative lyricism and explodes with gorgeous, unfiltered human exuberance over the end of one of history’s greatest inhumanities:
Liberation of France!
JOY. JOY. JOY. JOY. JOY. JOY. JOY. JOY. JOY.
Such joy, such happiness at the hope of war ending. Happiness in unison with the world. Delirious happiness.
At such times we are overwhelmed by a collective joy. We feel like shouting, demonstrating in the street. A joy you share with the whole world is almost too great for one human being. One is stunned before catastrophe, one is stunned by happiness, by peace, by the knowledge of millions of people free from pain and death.
August, 1944: American soldiers watch as the Tricolor flies from the Eiffel Tower again. (Image: National Archives)
That same day, Ernest Hemingway — who had been living in Paris as one of the Lost Generation’s famous expats, among whom were Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald — waged a different kind of liberation effort. The Ritz hotel and its famed bar, which Hemingway had come to love as a home and an idyllic drinking spot during his pre-war reign in Paris, had been co-opted as the quarters of German generals in 1940. So, on this fateful August day, Hemingway — arguably the world’s best-known living writer at the time — donned a steel helmet, mounted an army jeep in the dirt roads of the French countryside, and led his small private army as they set out to “liberate” the Ritz.
From Ernest Hemingway: Selected Letters 1917-1961 (public library) comes this missive Papa sent to his soon-to-be fourth wife, Mary Welsh, offering a much grittier but no less emotionally charged account than Nin’s:
On nineteenth [of August, 1944], made contact with group of Maquis who placed themselves under my command. Because so old and ugly looking I guess. Clothed them with clothing of cavalry recon outfit which had been killed at entrance to Rambouillet. Armed them from Div. Took and held Rambouillet after our recon withdrawn. Ran patrols and furnished gen [intelligence] to French when they advanced. They operated on our gen with much success. Entered Paris by Etoile and Concorde. Fought outfit several times. They did very well. Now very tired. Fortunately in phase of advance Rambouillet Paris had official war historian with us. Otherwise everyone would think was damned lie. Most operation chickenshit as to fighting. But could been bad. Now have rejoined division but have to try to write piece tomorrow. Then will put my people under div orders. Very fine peoples. But temperamental. . . .
I was very scared twice when we were holding (sic) screening, or simply furnishing contact is word, that town with 15 kraut tanks, and 52 cyclists as opposition. Some of the patrols we made would scare you worse than Grimm’s Fairy Tales even if there had been no Krauts [ed: What Hemingway called the Germans]. We checked on tanks with bicycles. Would like to drag down but guess will have to let things ride.
August, 1944: Ernest Hemingway in France with Col. David Bruce at the far left and unidentified companions. (Image: Ernest Hemingway Photograph Collection, JFK Library, Boston)
After a few lines of almost incongruously placed romantic flirtations, Hemingway returns to the war and adds:
Have strong feeling my luck has about run out but am going to try to pass a couple of more times with dice. Have been to all the old places I ever lived in Paris and everything is fine. But it is all so improbable that you feel like you have died and it is all a dream.
(As charmingly deranged as all of this may be, of course, it comes as wholly unsurprising given Hemingway’s penchant for sorting out his emotional vulnerabilities with shotguns.)
Complement with Henry Miller, Nin’s longtime lover and literary confidante, on war and the future of humanity.
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7 Things I Learned in 7 Years of Reading, Writing, and Living
How to Find Your Purpose and Do What You Love
An Antidote to the Age of Anxiety: Alan Watts on Happiness and How to Live with Presence
Why Time Slows Down When We’re Afraid, Speeds Up as We Age, and Gets Warped While on Vacation
How to Be Alone: An Antidote to One of the Central Anxieties and Greatest Paradoxes of Our Time
20-Year-Old Hunter S. Thompson’s Superb Advice on How to Find Your Purpose and Live a Meaningful Life
Fail Safe: Debbie Millman on Courage and the Creative Life
Great Writers on the Creative Benefits of Keeping a Diary
How to Worry Less About Money
Famous Writers on Writing
What Is Love? Notable Definitions from 400 Years of Literary History
The Daily Routines of Great Writers
Albert Einstein on the Secret to Learning Anything
Carl Sagan on Science and Spirituality
John Steinbeck on Falling in Love: A 1958 Letter
The Shortness of Life: Seneca on Busyness and The Art of Living Wide Rather Than Living Long
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Shatta Wale’s Plea Rejected…
Follow @ghfilladotne in Showbiz / by Ghanafilla / on November 14, 2014 at 6:27 pm /
The fate of dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr, popularly known in showbiz as Shatta Wale, is in the balance as Charter House Ghana has refused his overtures to go through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) over his GH¢10 million defamation suit.
Shatta Wale had filed a motion that would enable the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) to amicably solve the matter between him and Charter House instead of battling the case in court.
But briefly after the hearing of the case at an Accra Fast Track High Court yesterday, counsel for the plaintiffs, Egbert Fabille Jnr, told journalist the case would go the full hog and that Charter House is not in for an out-of-court settlement.
While wondering why Shatta Wale is now afraid of the court, Mr Fabille Jnr said Charter House prefers that the matter be solved to its logical conclusion at the court.
The case was adjourned to Monday December 1, 2014.
Charter House and Mr Iyiola Ayoade, CEO of the company, had sued the reigning Ghana Music Awards’ Artiste of the Year for a series of what they said are defamatory videos he (Shatta Wale) had uploaded on social media site, Facebook, on September 23 and September 24.
As a result, the court presided over by Naa Adoley Azu recently granted an order from the plaintiffs restraining Shatta Wale from making further defamatory remarks about events outfit Charter House.
They are consequently petitioning the court to awardGH¢10 million as damages for the defamatory comments made in the four videos that the artiste had uploaded on his social media platform.
The plaintiffs, among other things, are asking the court to order Shatta Wale to record and upload four different videos, render “an unqualified apology and [a] retraction of each of the four videos, whose terms would be approved by the Plaintiffs prior to the recording and uploading on his Facebook page.”
Charter House and Mr Ayoade are also asking the court for an “order of perpetual injunction retraining the Defendant, his agents, hirelings, manager(s), privies and assigns or any person through him and howsoever described from making and/or repeating the defamatory statements or similar statements in the nature of the ones complained in the video recordings.”
Source: Daily Guide
I Don’t Perform Live Band Because Of Samini ...
Stonebwoy mocks Shatta Wale – Calls him R...
Our Family Hates Cheating – Shatta Wale̵...
Dancehall Is Not A Joke Thing – Shatta Wale
Shatta Wale's Plea Rejected
Shatta Wale Flaunts New House (PHOTO)
Shatta Wale And Charterhouse Case Adjourned Again
PHOTOS: Meet Shatta Wale's Chick
Shatta Wale welcomes baby boy
Shatta Wale Blasts Dancehall Artistes In Ghana
Tags: shatta wale, Shatta Wale's Plea Rejected...
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Wiyaala To Perform At Queen Elizabeth’s 90th Birthday Party
Follow @ghfilladotne in Showbiz / by GhJoy.Net / on April 20, 2016 at 9:10 am /
The British High Commission has confirmed on its official twitter handle @UKinGhana that Wiyaala will be performing to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday at The British High Commissioners residence in Accra on Thursday 21st April.
Jon Benjamin, the British High Commisioner, who is known to be a big fan of the Upper West singer, also added on his twitter handle that Wiyaala will be singing both the Ghanaian and British national anthems as part of her performance with the Djimba World Band.
Queen Elizabeth is the world’s oldest reigning monarch since being crowned Queen of England and the British Commonwealth in 1952. In 1961, she visited Ghana despite the spate of bombing incidents in Accra protesting the rule of Kwame Nkrumah. The Queen attended many staged events and did original walkabouts whilst meeting organised groups of women, children and people from all walks of life.
Queen Elizabeth never expresses her opinion on politics in any public forum, but on religious issues has demonstrated support for inter-faith relations and is on record as saying “To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”
Wiyaala rose to recognition in 2012 when she took first place in the Vodafone Icons reality show alongside her group Black n Peach. Now an established solo act famous for startling live performances and costuming of her own design, she will shortly embark on her first full European tour including a performance at the world famous WOMAD International Arts Festival in the UK.
Wiyaala, Reggie N Bollie Promote Ghana Tourism in ...
Samini and Sean Paul to share the same stage at SX...
Photos – Wiyaala And Rocky Dawuni Perform At...
Photos+Video: Stonebwoy, (@stonebwoyb) Shatta Wale...
Photos from Rita Dominic's birthday party
Yvonne Nelson's Birthday Look
Photos: DKB’s Birthday Party (DKB @27)
Celeb Birthday – 2face Idibia Celebrates Birthday Today
Yvonne Nelson Chills On Birthday
Ghana UK Olympics Party
Tags: perform, queen elizabeth 90th birthday, wiyaala
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[IC] Curse of Strahd Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Strahd
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Thread: [IC] Curse of Strahd Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Strahd
2019-08-08, 06:03 AM (ISO 8601)
- Top - End - #1
Firbolg in the Playground
A dark wind howls over the lands of Barovia. A land cast into eternal twilight, where the sun never truly shines, and you feel being watched, constantly. Trees twist into almost humanoid forms, the wildlife is unpredictable and hostile, and the Barovian people are a downtrodden people, made to endure.
Spoiler: Daishain
A month passed since the happenings at Death House ever since Salasar sacrificed himself against Lorgoth the Decayer. Ever since Maria, a genius wizard but still a child, vanished in the dungeons of the manor. You feel eerily reminded of your own loss. Salasar chose his fate, and bravely at that, allowing you to escape but Maria was taken.
Your fellow adventurers decided to press on against the vile fiend Strahd, as your wife pleaded for you to stay. And so you ultimately did. Whether you pleaded with them or said farewells, it did not matter. They left and you haven't heard anything of them since. To take your mind off matters, you decided to speed up your latest project. If anything living can be enchanted by a vampire, if anything with flesh can be ripped apart by wolves, you decide to go for stone. As the ancient protectors of old, gargoyles have ever loomed above any dwelling of significance. Whether they are hostile or inviting depends on the perception of the viewer, but you are no sculptor. Gladly your old friend Donavich, the abbot of the local church of the Morninglord granted you access to one of these statues. The gargoyle was in disrepair, its wings broken off but you did what you could with the remains.
Sadly animating it would cost you the Thunder Core placed in your cannon which made it inoperable so you had to use your old musket for defense for now. Before you're almost finished, you hear of new travellers in town. It was said one had goat legs and horns, but people feared interfering would incur the Dark Lord's wrath.
Spoiler: Sprocketbox
There you were, sitting in an irradiated tavern, being served by a frog. You should be dead or at least a leper gnome by now but something suspended the flow of time in here. So actually you were not being served but merely sitting in front of the frog, eternally waiting for service, or for the timelock to go away. You saw a few people playing magically animated cards in the corner, with the orc's face being red with anger while the smug elf was about to drop another card on the table.
That's when an eery mist filled the tavern and a hooded wanderer sat next to you. They waited for service a few precious moments before waving a hand in front of the barkeep's eyes. When they realized nothing was going to happen, the wanderer left, in a roiling cloud of smoke. Seeing as you doubted your luck, they beckoned you into the portal, as you felt being almost ripped apart by arcane and fel (?) energies.
You awoke a few moments later on the cold ground amidst a road leading down to a particularly downtrodden looking village. You dust yourself off, your robes having seen better times, their brilliant colors dampened by the very presence of this god forsaken place. You feel immediately reminded of Duskwood and Darkshire. And if anything you would not like to meet an angry worgen after an experience like that.
As you enter the village, you see a few people, looking just as depressed and gloomy as the town itself. You barely catch any attention but a few people look and point at you, but mostly keeping to themselves. As you look for a proper tavern, people point you towards the Blood of the Vine tavern.
Spoiler: Orvin
You heard rumors of a graveyard in the woods being haunted. Wary at first, you quickly warm your heart for a young maiden whose wish was for you to accompany her to escort her to the grave of her father. You know how it feels to loose family, and even if you would have expected treachery you would have helped regardless.
As you arrive, you see an eery thick mist enveloping the graveyard. You do not think of it as much, the woods are pretty damp. Maybe fate itself provides the proper environment for a candlelight vigil. You do not know if her father was of proper faith or not, but you trust in Kelemvor to judge his sould accordingly. As you close your eyes to display honoring the dead, a cold wind chills you to the bone. As you open them again, you are on an open plane, surrounded by mist. The graveyard is gone, and for a few moments you wonder if you are already being called by Kelemvor himself. You stumble through the thick fog in search of something, ANYTHING, as you see a raven circling above. It seems you should follow it, and you do. It leads to into the woods again. You orientate yourself and find yourself on a hill overlooking a particularly gloomy town. Not the town you left from. As you go down the road, you feel your god is even more distant than usual, his powers almost non existant. You still feel his divine spark within you but it is not as comforting if it is anything. You look for a tavern, and you find the Blood of the Vine Inn.
Spoiler: Cayden's Company
A few weeks pass ever since you stopped the Cold Rider. Hab, Therin and Hatuk are busy managing the newly acquired shelter for the girls abused by Kabran, mostly protecting them from direct assaults by thugs. Nafisa has told you the girls are eager to work again, if they can choose their own clients now, and Therin and Hab proposed adding in a bar too. A name's still pending but Cayden's Cabin is a hot contender. But trouble is still brewing. A sprite encounters you one day, bringing news from Syntira. The Consortium's lackeys are starting a new logging camp directly at the heart of the Darkmoon Woods. Leaving half of your team back to protect the girls, Kouran, Clover and Drastia decide to investigate before rushing to stop the operation. After all, logging in the woods is technically legal. As you approach the camp, you feel an eery chill going down your spines as you hear howling. You decide that a pack of wolves is no match for you but Drastia adds in that a pack of wolves would not attack humans this easily. But then a humanoid shape jumps from shadow to shadow, a thick mist encroaching you. You are surrounded, one furry humanoid circling you, no, seven. But you are seasoned warriors, with magical items aplenty. You form a defensive circle, with Drastia invoking the powers of nature. But it seems the fog is draining its magic away. Clover shoots an arrow and hits, but the arrow merely deflects from the wolf's thick fur. As Kouran tries to pierce the closest one's fur, you see that you are outmatched. You see a small cabin crudely made out of wood a few paces away. You take a sprint. Gladly at least Drastia's spell takes effect, even if a bit late. Vines entangle two of the predators which another three are stopped but rip the plants apart. You reach the cabin and lock its door. Drastia touches the door and let's it meld with the rest of the house, leaving no opening for the beasts to enter. You hear snarling outside, scratching and even the blunt thumping on every crevice. The sounds dampen out, as the evening goes on, and eventually you feel confident enough to open the door, again with a bit of magic. As you exit, you find yourself amidst woods. Different woods as Drastia informs you. Filled with eery energies. As you descend the hill you now stand upon, you see a small dreary town, but it is not Falcon's Hollow. In fact, you don't seem to be in the Darkmoon Vale at all anymore.
Of course your instinct is to go to a tavern, and the only one in town, the Blood of the Vine, invite you inside.
As you enter the tavern, the barkeep invites you to sit down. There is not much space so you have to share your table with a few foreigners. [you all sit together, I assume Kyran as the local is just arriving. Describe yourselves.]
Playing: Curse of Strahd 5e
Characters: Adalbert, Halfling Scholar; Oko, Half-Elf Fey Sorcerer; Zigvaz, Goblin Warrior
Out of town 31. Dec - 2. Jan
2019-08-08, 06:43 PM (ISO 8601)
Daishain
Troll in the Playground
Re: [IC] Curse of Strahd Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Strahd
Kyran gulps down some water left for him by his wife as he puts his tools up. Every stranger to this place was an opportunity, perhaps this time would differ from the last. Donning his overcoat, he steps out of his workshop and makes his way to the tavern.
Slipping through the door, Kyran settles himself into a corner, preferring to observe the newcomers rather than engaging directly. Those who look in his direction see a dark haired man, approaching middle age. He wears a long leather overcoat and a wide brimmed hat, well suited to warding off the mists native to these lands. Pockets festoon the garments underneath, and the faint clinking of tools can sometimes be heard when he moves.
Spoiler: Image
"No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main... Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee." -John Donne-
Guides, tables, and other useful tools for 5E D&D
Chromascope3D
Bugbear in the Playground
Across the spiraling sea.
"Rather gloomy town, this." Clover notes to his companions. He is tall and swarthy, taller than most, mainly on account of his legs. For, you see, instead of two fleshy ape legs, from beneath his torso extend two black goat legs, not dissimilar the unkempt mane above his head. Of course, seated, these are not so easy to notice. What is quite obvious in their stead, however, are the two matching ram horns that sprout out from his forehead, bedecked in a number of trinkets that clink slightly as he moves. He continues, "Even this tavern is melancholy. Looks like we could use a visit from the Reveler, aye?"
My Art!
Kazik - Prologue to the End (IC)
Athaleon
Canada, Pacific Time
"That we could," said one of Clover's companions guardedly. Kouran Veraxian was a tall young man whose hawk-like aspect, lent him by blended elvish features, was marred by obvious worry. His once perfectly-coiffed brown hair was as rumpled as his navy-blue doublet and trousers. His boots were streaked with the remnants of mud he'd tried to remove before entering the inn. Nevertheless his whipcord build, and the way he wore his buckler and rapier—ready to hand even as he sat on the bench—suggested sterner stuff beneath the disheveled finery and shaken visage. "I'll need a good hard dose of the old sacrament, for damned sure."
Kirjath
Orc in the Playground
The door to the tavern swung open once more and in stepped a rather confused looking man wiping a pale, pudgy hand across his brow. His outfit marked him as a simple priest, though the hem was smudged with dirt and grass as if he'd been working in the field. As he moved into the building and let the door close behind him, a faint smell of burnt incense wafted around the bar. It hadn't been easy finding this place, but it seemed Orvin's strange evening was starting to look up. After all, where there was a tavern, there was bound to be at least a few mugs of ale. Before he could place an order, the barkeep ushered him to a table that had a few guests seated at it already. Orvin nodded to them politely before he sat down, the wooden bench greeting him with a heavy creak. He shifted around a bit as he adjusted his weight, and the muffled sound of a bell chime could be heard emanating from his belt pouch.
"I hope I'm not interrupting your evening." Orvin smiled, his accent seemingly out of place from the brief encounters he'd had with the locals in the tavern.
"Well, I think it's evening. Morning? It took me a while to find this village, and it hasn't gotten any darker than when I set out. Or brighter."
That much was a puzzle, as he'd been settling in for an evening at a graveyard just an hour or so earlier. Whatever had happened, it was something far beyond Orvin's capabilities to understand at the moment. He really just needed a good drink and some time to think. Hopefully his money would be good here, or it was going to be a much less interesting evening.
Orvin gave a start as he finally noticed what was odd about the two he'd been seated next to. One of them had horns, very much like a Tiefling, but...everything else was different. The skin color and eyes weren't quite what he'd seen before.
"I...uh...I'm Orvin." He offered after an awkward moment.
Last edited by Kirjath; 2019-08-09 at 02:38 PM.
Kouran looked back at Orvin after a delay, as though lost in thought. "Hm? Oh. Ah, where are my manners? I'm Kouran, and this is Clover, and Drastia. Have a drink with us, stranger. Are you from around here?"
gargoyleking
Dwarf in the Playground
"Well, that's new..."
The voice was right behind Orvin, but when he turned around to see who it was, he didn't see anybody at first.
"Oh, pardon me... down here. I'll be up in just a moment."
The gnome seemed to be inspecting a small crate in front of him as if it'd appeared out of thin air. In fact, he gave it an experimental prod with his staff before deciding it was safe to use. A moment later he had scrambled up onto one of the chairs and stood, only now finding himself at about eye level with the others at the table.
This gnome seemed to be a more acaricature of a gnome than anything. His features were that of a gnome for sure, but exaggerated veyond the norm. While partially bald, his hair was pink in color and seemed to grow wildly out from the sides of his head form sideburns only to meet again in a bushy mustache. His clothing seemed to have been rather outlandish and vibrant of color originally. But most of the color has since faded into more somber tones. With a sudden smile and a twinkle in his green eyes, he bows and introduces himself.
"Hi! My name's Sprocketbox!"
Then he glances back at his chair, snaps his fingers and sits down on a rather plump cushion that seems to have appeared out of nowhere.
OOC:For the observant, the crate dissapears at the same moment the cushion appears. Sprocketbox himself doesn't seem to notice it.
As the hour is apparently still young, most guests are not inebriated enough to feel jolly. Most people here are dressed in some form of dark grey or black, with the barkeep, his maids and a small group of more colorful visitors with instruments.
Spoiler: Kyran
His is the Vistani band Oleg employs on the evenings.
As his girls are pretty much occupied serving all the other tables, a portly man dressed in smudged apron approaches your table with a cheesy smile. Welcome, wanderers, to my tavern. He sits down a pitcher of wine and six mugs. This one's on the house. Come Kyran, come over and introduce these fine people to our lands! What do you want to drink else? Are you hungry? We have a hearty stew on the oven. Now come Kyran, don't be shy. Drown your fears and problems tonight.
Eager to take your orders, he beckons Kyran to sit at the table. Anyone not willing to drink is not singled out, the inn serves grapejuice, root beer and several teas as well. if you want to go for harder stuff, the local Tsuika is a plum brandy.
Oleg offers a few simple linen pillows to Sprocketbox. As he scans the guests, he freezes when seeing Clover and Drastia, his jolly voice going cold. What made you leave your enclave with your pet, elf?
"Oh, thanks, but I've got one already."
Sprocketbox pats his cushion for emphasis. It seems to glow slightly illuminating the area around it faintly.
Then at the comment about elves, the gnome starts and looks at drastia in confusion for a moment. Then he frowns. "You're an elf? But your ears are so small!"
He shrugs and then looks at her again.
"Wait, are you a blood elf?"
- Top - End - #10
Clover looks about, mildly confused, before locking eyes on Sprocketbox, and noting back to the bartender, "Oh, no! He's not with us!"
He turns to the gnome and puts out a hand, "Hello love! Never heard of a blood elf but you have the look of a fellow First Worlder, aye? Never thought I'd meet a fellow in a place like this!"
Last edited by Chromascope3D; 2019-08-10 at 11:45 AM.
"What's a first worlder? WHOA! Satyr? Wait, no you have hands...
Ssprocket box reaches out to shake hands with Clover, assuming that the hand is still offered.
"Sorry, I'm a 'little' out of my world here. Oh! That was a bad one."
Kyran sighs at Oleg's insistance, he wasn't yet sure he wanted to be acquainted with this bunch. They looked more promising than many of the lost souls that the mists spat out, but that didn't mean much. It was easier to leave people to their fate if you never speak with them...
Too late for that though, so he moves up and has a seat, a little bit of stone dust puffing off of his clothing as he does so. "My name is Kyran Petrescu, I'm the local smith. Let me guess, you're not sure where you are. Perhaps mists claimed you, perhaps you simply fell asleep in a different place, or you became lost in a strange wood. One way or another you're not where you expected to be. I am afraid that I have bad news for you, followed by worse news. Welcome to Barovia, land of mists, monsters, and misery."
"The bad news is that you are stuck here, along with everyone else. Barovia is cut off from other lands. Only the Vistani freely travel between here and the world outside, and they are unable or unwilling to take others with them. I cannot say for certain that no one else has ever managed to escape, but I've never met any newcomers who heard about this place from tales told by an escapee, so I suspect not. Even the gods are quiet in this place, their influence thin and inconstant."
"The worse news is that Barovia is ruled by the vampire lord Strahd, has been for so long that no one among the living remembers how that came to be. The mists and beasts of Barovia respond to his will, and the sun never truly shines here. Some people claim that Barovia is cut off from the world by Strahd's will as well, others that it is a part of a curse upon Strahd himself, and the rest of us are just caught up in it. Again, no one is truly certain."
Kyran sets his hat down. The man's face looks... tired, worn with worry and regret. He holds up three fingers and says, "As I see it, you have three choices. One, you could accept the poor luck of the situation, try to settle down somewhere, and hope your luck doesn't get any worse. Most Barovians have had the fight stripped of them a long time ago and they just want to live their lives as best they can, so that is what they do. Two, you could try to escape. Most people who do so end up dead if they don't give up in short order, and as already hinted at, there's no indication that those who just disappear made it out. Three, you could try to do something about this mess. Again, the odds there look bleak. You're far from the first people to have tried, and to my knowledge they have all ended up dead or worse."
Last edited by Daishain; 2019-08-10 at 02:29 PM.
Orvin was about to answer Clover when the small gnome piped up behind him. He quickly scooted over to make room for the diminutive addition to the table, but things were definitely beginning to get a little crowded. And from there, the conversation only got more confusing. Talk of First Worlders, Blood Elves, and strangely named individuals quickly flew right over Orvin's head. Rather than try to jump into the conversation, Orvin was relieved when the barkeep stepped up to serve them some wine; alcohol always did wonderful things for the nerves.
"I'd have one mug of ale, a bit of roasted meat, and a side of salt, if you'd please." He answered as the barkeep asked for orders. At this rate, it was going to be a long evening; one that was best served on a less empty stomach. Orvin listened quietly as the back and forth between the gnome and the horned guest continued, taking the opportunity to pour out some wine into a small beaker he produced from his belt pouch. When that was full, he poured himself a glass of wine before putting the pitcher back and affixing a stopper into the top of the beaker.
At the barkeep's beckoning, a new guest walked over to join their table. The grim-looking man in a long coat affixed them with the same wary gaze that Orvin had seen from a few other villagers before he'd gotten to the inn. However, unlike the rest of the randomly gathered travelers at the table, this Kyran seemed to know a great deal about their current situation. No wonder Kelemvor had felt...distance in the last few hours since he'd entered this place.
"If that is true," Orvin began, taking a sip of his wine and shrugging, "How could I not lend a hand? I am a priest of Kelemvor, maybe I could be of some small service to you. And if I die..."
He glanced down at the glass in front of him, taking another drink before continuing.
"Well, I had a good drink and some...interesting company first. What would you have me do, smith?"
"Strahd is at the heart of this. Whether or not dealing with him ends the curse on these lands, it would be a great act of justice, and end the main source of misery plaguing us. But by the Morninglord's mercy, don't think to just stroll up to his gates and try to knock them down. Most would be heroes who come here try going straight for him, and those attempts have always failed as soon as they began. Several of the people who do that have been seen again, brought back as lesser vampires or zombies, feeding on those they died trying to protect. We don't need more dead heroes."
"To succeed, you'll need weapons and tools suited to fighting this foe, and more than anything else, information. I can help with some of that, I've been looking for an opportunity to act for a long time. But there is only so much I could gather working alone from this tiny village, especially since my neighbors have been... less than cooperative." Kyran shrugs, "I can't blame them on that point, inviting Strahd's attention never turns out well."
"You could start with the Vistani, they seem to know considerably more about the nature of things here than most. They're travelers and traders, they wander about in caravans from place to place. I was never able to get them to talk much, but I'm not the most persuasive of men. you might be able to do better than I."
Spoiler: OOC
DM, if you want me to be your mouth and point the party in a particular direction, just let me know where I should be pointing.
Clover stares blankly at the ongoing conversation, either having had too much to drink or, more likely, not enough. He holds up his hands and exclaims, "Oi oi oi oi! Let's back up just a second here!"
He places his hands down again, "So, Misters Orvin, Sprocket...box...? And Petrescu. Hullo! For clarity and posterity, the name's Clover! These are my compatriots and friends. Yes! I am a satyr, you are correct. Apologies for the assumption, you have a, uh, unique look about you, Mr. Sprocketbox, I had assumed you were a gnome from the First World but I suppose you could be a gnome from this one as well or even a halfling!"
The faun smiles, and begins counting on his fingers, and continues, "So, Mister Petrescu, since you seem to be a local, I should ask you. You said we are in Ba...rovia? Am I correct? This doesn't look like the Vale, but are we still in Andoran?"
Kouran remained grim, but seemed to compose himself a little better as he was filled in on the details. "What a strange turn of events. I had feared for the safety of the town we just left, considering the circumstances, but it seems we're stuck here for the foreseeable future and there is nothing we can do for Falcon's Hollow now." Kouran continued in a lower voice. "Removing a tyrant is a worthy enough goal in itself, and if we can lift a curse and find a way out into the bargain, so much the better." He straightened up again and downed his drink before continuing. "Are we here as penance for our sins, or as a test of faith, or were we merely caught by accident in another wretch's curse? Perhaps wisdom on this matter may be found in, as it were, an altered state of consciousness." With that, he signaled for another drink.
Sprocketbox found himself in a bit of a stupor as the conversation, or perhaps group monologue, washed over him. He seemed only somewhat confused at the description of entrance into the land of Barovia, but was definitely confounded at the word 'vampire'. Then Clover actually admitted to being a satyr and suddenly the gnome was on his feet, staff in hand and seemed ready for a fight.
"So you ARE a satyr? What is the Burning Legion doing here? Working with these 'Vampires'? I won't stand by while demons corrupt another world!"
You seem to cause quite a ruckus and have much of the attention of the tavern placed at your table for now. All the mention of rising up against Strahd and demons and dusk elves scares the people, with the exception of the colorful band preparing a song.
If you don't retreat to your Falcon's Hollow, then you have to abide by my rules, elf. Oleg adds nonchalantly. That includes muzzling that pink haired forest troll from starting a fight. If you want your face kicked in by a goat, kiddo, do it outside. Oleg leans down to Sprocketbox. So, five bowls of stew, an ale and a roast. Coming up. Oleg vanishes, seemingly too tired to tussle.
A few rugged men grumble and then finally the biggest one decides to approach you. He is rather imposing a presence. He has various small scars on his fingers and is of a muscular stature with a husky physique.You are not welcome here, lambs. Our Lord will butcher you like all the rest that try to. He'll bleed you dry, tossing your bodies to be disposed by rats. Don't try anything, and if you ruin my night here...
Ahem! A man with two swords strapped to his side stands up. He carries himself with the experience of a veteran warrior, his steps deliberate, his attention focussed on the trouble maker.
Nikolaj, leave it. That sort of butch behaviour only befits you in your slaughterhouse. The man approaches the table as well. I am Ismark the Lesser, son of the burgomaster. He pauses as if to try and keep composure. Welcome to Barovia. It seems you are determined enough to try and fight the odds. If you had asked me a week ago, I would have congratulated you on your bravery. But now that my dear father is dead, I am not so sure anymore.
You know that two weeks ago, beasts assaulted the village. A pack of wolves, a conspiracy of ravens barged in from both sides of the main street towards the burgomaster's mansion. They were seemingly uninterested in harming anything else, they even avoided harming any wildstock.
Spoiler: Wisdom (Insight) DC 10
Ismark is trying to hold it together though not about to cry, he sounds like he is loosing hope quickly.
Spoiler: Intelligence (Arcana) DC 15
You appear not to be on your plane of existence anymore. What or how you moved here is unclear, and usually gods and divine powers react normally on other planes.
Spoiler: Intelligence (Religion) DC 10
As your connection to your god weakens, you feel another presence, that of two deities whose power you can grasp. One feels like a subdued warming light. The other feels like festering darkness that tries to grasp you, a power that you have to purposely ignore in order for it not to consume you. But you know it looms in your head, in the corner of your metaphorical eye.
Last edited by Spore; 2019-08-11 at 03:54 AM.
Insight: (1d20+4)[21]
Arcana: (1d20+5)[11]
Religion: (1d20+3)[19]
Last edited by gargoyleking; 2019-08-11 at 10:28 AM. Reason: Wrong format
Kyran rolls his eyes as Nikolaj starts spouting rubbish, then looks to the Burgomeister's son as he approaches, "Thank you for that sir."
Looking to Clover and Sprocketbox, he states, "No, you're not in Andoran anymore, I've never even heard of the place. Master gnome, you're not wherever you're from either, and you yourself didn't recognize him, so it follows that what he calls a satyr and the satyrs of your world are not the same. Appearances are deceiving, but this feyling doesn't look or act demonic to my eyes."
"Oi oi oi! Hold up now!" Clover shouts, exasperated, throwing his hands out between him and the enraged gnome, "Now, I'm not sure what a burning lesion is, you might need an apothecary for that, but I know that despite the horns and hooves I'm certainly not a demon!"
He places his hands back down on the table, before launching into his next inquiry, blatantly ignoring the townsfolk, "So, we're not in Andoran. Fair enough. I didn't see any fairy rings but, judging by the scenery, I suppose we could have been whisked away to Ustalav or even Nidal."
He shudders, but recomposes himself. Clearing off a space on the table, he unrolls a map of the Inner Sea and points to a coastal region, continuing, "This is Andoran, where we were. Lovely place, prides themselves on their democratic institutions which I think work most of the time. This here's Cheliax, and Taldor. Does any of this look familar?"
Sprocketbox ignores the barkeep and the disgruntled man, his eyes locked hard upon Clover. He wasn't exactly looking for a fight, but fought against the Burning Legoin for years and was wary of their subtle manipulations as well as their blantant corruption. Eventually, Kyran spoke and soothed his fears sonewhat, and then Clover's own reaction convinced him. Settling down, he finally set his staff on the table, out of his own easy reach and sat back down onto his cushion.
"I appologize. Satyr where I'm from are elves who have submitted to the Burning Legion, or been corrupted by them and turned into monsters. I'll keep this in mind from now on."
After a moment, he looked up to Ismark, and waves him to find a seat at the table. "Sorry, I'm a bit jumpy, two unexpected interdimensional jumps in as many hours and er... this creepy feeling at the back of my head. It's almost as bad as Northrend. But hey, we beat the Lich King in the end. I'll help with this too. Can't build an interdimensional portal with all this gloom and doom rattling around in my head anyways.
Last edited by gargoyleking; 2019-08-11 at 05:00 PM.
Kyran says, "It is understandable sir. This is hardly the most comfortable situation."
"Clover, I am afraid that you have been transported further than you think. Barovia is not on this map, nor on any map you are remotely likely to have."
Wind-Up Citrus
Drastia finds herself disoriented, the entire experience has left her woozy and uncomfortable to say the least.
"I wish I had the confidence to say 'this isn't even the weirdest place I've been too, but that would be a complete untruth." Drastia ignores Sprocket's agitation, it has been a day and paranoia is a common symptom of being in a scary place. She herself knows the anxiety from leaving her own home willingly.
Originally Posted by Daishain
"I don't suppose you have a map to show where Barovia is in this world?"
Last edited by Wind-Up Citrus; 2019-08-12 at 01:41 AM.
I guess it's time for a history lesson, my friends. Ismark throws in before any other ruckus or tumults happen. You see the master of this land, our land, is an ancient evil known as Count Strahd von Zarovich. You were brought here by him, or at least the powers he commands. Not because of some holy mission but just because he deemed you are interesting enough to entertain him in a futile attempt at destroying him. He does that every so often, we have lost count of how many proclaimed heroes Strahd in fact killed. Their souls are said to never be able to leave Barovia and roam these lands forever.
Antagonizing Strahd is a dangerous thing to do, because the Fiend strikes where you don't want him to. Family, friends, he wallows in our despair. So that is why people have difficulty working with wanderers, and why the mere thought of opposing Strahd is so hated.
Ismark smirks. You have some fight left in you. Might I propose you a deal? You help by guarding my father's funeral from any unwanted attendees and I will not only show you the map I have and point you in the right direction. My sister deserves closure and my old man deserves a proper burial.
As a point of reference you are in E15, E 13 is the town square, surprisingly devoid of life or anything resembling a marketplace.
"I've been inside of a giant ship of crystal and metal full of blue skinned people with hooved feet and tentacles growing out of their chins. Nice people actually, they joined the Alliance a while back."
Sprocketbox gives Drastia an encouraging smile and then listens to Ismark speak. Then he grins.
"Oh, he's picked up the wrong gnome this time. I may not have my full power right now, it seems magic doesn't work the same way here as it does back in Azeroth, but I've faced worse odds than this. Now, where do I go to attune my hearthstone?"
The gnome pulls a small brown stone from his pocket with a sigil carved into it. He frowns at it for a moment and then stuffs it back into his pack.
"Eh, guess it's a bit short on power too."
Last edited by gargoyleking; 2019-08-12 at 11:47 AM.
"Summoned by a vampire, for amusement." Orvin mused. "That's definitely a new one."
He couldn't help but be a bit lost as the map of Barovia was pulled out and looked over. He didn't know where or what Andoran was, and this place certainly didn't look like it was anywhere near the Bloodstone Pass. All of this was a bit sudden, but the glass of wine was definitely helping. If what Kyran had said was true, and Orvin had seen no reason to distrust the man, then they were someplace very different; probably through arcane or occult means. The Kelemvorite wasn't skilled in that sort of magic, so there wasn't a lot he could do about their current situation.
Watching over a funeral, however, was something he knew well. Orvin turned to smile at the new guest standing before their table as he spoke again.
"Well, my friend Ismark, I don't intend to give Strahd this satisfaction. If we must lie low, recharge our uh...magics," here he gestures towards the gnome fiddling with a rock. "Then that is fine. I will offer my services again, if you would like me to say a few prayers at your father's funeral. I would gladly accompany you for this vigil."
"I would as well. In fact, if we lie low for a while, I daresay your dread lord may grow bored and forget about us."
"Oh yeah, then when he's least expecting it, sock him in the fangs."
Clover chuckles, raises his mug, and asserts, "Blessings of Cayden!" before downing the pint in one go. Slamming the keg back upon the table, he concurs, "Aye, I love a good funeral! Let's do it! Blessings of Cayden on all!"
Thank you. Ismark bows elegantly. I don't force you all to come but we kind of need two, better three coffin-bearers. My sister can help but she is in shambles.
I will prepare the casket and hope to meet you all in an hour at the burgomaster's house. It is just south of here, down the street. And please, do not agitate Oleg. He is a nice man but the stress took a toll on us all.
With that, he nods at your table and is off. Whatever things you wanted to eat and drink arrive shortly, giving you ample time to discuss the matter.
You can treat this as a short rest. I would like for you to have your spells chosen now and your short rest features properly accounted for and chosen.
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Environment | National | Politics
IREHR: Tea parties, property rights and anti-Indians in Klamath
klamath basin
Posted: Friday, August 3, 2012
"An accord known as the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA), aimed at settling long-standing conflicts over resource and water rights between Indian Nations, farmers, environmentalists and dams in the Klamath River Basin, has been derailed by Tea Party Patriots members in that area, according to a story in the July 18 edition of the New York Times. An IREHR investigation, however, has found that a combination of Tea Party groups, anti-Indian sentiment and “property rights” groups have combined to make a just solution to this dispute difficult. To understand the significance of this story, however, we begin not with the Tea Party but with the Klamath River Basin itself.
The Klamath River is the third largest river on the West Coast, stretching some 263 miles from its headwaters in Southern Oregon's Upper Klamath Lake to south of Crescent City, California. Eight federally recognized tribes call the Klamath Basin their homelands--the Klamath Tribes (Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin) in the Upper Klamath Basin, and, in the Lower Klamath, the Hoopa Valley, Yurok and Karuk Tribes, Resighini Rancheria and Quartz Valley Indian Community. Since time immemorial these tribes hunted, fished and gathered in the Klamath River watershed. Several species of sucker fish are economically and culturally important to Upper Klamath tribes, while salmonids are fished the length of the River.
The roots of the current conflict lie in the pattern of white settlement of the region that trampled indigenous natural resources and rights underfoot. The Bureau of Reclamations' Klamath Project, began in 1905 and eventually irrigated some 200,000 acres of arid lands in Oregon and California. PacificCorp, a subsidiary of Warren Buffet's Mid American Energy, and its hydroelectric dams and agricultural and other development also decimated tribal fisheries. By the 1990s in the Klamath River, two species of sucker fish as well as coho salmon were listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A 2002 die-off of some 30,000 fish in the river dramatized the scale of the problem. The Klamath and Quartz Valley Tribes both faced termination under separate Congressional acts in the 1950s. Though these laws were later rescinded, this added to the uphill struggle of Native peoples in the region.
In pursuit of differing ends, tribes, farmers, environmentalists, PacificCorp, and government agencies have engaged in lawsuits, adjudication, and administrative and legislative maneuvering over tribal fishing and water rights, irrigation contracts, and the application of the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act and Federal Power Act.
Complicating the farmers’ claims to the water, most of the Klamath Basin tribes have federally-recognized fishing rights, while the Klamath, Yurok and Hoopa Valley Tribes have water rights senior to those of the irrigation districts under principles of western water law, and a combination of treaties, executive actions and legislation. Federal agencies have "moral obligations of the highest responsibility" to uphold tribal water and fishing rights, according to court decisions."
Chuck Tanner: Tea Parties, Property Rights and Anti-Indianism in the Klamath River Basin (Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights 8/2)
Hayley Hutt: Dam removal needed on Klamath to restore salmon (7/30)
Tribes in Klamath Basin see restoration agreement go nowhere (7/19)
Donald McCovey: Resighini Rancheria denied say in Klamath talk (7/11)
1 NBA star Kyrie Irving returns to Standing Rock homeland
2 Chippewa Cree Tribe loses bid to silence whistleblower
3 Navajo Nation makes history with solar powered plant
4 'Our home place': Tribes look to protect Black Hills
5 Citizen of Lumbee Tribe seeks answer on Indian preference
• Blog: Learning more about Arizona tribes at the Heard Museum
• IPR: Derek Bailey, ex-Grand Traverse chair, campaigns for seat
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Stories — Comments Off
**ANVIL ROCK: Another Lost Story**
By John Shirley
He stood at the window, looking out at the gray afternoon; the chill sea stretched out, waiting with vast, cold assurance below his cliffside house.
Grigsby had managed not to go to the locked closet for three weeks. He did drugs, he got drunk, he gambled, he chased women. It kept him away from the closet. He knew full well these things were vices; he knew it wasn’t good for him to distract himself that way. But he reasoned that it was better than opening the closet.
Now, standing by the window, his back to the closet—but feeling its pull, which was surely, oh most definitely just in his imagination—he thought about destroying the machine locked within it. But he didn’t move; he didn’t go to the tool shed for the sledge hammer. He simply stood looking out the window. It was winter in British Columbia, and the sea, constrained by the rocky islands of the Sound, shrugged its chill gray body restlessly, thrashing to white spume against the rocks. Very cold, that water would be. Very cold.
Perhaps…he could go somewhere else. Somewhere earlier. But it always happened that he merged with his earlier self, remembering where he’d come from—remembering the future—but able to make only minor changes in the past. So he’d be drawn as if through a sluice to that Spring day overlooking Anvil Rock, though it took years to get there.
Perhaps he might perfect the machine, to go elsewhere…before his birth. Or to go somewhere after his death. But…
But it called to him now.
Try again. This time you can save her. This time…
Strange phrase, that, ‘this time’. In view of…what he’d learned. “‘This time,’” Grigsby murmured. “This time. This time.”
The phone rang. Stopped ringing. Rang again. Stopped ringing. Rang again. Again, again.
It was Sanguelo, of course. He was always very insistent. He would want clarity on the new mine in Santo Miguel. He would want to know if the proper Brazilian authorities had been bribed. Ring. He would want to know if Grigsby were going to supervise the open-pit mine himself. Ring, ring. If the gold assay was indeed confirmed. Ring, ring, ring. If their legal problems had been dealt with…
“Go the hell away!” Grigsby shouted, never turning from the window; his voice rattling the glass.
As if chastened, the phone stopped ringing.
Grigsby snorted. “First time he’s…” His voice trailed off. He gazed out the window.
The key in his pocket seemed to press against his hip. The key to the closet.
Grigsby felt the shift inside him that meant he was going to give in. He wasn’t going to go to Vancouver to find women, to take drugs, to throw money at a card table; to feel himself slowly burning away, like a slow fuse. No. He was going to do something worse. It was worse because it seemed hopeless. Maddeningly hopeless. Because it meant reliving that day.
He was sorry he’d ever funded Kosinksi’s research. “I can take your consciousness back in time. It remains to be seen if your body can go…”
Anybody else would have sent him packing, after mad-sounding remarks of that kind. Many had, in fact—Kosinsky had already tried over a hundred possible funders. Grigsby had been a long-shot—he was interested in funding research into mine engineering, not quantum theory, not time travel. But Kosinski was his wife’s nephew, and he was sentimental about her memory, so…he’d given him some money to work with. And then, a year later, it had happened and he’d gone desperately to Kosinski and then…
He should have shot the bastard, not paid him. But maybe this time…
He sighed, and turned away from the window, walked across the empty room to the closet, and unlocked it. Inside was…
“Hey Dad! Are we going or not!”
Grigsby looked up from his PC to see his daughter, Maria, smiling nervously at him from the doorway. She was an earnest, deeply tanned graduate student—very nearly always, as now, in jeans and work-shirt — with her mother’s long wavy black hair and her father’s blue eyes; and now she had that “There’s something I want to talk to you about” look. She liked to have these talks, always about something she regarded as deeply serious and epochal, in fine restaurants, on the beach, in the back of a cathedral, someplace that seemed to impart drama to the discussion. Today it was a walk along the cliffs near his sprawling house.
It would be her house, one day, he thought. She was his only child and her mother was five years in the grave. If she would just wait for her time—let him be himself while she waited—
“Coming, dad?”
“You bet. We taking a lunch?”
“No, I’m going to make lunch for you on the deck, after. It’s a beautiful day…”
He looked wistfully at his email. Jose Sanguelo had a very urgent tone—was quite disturbed about the bad publicity, the sudden judicial interference in Grigsby Gold Mines Ltd, when all had been so sweetly copasetic with the Brazilian authorities for so many years. Still, it would keep an hour or so.
He stood and looked for his coat—and then saw that she was holding it out to him, smiling.
Yellow crocuses were blooming along the cliff path, waving in the wind amidst new grass. The grass had a fresh greenness, that seemed the very color of innocence. The breakers below were cottony white, in the Spring sunshine, almost the same color as the few wispy clouds in the turquoise sky. A brisk wind whipped their hair, it was true, but there was nearly always a wind here.
“You still seeing that lawyer kid?” he asked her.
His daughter laughed and shook his head. “Oh my God, if he could hear you call him a lawyer kid. He’s thirty one.”
“Just seems boyish to me, I guess. More like just out of college.”
“Because he’s an idealist?”
“There’s being an idealist and then there’s being silly. He always pushes everything too far.”
“Well…he doesn’t, dad. I mean…I met him when he was working with Amnesty International, in Sao Paulo—they’re very established and serious. They’re not some flaky organization. The UN respects them.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t respect the UN either. What was it you wanted to talk to me about? You had that earnest carrying-the-world-on-your-shoulders look.”
She scowled. That face-transfiguring scowl she inherited from her mom. From pretty to ridiculous in a split second. “It’s pretty serious, dad.” She dropped the scowl and stopped at the peak of the cliff, turning to gaze at him, hair whipping around her face. She brushed a few strands from her eyes, squinting in the bright sunlight. “What I carry on my shoulders is my karma—you’ve paid for everything I have with blood money.”
He stared at her. She’d tasked him about his mines before but never so self righteously, so bluntly. “So—would you like to repay me the college funds? Like me to take away the annuity?”
“I won’t be taking the annuity anymore, actually. And you may need the money, for your own lawyers. Dad—” Maria made a sound that was something close to a moan. “I had to help Joel when he—he’s representing the Santos family.”
He felt like he’d been struck by a baseball bat. “Your fiancé is representing the people who’re suing me?”
“The Santos brothers have moved to Vancouver. And…” She licked her lips. “I think I’m getting chapped up here. Maybe we should go in the house.”
“No! Just stay right there and tell me exactly what you mean by you had to ‘help’ him!”
“I…copied some of your files. The money transfers to Colonel Vega. Dad, you paid those soldiers to murder those people so they’d stop talking about the cyanide from the mine—so they’d keep quiet about your company poisoning the village. What was I going to do? I…look, you’re my dad and I love you. I didn’t want to just…screw you over, even for a good cause, from a…like, from a distance. I wanted to tell you face to face what I’d done. I think you should own up to it and…pay restitution. I mean, up here, you’re not likely to be prosecuted for hiring—”
“I didn’t hire anybody to kill anyone anywhere!”
Of course it was a lie. But he had learned that lies work best when you’re deeply insistent, over and over. And he was never going to cop to having anyone killed—especially not to Maria.
“Dad—I know what you did. You were sloppy about the emails. We have the money trail. You paid to kill those people to keep them quiet. And…it has to end. I mean, Joel told me about it and I…couldn’t believe it. I thought of you as tough and conservative and even ruthless but –not without human feelings. I figure you managed to…to forget they were people too, for awhile. I know you have human feelings, dad. You were good to me and mom. Mostly. But…”
“So Joel poisoned your mind!” (Why was he saying that, again? This time…he must remember. The closet. The closet. The future. He must…but it was so hard to believe it, so hard to…)
“Dad—should we go over the paperwork? You made me an officer in the company and I…on that authority I gave it to the prosecutor. Now like I said he won’t be able to—”
“You gave…you let that boy tell you what to think and you turned your own father in…you….” (No! This time he…but he felt so caught up, so angry, so…) “You treacherous little bitch! I ‘m already under investigation for taxes—” All the blue had sucked out of the sky—it seemed white now, with veins of red. The sea seemed to roar in fury—in demand. The wind whined in pity for him—stabbed in the back by his own child…a child he had given everything to!
“I didn’t know that you were under—”
“And now you’re going to help them destroy me! You already have!” (This time, remember—the closet—but the feeling was so strong, so…)
“Dad—it has to stop! It’s a matter of conscience! Someone has to—to stop people like you! I’m so ashamed of our family, of the way we live of—”
That was what did it. Ashamed of our family.
He lashed out, backhanded her, and she staggered for a moment, teetered, and there was a second when he might have, might have, might have caught her. (Now! Remember! The closet, you–)
But then Maria was falling backwards over the cliff, screaming. Falling, falling. Striking Anvil Rock below…And he was looking over the edge, wanting to throw himself after her, but not having the courage.
Seeing the dark red splash around her head, below, diluting to pink when the wave of high tide washed over her…
Then the machine in the closet detected the ‘moment of return’ setting and he was caught up in a vortex, screaming, twisting…stopping.
Swaying in the dusty closet. Sobbing in the darkness.
He fumbled for the door, opened it, stepped blinking out into the room, with only moments having passed from the time he’d entered the closet. The winter light came pale through the window of the barren room; the room that had been Maria’s bedroom.
He closed the closet door behind him and went to the window.
How many times is that? he asked himself. He thought about it. How many times have I gone back?
At least three hundred.
Next time. Next time, the three hundred and first time.
Next time he wouldn’t kill her.
*THE CLOUD OF UNSEEING: A Lost Story*
“No one may leave here,” said the Leader. “We must commune with the great Cosmic Eye. And after–”
“And after,” interrupted Smythe, who had catalyzed this rebellion against the Leader of the Sect of the Cosmic Eye, “there will be more of the same. You will interpret the Eye’s signals in a way convenient to you–as ever!”
There was a murmur of agreement from the sect’s assemblage in the great hall they’d built in the forest. “Wait!” called Luella Fiske, known for her flares of inspiration. “Yes, our leader got lost in vanity and fell into darkness! Let us pray to the Eye and ask if the leader gives us light—or darkness!”
Even as she said it the Eye at the Center of the Cosmos sent its reply: Though bright with noon light, in the next moment the room was plunged into unbroken darkness; an obscurity deeper than eclipse enwrapped them. The Leader yelped in fear, ran gibbering out of the building—and was blinded by the sunshine when he passed out of the pool of black the Eye had imposed.
The others chose to stay in complete darkness, until the Eye should lift the shadow on its own. As the days and nights passed, their other senses became more acute, as if the darkness forced them to subtler feelings, an exquisite sensitivity that slowly allowed them to see again using a light conducted from within, so that the pool of darkness slowly dissolved, and they saw the world once more. Then they went their own way, none of them ever needing a Leader to tell them about the great Eye again, since they each looked on the world with the eye of the Eye…
Reviews — Comments Off
** THE LOVELY BONES**
Movie review by John Shirley
The man who managed to film Lord Of The Rings has chosen to adapt the introspective afterlife novel The Lovely Bones, and once again he’s taken some liberties. But the result is a surprisingly seamless fusion of Hitchcock and Salvador Dali.
As with LOTR, Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Alice Sebold’s Bones is the sum of its aesthetic choices, times the auteur’s vision. Jackson brings a vibrant surrealism and suspense to the adaptation, and it says a lot that he chose Brian Eno to do the music for it. Spoilers below.
The Lovely Bones is the story of young Susie Salmon, who’s murdered by a serial killer, and who then observes the aftermath as a ghost. A girl in her early teens, Susie is compellingly played by the luminous Saoirse Ronan. She observes the grief of her family, and their floundering responses as the police consider every possible suspect but the right one; she experiences an afterlife that seems a strangely logical mix of its own rules and her internal world. (In places it’s a little like a subtler version of What Dreams May Come, without the philosophy-and without a Cuba Gooding, Jr). She resists complete absorption into the next world, drawn back to psychically finger the residue of her own uncompleted life.
The novel’s story is told by the murdered girl. In the book, Susie says: “My murderer was a man from our neighborhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my dad talked to him once about fertilizer.” This voice, as voice-over, usually simple, sometimes penetrating, neatly interlaces and tightens the film’s narration. The use of voiceover is famously a cinematic bugaboo, a chain holding many films back – it mars Kubrick’s otherwise brilliant film noir, The Killing – but occasionally it can work, and here’s the occasion. Saoirse Ronan’s voiceover brings the first-person voice of the novel into the film, so that we feel haunted by her as we watch events unfold. Jackson uses the voiceover just enough, and in just the right places.
We know early on – as in the novel – that Susie Salmon will be murdered, because she tells us so. But somehow Jackson makes us afraid for her anyway, though her doom is a kind of fait accompli from the first. Jackson stretches out the suspense about who does it for awhile, but by the end of the first act you know it’s “Mr. Harvey.” The psychopathic Mr Harvey, a predator who can be just charming enough to be well camouflaged, is played with creepy brilliance by Stanley Tucci – you absolutely know that this character is a guy from your neighborhood who’s very fussy about his flowers, very punctual, lives alone. You accept that he builds dollhouses – perhaps miniature houses is a better description – as a hobby. And somehow his little quirks quite logically dovetail with the fact that he likes to rape, murder, and dismember young girls. We infer we shouldn’t trust people who are too neat, wound too tight, and too charming. Good advice. The scenes where Mr. Harvey stalks Susie, and entraps her in the little pre-adolescent play-chamber he builds, like a dollhouse, under the cornfield – a resonantly symbolic setting – are quite frightening. One knows what will happen, and it doesn’t help. Jackson’s skills at suspense and the elucidation of fear – the bringing of background fear cracklingly into the foreground, at precisely the right moment – are powerfully in evidence.
The afterlife of The Lovely Bones has its various facets, like the Bible’s “many mansions”; there is a kind of dark afterlife bardo feel to part of it, but there’s also the freedom of living one’s dreams, in a light-hearted way, as a fourteen year old girl. Never forget, when Jackson shows you her afterlife, that it’s her afterlife. It’s the afterlife of a girl in her early teens. In one segment that might strike some as a bit airyfairy, there is a Little Prince style planet; there are butterflies and teen-fantasy outfits. She even sees herself fleetingly on the cover of a teen magazine. But this isn’t your afterlife. It’s the afterlife of a girl who had teen heartthrob photos on her bedroom wall. That sequence is not overlong, and it makes sense. And it’s just a portion of her life-after-death – other parts are almost Mordor-like; are certainly fraught with symbol and infused with a living presence, so that we’re never surprised when it responds to psychological impulses from Susie or the mortal world. The scenes in the Next World are often spectacular – and yet they meld potently with the drama of the mortal world.
Susie’s relationship with her father, likably played by Mark Wahlberg, is more powerful than her relationship with her mother – Rachel Weisz—whom we know largely from her grief. Her father is obsessed with finding her killer, and is thoroughly unsuited for it – eventually, spiritually guided by Susie in an understated way, he intuits the killer’s identity. When he tries to do something about it, his fury bears bitter fruit, in keeping with the film’s theme of acceptance over hatred.
It may be that the second act, at times, doesn’t quite cohere, doesn’t always lead immaculately into the third. Occasionally it seems episodic. But the film’s imagery and characters exert a pull that draws us relentlessly along, and the third act plays out compellingly.
Susie’s sister is the one who finds the evidence the blind, flailing adults overlook while Susan Sarandon, as the alcoholic, bohemian grandmother — holds the family together. Chainsmoking, endearingly incompetent , the character is wonderful, completely convincing, and sometimes quite funny. Sarandon may get a best-supporting-actress nomination for this – she simply becomes this woman.
Susie’s murder has been with us from the first, in a way, but chronologically it comes right after she meets a stunningly Byronic young immigrant from Britain (reminiscent of the young man the girls love from the Twilight pictures), who might have been her soul-mate… had she not been murdered; had her life, with all its drama and joy, its highs and troughs not been brutally, maddeningly, senselessly and oh-so-pointlessly interrupted. This is one of the film’s most poignant throughlines, and provides some of its emotional resolution, in time. Just in time – to rescue an ending that some might find a little unsatisfying.
The film strays in some places from Sebold’s narrative, but the end belongs to the novel, a resolution as much emotional as plot-driven. It’s a denouement written by an artist, not by a Hollywood screenwriter. There must have been some Suits feeling angst over that ending, when the studio distributors saw it. (I notice they aren’t spending a lot of money promoting The Lovely Bones.) Not that it’s a bad ending – it’s just deep. And they don’t like deep. Will they recognize the cunning symbolism of the faces in the dollhouse windows? The little ships suddenly taking shape in the bottles?
I found the ending to be just frustrating enough — about as frustrating as our world is. And it is another example of choices defining an adaptation. Some fans of the book may carp about certain freedoms Jackson took, but most will hopefully see that in this very creative, authoritative film Peter Jackson preserves the characters, the theme, the dread, the delight found in the novel – and has added just enough of his own.
Novel Ideas — Comments Off
Sample of a fantasy novel I wasnt sure I should continue with…
It was called NORTHMEN…here’s the opening I wrote…
A BLADE DIVERTED MAY FIND ANOTHER MARK
CHAPTER THE FIRST
“If you do not prove yourself in this battle, young Wulfgar,” said Saemunder, his face flickering in the campfire light, “then the Chieftain will find another use for you. You will become a hide-scraper or a scullery boy–and there is no shame in those occupations.” After a moment, using both dirty age-mottled hands to stroke the two forks of his long yellow and white beard, the cadaverous old man added, “If, that is, you are not smote crushingly on the head, or otherwise killed, as for example being spitted by a pike.” Saemunder had an unfortunate penchant for gruesome details, in imagining how others might find their ending—he could make many a grizzled combat veteran wince.
“I will not be a hide scraper, nor especially a scullery boy,” declared Wulfgar the Younger, choosing not to take offense. “My father offered to buy me out of this battle,” he went on, dreamily watching the sparks rise from the campfire. It was one of some five hundred Northmen campfires flickering red across the dark plain of Baltis, and marking the bivuouac of Squorri’s army: there were almost as many red campfires as red sparks at this one. “I could have accepted a postponement for a year or two,” the boy went on. “I am only fourteen summers—and fifteen is the usual calling-time for warriors. But…” And as always when he boasted, he was aware that he was Stepping Wrong, as his fighting mentor, the warrior Bolle put it, but was unable to stop himself. “…I would not have it that way. I have had my manhood wetted, and I would have my sword wetted as well.” In that comparison, he was quoting the popular Boy Skaldlets, who sniggeringly exchanged such glib, fashionable turns of phrase in song, usually something to do with taking women.
“Yes I heard that you took advantage of that addle-pated Hilga with the Red Patch, and I regretted it,” said Saemunder.
“Took advantage! She tackled me in the furze!”
“And how? You were wandering about woolen-headed as usual, thinking on things not at hand. You were not alert, and so did not elude her! You should have waited for a god-sanctioned coupling!”
“My father says no one waits for that.”
Saemunder snorted. “Your father…” He thought better of finishing the remark, and veered its beginning to another course. “… gave you some wine for the battle?”
“Yes but it is four hours to dawn. You may drink it—it is not the wine of berserking. I tried that once, when I was blooded, and I could not bear the headache. I am quite capable of finding my own spirit rage. If you want to drink it, then by all means do so if it will stop your mouth.” The boy—called Wulf more often than Wulfgar– was accustomed to speaking to the old man with this disrespect, since in fact Saemunder, though a skald, was just a family retainer, a servant—a freed slave—who could scarce see anymore, could hear well only in one ear, and was a carrier of more fleas than good advice.
Wulf tossed the wine gourd to the old man, and huddled deeper into his wolfskin, one hand on the sword lying across his knees. The old dented steel broadsword was too heavy for him, really. He was tall for his age, but lean, his wrists were thin; his arms slender. Even grasping the sword hilt with two hands, the only way he could accurately swing it, he became tired in a few minutes of hewing. (Not that he’d hewed at anything but leathern dummies with it.) And battles could go on and on.
Saemunder drank, Wulf watched the sparks, blinked in the smoke, listened to the murmur of voices, mingled with snores, from the other campfires. The fire was dying down and they had no more of the branches Saemunder had carried from the Western Wood, on the edge of the plain, scavenged when they’d first come ashore and foraged. The wood had been near picked clean—and there was no going far to the East. There were the settlements of the Russ and beyond them, the Baltis fortress of the Elnahere, with its pale, wraithlike inhabitants, its sorcerers and diabolical war machines.
Now, musing, wondering if this were really the last night of his life—it was hard to believe!–Wulf tried to see if, as Bolle had told him, each individual campfire spark went to an individual star, overhead, and added its fire to the star’s. He could smell the sea, the Sea of Baltessa, on the breeze that snapped the flames, coming from just a few leagues away. The plains of Baltis ended, to the south, at stony, foot-bruising beaches and the cold gray sea where the longships of Sqorri’s Northmen were anchored.
The Russ knew they were here, knew they were more than a-viking; knew they were an invasion of conquest, and by now the Russ armies were massing to meet them, to the North, at dawn. How many men in that army? The Russ were said to be able to raise at least a thousand, and one of them, perhaps dozing at a fire like this one, somewhere to the southeast, might be the one who would shatter a boy’s head, as in Saemunder’s dolorous foreseeing; might be sharpening the ax he would use even now. Or he might be the one who—perhaps clumsy with drink, for the Russ without exception drank heavily before battle—might find first Wulf’s blade in his throat. Wulf had killed bear and deer, with great excitement, in the course of a chase. Once, too, he had killed a half-animal, one of the beetle-brows, the Hemf: fur-backed men. of the mountains. The Hemf he had killed with an arrow, almost by chance. That was scarcely killing a man, though the beast had worn an animal skin about his groin, and a liontooth on a thong about his neck.
Could Wulf kill a man? Bolle had said it was surprising how many strong men—brave men too—quailed when it came to killing other men, face to face. Killing from afar with a spear or an arrow, this was more palatable, easier than seeing the light of life in a man’s eyes and knowing you must snuff it out forever. Krincl, who had clashed with Wulf so often, had always seemed eager and ready to kill men and had done so already, having helped in the reaving of a family who resisted being taken slave when Krincl and his father went a-viking.
Bolle had said: “You must first be willing to kill, and then you must know for a certain that you will kill that man, and if you believe it more than he believes it, then even if he is a better fighter, you will likely be the victor.”
Wulf wished Bolle were here now. But the clanleader was likely asleep—he was proud to say he always slept deeply before a battle—at the tents of the men protecting Sqorri.
Saemunder was halfway into the wineskin, the decanting leading to incanting, a recitation of The Villainy of Gorevulfe, and Wulf was nodding, half in and out of sleep…seeing, in the embers of the fire, the red patch of fur between Hilga’s thick thighs, in the furze…Actually, she’d tackled him twice. He’d tried to leave after the first release, overcome by his own sensations and reeling with the reek of her. But she’d dragged him back for one more.
If he couldn’t out wrestle a stocky girl, could he survive battle? Wulf tried to remember the chant of invulnerability taught him by Broon, the sorcerer—at the cost of a piece of silver and two coppers– although Bolle did not approve. If you are going to use sorcery, Bolle would say, then use true sorcery. Do not put your confidence in the prattling of old wives even if their prattle is heard in the mouths of old men. Find a true sorcerer—a Seer of the Inner Stone
But a Seer of the Inner Stone, if not mythical, was at least not at hand—was not known in the Northlands apart from rumor. The title Seer of the Inner Stone made Wulf shiver to contemplate. Was the man’s heart turned to stone? How cold he must be! Who could trust such a man? A man’s heart must be stony in battle—but to live that way…
Wulf yawned, deciding to let the Fate Spinners decide if he would live through the morrow, and had just stretched out on the ground to sleep when a multitude gave vent to war cries, on the dark plain to the Northeast–and he knew it was not the war shout of Northmen.
“The Russ!” Saemunder cried, standing, swaying—actually dropping the wineskin in surprise. “There was no thought that they would come in the night! This is not done! This is not permitted! This is not—”
The rest of his commentary was caught up in the pandemonium, the general shouting and clashing of arms, the thumping of boots, the swish and roar of torches as men rushed by, swords in one hand and blazing sticks in the other. Most of them were rushing toward the fight, to their credit–but not all.
Then he was running, sword in his two hands, wolf cloak flapping at his back, boots hammering the ground, toward the fight, following the lights of converging torches, the shouting, the war cries, the screams of men. He was distantly aware that Saemunder was coming along behind, calling for him to run away from the battle.
I am running to my death, he thought. Does that make me a fool or a hero?
But he noticed a strange thing then, that more Northmen were coming toward him, their mouths open–their eyes hollow places in their skulls, with the flaring shadows, their beards whipping—than were going toward the fight. What shame was this? Were these normally fearless warriors running from battle?
A few strides more and the moon broke through the clouds, shedding more light on the chaotic scene, the desperate men streaming by. He came to a low rise, a ripple in the plain, and he saw the reason for their panic:
A vast army , many on horseback, was limned in steel and moonlight. He saw the advancing shield wall of the Russ, notable for the bull’s head, a snorting beast painted on each oval shield, black against yellow. Beyond the shield wall was another, and a third, and a great mass of men behind; in advance of the shield wall horsemen in bright armor were skirmishing, pursuing the fragments of the broken, hastily improvised Northmen line.
And he beheld a strange thing: the horsemen were pale figures with long black hair and dark eyes, their lean faces shorn of beards—at first glance like children in the armor of men, to one of Wulf’s tribe, who were always bearded—and they carried long narrow triangular shields of polished steel, with no emblem at all on them. Their horses, too, were armored, and many of the horsemen carried lances that spat a blood-red lightning, striking men down before the lancepoints found their hearts…
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Arrests top 400
By The Editor | Category: Travel news
This morning figures were released revealing the number of people in the UK arrested on suspicion of being drunk on a plane or at an airport
the logo of the One Too Many campaign
The information relates to the between April 1 2017 and March 31 2018, and between April 1 2018 and March 31 2019. It was obtained by using a Freedom of Information request by the news agency PA. It is incomplete as some police forces didn’t respond and major airports like Manchester, Bournemouth, East Midlands, Southend, Inverness and Humberside aren’t included. There is also no data from Northern Ireland.
The biggest group of those arrested was at Heathrow which might be explained away by the fact that it is our largest passenger carrier airport with 80 million passengers. The next largest is Gatwick with about 46 million and that is the airport that is in second place. Glasgow is in third place despite the fact that it is only the 8th busiest airport in the UK.
Fourth was Liverpool (our 12th busiest airport) and fifth was Birmingham – the seventh busiest airport. Stansted, Luton and Edinburgh airports were the next three in order which, are our 4th, 5th and 6th busiest airports. On the face of it then, alcohol related problems are less of an issue at these three airports.
London City which had just two arrests over the period is our fourteenth largest airport, Cardiff (our 20th busiest airport) had two; and Aberdeen (our 16th busiest airport) had three as did Southampton. (our 18th busiest) Exeter (the 23rd busiest airport) had just one arrest.
How is it that these five airports had much less of an issue? Is it because they smaller? Is it because they clamp down on action faster or don’t allow passengers to partake of so much before warning them? Is it because people don’t have to wait so long before their planes depart? Whatever the answer, airports should study the situation and see if they can clone it at their airports.
Selling alcohol at airports
Saturday snippets: April 15th 2017
Alcohol and air travel
Magaluf mayhem
Best and worst UK airports
Saturday snippets: 26th of January
Tags: alcohol related airline incidents, alcohol related incidents at airports, anti-social behaviour
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Is My Show Cancelled - Home ?>
Concluded Shows
'The Amazing Race' Renewed For Season 31
3.9 Avg User Rating
Sep 05, 2001 - Present
Network Ratings
Host - Phil Keoghan
The globetrotting competition will return in 2018-2019.
CBS announced today that The Amazing Race has been renewed for a 31st season. The early pickup is a nice bounce back for the reality series, which took until May to receive a renewal last year after being left on the bubble by the network.
On the air since 2001, The Amazing Race has been one of reality TV's strongest entries, winning numerous awards and garnering healthy ratings over the majority of its run. The show's momentum has slowed recently though, with CBS opting to only air one installment in each of the last two seasons rather than its typical two.
'The Amazing Race' Renewed For 2017-2018
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20th Season Ordered For The Amazing Race
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The Amazing Race renewed for 17th edition
05/12/18 at 11:02am
Happy to see The Amazing Race renewed for another season. I have been a big fan almost from the start. Season 30 was great. My only complaint was that CBS squeezed all the episodes so that season 30 was completed in less than 2 months with many of the later episodes running 2 hours. Would prefer to see the episodes spread out as before. But, hey, I'm glad that it continues on.
04/25/18 at 11:12pm
I'm glad to see it renewed, though it's become repetitive. I know they tried shaking things up this last season, but ultimately it all hings on the casting.
It's weird, with reality shows like Amazing, Survivor, and Dancing with the Stars you can get all wrapped up in the competition and who wins, yet a couple weeks after each season ends I couldn't pick the winners out of a lineup.
I used to watch every season of Amazing Race. Even though I am not that devoted any more, I am glad it was renewed. I love the globe travel shown and the editing is simply amazing. Those people deserve awards!
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Twin Peaks: The Return 3x15 Recap: "Part 15: There’s Some Some Fear in Letting Go" (Perfection) [Contributor: Erin Allen]
8:01 PM contributor: erin allen, s03.15, twin peaks: the return recap No comments
"Part 15: There’s Some Fear in Letting Go"
Original Airdate: August 20, 2017
Dare I say this is a perfect episode? I love everything about it from start to finish.
It begins with love and light as Nadine armed with her gold shovel, frees Ed from her kooky (and insanely strong) grasp. She tells Ed to “run to her,” and he does. He heads straight to the Double R while Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” starts to play. How appropriate! He tells Norma that he’s free and she, she... excuses herself to talk to friggin’ Walter. OUCH. This is horrible! Ed stoically nurses his defeat with a cup of coffee.
Then the scene is intercut with Walter and Norma’s conversation and Big Ed and his big broken heart. Norma, thankfully, tells Walter to hit the road, to buy her out of the other franchises so she can go back to owning just the Double R and take care of her “wonderful” family. We cut back to Ed as Walter leaves and Otis’ crooning returns. Norma goes to Ed and he asks her to marry him, and they kiss! Shelly watches with tears in her eyes. (Maybe she’s getting ideas of a certain old flame? Fingers crossed.) The music swells and we cut to majestic views of the mountains and of the clouds in the sky. It’s like even nature is rejoicing because Ed and Norma are finally together and happy after all this time, and all's right with the world. For the moment, at least.
The love and light of that scene is in deep contrast to the villainy and darkness of what happens next. Mr. C arrives at the convenience store. I had to forgo my live-tweeting at this point, it was too enrapturing. I even tried not to blink — I didn’t want to miss anything. But, I did. Over an image of The Jumping Man, Sarah Palmer’s face appeared. I didn’t notice it, and found out about it afterward. What does it mean? Add that to the list of questions that arise throughout this episode. Mr. C doesn’t even know who Judy is! This whole scene at the convenience store is superb and very Lynchian. Unfortunately, David Bowie had passed before being able to return to his role as Phillip Jeffries, so now he’s a large, steaming, talking teapot? I’m not sure what that contraption was supposed to be, but it looked like the big bell-like electricity thingamabobs from wherever that place is that the Fireman was in on Part 8.
So many questions after this scene. Who is Judy? What were those numbers? Is this Bosomy Woman (who is played by a male actor) the key? I mean, she has the key to that door. Also, later Gersten is seen with a key hanging around her neck. I know we’re not supposed to talk about Judy, but how about we do? For real, WHO IS JUDY?
These are things to contemplate later because right after that mind warp that was the convenience store scene, Richard shows up, having followed Mr. C from The Farm. He tells him he recognizes him from a photo his mom, Audrey Horne, had of FBI agent, Cooper. They leave together, and the convenience store fades away in staticky flashes and smoke.
The next scene has someone else heavily tripping out in the woods besides Jerry. It’s Steven. Gersten is trying to calm him down, but he is so far gone, saying things like, “Will I be with the rhinoceros?” and “Or will I be, like, completely turquoise?” He has a gun and he talks about ending it. A man walking his dog (played by co-creator Mark Frost!) interrupts this madness. Gersten runs around the tree, the man hurries away, and a gunshot rings out through the forest — Steven’s fate unknown. The setting is really beautiful, and the camera stays on Gersten for a good long beat after the gunshot. Alicia Witt is pretty amazing here.
And then there’s a ZZ Top moment. No joke. The Roadhouse plays ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” as the MC turns the volume way up on a handmade poster of a volume dial. This randomness is prelude to James being weird with Renee in front of her husband, Chuck. Not surprisingly, Renee’s hubby doesn’t like “cool” guys blatantly flirting with his wife. He tells James to kindly refrain by pummeling him with his fists. This is a bad idea since James’ buddy has a Hulk hand that can smash your face in. Freddie uses his superpower on Chuck and his friend, sending them both to the intensive care unit, and him and James to jail.
With the help of Cecil B. DeMille in Sunset Boulevard, Cooper/Dougie sticks a fork in a light socket! Can this be what zaps him back to the Cooper we know? I don’t want to get my hopes up, but it would make sense, yes? Whether this revives him to the old Cooper or not, this scene was really great. Kyle MacLachlan has done a fine job with this version of Cooper, making him just as lovable as before but in an entirely different way.
The scene with Audrey and Charlie is odd as in it begs the question of why they don’t just leave and go to The Roadhouse. This is the third time we’ve seen Audrey and Charlie talk about going out, but never do. Could it be because Audrey’s actually still in a coma and this is all in her head, or is she stuck in some Black Lodge-like dimension? She questions her reality often, too. On Part 13 she wonders who she is and where she is. On this episode, she says she is seeing Charlie differently. “It’s impossible. You, Charlie. It’s you. I never saw you before the way I’m seeing you now, like I’m meeting a different person. Who are you, Charlie?” Great, like I don’t have my hands full with who Judy is, I gotta wonder who Charlie is, too?
And you know what? I love it. I love it so much.
This episode really is perfect, right down to the epic feels it delivers as we say goodbye to a beloved character. The Log Lady calls Hawk and tells him that she’s dying. It is moving and beautiful. Lynch gives this scene the weight and importance it deserves. Catherine Coulson breathed life into this cherished character that had a place in all our hearts, and Lynch let us properly say goodbye to her. The music that plays after Hawk delivers the news to Frank, Bobby, Andy, and Lucy is the same as when the Fireman produced the gold orb with Laura’s face in it on Part 8. This connects them as both being good and pure spirits, in my mind, and was the perfect choice of musical accompaniment.
The credits roll after an incredible scene of a young woman who is bullied out of the booth at The Roadhouse, who then crawls into the dancing crowd and screams while The Veils play on stage. This woman is credited as Ruby. Kind of close to Judy, huh? Also, I would watch an entire feature length film about this girl. She caught my interest immediately, and then in a short amount of time, displayed so much puzzling complexity and emotion.
The mystery doesn’t end there. At the end of the credits, the Bosomy Woman appears. Could she be Judy? Only three more installments left to find out.
The exterior of the room where Mr. C meets Teapot Jeffries looks a lot like the motel where Leland met with Teresa Banks in Fire Walk With Me.
I love this FBI guy who is so filled with rage.
Chantal and Hutch could have their own show. Their commentary on government and politics is timely yet humorous.
Trying to figure out who Judy is such a mind-bender. She can really be almost any character on the show. Some of my top speculations are Naido, Diane, Sarah, Laura, and even Audrey. I’ve also heard great arguments for Major Briggs and Josie Packard.
“In memory of Margaret Lanterman.” And there go the waterworks again.
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Diamond Achievement Commendation for Green River Road Plant
The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) announced recently that J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc. Green River Road Plant in Evansville, IN has earned NAPA’s 2010 Diamond Achievement Commendation for Excellence in Hot-Mix Asphalt Plant/Site Operations.
The Diamond Achievement Commendation is a unique and respected self-assessment program that encourages and recognizes responsible hot-mix asphalt (HMA) operation practices and cultivates good community relations. As NAPA’s Chairman Larry H. Lemon noted, “The Diamond Achievement Commendaiont is an honor in which a company and a community can take great pride. It clearly demonstrates a corporate commitment to excellence with a community focus.”
NAPA developed this successful program in 1999. The self-assessment process addresses six essential facets of the HMA plant/site: appearance, operations, environmental practices, safety, permitting and regulatory compliance, and community relations. Earning the Commendation exemplifies the commitment to excellence in all aspects of HMA facilities, and symbolizes continuous improvement in operations and community relations.
J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc.’s Green River Road Plant has joined the elite ranks of the asphalt paving industry by earning the coveted Diamond Achievement Commendation. All HMA plants/sites are eligible to earn the Commendation. The standard of excellence is challenging, but can be accomplished with genuine dedication to responsible practices and continuous improvement.
J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc. Green River Road Plant
New EHS Manager
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Kevin L. Selby has joined J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc. as EHS Manager. Kevin has over 20 years experience in Environmental, Health and Safety and will be responsible for managing the EHS Department at J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries. He was most recently employed in EHS at PPMI Construction Co.
You are currently browsing the J.H. Rudolph and Co., Inc. blog archives for September, 2010.
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Search in titles only Search in Games & Humor only
FIGHT OF THE DAY! - LETHAL LOTTERY!
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Aragorn replied
Originally posted by Nicholas Ward View Post
Royal Rumble/Survivor!
2 or more immortals start out in a selected environment (for example an anbandoned factory or trainyard).
One of the immortals has to win by a clear margin (2 votes) otherwise another immortal is added to the fight which would allow for temporary team-ups and tactical play in regards to the Quickening. Winner stays put and has to face another (random) immortal.
I could use a hybrid of an old game we ran plus your idea.
We could start off with two immortals. Each immortal gets 5 points. Every voter, each day can give 2 points to someone, and take 2 points away. Once a person has 0, they are out of the rumble.
We keep doing this until everyone has come in and gone out. If at the end of the day, nobody is eliminated it will keep going. But when someone comes in, they are given 5 points.
If we want to keep the "exhaustion" factor of being in a rumble, I can take 1 point from someone every day they're in before someone new enters. I think my 1 rule would be "exhaustion" can't eliminate someone. It can only take them to 1 point.
Nicholas Ward replied
Any ideas for tournaments you guys want to see? Let me know.
Gina de Valicourt
wins the tournament!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr.Slash replied
Originally posted by Aragorn View Post
Robert & Gina de Valicourt
Kurgan & May-Ling Shen
Gina de Valicourt - Robert "I sailed with all the pirates" de Valicourt was a lot of hot air in my opinion. Gina would ice him, then go find a real man. Like .... me.
JedimstrCR replied
Gotta go with Robert. The supernatural forces that govern this tournament compel him to kill even his beloved Gina, and I don't think she's quite at his skill level.
dubiousbystander replied
If they are themselves, disaster to whoever made this happen!
Gina and Robert would fight until exhausted and then passionately kiss. At which point Gina will run Robert through and take the win.
Ceridwen replied
Assuming that they are fighting straight up without personal issues in the way, going with Robert.
Originally posted by JedimstrCR View Post
3 on 3? Or the four-way death matches we used to do...those would be fun.
I'm cool with either, but remind me of the 4-way death match format? Can't remember that one super well.
Going with Gina. I don't Robert could kill her under any circumstances.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Gina de Valicourt vs. Robert de Valicourt
I hope you are already planning the sequel!!!
As it stands, it's 3-2 in favor of Robert and Gina. Going to let it stand for one more day if anyone else wants to vote.
May-Ling Shen & The Kurgan - To borrow from some things I have said previously, Robert and Gina got some very lucky draws in the later rounds. I think the big thing here for Robert and Gina here is you can bet they have worked out plenty together. They have been together so long, they know not only each other's styles but how to work together. Because of this, I would pick them over MANY other pairings.
HOWEVER..... this is not one of those pairings.May-Ling and Kurgan are the perfect combo of speed, strength, and skill. Robert will go out of his way to keep Gina away from The Kurgan. In a straight, one-on-one fight, Robert is not going to last very long. He and Gina had one hell of a run. But it ends here.
I vote for the de Valicourts because love conquers all.
Not voting just yet but to comment on what Jedi was saying, no, I don’t think MLS will throw the fight to take out Kurgan. That being said, personalities are to be taken into consideration for the sake of the tournament. Just because she won’t throw it doesn’t mean the Kurgan’s antics and behaviors can’t disgust her and throw her off/distract her.
I agree that pound for pound I suspect there is more individual talent between MLS and Kurgan but it’s not substantial.
Clearly RDV and GDV are very active and fearless which wouldn’t be there if they weren’t good. We know when RDV was about to face off against Duncan/Fitz he wasn’t nervous at all. Not saying he would have won but he’s clearly a competent fighter.
I think The De Valicourts advantage though is in strategy. The “this person kills this person faster than this other person kills the other person” doesn’t really come into play here, IMO. RDV and GDV aren’t going to leave the other one unprotected.
They are experienced enough to know they could be in trouble if they do that. I think if MLS was getting irritated by Kurgan they would pick up on it.
While this fight could go either way, I think I’m going with the de Valicourts in a really exciting fight.
VOTE: Gina and Robert
Damn! If this were for real, I feel like May-Ling would realize she's on the wrong side and team up with the De Valicourts to off Kurgan. However, with the rules of this tournament, she feels compelled to survive and win, even if it means that her demonic jerk of a partner goes to the Finals. No matter who MLS faces, I think her fight will take longer than it will take Kurgan to beat the other DV. Or, she's even better than advertised and actually wins before Kurgan takes out his opponent. Either way, despite their teamwork disadvantage, I think that Kurgan is too good and MLS is not about to let down the side.
Winners: May-Ling Shen & The Kurgan
Evil. Tricky, though. Gina and Robert, at least as long as their relationship is stable, are really likely to work wonderfully together and to support each other completely./
May-Ling and the Kurgan would not be the same, because they can not trust each other.
May-Ling Shen & The Kurgan
Gina de Valicourt & Robert de Valicourt
Jin Ke & Iman Fasil
bye: Robert & Gina de Valicourt
Aragorn commented on Mr.Slash's reply
So did Iman Fasil.
But yeah, that's why this tournament is fun. It's not always the same 8 people at the end. Next time we do it they may both be out in round 1.
Yeah, I will go with Kurgan and May-Ling on this one!
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Unaired Pilot Theater – Lonely Island’s Awesometown!
November 6, 2017 JayButton
Welcome to Unaired Pilot Theater where we spotlight the first episode of a TV series that was barely given a chance! Have you seen the Lonely Island’s unaired Fox sketch show pilot Awesometown?
Before Andy Samberg was on SNL and the Lonely Island invented the model that online sketch comedy would build off of for the next decade/gave SNL back its young audience/pretty much made Youtube a thing, they were just three dudes from the Bay Area who wanted to make weird, funny videos. After cutting their teeth at Dan Harmon’s monthly LA film festival Channel 101, they made a TV pilot out of their best internet sketches as well as some new content.
Fox ordered the pilot first. It gave LI a bit of a budget that they used to shoot a catchy intro (featuring Channel 101 alums Jack Black and Jeff Davis) and some broadly appealing live segments in front of an audience, Chapelle’s Show style. It also makes use of some of their previously shot sketches like Just 2 Guyz and their Channel 101 series The ‘Bu. Look out for some silent cameos from Kal Penn, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller!
FOX Cut:
After Fox did not order the pilot to series, they created the “Dudes cut” which was more their style. It got rid of the live segments and focused more on their weirdly esoteric style of comedy. This cut was to pitch the show to edgier networks like MTV. It was not picked up on cable either, and the project was presumably forgotten as the same year Andy, Akiva, and Jorma would hit it big on SNL as their digital wunderkinds.
Dudes cut (contains some very pixelated nudity):
Just like with Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s failed pilot Time Warped, which you can hear about on our Laser Time episode about their work, or Bryan Fuller’s Mockingbird Lane, which was his last project before Hannibal, if this show had been picked up the TV landscape would be totally different!
Do you wish this show had gotten its chance or is the world better off with The Lonely Island on SNL? What are some of your favorite pilots? Let us know in the comments! You can hear all about some more shows canceled before they even got a chance on the Laser Time episode about the best unaired pilots, get more Lonely Island love with our Hot Rod movie commentary on Bandcamp and Patreon, and hear about more ways Channel 101 influenced the TV you loved in our podcast about the pre-Rick and Morty works of Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland!
Want more sketch comedy? Check out some of the best Mr. Show sketches ever on our Youtube channel!
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One thought on “Unaired Pilot Theater – Lonely Island’s Awesometown!”
semifraki says:
My assumption whenever I see the word “awesome” in a title is that the writers are hack and are trying to connect with their own kids. It’s why I didn’t watch “The Awesomes” until right before it got cancelled. It just sounds so…lazy.
Legend of Zelda: Part 3 – Let’s Do This
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Snowpiercer [Blu-ray]
Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode II: Attack of the Clones / Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) [Blu-ray]
Attack on Titan, Part 1 (Blu-ray / DVD Combo)
Daredevil: Born Again
Avengers, Vol. 3
The Walking Dead: Compendium One
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VIDEO: Sledgehammer-wielding gang attempt to smash through Manchester jewellers in front of terrified onlookers
23 Sep 2013 - 12:53PM
By Danielle Wainwright
Footage of a gang armed with sledgehammers who attempted to rob a Manchester jewellers on Thursday in front of terrified onlookers has been released.
The incident occurred at around 2.25pm in the city centre when robbers tried to smash through the front windows of the store on King Street West with a sledgehammer.
The staff then activated the emergency equipment and smoke was released. The offenders then fled empty handed in a blue Mitsubishi.
Images of the sledgehammer used in the attack, which was left at the scene, has also been released in the hope that any retailers may recognise the price markings on it.
Detective Constable Adam Cronshaw said: "This was a terrifying experience for the passersby and members of staff, although they were quick enough to raise the alarm.
"We have launched a thorough investigation into this incident and appeal to any information to come forward."
Anyone with any information should call police on 0161 856 3221 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
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Planning underway for 2012 canoe course
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has commenced master planning on a new whitewater canoe course at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, which will be a host venue for the London 2012 Olympic and Paral...
Virgin Atlantic Airways will give flight discounts...
The flying start programme run by UK sport and Virgin Atlantic Airways will give flight discounts and travel benefits to 450 medal winners.
london 2012 appoints Commercial Director
The london 2012 organising committee has appointed Chris Townsend as its Commercial Director. Chris was responsible of the impressive branding of london during the bid of Group Maketing Director at Tr
London unveils Olympic masterplan
Organisers of the 2012 Olympics have finalised their masterplan for the Olympic Park in east London and the chairman said "the plans would dictate how the venues would be used after the Games".
PM. Tony Blair praises Masterplan announcement.
PM Tony Blair has welcomed the new Olympic Park Masterplan, unveiled by the London 2012 organising committee yesterday.
Coe launches London Youth Games
Ten young potential 2012 athletes enjoyed a multi-sports masterclass given by Macey. Over the next month, 25,000 Londoners aged 8-17 will compete in 30 different sports - including Diving, Fencing, Sw
Coe: Good luck England!
London 2012 organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe has sent a good luck message to the England football team as they start their World Cup campaign.
David Higgins, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Chief Executive, has welcomed yesterday's announceme
SCDL is the delivery agent for the Stratford City project, adjacent to the Olympic Park, which will deliver the Olympic Village.
London 2012 hopeful hits top three
Becky Lyne has booked her place in the history books, recording one of the top three fastest 800m times for a female UK athlete at the British Grand Prix yesterday.
Progress underway at Weymouth
Design work is underway to improve Sailing facilities at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in advance of the London 2012 Games.
Deighton visits 2012 hospital
Paul Deighton, Chief Executive of the London 2012 organising committee, has visited Hackney's Homerton Hospital to discuss plans for its use during the Games.
New Olympic milestones announced
Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), today announced the next ten milestones for creating the venues and infrastructure for London 2012.
Olympic honour for Livingstone
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has received the International Olympic Committee Sport and the Community Trophy in recognition of his work for the London 2012 bid.
England through to last 16
England have progressed to the knockout stage of the World Cup after beating Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 in Nuremberg last night.
Clean up teams for Olympic Park site appointed.
Two contractors have been appointed today to undertake one of the biggest ever UK land clean-up jobs - preparing the the Olympic Park.
IPC chief praises Paralympic planning
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Chief Executive Xavier Gonzalez has praised London's progress in planning the 2012 Paralympic Games.
L2012 sports chief receives MBE
Senior Sports Manager David Luckes has received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in recognition of his services to the London 2012 Games.
2012 Roadshow - get on board!
The 2012 Roadshow gets underway next week, visiting 50 locations across the UK to inspire people about the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
ODA announces latest top appointment
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today appointed its Director of Infrastructure and Utilities.
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Cesky Dub (2) Cvikov (1) Hradek nad Nisou (2) Jablonne v Podjestedi (2) Krystofovo Udoli (1) Liberec (11) Rumburk (1) Rynoltice (1) Sloup v Cechach (1) Straz nad Nisou (1) Varnsdorf (3) Velenice (1)
Commandry of the Order of Knights of St. John of St. Zdislava and Havel of Lemberk, Český Dub
Cesky Dub
The underground of St. Zdislava\'s monastery of the Order of Knights of St. John in Český Dub is a part of the Commandry the Order of Knights of St. John of St. Zdislava and Havel of Lemberk, which was not discovered until recently and which is only being explored.
Basilica of St. Lawrence and St. Zdislava, Jablonné v Podještědí
Jablonne v Podjestedi
A generously conceived building, now a dominant feature of the town.
Church of the Holy Cross, Liberec
The Church of the Holy Cross is the most precious Baroque-style church in Liberec.
Church of St. Boniface , Liberec
The Church of St. Boniface is situated in the Liberec suburb of Dolní Hanychov.
Subsidiary church of the Mother of God, U obrázku, Liberec
This contemporary Art Nouveau rotund building has become a dominant feature of not only Liberec, but also the entire region.
Church of St. Anthony the Great, Liberec
St. Anthony`s Church is one of the most beautiful churches in Liberec and, because of its 70-metre tower, one of the town`s landmarks.
Lorettan chapel, Rumburk
The northernmost Czech lorettan chapel with a cloister from the monastery courtyard.
Holy Trinity Church, Liberec
The Holy Trinity Church is situated in the Liberec suburb of Vratislavice nad Nisou.
Rock Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre near Velenice
The rock chapel of the Holy Sepulchre near Velenice is one of the most impressive examples of the utilisation of rock massif for a sacral building in the Baroque period.
Church of St. Bartholomew, Hrádek nad Nisou
Hradek nad Nisou
The Church of St. Bartholomew is situated in the square in Hrádek nad Nisou.
Observation tower - former parish church of the Birth of Virgin Mary, Podještědí
The parish church used to be one of the most important buildings in every town. It was an exceptional work, for the nave of the church occupied an area exceeding 24 x 16 m and its height was over 10.5 m.
Křížový vrch - Calvary Cvikov
Křížový vrch is often referred to as Calvary. It is a small hillock connected to Zelený vrch not far from Cvikov.
Jewish shrine in Liberec
This unique building grew in a place where one of the largest Jewish synagogues had been before it was raided and burnt during so-called Kristallnacht in 1938.
Church of St. Vojtěch, Liberec
The Church of St. Vojtěch is situated in the Liberec suburb of Ostašov.
Church of St. John the Baptist, Liberec
The Church of St. John the Baptist is situated in the Liberec suburb of Rochlice.
Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Liberec
The unusual neo-romanesque Church of St. Vincent de Paul is situated in the Liberec suburb of Perštýn.
Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Liberec
The Church of St. Anthony of Padua is situated in the Liberec suburb of Ruprechtice.
Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Stráž nad Nisou
Straz nad Nisou
The church was preceded by a wooden shrine. The temple built of stone was set up by Catherine of Rederns in 1599.
Evangelic Church in Varnsdorf
Building of the church started in May 1904 in the Neo-gothic style.
St. Paul‘s and Peter‘s Church, Varnsdorf
St. Paul’s and Peter’s Cathedral is the oldest church in Varnsdorf. It was built in the place of an original small church from the 13th century.
1 2 Others
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Decin Jiretin pod Jedlovou Krasna Lipa Liberec Mikulasovice Srbska Kamenice Cesky Dub Horni Podluzi Chotyne Krizany Velenice Stare Krecany
Informace o ubytování a turistických službách v Českém ráji.
Copyright © 2013 - 2020 luzicke-hory.info - Všechna práva vyhrazena
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Board index MediaMonkey for Android Beta Testing, Bugs & Feature requests (mma)
MediaMonkey for Android test builds [DEPRECATED]
Report bugs & feature requests for MediaMonkey for Android and learn about the newest beta build.
MediaMonkey for Android 1.0.4.106 Test build
Post by rusty » Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:32 pm
Here's a new build that adds equalizer support. As is now usual, the build is posted to the Google Play store (provided you first delete your previous sideloaded installs as described below). Note that the store sometimes takes a couple of hours to update with the new build.
Please rate MediaMonkey for Android (Beta) if you like it!
- changes in this build
MediaMonkey: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... monkeybeta
- If you've sideloaded previous versions of the MediaMonkey apk, uninstall that version and then delete the /MediaMonkey folder (using e.g. ES Explorer, Total Commander, Astro File Manager)
- Then download/install MediaMonkey for Android via the link above
Test Notes:
- The beta builds include all functionality, but expire after 30 days. Note that certain functions may become pay-only features at the end of the beta cycle.
- To test wireless synchronization with MediaMonkey, you'll need to install MediaMonkey 4.1+ (4.1 is currently in beta testing via the beta forum.)
Enjoy and please let us know what you think!
-The MediaMonkey Team
MediaMonkey for Android 1.0.4.112
Post by rusty » Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:00 pm
We've just posted build 112 which adds the ability to show the MM player at the lock screen for pre-Jelly Bean devices, and also adds lyrics lookup (during playback). Plus, there are a few performance and stability fixes as well. The build is posted to the Google Play store, but if you have a device that doesn't use the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk. Note that the store sometimes takes a couple of hours to update with the new build.
MediaMonkey (via Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... monkeybeta
MediaMonkey .apk (for sideloading): http://www.mediamonkey.com/beta/android ... 4.0112.apk
- If you've sideloaded previous versions of the MediaMonkey apk, uninstall that version, then download/install MediaMonkey for Android via the store
Enjoy and please let us know what you think! And please rate MediaMonkey for Android (Beta) if you like it!
Post by rusty » Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:31 pm
We've just posted build 117 which includes numerous improvements to lyrics lookup, plus more performance and stability improvements. The build is posted to the Google Play store, but if you have a device that doesn't use the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk. Note that the store sometimes takes a couple of hours to update with the new build.
- changes since build 112
Note: we've also included some improvements to bluetooth avrcp support, but haven't yet verified whether it solves the outstanding problems.
Post by rusty » Sat Apr 06, 2013 9:13 pm
We've just posted build 120 which includes numerous improvements to lyrics lookup, support for a skip counter, bi-di lyrics sync (requires build 1630+ of MMW), updated widgets, and various stability improvements. The build is posted to the Google Play store, but if you have a device that doesn't use the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk. Note that the store sometimes takes a couple of hours to update with the new build.
Post by rusty » Mon May 06, 2013 9:47 pm
We've just posted build 127 which includes several stability fixes and refinements to lyrics lookup, lock screen, and theme. The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
Post by rusty » Fri May 17, 2013 7:05 pm
We've just posted build 128 which includes 12 fixes and improvements. The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
Post by rusty » Tue May 21, 2013 1:50 am
We've just posted build 130 which includes a couple of fixes including resolution of a stability issue introduced in 128. The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
- changes in build 130
Post by rusty » Sun May 26, 2013 12:18 pm
We've just posted build 133 which includes a number of major improvements including the ability to restrict which folders are part of the library, improved folder browsing, and a critical fix. The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
Post by rusty » Wed May 29, 2013 5:19 pm
We've just posted build 134 which includes a fix to a regression in 133 that resulted in loss of config settings plus a couple of other fixes. The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
Post by rusty » Thu May 30, 2013 5:44 pm
We've just posted build 136 which hopefully fixes all of the numerous problems that were introduced in 133 and 134, plus a couple of additional fixes. The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
MediaMonkey for Android 1.0.4.139 dev build
Post by rusty » Tue Jun 04, 2013 3:22 pm
We've just posted build 139 which fixes some Playlist sync issues along with several other items. Note that it must be used in conjunction with MMW 1641+ in order for the sync fixes to work.
The build should appear on the Google Play store shortly, but if you can't wait or have a device that can't access the Google store, we've also posted a link to the apk.
Post by rusty » Sun Jun 16, 2013 2:24 pm
We've just posted build 142 which includes roughly 20 fixes/improvements. Note that it should be used with MediaMonkey for Windows version 1643 (or higher) which was released on Friday.
Post by rusty » Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:08 am
We've just posted build 145 which includes roughly 15 fixes/improvements including the addition of a configurable termination timer, and several playlist sync fixes (still a couple more to go, though). Note that it should be used with MediaMonkey for Windows version 1645 (or higher) which was released on Friday.
Post by rusty » Fri Jun 28, 2013 5:15 pm
We've just posted build 146 which adds confirmations for device-->PC syncs, adds 4x4 widgets, fixes a couple of stability issues, and makes some changes to storage location identification (though it seems to require more work on GB devices). Note that it should be used with MediaMonkey for Windows version 1644 (or higher).
Post by rusty » Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:08 pm
We've just posted build 148 which fixes a few misc. issues (lock screen player activates correctly; playlists show track order; Now Playing sometimes shows duplicate tracks; wifi sync file deletion appears to stall; memory usage/stability regression in build 146). Note that it should be used with MediaMonkey for Windows version 1644 (or higher).
Return to “Beta Testing, Bugs & Feature requests (mma)”
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Why You Need To Sit On Your Tracks Before Sending Them Out To People | Music Think Tank
Picture this: You’ve just spent some quality time finishing a new track and it’s brilliant.
You’re super pumped for other people to hear it and can’t wait to send it to people for feedback, maybe get a preview up on Soundcloud or even get it released on Spotify etc.
Before you do anything with the track, you need to wait.
Sit on it.
Put it away in a folder and store it for a week, then come back and listen to it.
If you still like it, come back in another week, and listen.
If you still like it, do the same in a month.
If you can still listen to the track after a month or two, then you can be a bit more confident about sending it out and feeling good about it.
Our problem as musicians is that we’re generally pretty content with a track after finishing it, but we lack the basic skill to be objective about it so soon after completion.
We need the time to let it settle, then to come back to it with fresh ears and listen to it without bias.
When you finish a song, you’re always happy with it (or almost always) – but after a week you get a bit of context.
Release Schedules
When tracks are released, quite often there’s a pretty long lead-time between tracks going to the label, and them being released.
If you consider time for the label to sit on it and be sure it’s worth releasing, then mastering time, then time for manufacturing and time for press and PR you can be looking at anything between 2 months and 2 years.
Vinyl pressing can add 3-6 months to lead-times and PR companies will often want at the very minimum 4-6 weeks to run a successful campaign and get the release to publications in enough time for the next issues.
So with all that in mind, you still need to be able to stand by your track/s once they’re released.
What if the release ends up being the big one you’re always known for?
Imagine having to still finish your DJ sets or your gigs with one of the tracks from this release?
How will you feel about it in 10 years if you can’t enjoy it 2 months down the line?
Some time ago, I wrote about how to tell if your track is really good enough to release. Here’s a bit more on that, in case you’re not sure after those initial listens.
How to tell if it’s really any good
Listen to your work in context.
Take your mixdown or rough master and put it in a playlist or a mixtape alongside tracks that you respect. How does it stand up against your benchmarks?
How does it feel when your track drops in? Does the energy start to drag? Is there a noticeable dip in production quality? Do you think people would notice your track amidst the rest?
Give it some time.
We’ve covered this above.
Personally, I leave my tracks months before they get released or sent out.
Artists often get frustrated with music they’ve released too quickly and if you want to be able to continue to support your own music, perform it at shows, play it the radio and deal with people discovering your older stuff in 3, 5 or 10 years time – you have to be able to enthuse about all of the tracks you put out there.
I released a bunch of stuff under my DFRNT moniker that I wasn’t happy with by the time it was out – take it from me, you won’t regret just waiting that little bit longer to make sure you’re 100% happy.
Think about sending it to your musical heroes.
Assume, for a moment that you had the direct email address of your top 5 musical heroes. You knew that if you sent them this track to check, they’d definitely listen. Is it ready to go?
How do you feel about it now? Is it ready for them to check it out, or will you caveat the email with “well, it’s still in progress, so let me know where I can improve!”? How quickly will you regret sending them this track over another that you like more?
Get your mates round.
Have you got a few friends who enjoy similar music to you? Invite them round and play your tracks for them. Watch and listen to their reactions.
How do you feel as you press that play button? Do you get embarrassed? Do you mutter things like “well, I don’t know if it’s quite finished yet” or “I might actually look at sorting the drums here”? Do you get a bit of a pre-emptive cringe before the intro has finished? All good signs that when pushed, you feel like the tracks not good enough.
These sort of reactions might not surface when you’re alone, but having a small audience who are not afraid to tell you what they think will help.
Consult the internet.
As much as I feel like asking too wide an audience will always give you people who like something, and that the faceless nature of the internet means anybody will say anything to appease someone (or the opposite!), I’d suggest as a possible last resort turning to the internet for assistance.
Websites like Fluence or Audiokite can help you determine the viability of a track by getting feedback. Fluence, from a single tastemaker or person of interest (I’m on Fluence, if you feel so inclined!), and Audiokite, from a larger crowd of perhaps less relevant people.
This sort of thing could get you some interesting results, since many people will feel there’s no relationship or friendship at stake, and to give you honest, perhaps even brutal feedback is no big deal.
Honesty from your listener/s in this area is crucial, but you will also get those who likely gloss over how much you have emotionally invested in your own success, and respond with what they think you want to hear. This is the downside.
The bottom line here is that before you go sending music to labels, or starting your own imprint in order to self-release, stop and take some time out.
This was written by Alex Cowles over at How To Self Release.
[from https://ift.tt/1n4oEI8]
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India – Norms of journalistic conduct (1996)
Posted on June 9, 2011 by MediaWise Admin
Norms of journalistic conduct, adopted by the Press Council of India, August 1996.
The fundamental objective of journalism is to serve the people with news, views, comments and information on matters of public interest in a fair, accurate, unbiased, sober and decent manner. Towards this end, the Press is expected to conduct itself in keeping with certain norms of professionalism universally recognised. The norms enunciated below and other specific guidelines appended thereafter, when applied with due discernment and adaptation to the varying circumstances of each case, will help the journalist to self-regulate his or her conduct.
Accuracy and Fairness
1) The press shall eschew publication of inaccurate, baseless, graceless, misleading or distorted material. All sides of the core issue or subject should be reported. Unjustified rumours and surmises should not be set forth as facts.
Pre-publication Verification
2) On receipt of a report or article of public interest and benefit containing imputations or comments against a citizen, the editor should check with due care and attention its factual accuracy – apart from other authentic sources with the person or the organisation concerned to elicit his/her or its version, comments or reaction and publish the same with due amendments in the report where necessary. In the even of lack or absence of response, a footnote to that effect should be appended to the report.
Caution against defamatory writings
3) Newspapers should not publish anything which is manifestly defamatory or libellous against any individual organisation unless after due care and checking, they have sufficient reason to believe that it is true and its publication will be for the public good.
4) Truth is no defence for publishing derogatory, scurrilous and defamatory material against a private citizen where no public interest is involved.
5) No personal remarks which may be considered or construed to be derogatory in nature against a dead person should be published except in rare cases of public interest, as the dead person cannot possibly contradict or deny those remarks.
6) The Press shall not rely on objectionable past behaviour of a citizen for basing the scathing comments with reference to fresh action of that person. If public good requires such reference, the Press should make pre-publication inquiries from the authorities concerned about the follow up action, if any, in regard to those adverse actions.
7) The Press has a duty, discretion and right to serve the public interest by drawing readers’ attention to citizens of doubtful antecedents and of questionable character but as responsible journalists they should observe restraint and caution in hazarding their own opinion or conclusion in branding these persons as ‘cheats’, ‘killers’ etc. The cardinal principle being that the guilt of a person should be established by proof of facts alleged and not by proof of bad character of the accused. In the zest to expose, the Press should not exceed the limits of ethical caution and fair comment.
8) Where the impugned publication are manifestly injurious to the reputation of the complainant, the onus shall be on the respondent to show that they were true or to establish that they constituted fair comment made in good faith and for the public good.
Parameters of the right of the Press to comment on the acts and conduct of public officials
9) So far as the government, local authority and other organs/institutions exercising governmental power are concerned, they cannot maintain a suit for damages for acts and conduct relevant to the discharge of their official duties unless the official establishes that the publication was made with reckless disregard for the truth. However, the judiciary, which is protected by the power to punish for contempt o court and the Parliament and Legislatures, protected as their privileges are by Articles 105 and 194 respectively, of the Constitution of India, represent exceptions to this rule.
10) Publication of news or comments/information on public officials conducting investigations should [not] have a tendency to help the commission of offences or to impede the prevention or detection of offences or prosecution of the guilty. The investigative agency is also under a corresponding obligation not to leak out or disclose such information or indulge in disinformation.
11) The Official Secrets Act, 1923, or any other similar enactment or provision having the force of law equally bind the press or media though there is not law empowering the state or its officials to prohibit, or to impose a prior restraint upon the Press/media.
12) Cartoons and caricatures in depicting good humour are to be placed In a special category of news that enjoys a more liberal attitude.
13) The Press shall not intrude or invade the privacy of an individual unless outweighed by genuine overriding public interest, not being a prurient or morbid curiosity. So, however, that once a matter becomes a matter of public record, the right to privacy no longer subsists and it becomes a legitimate subject for comment by Press and media among others.
Explanation: Things concerning a person’s home, family, religion, health, sexuality, personal life and private affairs are covered by the concept of PRIVACY excepting where any of these impinges upon the public or public interest.
14) Caution against identification: While reporting crime involving rape, abduction or kidnap of women/females or sexual assault on children, or raising doubts and questions touching the chastity, personal character and p;privacy of women, the names, photographs of the victims or other particulars leading to their identity shall not be published.
15) Minor children and infants who are the offspring of sexual abuse or “forcible marriage” or illicit sexual union shall not be identified or photographed.
Recording interviews and phone conversations
16) The Press shall not tape-record anyone’s conversation without that person’s knowledge or consent, except where the recording is necessary to protect the journalist in a legal action, or for other compelling good reason.
17) The Press shall, prior to publication, delete offensive epithets used by an interviewee in conversation with the Press person.
18) Intrusion through photography into moments of personal grief shall be avoided. However, photography of victims or accidents or natural calamity may be in larger public interest.
Conjecture, comment and fact
19) Newspaper should not pass on or elevate conjecture, speculation or comment as a statement of fact. All these categories should be distinctly stated.
Newspapers to eschew suggestive guilt
20) Newspapers should eschew suggestive guilt by association. They should not name or identify the family or relatives or associates of a person convicted or accused of a crime, when they are totally innocent and a reference to them is not relevant to the matter reported.
21) It is contrary to the norms of journalism for a paper to identify itself with and project the case of any one party in the case of any controversy/dispute.
22) When any factual error or mistake is detected or confirmed, the newspaper should publish the correction promptly with due prominence and with apology or expression of regrets in a case of serious lapse.
23) The newspaper should promptly and with due prominence publish either in full or with due editing, free of cost, at the instance of the person affection or feeling aggrieved/or concerned by the impugned publication, a contradiction/reply/clarification or rejoinder sent to the editor in the form of a letter or note. If the editor doubts the truth or factual accuracy of the contradiction/reply/clarification or rejoinder, he shall be at liberty to add separately at the end a brief editorial comment doubting its veracity, but only when this doubt is reasonably founded on unimpeachable documentary or other evidential material in his/her possession. This is a concession which has to be availed of sparingly with due discretion and caution in appropriate cases.
24) However, where the reply/contradiction or rejoinder is being published in compliance with the discretion of the Press Council, it is permissible to append a brief editorial note to that effect.
25) Right of rejoinder cannot be claimed through the medium of Press Conference, as publication of the news of a conference is within the discretionary powers of an editor.
26) Freedom of the Press involves the readers’ right to know all sides of an issue of public interest. An editor, therefore, shall not refuse to publish the reply or rejoinder merely on the ground that in his opinion the story published in the newspaper was true. That is an issue to be left to the judgement of the readers. It also does not behove an editor to show contempt towards a reader.
27) An editor who decides to open his columns for letters on a controversial subject is not obliged to publish all the letters received in regard to that subject. Her is entitled to select and publish only some of them either in entirety or the gist thereof. However, in exercising this discretion, he must make an honest endeavour to ensure that what is published is not one-sided but represents a fair balance between the views for and against with respect to the principal issue in controversy.
28) In the event of rejoinder upon rejoinder being sent by two parties on a controversial subject, the editor has the discretion to decide at which stage to close the continuing column.
Obscenity and vulgarity to be eschewed
29) Newspapers/journalists shall not publish anything which is obscene, vulgar or offensive to public good taste.
30) Newspapers shall not display advertisements which are vulgar or which, through depiction of a woman in nude or lewd postures, provoke lecherous attention of males as if she herself was a commercial commodity for sale.
31) Whether a picture is obscene or not is to be judged in relation to three tests; namely
i) Is it vulgar and indecent?
ii) Is it a piece of mere pornography?
iii) Is its publication meant merely to make money by titillating the sex feelings of adolescents and among whom it is intended to circulate? In other words, does it constitute an unwholesome exploitation for commercial gain?
Other relevant considerations are whether the picture is relevant to the subject matter of the magazine. That is to say, whether its publication serves any preponderating social or public purpose, in relation to art, painting, medicine, research or reform of sex.
Violence not the be glorified
32) Newspapers/journalists shall avoid presenting acts of violence, armed robberies and terrorist activities in a manner that glorifies the perpetrators’ acts, declarations or death in the eyes of the public.
Glorification/encouragement of social evils to be eschewed
33) Newspapers shall not allow their columns to be misused for writings which have a tendency to encourage or glorify social evils like Sati Pratha or ostentatious celebrations.
Covering communal disputes/clashes
34) News, views or comments relating to communal or religious disputes/clashes shall be published after proper verification of facts and presented with due caution and restraint in a manner which is conducive to the creation of an atmosphere congenial to communal harmony, amity and peace. Sensational, provocative and alarming headlines are to be avoided. Acts of communal violence or vandalism shall be reported in a manner as may not undermine the people’s confidence in the law and order machinery of the State. Giving community-wise figures of the victims of communal riot or writing bout the incident in a style which is likely to inflame passions, aggravate the tension, or accentuate the strained relations between the communities/religious groups concerned, or which has a potential to exacerbate the trouble, shall be avoided.
Headings not to be sensational/provocative and must justify the matter printed under them.
35) In general and particularly in the context of communal disputes or clashes:
a. Provocative and sensational headlines are to be avoided;
b. Headings must reflect and justify the matter printed under them.
c. Headings containing allegations made in statements should either identify the body or the source making it, or at least carry quotation marks.
Caste, religion or community references
36) In general, the caste identification of a person or a particular class should be avoided, particularly when in the context it conveys a sense or attributes a conduct or practice derogatory to that caste.
37) Newspapers are advised against the use of the words ‘Scheduled Caste’ or ‘Harijan’ which has been objected to by some persons.
38) An accused or a victim shall not be described by his caste or community when the same does not have anything to do with the offence or the crime and plays no part either in the identification of any accused or proceeding, if there be any.
39) Newspapers should not publish any fictional literature distorting and portraying the religious characters in an adverse light, transgress the norms of literary taste, and offend the religious susceptibilities of large sections of society who hold those characters in high esteem, invested with attributes of the virtuous and lofty.
40) Commercial exploitation of the name of prophets, seers or deities is repugnant to journalistic ethics and good taste.
Reporting on natural calamities
41) Facts and data relating to the spread of epidemics or natural calamities shall be checked up thoroughly from authentic sources and then published with due restraint in a manner bereft of sensationalism, exaggeration, surmises or unverified facts.
Paramount national interest
42) Newspapers shall, as a matter of self-regulation, exercise due restraint and caution in presenting any news, comment or information which is likely to jeopardise, endanger or harm the paramount interests of the State and society, or the rights of individuals with respect to which reasonable restrictions may be imp;osed by law on the right to freedom of speech and expression under Clause (2) of Article 19 of the Constitution of India.
43) Publication of wrong/incorrect map is a very serious offence, whatever the reason, as it adversely affects the territorial integrity of the country and warrants p;romped and prominent retraction with regrets.
Newspapers may expose misuse of diplomatic immunity
44) The media shall make every possible effort to build bridges of co-operation and better understanding between India and foreign States. At the same time, it is the duty of a newspaper to expose any misuse or undue advantage of the diplomatic immunities.
Investigative Journalism, its norms and parameters
45) Investigative reporting has three basic elements
a. It has to be the work of the reporter, not of others he is reporting;
b. The subject should be of public importance for the reader to know;
c. An attempt is being made to hide the truth from the people.
The first norm follows as a necessary corollary from:
a. that the investigative reporter should, as a rule, base his story on facts investigated, detected and verified by himself and not on hearsay or on derivative evidence collected by a third party, not checked up from direct, authentic sources by the reporter himself.
b. There being a conflict between the factors which require openness and those which necessitate secrecy, the investigative journalist should strike and maintain in his report a proper balance between openness on the one hand and secrecy on the other, placing the public good above everything.
c. The investigative journalist should resist the temptation of quickness or quick gains conjured up from half-baked incomplete, doubtful facts, not fully checked up; and verified from authentic sources by the reporter himself.
d. Imaginary facts, or ferreting out or conjecturing the non-existent should be scrupulously avoided. Facts, facts and yet more facts are vital and they should be checked and cross-checked whenever possible until the moment the paper goes to press.
e. The newspaper must adopt strict standards of fairness and accuracy of facts. Findings should be presented in an objective manner, without exaggerating or distorting, that would stand up in a court of law, if necessary.
f. The reporter must not approach the matter or the issue under investigation, in a manner as though he were the prosecutor or counsel for the prosecution. The reporter’s approach should be fair, accurate and balanced. All facts properly checked up, both for and against the core issues, should be distinctly and separately stated, free from any one-sided inferences or unfair comments. The tone and tenor of the report and its language should be sober, decent and dignified, and not needlessly offensive, barbed, derisive or castigator, particularly while commenting on the version of the person whose alleged activity or misconduct is being investigated. Nor should the investigative reporter conduct the proceedings and pronounce his verdict of guilt or innocence against the person whose alleged criminal acts and conduct were investigated, in a manner as if he were a court trying the accused.
g. In all proceedings, including the investigation, presentation and publication of the report, the investigative journalist’s newspaper should be guided by the paramount principle of criminal jurisprudence, that a person is innocent unless the offence alleged against him is proved beyond doubt by independent, reliable evidence.
h. The private life, even of a public figure, is his own. Exposition or invasion of his personal privacy or private life is not permissible unless there is clear evidence that the wrongdoings in question have a reasonable nexus with the misuse of his public position or power and has an adverse impact on public interest.
i. Though the legal provisions of Criminal Procedure do not in terms apply to investigating proceedings by a journalist, the fundamental principles underlying them can be adopted as a guide on grounds of equity, ethics and good conscience.
Confidence to be respected
46) If information is received from a confidential source, the confidence should be respected. The journalist cannot be compelled by the Press Council to disclose such sources; but it shall not be regarded as a breach of journalistic ethics if the source is voluntarily disclosed in proceedings before the Council by the journalist who considers it necessary to repel effectively a charge against him/her. This rule requiring a newspaper not to publish matters disclosed to it in confidence is not applicable where:
a. consent of the source is subsequently obtained; or
b. the editor clarified by way of an appropriate footnote that since the publication of certain matters were in the public interest, the information in question was published although it had been made ‘off the record’.
Caution in criticising judicial acts.
47) Excepting where the court sits ‘in camera’ or directs otherwise, it is open to a newspaper to report pending judicial proceedings in a fair, accurate and reasonable manner. But it shall not publish anything:
* which, in its direct and immediate effect, creates a substantial risk of obstructing, impeding or prejudicing seriously the due administration of justice; or
* is in the nature of a running commentary or debate, or records the paper’s own findings, conjectures, reflections or comments on issues sub judice and which may amount to arrogation to the newspaper of the functions of the court; or
* regarding the personal character of the accused standing trial on a charge of committing a crime.
Newspapers shall not, as a matter of caution, publish or comment on evidence collected as a result of investigative journalism, when, after the accused is arrested and charged, the court becomes seized of the case. Nor should they reveal, comment upon or evaluate a confession allegedly made by the accused.
48. While newspapers may, in the public interest, make reasonable criticism of a judicial act or the judgement of a court for the public good, they shall not cast scurrilous aspersions on, or impute improper motives, or personal bias to the judge. Nor shall they scandalise the court or the judiciary as a whole, or make personal allegations of lack of ability or integrity against a judge.
49. Newspapers shall, as a matter of caution, avoid unfair and unwarranted criticism which, by innuendo, attributes to a judge extraneous consideration for performing an act in due course of his/her judicial functions, even if such criticism noes not strictly amount to criminal Contempt of Court.
Newspapers to avoid crass commercialism
50. While newspapers are entitled to ensure, improve or strengthen their financial viability by all legitimate means, the Press shall not engage in crass commercialism or unseemly cut-throat commercial competition with their rivals in a manner repugnant to high professional standards and good taste.
51. Predatory price wars/trade competition among newspapers, laced with tones disparaging the produces of each other, initiated and carried on in print, assume the colour of unfair ‘trade’ practice, repugnant to journalistic ethics. The question as to when it assumes such an unethical character is one of fact depending on the circumstances of each case.
52. Using or passing off the writings or ideas of another as one’s own, without crediting the source, is an offence against the ethics of journalism.
Unauthorised lifting of news
53. The practice of lifting news from other newspapers, publishing them subsequently as their own, ill-comports the high standards of journalism. To remove its unethicality the ‘lifting’ newspaper must duly acknowledge the source of the report. The position of feature articles is different from ‘news’. Feature articles shall not be lifted without permission and proper acknowledgement.
54. The press shall not reproduce in any form offending portions or excerpts from a proscribed book.
Non-return of unsolicited material
55. A paper is not bound to return unsolicited material sent for consideration of publication. However, when the same is accompanied by a stamped envelope, the paper should make all efforts to return it.
56. Commercial advertisements are information as much as social, economic or political information. What is more, advertisements shape attitudes and ways of life at least as much as other kinds of information and comment. Journalistic propriety demands that advertisements must be clearly distinguishable from editorial matters carried in the newspaper.
57. Newspapers shall not publish anything which has a tendency to malign wholesale or hurt the religious sentiments of any community or section of society.
58 Advertisements which offend the provisions of the Drugs and Magical Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, should be rejected.
59. Newspapers should not publish an advertisement containing anything which is unlawful or illegal, or is contrary to good taste or to journalistic ethics or proprieties.
60. Newspapers while publishing advertisements shall specify the amount received by them. The rationale behind this is that advertisements should be charged at rates usually chargeable by a newspaper since payment of more than the normal rates would amount to a subsidy to the paper.
61.Publication of dummy advertisements that have neither been paid for nor authorised by the advertisers constitutes a breach of journalistic ethics.
62. Deliberate failure to publish an advertisement in all the copies of a newspaper offends against the standards of journalistic ethics and constitutes gross professional misconduct.
63. There should be no lack of vigilance or a communication gap between the advertisement department and the editorial department of a newspaper in the matter of considering the propriety or otherwise of an advertisement received for publication.
64. The editors should insist on their right to have the final say in the acceptance or rejection of advertisements, especially those which border on or cross the line between decency and obscenity.
65. An editor shall be responsible for all matters, including advertisements published in the newspaper. If responsibility is disclaimed, this shall be explicitly stated beforehand.
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SPECTRAL LORE — III
4.11 | 10 ratings | 3 reviews
Album · 2014
Filed under Atmospheric Black Metal
By SPECTRAL LORE
Disc 1 - Part I: Singularity:
1. Omphalos (7:28)
2. The Veiled Garden (16:32)
3. The Cold March Towards Eternal Brightness (14:42)
4. Drifting Through Moss and Ancient Stone (11:26)
Disc 2 - Part II: Eternity:
1. The Spiral Fountain (10:46)
2. A Rider Through the Lands of an Infinite Dreamscape (12:45)
3. Cosmic Significance (13:51)
Total Time (both): 87:30
Line-up/Musicians
- Ayloss / Everything
Released by I, Voidhanger Records, May 2nd, 2014.
First press digipak limited to 500 copies.
Jewel case unlimited repress released in 2015.
Contains a 20-page full colour booklet.
Thanks to UMUR for the addition and adg211288 for the updates
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"A breath, formed into the atmosphere, rained down into the oceans. Was led into a little stream, that fed a spiral fountain."
Atmospheric black metal generally isn't my thing. I do enjoy a handful of black metal bands, but I'm really picky when it comes to the style. I would rank Myrkur, Melechesh, Absu, Immortal, and a few others as fantastic bands, but I generally find a lot of black metal to be forgettable, derivative, contrived, and overall boring. I get that it's a genre that's supposed to take you on some sort of journey, but apart from Alcest's Kodama which I don't even consider to be metal, I've never really gotten that feeling from this stuff.
Many of these atmospheric acts are one-man/woman bands, and Spectral Lore comes as no exception. Released to critical acclaim, Ayloss' (the man behind Spectral Lore) strangely titled fourth album leaves me somewhat in the middle. There is some fantastic stuff to be heard here, as well as some that is very typical of the genre. Interestingly, I find the best track to be one that is not metal at all, "Drifting Through Moss and Ancient Stone". This is a very beautiful instrumental folk tune that may remind one of the classical guitar playing of Steve Howe or Still Life-era Opeth. There is also some great piano work that blends nicely with the classical guitar, as well as atmospheric chanting-type vocals at the end.
The opening track on disc two, "The Spiral Fountain" continues from where the aforementioned last song left off. It begins with a similar classical guitar motif, but soon brings the black metal in. This song is blasting with melodic guitar leads, surprisingly guttural roars for black metal, and having a perfect atmosphere. What makes the atmosphere work so well here is the fact that it's the beautiful melodies of the guitar that creates the atmosphere rather than a synthetic echo effect that drones over the rest of the music. I can't stress how great the guitar riffs and melodies are in this song enough, it sends chills down my spine.
Unfortunately, most of the rest of the album either falls in place of typical bland atmospheric black metal or features some good ideas mixed in with said sound. Thankfully though, there is one more great song other then the aforementioned tracks. Spectral Lore's III ends with another beautiful track as the finale, "Cosmic Significance". The first half of this song is comprised of sweet melancholy keys that do make me feel like I'm on a lonely yet alluring journey through deep space. The banging and surprisingly catchy beat of the drums slowly announce for the other instruments to come in. Some of the guitar melodies actually remind me of Eloy here. It certainly gives the album an epic climax.
While the three songs I described are among the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, that's only a half-hour of a nearly 90-minute album. It's a real shame, because if Spectral Lore had honed in his sound and maybe made an album with those three songs, it would be a masterpiece. Fans of atmospheric black metal will of course eat this up either way, but for those of you like me who prefer your black metal to have more hooks and memorable riffing, give this a try. Hope you found this review helpful, feel free to comment!
more than 2 years ago
Report #338778
Warthur
A superb atmospheric black metal double album from this one-musician project. Spectral Lore is the output of Ayloss, who accomplishes a high level of adept multi-instrumental proficiency here. Atmospheric black metal has, of course, been very keen on working in aspects of folk or ambient music since its inception - Burzum having pioneered that - but on III Ayloss produces some really exceptional quieter moments to sit alongside the impressively furious black metal crescendos.
"Dungeon synth"-esque ambient sections in black metal have often enjoyed a somewhat lo-fi aesthetic, in keeping with black metal as a whole, but here the production is crystal clear and the material is intricate and delicate enough to well and truly justify that. Closing number cosmic significance somehow blends dungeon synth, dark ambient, creepy folk and howling black metal into a single magnificent piece which flows beautifully and seamlessly from beginning to end. Truly a landmark album in this niche subgenre.
adg211288
More than any other genre of metal music, black metal seems to be the domain of the solo project. One such one man band is Spectral Lore, a Greek act by a musician going by the moniker Ayloss (also of Divine Element). III (2014), is, despite it's title, the fourth full-length album release from the project. A double disc effort, it can probably be considered Ayloss' most ambitious work to date. Between writing and recording the album took about five years to complete. During that time period, 2008-2013, Spectral Lore released its third album Sentinel (2012) along with a few splits including Sol (2013) with US labelmate Mare Cognitum, which was also part collaboration. I believe that this album is called III because Ayloss always intended this to follow II (2007). Sentinel, it seems, only came about due to Ayloss' frustrations with problems with production and mixing (information taken from a press release on III) and ended up being made so the musician could gather the skills he needed to complete III the way he wanted it to sound and was written and recorded in just three months, a massive difference compared to III. I happen to think that Sentinel is a pretty great album in its own right, however it's clear that a lot more care and dedication has been put into III. Ayloss seems to have gone all out with this one.
III is not what you may call an easy album. There's simply too much to take in for it to be the sort of album that would serve as the go-to for someone looking for a quick black metal fix. It's not really due to its length as although III is a double album the total time isn't actually that much longer than a single CD can hold, clocking in at around eighty-seven and a half minutes. That's still long, but it isn't quite as daunting to delve into as certain other long black metal albums I've come across, not least those by Spectral Lore's I, Voidhanger Records labelmate Midnight Odyssey where we're talking about over two full hours of music. Instead it's the music itself which proves really challenging and what ultimately makes III one of those albums that requires some real perseverance to get to grips with. The impatient among us with probably give up and go look for something more immediately satisfying. Those who can however give the album the dedication it deserves will find one of the most rewarding albums they're likely to ever come across.
While Spectral Lore is usually considered to be an atmospheric black metal act, I find that some of the music on III is actually quite dissonant in its delivery, which is where its difficult nature starts to come into play. Give the album a bit of time though and each track will give up their secrets and show off all the different ideas and moods that Ayloss has managed to incorporate into it, such as some really chaotic sounding stuff in The Veiled Garden or the triumphant sounds in A Rider Through the Lands of an Infinite Dreamscape. Elsewhere on the album, such as Drifting Through Moss and Ancient Stone, Ayloss largely turns away from black metal and towards ambient and dark folk influences, which you can still here in the black metal tracks at times, but here the focus switches around. III sways between two different extremes in this respect and the variety really makes the lengthy album work so well.
I like that Ayloss has taken the time to really develop these non-metal ideas as much as he has; many artists would use such things for a short throwaway interlude piece if they felt the need to offer their listener a breather from their usual extreme metal sound but not Spectral Lore. If anything it's these mostly less metal orientated tracks, another of which is the closing Cosmic Significance, that prove the early standouts when exploring III due to the cleaner sound compared to the black metal, which has a suitable level of rawness that old school fans of the genre are sure to appreciate. It does also have the slight downside though in that it makes the black metal tracks come across as being more subtle with their ideas and as such they take a few more listens before they really begin to reveal their own identities.
III is certainly a lot to take in, even if one tries to take it in two parts (which it is presented in – disc one is called Singularity and disc 2 is called Eternity). If your experience with the album is anything like mine has been it will take many listens before you can really say you've scratched the surface of what it offers. I'm at about a dozen listens to it now and I still feel as if I have more to discover. That's a rare kind of album. If there is an actual weak link in it all it would have to be that I don't really find Ayloss to have that much of a commanding presence as a growling vocalist, while also finding it difficult to follow what are actually some really substantial lyrics, but I don't feel as if my enjoyment of the album is affected too much by that. As a composer Ayloss has proven that he's one of the best in the genre with III, an album which I'd deem as being essential for anyone with a taste for black metal and the patience to appreciate everything the album offers. III may have taken Ayloss half a decade to complete, but I'd say it was time well spent. It's going to be interesting to hear how Ayloss is going to go about topping this.
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III Contents
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WHO IS mr.h?
Social Media Marketing | Sheep with a View
This social media campaign was created to motivate visitors to travel to Norway. This was executed through a (triple) award-winning social media campaign, showcasing the depth of Norway as a travel destination: the lifestyle, the food, and, of course, the landscape.
Social Media & Branded Content
TV, Film & Video Production
WINNER (GOLD), Best Social Media campaign, Travel Marketing Awards
SILVER, Adrian Awards (New York)
BRONZE, The Best of Global Digital Marketing
The purpose of this campaign was to showcase the depth of Norway as a travel destination: the lifestyle, the food, and, of course, the landscape.
Every year 2 million sheep are released into the forests and mountains without supervision. They are free to roam anywhere including into the cities, towns and villages. Who better to introduce us to Norway than these woolly explorers?
Central to this is the notion that Norwegian sheep are as opinionated as Norwegian’s themselves, and as different too, with distinct regional characteristics. Each sheep has an individual personality with a unique outlook on life.
The content consisted of a series of short videos shot on location in Norway supported by stills photography that sustained a slightly crazy summer-time adventure that mixed beautiful views with sassy, funny or witty insights about Norwegian culture. To help launch the campaign we invited a number of high-level influencers to Norway to join the sheep on their adventures.
These influencers came from as far away as the west coast USA to participate in the shoot, capture their own material and arrange takeovers of the global and local SheepWithAview pages. mr.h’s involvement extended from providing the idea, to generating all content, managing influencers, seeding to press and other social outlets, devising the paid media strategy and being responsible for monitoring the global reach. In three months our sheep reached a social audience of almost 8 million and netted over 14,300 followers See more...
Destination & Travel Marketing
Social Media & Brand Content
Luxury Brand & Lifestyle Marketing
Winter Sports Marketing
Tour Operator & Carrier Marketing
trevor@mrh.london
© 2020 mr.h
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Is the Worst Yet To Come?
By John W. Whitehead
“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”—Philosopher George Santayana
Stay alert, America.
This is not the time to drop our guards, even for a moment.
Nothing has changed since the election to alter the immediate and very real dangers of roadside strip searches, government surveillance, biometric databases, citizens being treated like terrorists, imprisonments for criticizing the government, national ID cards, SWAT team raids, censorship, forcible blood draws and DNA extractions, private prisons, weaponized drones, red light cameras, tasers, active shooter drills, police misconduct and government corruption.
Time alone will tell whether those who put their hopes in a political savior will find that trust rewarded or betrayed.
Personally, I’m not holding my breath.
I’ve been down this road before.
I’ve studied history.
I know what comes next.
It’s early days yet, but President-elect Trump—like his predecessors—has already begun to dial back many of the campaign promises that pledged to reform a broken system of government.
The candidate who railed against big government and vowed to “drain the swamp” of lobbyists and special interest donors has already given lobbyists, corporate donors and members of the governmental elite starring roles in his new administration.
America, you’ve been played.
This is what happens when you play politics with matters of life, death and liberty.
You lose every time.
Unfortunately, in this instance, we all lose because of the deluded hypocrisy of the Left and the Right, both of which sanctioned the expansion of the police state as long as it was their party at the helm.
For the past eight years, the Left—stridently outspoken and adversarial while George W. Bush was president—has been unusually quiet about things like torture, endless wars, drone strikes, executive orders, government overreach and fascism.
As Glenn Greenwald points out for The Washington Post:
Beginning in his first month in office and continuing through today, Obama not only continued many of the most extreme executive-power policies he once condemned, but in many cases strengthened and extended them. His administration detained terrorism suspects without due process, proposed new frameworks to keep them locked up without trial, targeted thousands of individuals (including a U.S. citizen) for execution by drone, invoked secrecy doctrines to shield torture and eavesdropping programs from judicial review, and covertly expanded the nation’s mass electronic surveillance…
Liberals vehemently denounced these abuses during the Bush presidency… But after Obama took office, many liberals often tolerated — and even praised — his aggressive assertions of executive authority. It is hard to overstate how complete the Democrats’ about-face on these questions was once their own leader controlled the levers of power… After just three years of the Obama presidency, liberals sanctioned a system that allowed the president to imprison people without any trial or an ounce of due process.
Suddenly, with Trump in the White House for the next four years, it’s all fair game again.
As The Federalist declares with a tongue-in-cheek approach, “Dissent, executive restraint, gridlock, you name it. Now that Donald Trump will be president, stuff that used to be treason is suddenly cool again.”
Yet as Greenwald makes clear, if Trump is about to inherit vast presidential powers, he has the Democrats to thank for them.
A military empire that polices the globe. Secret courts, secret wars and secret budgets. Unconstitutional mass surveillance. Unchecked presidential power. Indefinite detention. Executive signing statements.
These are just a small sampling of the abusive powers that have been used liberally by Obama and will be used again and again by future presidents.
After all, presidents are just puppets on a string, made to dance to the tune of the powers-that-be. And the powers-that-be want war. They want totalitarianism. They want a monied oligarchy to run the show. They want bureaucracy and sprawl and government leaders that march in lockstep with their dictates. Most of all, they want a gullible, distracted, easily led populace that can be manipulated, maneuvered and made to fear whatever phantom menace the government chooses to make the bogeyman of the month.
Unless Trump does another about-face, rest assured that the policies of a Trump Administration will be no different from an Obama Administration or a Bush Administration, at least not where it really counts.
For that matter, a Clinton Administration would have been no different.
In other words, Democrats by any other name would be Republicans, and vice versa.
This is the terrible power of the shadow government: to maintain the status quo, no matter which candidate gets elected.
War will continue. Surveillance will continue. Drone killings will continue. Police shootings will continue. Highway robbery meted out by government officials will continue. Corrupt government will continue. Profit-driven prisons will continue. Censorship and persecution of anyone who criticizes the government will continue. The militarization of the police will continue. The government’s efforts to label dissidents as extremists and terrorists will continue.
In such a climate, the police state will thrive.
The more things change, the more they will stay the same.
We’ve been stuck in this political Groundhog’s Day for so long that minor deviations appear to be major developments while obscuring the fact that we’re stuck on repeat, unable to see the forest for the trees.
This is what is referred to as creeping normality, or a death by a thousand cuts.
It’s a concept invoked by Pulitzer Prize-winning scientist Jared Diamond to describe how major changes, if implemented slowly in small stages over time, can be accepted as normal without the shock and resistance that might greet a sudden upheaval.
Diamond’s concerns are environmental in nature, but they are no less relevant to our understanding of how a once-free nation could willingly bind itself with the chains of dictatorship.
Writing about Easter Island’s now-vanished civilization and the societal decline and environmental degradation that contributed to it, Diamond explains, “In just a few centuries, the people of Easter Island wiped out their forest, drove their plants and animals to extinction, and saw their complex society spiral into chaos and cannibalism… Why didn’t they look around, realize what they were doing, and stop before it was too late? What were they thinking when they cut down the last palm tree?”
His answer: “I suspect that the disaster happened not with a bang but with a whimper.”
Much like America’s own colonists, Easter Island’s early colonists discovered a new world—“a pristine paradise”—teeming with life. Almost 2000 years after its first settlers arrived, Easter Island was reduced to a barren graveyard by a populace so focused on their immediate needs that they failed to preserve paradise for future generations.
To quote Joni Mitchell, they paved over paradise to put up a parking lot.
In Easter Island’s case, as Diamond speculates:
The forest…vanished slowly, over decades. Perhaps war interrupted the moving teams; perhaps by the time the carvers had finished their work, the last rope snapped. In the meantime, any islander who tried to warn about the dangers of progressive deforestation would have been overridden by vested interests of carvers, bureaucrats, and chiefs, whose jobs depended on continued deforestation… The changes in forest cover from year to year would have been hard to detect… Only older people, recollecting their childhoods decades earlier, could have recognized a difference.
Sound painfully familiar yet?
Substitute Easter Island’s trees for America’s republic and the trees being decimated for our freedoms, and the arrow hits the mark.
Diamond observes, “Gradually trees became fewer, smaller, and less important. By the time the last fruit-bearing adult palm tree was cut, palms had long since ceased to be of economic significance. That left only smaller and smaller palm saplings to clear each year, along with other bushes and treelets. No one would have noticed the felling of the last small palm.”
We’ve already torn down the rich forest of liberties established by our founders. They don’t teach freedom in the schools. Few Americans know their history. And even fewer seem to care that their fellow Americans are being jailed, muzzled, shot, tasered, and treated as if they have no rights at all. They don’t care, that is, until it happens to them—at which point it’s almost too late.
This is how the police state wins. This is how tyranny rises. This is how freedom falls.
A thousand cuts, each one justified or ignored or shrugged over as inconsequential enough by itself to bother. But they add up.
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, each cut, each attempt to undermine our freedoms, each loss of some critical right—to think freely, to assemble, to speak without fear of being shamed or censored, to raise our children as we see fit, to worship or not worship as our conscience dictates, to eat what we want and love who we want, to live as we want—they add up to an immeasurable failure on the part of each and every one of us to stop the descent down that slippery slope.
It’s taken us 200 short years to destroy the freedoms our founders worked so hard to secure, and it’s happened with barely a whimper of protest from “we the people.”
So when I read about demonstrations breaking out in cities across the country and thousands taking to the streets to protest the threat of fascism from a Trump presidency, I have to wonder where were the concerns when access to Obama came easily to any special interest groups and donors willing and able to pay the admissions price?
When I see celebrities threatening to leave the country in droves, I have to ask myself, where was the outcry when the government’s efforts to transform local police into extensions of the military went into overdrive under the Obama administration?
When my newsfeed is overflowing with people wishing they could keep the Obamas in office because they are so cool, I shake my head in disgust over this “cool” president’s use of targeted drone strikes to assassinate American citizens without any due process.
When legal think tanks are threatening lawsuits over the possibility of Trump muzzling free expression, I can’t help but wonder where the outrage was over the Obama administration’s demonizing and criminalization of those who criticized the government.
And when commentators who previously dismissed as fear-mongering and hateful any comparison of the government’s tactics to Nazi Germany are suddenly comparing Trump to Hitler, I have to wonder if perhaps we’ve been living in different countries all along, because none of this is new.
Indeed, if we’re repeating history, the worst is yet to come.
https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/stay_alert_america_the_worst_is_yet_to_come
Posted by Paul Stramer at 7:55 AM
Labels: john W. Whitehead, Paul Stramer
james pansini November 17, 2016 at 4:56 PM
One really has to ask how smart the founding fathers were. If indeed, the constitution was a "contract" beteeen "the people collectively" and our "government" to protect us not only from government intrusion of our god given rights, but to actually see they are protected from overzealous beauracrates, then where are all the penalities written right into the contract so there is no confusion about what they can be charged with for violating each and every one, like ever contract we sign now with them or the banks. What kind of contract doesnt include penalties for violating the contract. Ive never signed one of theirs that didnt have any. Why didnt the founding fathers just base their contract(the constitution) on a simple "hand shake". They should have contacted a "good attorney" to write it up. Then, instead of it being only a few pages long, it would have been several hundred with all kinds of hidden clauses like they do to us. The longer the better, because none of them would have read it....just sign here please!!!! Instead, we are going through this. Thanks a lot Benjamin. You should have stuck to flying kites and let a real professional write the contract. How is it possible that we can win all our wars only to be defeated at the end by a well written contract designed to benifit of our enemies instead of us.
Gege Dai March 29, 2017 at 10:30 PM
The Election: Of Hate, Grief, and a New Story
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Music, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Song of The Day, Social Justice, Video
Where your friends are waiting: Peace Song for 12/9/2011
December 9, 2011 susanna 1 Comment
“The Last Church On The Left” by Sonny Meadows is the Peace Song of the day for December 9th. You can find this song on the album Tolerance.
There are many reasons why we love this song! Besides our admiration for Sonny Meadows, this song is also a tribute to one of our heroes. The song describes a favorite memory: Susan Blake, welcoming people to the PeaceSmiths Cofffeehouse. Susan June Blake, who passed away in 2007, was the long time Coordinator of PeaceSmiths, and a dear friend of Ian and Kimberly.
Excerpt from lyrics:
It’s the last church on the left
As you’re heading down the highway
If you’re traveling my way
Where your friends are waiting for
you to help them, put an end to war…
Peace Couple has an ongoing project called Peace Song of the Day. We find and list songs which inspire peace and justice, and express the value of nonviolence.
This week, we are trying something new. We are focusing on one, particular artist, who has written a whole catalogue of peace and justice songs…
Sonny Meadows is a Long Island singer/songwriter. We know Sonny from the activist trail. Over the years, he has supported projects to end the wars, support green values, help the environment, and ask for tolerance for immigrants. His songs reflect all of those issues.
Sonny has been part of various bands, including Blacklisted & The Banned and The Defibrillators. You can learn more about Sonny Meadows at his webpage: www.sonnymeadows.com
You can purchase Sonny’s CD’s at CD Baby: here. CD Baby is an excellent source for independent musicians to share their products with the world. And, if you click through our link, Peace Couple will get credit for sending you over there (So, thanks!).
folk musicLong IslandLong Island coffee housesLong Island folk musicLong Island musicLong Island peaceLong Island peace groupspeacepeace and justice activismPeace movementPeace Song of the DayPeaceSmithsprotest musicsocial changeSonnySonny MeadowsSusan Blake
Previous PostJust like Germany, just before the war: Peace Song for 12/8/2011Next PostNever Thought I’d Miss Richard Nixon: Peace Song for 12/10/2011
One thought on “Where your friends are waiting: Peace Song for 12/9/2011”
Jon Castillo says:
Hi Susanna,
Thanks for the info, I would like to extend my support to the Peace Officers whom responded to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. The gunman went into hiding after he shot one person. Since he made it appear to be a domestic only, he was probably waiting to see if they’d call it just that or put the school into lockdown. The point is this, if the school woulda went into lockdown, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t have been able to find the lone gunman & he probably would have finished it another day when school resumed. It appears he wanted to terrorize all: students, faculty, family, friends, sympathetic fellow Americas & the police. People attacking the police officers and making them feel guilty for his heinous crime would make the gunman happy. I pray for and encourage sympathy and reverence towards the officers (who also care deeply about this) as well as the victims and their loved ones.
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Encore Presentation: Cookin' with Leo
Sifoddling Along
Get Ready to Travel
Each Hour
The Life That You Touch
Auntie Fish
Light Crust Dough Boys - The New Granbury Live
By LC Van Savage
Two Nameless Heroes
So many women, so many role models.I can’t even begin to pick my favorites or the ones I admired the most.Eleanor Roosevelt?A definite contender.I’ve read every single thing ever written about her and she was one prima first lady.What she did for America, for women, for African Americans, for all minorities during FDR’s presidency and after he died is the stuff of legends.I wish I’d known her.
Helen Keller.Sacagawea. All the women on the Mayflower. All the women who came across America in covered wagons.Joan of Arc.Marie Curie.Betty Boop. Margaret Bourke-White.Margaret Sanger. Margaret Chase Smith.Sojourner Truth. Assorted queens. The Statue of Liberty. OK, I’ll stop. You get the idea.
Who was the bravest?What woman did and do I admire the most?That’s a tough one because all of them were so very admirable.I think I’ve mentioned a couple in this column over the years, but all brave ladies deserve more ink, right? Lots more.
Two stand out for me, and I’ll tell you about them.I was re-reminded of one of them because I read a horrifying story about Donald Trump, poor darling, who had taken all the money out of some casino in Atlantic City he owned, minutes before it went bankrupt.In fact many of the casinos are crumbling and unattended at that formerly elegant seaside town.I rejoice.I went to Atlantic City as a kid and ---well, that’s for another column.
So let’s chat about the first of the two bravest women I’ve never known.When beautiful, sweet Atlantic City NJ was eyeballed by a bunch of guys with cigars, big cars, crooked noses and strangely furtive expressions, it all changed abruptly and horribly.That graceful, gracious little town became, well, Las Vegas East. Everyone had to move away.“They” took over and the old, elegant homes were flattened and hauled away like so much shattered driftwood, and in their places shot up huge, gaudy tall buildings, the floors covered with garish rugs, each gigantic room filled with every known gambling device.Every crime flourished, and the people came.
But there was one tiny flaw in the center of one of the largest, glittering dens of iniquity, looking for all the world like a small missing tooth.That biggest, tallest and most ostentatious of those buildings had a small opening at its base and in that space was a tiny house, old, shabby, and well used.It had a front porch and on that porch sat an old woman in a straight-backed chair, a look of rage on her wrinkled face and a great big blunderbuss across her lap.I’d read about her.She’d become famous over the last few years, and had been written up in newspapers and magazines, because she would not, she simply refused to sell her tiny home overlooking the beach in Atlantic City, NJ where she’d lived all her life, a home she loved almost more than life itself, where she’d raised a bunch of kids, loved a husband; it was a home, her home, and she would not sell it to the big boys who put a whole lot of threatening pressure on her to do just that.Nope.She would not go no matter how much dough they offered.
So they simply built the casino around and over her, and there she sat, every day, defying them.Da boys knew she’d die soon and then they’d go in and blast that tiny home to splinters and fill in the gap with more glitter, slot machines, bad music and fast women.She was a brave lady, sitting in that old chair.How could we not admire and love her?She’s gone now, and that missing tooth at the base of that huge casino has been filled in and smoothed over and there’s no memory of her, or a plaque nailed to the wall to speak of her bravery.But I remember her well and I have always wondered who got the blunderbuss.
Let’s now talk about the second woman.I’d guess this charming beautiful old lady had to also be in her mid-eighties.I never got to meet her and I regret that, but circumstances prevented.Here’s why; Mongo and I had driven to Maine from New Jersey to go camping in the Lamoine campground up near Ellsworth so we could enjoy Maine and our sons, and I could commence my slow, easy, just under the radar, never-knew-what-hit-him propaganda to gently ease Mongo out of his very good New Jersey job and to nudge them all into a good and new and better life in Maine. It all paid off and my work was a resounding success because in 1974, we found ourselves movin’ on up, and have never regretted it.OK, sometimes in March.
But back then, it was on one of those beautiful summer trips to Maine that we stopped somewhere in New Hampshire to grab some lunch and to then head on up to Lamoine and Paradise.
We stopped at a diner quite close to a busy traffic circle which I quickly learned in Maine is called a rotary. “Rotary” to me was a club of some sort, dictionary defined as an international service organization whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
We dined at that little restaurant right on the edge of the rotary and the cars were numerous and speeding and very loud.When we finished our meal we stood, digesting, and watched the traffic whizzing past when something colorful caught my eye through the blur of speeding vehicles.I squinted and tried to stare through the cars flying past, roaring around that rotary (or as Mainers will pronounce it, “ROE-chree”) and yes,there it was.In the center of that thundering, circling stampede of automobiles was a round patch of bright green grass and off to one side a beautiful small Victorian home, complete with gingerbread all over it and ornately carved knees, a porch swing, hanging ferns. It looked old and magical as I peered at it through the speeding cars.
But something else was there.A woman, an old woman.She had white hair and was wearing a big circular straw hat that had long silky blue ribbons around the crown and they fluttered with each passing car.She sat in a rocking chair and she was knitting. Knitting!Something pink.And while I could not see her dress very well, I could tell it was long to her toes and pale colored and it maybe had flowers on it.I think she was barefooted.What a sight! Whenever there was a break in the zooming cars I could see her face, smiling, as she bent over her knitting.I screamed “Hey! Hey!” at her but she never looked up or waved, and I wish she had.
Like the remarkable lady in Atlantic City, this too was a brave, unforgettable woman.Why was she brave and what was her story? It’s obvious.Knowing full well the mighty Highway Commission people had begun a death watch and would grab her tiny piece of her earth when she went to live with the angles, she advised the suits that she had a home, yes she knew the highway was coming through, they told her she had to move and she told them she did in fact not have to move, that she’d lived there her entire life and as sweet as she looked, those guys knew they were attempting to push up against an immovable force.That lady was going nowhere. And so just like the brave woman in Atlantic City and knowing she really couldn’t last too much longer,the bemused and pissed off men built a rotary around her little piece of property and went away, knowing it was just a matter of time.As I stared at that sweet, brave, knitting woman, loving her on her small patch of lawn next to her beloved home in the center of those whirling, roaring cars on that rotary I suspect, no I positively knew she’d firmly told the Highway Commission boys where they might consider putting their eminent domain.
Posted by MaryE at 12:27 PM
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Oriental Rugs Glossary
<< Back to Glossary List
The Caucasus is the land stripe which in the West verges on the Black Sea, in the East verges on the Caspian Sea and in the South verges on Turkey and Iran. The Great Caucaus Mountains which reach from sea to sea divide the land stripe into the so called North Caucasus and the Southern Trans Caucasia. One can divide the peoples of Caucasus into four groups: the Azerbaijars (Turkish speaking Shiites), the Armenians (Gregorian Christians), the Georgians (of Greek Orthodox faith) and the North Caucasians (partly Moslems, partly Christians). The Caucasian rugs had their blossoming peak around 1800 and distinguish themselves by richness of forms and expression. The linear and geometric patterns are predominating. In general one can evaluate Caucasian works until ca. 1930 as high folk art. Especially their shiny but never glary colors make them highly attractive rugs. Masterly compositions made with vegetable dyes have made the old Caucasians some of the most valuable Oriental rugs.
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HomeArticlesKashmir’s Agony Fueled by Modi’s Rightwing Regime Echoes Across the World
Kashmir’s Agony Fueled by Modi’s Rightwing Regime Echoes Across the World
In many ways the struggle for freedom in Kashmir is mirrored in Palestine. (Photo: File)
By Iqbal Jassat
All it took was a blink of an eye to realize that India’s rightwing government outmaneuvered old-style colonialism by repackaging it as “democracy in action”.
Whether described as a double takeover or colonialism squared, the fact is that the governing BJP, Bharata Janata Party, has given effect to subsume Indian Occupied Kashmir.
And in true tradition of the erstwhile colonizers of India, the British Raj, Narendra Modi’s government resorted to using fork-tongued language in order to justify its colossal crime.
Describing Article 370 of the Constitution the “root cause of terrorism” and blaming it as regressive and blocking “development” in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi’s BJP chief Amit Shah bulldozed it by revoking it. With its abrupt abrogation, Indian Occupied Kashmir no longer enjoys the status it had hitherto.
In other words, the teeming millions of its population who to date had opposed efforts by successive Indian governments to prevent the implementation of UN resolutions on a plebiscite, have effectively been captured as prisoners.
Dispossessed, silenced, imprisoned and dejected for being held in limbo without any recourse to access the protection of the UN or any other country, the powder keg lit by the BJP regime, is likely to explode with devastating consequences.
While Modi and his para-military RSS thugs along with BJP fanatics are celebrating this crude move, it must be noted that many human rights movements within India have adopted a tough stance by opposing it. Along with other critics within the country’s mainstream media, they do so at the risk of being ostracized as unpatriotic.
As debate rages on in India and elsewhere, particularly Pakistan, social media trolls in support of the BJP, have evidently become intolerant, harsh and scathing. Vile, rude and disgusting memes have begun to spring up, suggesting that their efforts to whitewash the intended obliteration of Kashmir, is orchestrated.
The pattern of attacks has become routine, i.e. to justify the clampdown of Kashmir, follow Israel’s lead by conflating resistance with “Islamist terrorism”. The vocabulary used is straight out of Benjamin Netanyahu’s hymn sheet. That it stinks of Islamophobia is reflective of Modi’s rise to power: from the ashes of anti-Muslim Gujarat pogroms as its chief architect to the dispossession of Kashmir.
Anti-Muslim bigotry is being disguised in language which stresses India’s “nationalism”, implying that the ideological basis of BJP being an extreme version of Hinduism is the ultimate political goal. Known as Hindutva, it is far removed from a secular democracy. Yet by using the instruments which are on offer to the BJP, the Modi regime has struck a fatal blow to Kashmir.
Overnight, the Valley has been plunged in doom and gloom. Tens of thousands of Indian troops have been mobilized to join the most militarized piece of real estate on earth. Cut off from each other and the outside world due to Modi’s arbitrary suspension of the internet, and additional measures which restrict movement, the Occupied Kashmiris face relentless ongoing persecution.
It is thus not surprising that RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat and his second-in-command Bhaiyya Joshi congratulated the government for “this bold initiative which was very much necessary in the national interest…”.
Indeed it’s a reaction to be expected as the war of words escalates between arch-Hindutva paramilitary forces linked to the BJP via RSS and human rights movements .
Kashmir’s freedom struggle has taken on various contours during the last seven decades. Though many of its leaders have been imprisoned, banished or executed, successive generations continue to this day in their quest to gain freedom. In many ways their struggle is mirrored in Palestine.
Echoes of Kashmir’s pain, suffering and humiliation can be heard across all the Occupied Territories from Gaza to South Lebanon. And no matter to what extent Modi follows in Netanyahu’s footsteps to silence the persecuted millions, their cries will be heard.
And though the corridors of power in Western capitals may pretend to be insulated from Kashmir’s agony, their culpability in crimes resulting from their prized military industrial complex will loom large over their heads.
Neither Netanyahu nor Modi are free to act with impunity except with the “blessings” of the United States of America. That these two warlords have and continue commiting gross human rights violations, without any regard for legal imperatives which define rights and obligations, reveals the extent of their contempt for international conventions.
Dumping Article 370 is Modi’s latest act of defiance. Will he be compelled to reverse and reinstate Kashmir’s right to a plebiscite, is a question many may ask. The answer unfortunately is an emphatic NO. None of his allies – including South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Russia, are likely to intervene.
Kashmir’s woes are a tragic reality of how skewed international relations have become. It reflects an endemic corruption that has infested global politics and an unwillingness by power brokers to enforce justice.
– Iqbal Jassat is an Executive Member of the South Africa-based Media Review Network. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle. Visit: www.mediareviewnet.com
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Netanyahu Vows to Turn Illegal Outpost into Official Settlement by Next Week
January 29, 2018 Blog, News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday vowed that his government would authorize the illegal outpost of Havat Gilad at its February 4 meeting. According to the Jerusalem Post, this will “mark the fourth time since […]
Netanyahu: Israel’s Arrow-3 Missile Shield Passes US Trials
July 28, 2019 Blog, News
Israel’s US-backed Arrow-3 ballistic missile shield has passed a series of live interception tests over Alaska, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, casting the achievement as a warning to Iran. Jointly manufactured by US […]
Poland Seeks Apology from Israel on Katz’s ‘Slanderous’ Remarks
February 20, 2019 Blog, News
Poland is still awaiting an apology from Israel over its acting foreign minister’s comments on the alleged anti-Semitism of the Poles. The argument led Warsaw to pull out of a key Jerusalem summit, according to […]
I dont support Israels occupation and I dearly feel for Palestine. But the Kashmir issue is entire different than Palestine. Kashmir is a part of India and the freedom movement is only driven by Separatist and Pakistan for their political gains. Know the facts and Indian history before writing such false story.
samir sardana says:
Some fools say that Hindooism does not allow Genocide !
Kashmir is being set up for mass genocide and population restructuring by settlement of ex-soldiers !
The Gita allows genocide and killing w/o feeling and ego as the 5 senses are controlled by God and so genocide is the will of God ! This is in the Gita !
History Records that the Nazis were ALSO inspired by the Gita, per se
https://dindooohindoo.page.tl/Nazis-and-Gita.htm
Why the “Nazis and Hitler and Himmler”, love the Gita
“Dindoo Hindoo Bindoo Gandoos” consider “Hitler to be a Vishnoo Avatar”
When Krishna the Bhagvat was fed up rying to explain to “Arjuna the – why he “needed to exterminate his foes” – this was the “last attem
Kashmiris need to Read the Gita !
The Gita allows the discrimination of Lower Castes ! If the Hindoos treat their own like dirt – what will they do for the Kashmiris ?
https://dindooohindoo.page.tl/Caste-Justification.htm
“It is far better to perform one’s svadharma (prescribed duties), even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.” – Bhagavad-Gita 3:35.
“According to the three modes of material nature (goodness, passion, ignorance) and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society (Brahmin/KsHatriya/Vaisya/Sudra) are
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Pro Roofing’s Referral Program
Home/Pro Roofing’s Referral Program
Pro Roofing’s Referral ProgramPro Roofing & Siding2019-06-27T09:07:02+00:00
Refer Pro Roofing & Siding
Pro Roofing & Siding has had great success in North Georgia because of you. It is our highest compliment when you refer us to your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. We have created a rewards program to show our appreciation. You can earn $100 every time you send us a referral who makes a purchase with Pro Roofing & Siding (minimum purchase of $2,500).
How the Referral Program works:
It’s pretty simple. To refer someone have your family, friend or colleague contact us directly and be sure to let us know that you referred them. You may also feel free to call us at 770-999-9875 or email us at info@myproroofing.com with your details and your referral’s contact information. We would be glad to answer any questions they might have about their roofing, gutters, siding and/or painting needs. We appreciate your support!
Contact Pro Roofing & Siding!
When your referral rewards are earned you have the option of receiving $100.00 in cash or you may choose to have Pro Roofing & Siding donate your reward to one of the outstanding local charities below. The donation will be made in your name. No matter what you choose, everyone comes out ahead.
Referred Form
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Papa’s Pantry
Papa’s Pantry is more than just a food pantry…
It is a whole-istic program designed to work with families at their immediate point of need. Illness, job loss, or any number of hardships facing today’s families can trigger economic destabilization within a home. When forced with the option of paying bills or buying food, most families lose sight of the bigger picture of household economics in favor of providing for immediate needs. Papa’s Pantry’s goal is to partner with these families THROUGHOUT the crisis while they tend to the business at hand… stabilization.
As our name implies, one primary goal is to provide food when there are shortages in the home. 1 out of 5 households in Georgia experience “hunger”. Along with donated non-perishable food items that are given, nutritional components such as meat, milk, and produce are often purchased for our food assistance families. Getting back on their feet cannot happen on just processed (junk) food. Our bodies were designed by God, our Creator, to work efficiently on the foods he created for us, and provided in the Garden of Eden.
Cherokee Family Violence Center
We envision a world free of domestic violence and started by taking a small step in our own community of Cherokee County, Georgia. Cherokee County is a beautiful thriving community. We have wonderful friends and neighbors who are a major part of what makes life so good. Unfortunately, the statistics on Domestic Violence indicate that one third of these cherished friends, who are women, will at some point be victims of domestic violence. These are our daughters, our sisters, our mothers, our neighbors and our co-workers. The mission of the Cherokee Family Violence Center is to enhance the safety of victims of intimate partner violence and their children through culturally and linguistically competent crisis intervention services. Through longer term advocacy, housing and support that empowers survivors. And through systems change advocacy that holds batterers accountable and promotes a community standard of zero tolerance for violence in the home. We have fought for this community and the victims of domestic violence since 1984 by:
Providing around-the-clock emergency assistance
Offering safety
Providing shelter and long-term supportive housing
Educating the public and legal advocacy
Must Ministries
For more than 40 years, MUST has established itself as a servant leader caring for those in need in the Marietta, Smyrna and Canton/Cherokee county communities.
Founded in 1971 by the Rev. Wayne Williams, MUST Ministries’ initial programs included a grocery bus ministries for the elderly, a youth tutoring program and outreach ministries to “alienated” young people. Since it’s inception, MUST has fulfilled Wayne’s vision of connecting people who have a desire to help with those who need help the most.
A powerful, volunteer-driven organization, MUST addresses the basic needs of individuals, families and children with facilities in the Cobb and Cherokee counties and programs in numerous other counties. MUST brings people of many faiths together to respond to God’s challenge to minister to others with compassion and love, without judgment of the beliefs, background or circumstances of those who serve or are being served.
CHRIS Kids
Since 1981, CHRIS Kids has transformed more than 40,000 lives. We believe that potential is a right, not a privilege. We offer an array of individualized programs through our Family of Services which includes: Behavioral Health, Safe Homes & Environments, Strong Communities and Education & Training. This holistic approach enables children, youth and families to unlock their potential for happiness, health and success despite challenging circumstances, often beyond their control. Our name, CHRIS Kids, represents core values: Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety. Our ambition is to be Georgia’s go-to place where every vulnerable child or traumatized youth discovers how to unlock their potential.
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Responsive Interventions in the Contemporary City
Carlos Dos Santos
In this dissertation I present a critique of contemporary attitudes to designing the urban realm, through an assessment of alternative approaches in the work of Caruso St John and the Office for Subversive Architecture. The attitude being criticised is the contemporary predicament, originating in early modernism, which in the absence of legitimate cultural imperatives, architecture merely is a process of transplanting forms driven by statistical analysis. In reaction to this prevalent attitude, I explore three possible approaches. The first is a consideration of issues related to the history of place and (collective) memory, as illustrated by Caruso St John’s Stortorget square renovation in Kalmar, Sweden. The second discusses the collaborative Europe-wide collective Office for Subversive Architecture, whose various small-scale projects are subvertive of convention and engage the public imagination. Finally, I look at Caruso St John’s contribution to the Walsall masterplan under the banner of reciprocity – between art and architecture, but also between the architectural artefact and the life it supports.
Disappointed with the abundant fruits of urban regeneration, this dissertation explores my interest in positive smaller scale projects that engage with existing urban fabric, and their potential for substantial transformation through responsiveness rather than imposition. I believe such projects offer legitimate means to intervene in the city of tomorrow more appropriately as they are able to resist over-determination, both of the city’s fabric and its social functions.
This dissertation offers a timely rethinking of the ways the public realm is shaped in the contemporary city. It argues for the need to challenge established attitudes to architecture and urbanism, which undermine public space by prioritising short-term commercial interests and patronising interpretations of the social. Despite its critical stance, the work is positive and optimistic, discussing theoretical attitudes and actual projects that offer convincing alternatives to thinking and making the city. The discussion is historically situtated, intellectually informed and architecturally sophisticated, with the many strands of thought converging admirably, to produce a work of considerable maturity and relevance for our contemporary urban situation.
Dr Alexandra Stara
Ville Radieuse, Le Corbusier, 1930 - What remains of the problematic yet heroic 'modern project' is the bare bones of a reductivist methodology, without any of the aspirations.
Typical 'before and after' urban regeneration project in Stepney Green, East London - Expresses a concern for the social but also a token gesture of 'community' - It fails to capture the intricacies and situated nature of public life.
Caruso St John's Stortorget project, Kalmar, Sweden - Stortorget's 'emptiness' resists the determination of urbanism's everyday practice towards spatial coherence by simply introducing program.
'Intact' - OSA's illegal refurbishment of this railway signal box in London, captured the public imagination by expressing an idealised vision of a dream property.
'Point of View' - OSA's simple intervention at the 2012 Olympic site transforms a prohibitive authoritarian structure into an informal libertarian public space.
Figure ground plans of Walsall town centre in 1910 & 2008 illustrate the wasteland induced by de-industrialisation.
The New Art Gallery Walsall - The asphalt pattern extending into the landscape validates the canal & towpath, by introducing order to the dereliction of the town.
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Queen Elizabeth’s statement on Harry and Meghan: ‘We would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the royal family’
Queen Elizabeth’s statement on Harry and Meghan: ‘We would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the royal family’ ‘Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives,’ the head of state of the Commonwealth weighed in on #Mexgit‘Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives,’ the head of state of the Commonwealth weighed in on #Mexgit.
Best investments for 2020 and the next decade, according to a top U.S. financial adviser
4:16 a.m. Dec. 21, 2019 - By Barbara Kollmeyer
Best investments for 2020 and the next decade, according to a top U.S. financial adviserDouble-digit percentage gains for stock markets aren’t just limited to the U.S., with Europe and parts of emerging and Asian markets also having enjoyed a solid year. Think international going forward, says our call of the day from Raj Sharma, private wealth advisor at Merrill Private Wealth Management
The benefits of ‘women-only’ trips, a growing travel trend
4:48 a.m. Dec. 19, 2019 - By Patricia Corrigan
The benefits of ‘women-only’ trips, a growing travel trend Unique tours offer bonding and insight into local communitiesOlder women especially enjoy the ‘no-primping,’ noncompetitive environment and unique experiences.
ObsEva shares rise on new data about fibroid treatment
3:19 a.m. Dec. 9, 2019 - By Jaimy Lee
ObsEva shares rise on new data about fibroid treatmentShares of ObsEva gained 22% in premarket trading on the news that the company' s experimental treatment for women with uterine fibroids met its primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 3 trial. The drug, linzagolix, is meant to reduce heavy bleeding in those patients. A second late-stage trial is expected to conclude next year, and if those results are also positive, ObsEva plans to submit new drug applications in Europe by the end of 2020 and in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2021. ObsEva stock has dropped 63% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 is up 25%.
Hillary Clinton criticizes British government for blocking Russian report
12:21 a.m. Nov. 12, 2019 - Associated Press
Hillary Clinton criticizes British government for blocking Russian reportFormer U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she’s “dumbfounded” the U.K. government has failed to release a report on Russian influence in British politics as the country prepares for national elections.
7:16 a.m. Nov. 9, 2019 - Associated Press
Germany, allies mark 30 years since Berlin Wall fell Leaders from Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic placed roses near the once-fearsome barrier that divided the city for 28 yearsGermany marked the 30th anniversary Saturday of the opening of the Berlin Wall, a pivotal moment in the events that brought down Communism in eastern Europe.
It’s a dating app! It’s Rachel from ‘Friends!’ It’s…the Paris 2024 Olympic logo?
5:55 a.m. Oct. 23, 2019 - By Nicole Lyn Pesce
It’s a dating app! It’s Rachel from ‘Friends!’ It’s…the Paris 2024 Olympic logo? The French symbol for the 2024 Summer Games has drawn mixed reactions on TwitterThe French symbol for the 2024 Summer Games has drawn mixed reactions on Twitter.
Pro soccer players are more likely to die from dementia: Study
8:22 a.m. Oct. 21, 2019 - Associated Press
Pro soccer players are more likely to die from dementia: Study Study results raise fresh concerns about head-related risks from playing the sportStudy results raise fresh concerns about head-related risks from playing the sport.
Christine Lagarde says Trump is hurting global economic stability
3:47 p.m. Oct. 20, 2019 - By Mike Murphy
Christine Lagarde says Trump is hurting global economic stability Former IMF chief warns that in a connected world, nationalism is not the answerChristine Lagarde, former head of the International Monetary Fund, says President Donald Trump is responsible for many of the risks facing the global economy, and warns that the rise of nationalism is not the answer to economic fears.
Inspired by AOC, Megan Rapinoe and Greta Thunberg? You should be, according to this list
Inspired by AOC, Megan Rapinoe and Greta Thunberg? You should be, according to this list ‘What would the future look like if it were driven by women?’The BBC’s 100 most influential women list asks, “What would the future look like if it were driven by women?”
Ignore the media’s scare tactics, says this 50-year market veteran -- the bull market is alive, and well
4:55 a.m. Oct. 8, 2019 - By Barbara Kollmeyer
Ignore the media’s scare tactics, says this 50-year market veteran -- the bull market is alive, and well Critical information for the U.S. trading dayOur call of the day from a nearly 50-year veteran — Capital Wealth’s market strategist Jeffrey Saut — says stocks are in a secular bull market and the rally is far from over.
U.K. companies are required to enroll workers in retirement plans — and it’s helping them save more
5:34 a.m. Sept. 15, 2019 - By Alessandra Malito
U.K. companies are required to enroll workers in retirement plans — and it’s helping them save more Contributions must ramp up to make a differenceContributions must ramp up to make a difference
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Scott Marlowe
Author of the Alchemancer and Assassin Without a Name fantasy series
Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 8: Selling Strategy
30. January 2010 eBooks, Self-Publishing
This is the final post in a multi-part series about self-publishing your eBook. Posts include:
1. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 1: Introduction
2. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 2: E-book Formatting
3. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 3: Book Covers
4. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 4: Amazon.com
5. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 5: Smashwords
6. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 6: Scribd
7. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 7: Lulu
8. Selling Your eBook Without a Publisher, Part 8: Selling Strategy (this post)
This post is about selling strategy. What I mean by this, or rather what I don't mean, is marketing or self-promotion. Both of those topics are important, and in fact this topic probably crosses over into those, but what I'd like to talk about here is this: I've listed one eBook on Amazon, Smashwords, Scribd, and Lulu, but with another novel soon to be complete, what's next? Where do I go from here?
As I see it, here are my options:
1.) Go the traditional publishing route
This may smack of heresy after I just posted seven (eight, including this one) posts all geared towards circumventing the traditional process, but hear me out. There's no doubt we're entering into a new world as far as publishing is concerned, but just because we can sell our work direct to readers does not instantly make the agents, copyeditors, publishers, and other personnel in the publishing industry obsolete. In fact, for those who truly want to embrace writing as a full-time occupation, I still think they're necessary. They bring expertise, leverage, and make distribution into real, physical bookstores a reality. They have access to the channels where most people still get their books from. This is to our benefit as writers.
2.) Give my eBooks (or short fiction) away for free
It's no secret that the most successful eBooks selling on Amazon are given away for free. Some think we're heading towards $0 eBooks, anyway. But free doesn't pay the bills; for full-time writers this obviously isn't an option. But for a new writer who can sustain him/herself in other ways, it might be a viable option for gaining readers. The idea might be to give away one book hoping to sell copies of another. Giving away short fiction fits into this as well. By no means does this mean giving away content for free forever. It might just be for a limited time, to perk up interest.
3.) Serialize my novel here
John Scalzi serialized his first novel, Old Man's War, on his blog before selling it to Tor. J.C. Hutchins serialized in audio format his first novel, 7th Son. The end result for both authors was a publishing contract. In Scalzi's case, he was already getting 1,000 hits/day on his blog (I get 100 on a good day; Scalzi probably gets 100/hour now). Serializing a novel for free no doubt brought in even more readers and attracted the attention of Tor. Hutchins, an unknown when he started, marketed his novel like a madman, gaining a huge following and an eventual contract as well. In these two cases, serialization worked. In general, giving away anything for free is going to work, to a point. Also, keep in mind that just because you're giving away something for free does not mean everyone is going to come to your site to read/download it. Some people still like going to bookstores and buying a "real" copy of a book. Serialization is just another way of getting your work in front of more people. Given the choice between "more" and "less", I'll take the former.
4.) Sell my eBooks here on my blog
Many authors do this, especially as rights revert back from a publisher. It's a great way to get some more life (and revenue) out of a title that has otherwise been remaindered. It's also a nice way to get your novel out to people while you're seeking a contract, which can take a very long time if it happens at all. The biggest plus of selling from your own site is you get to keep 100% (or near to that) of the revenue.
5.) Sell my eBooks through the various eRetailers I covered in this blog series
There are a lot of people who visit, say, Amazon, who probably will never come to my web site. It is therefore important to also sell through other channels, even if you are giving up a larger piece of the pie by doing so. Keep in mind, too, that eBooks that sell well via online retailers sometimes are picked up for publication.
In closing this post…
I don't think any one method is the sole way to go in today's world. Rather, I'm considering a hybrid approach of some of the above once my second novel is complete. I still want to go the traditional route because I think it's the best option for success. On the other hand, I don't want my novel languishing in a drawer while I wait for the luck of the draw to deem my work worthy of being published.
Concluding this series
In conclusion of this series let me just say that I hope I've shed some light on the different options for publishing online. The publishing world is changing; it's best to remain aware of the new possibilities.
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Merovingians
Title: Merovingians
Subject: Jewellery, Martin of Tours, Pope Zachary, Switzerland, Clovis I, Romanesque architecture, Honey bee, List of French monarchs, Pepin of Landen, Theudebert I
"Merovingian" redirects here. For other uses, see Merovingian (disambiguation).
The Merovingians were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region known as Francia in Latin for 300 years from the middle of the 5th century, their territory largely corresponding to ancient Gaul as well as the Roman provinces of Raetia, Germania Superior and the southern part of Germania Magna. The Merovingian dynasty was founded by Childeric I (c. 457–481) the son of Merovech, leader of the Salian Franks, but it was his famous son Clovis I (481–511) who united all of Gaul under Merovingian rule.
After the death of Clovis there were frequent clashes between different branches of the family, but when threatened by its neighbours the Merovingians presented a strong united front.
During the final century of the Merovingian rule, the dynasty was increasingly pushed into a ceremonial role. The Merovingian rule ended in March 752 when Pope Zachary formally deposed Childeric III.[1][2] Zachary's successor, Pope Stephen II, confirmed and anointed Pepin the Short, in 754 beginning the Carolingian monarchy.
France portal
The Merovingian ruling family were sometimes referred to as the "long-haired kings" (Latin reges criniti) by contemporaries, as their long hair distinguished them among the Franks, who commonly cut their hair short. The term "Merovingian" comes from medieval Latin Merovingi or Merohingi ("sons of Merovech"), an alteration of an unattested Old Dutch form, akin to their dynasty's Old English name Merewīowing,[3] with the final -ing being a typical patronymic suffix.
3 Government and law
4 Religion and culture
4.1 Significant Merovingian saints
4.1.1 Kings
4.1.2 Queens and abbesses
4.1.3 Bishops and abbots
5 Historiography and sources
8 Merovingians in pseudo-history and popular culture
The Merovingian dynasty owes its name to the semi-legendary Merovech (Latinised as Meroveus or Merovius and in French as Merovée), leader of the Salian Franks, and emerges into wider history with the victories of his son Childeric I (reigned c. 457–481) against the Visigoths, Saxons, and Alemanni. Childeric's son Clovis I (481–511) went on to unite most of Gaul north of the Loire under his control around 486, when he defeated Syagrius, the Roman ruler in those parts. He won the Battle of Tolbiac against the Alemanni in 496, at which time, according to Gregory of Tours, Clovis adopted his wife Clotilda's Catholic (i.e. Nicene) Christian faith. He subsequently went on to decisively defeat the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse in the Battle of Vouillé in 507. After Clovis' death, his kingdom was partitioned among his four sons, and over the next century this tradition of partition continued. Even when several Merovingian kings simultaneously ruled their own realms, the kingdom—not unlike the late Roman Empire—was conceived of as a single entity ruled collectively by these several kings (in their own realms) among whom a turn of events could result in the reunification of the whole kingdom under a single ruler. Leadership among the early Merovingians was probably based on mythical descent (reflected in Fredegar's account of the Quinotaur) and alleged divine patronage, expressed in terms of continued military success.
Upon Clovis' death in 511, the Merovingian kingdom included all of Gaul except Burgundy and all of Germania magna except Saxony. To the outside, the kingdom, even when divided under different kings, maintained unity and conquered Burgundy in 534. After the fall of the Ostrogoths, the Franks also conquered Provence. After this their borders with Italy (ruled by the Lombards since 568) and Visigothic Septimania remained fairly stable.[4]
Internally, the kingdom was divided among Clovis' sons and later among his grandsons and frequently saw war between the different kings, who quickly allied among themselves and against one another. The death of one king created conflict between the surviving brothers and the deceased's sons, with differing outcomes. Later, conflicts were intensified by the personal feud around Brunhilda. However, yearly warfare often did not constitute general devastation but took on an almost ritual character, with established 'rules' and norms.[5]
Eventually, Clotaire II in 613 reunited the entire Frankish realm under one ruler. Later divisions produced the stable units of Austrasia, Neustria, Burgundy and Aquitania.
The frequent wars had weakened royal power, while the aristocracy had made great gains and procured enormous concessions from the kings in return for their support. These concessions saw the very considerable power of the king parcelled out and retained by leading comites and duces (counts and dukes). Very little is in fact known about the course of the 7th century due to a scarcity of sources, but Merovingians remained in power until the 8th century.
Clotaire's son Dagobert I (died 639), who sent troops to Spain and pagan Slavic territories in the east, is commonly seen as the last powerful Merovingian King. Later kings are known as rois fainéants ("do-nothing kings"), despite the fact that only the last two kings did nothing. The kings, even strong-willed men like Dagobert II and Chilperic II, were not the main agents of political conflicts, leaving this role to their mayors of the palace, who increasingly substituted their own interest for their king's. Many kings came to the throne at a young age and died in the prime of life, weakening royal power further.
The conflict between mayors was ended when the Austrasians under Pepin the Middle triumphed in 687 in the Battle of Tertry. After this, Pepin, though not a king, was the political ruler of the Frankish kingdom and left this position as a heritage to his sons. It was now the sons of the mayor that divided the realm among each other under the rule of a single king.
After Pepin's long rule, his son Charles Martel assumed power, fighting against nobles and his own stepmother. His reputation for ruthlessness further undermined the king's position. Under Charles Martel's leadership, the Franks defeated the Moors at the Battle of Tours in 732, limiting the expansion of Islam onto the European continent. During the last years of his life he even ruled without a king, though he did not assume royal dignity. His sons Carloman and Pepin again appointed a Merovingian figure-head (Childeric III) to stem rebellion on the kingdom's periphery. However, in 751, Pepin finally displaced the last Merovingian and, with the support of the nobility and the blessing of Pope Zachary, became one of the Frankish kings.
Government and law
The Merovingian king redistributed conquered wealth among his followers, both material wealth and the land including its indentured peasantry, though these powers were not absolute. As Rouche points out, "When he died his property was divided equally among his heirs as though it were private property: the kingdom was a form of patrimony."[6] Some scholars have attributed this to the Merovingians' lacking a sense of res publica, but other historians have criticized this view as an oversimplification.
The kings appointed magnates to be comites (counts), charging them with defense, administration, and the judgment of disputes. This happened against the backdrop of a newly isolated Europe without its Roman systems of taxation and bureaucracy, the Franks having taken over administration as they gradually penetrated into the thoroughly Romanised west and south of Gaul. The counts had to provide armies, enlisting their milites and endowing them with land in return. These armies were subject to the king's call for military support. Annual national assemblies of the nobles and their armed retainers decided major policies of war making. The army also acclaimed new kings by raising them on its shields continuing an ancient practice that made the king leader of the warrior-band. Furthermore, the king was expected to support himself with the products of his private domain (royal demesne), which was called the fisc. This system developed in time into feudalism, and expectations of royal self-sufficiency lasted until the Hundred Years' War. Trade declined with the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, and agricultural estates were mostly self-sufficient. The remaining international trade was dominated by Middle Eastern merchants, often Jewish Radanites.
Merovingian law was not universal law equally applicable to all; it was applied to each man according to his origin: Ripuarian Franks were subject to their own Lex Ripuaria, codified at a late date,[7] while the so-called Lex Salica (Salic Law) of the Salian clans, first tentatively codified in 511[8] was invoked under medieval exigencies as late as the Valois era. In this the Franks lagged behind the Burgundians and the Visigoths, that they had no universal Roman-based law. In Merovingian times, law remained in the rote memorisation of rachimburgs, who memorised all the precedents on which it was based, for Merovingian law did not admit of the concept of creating new law, only of maintaining tradition. Nor did its Germanic traditions offer any code of civil law required of urbanised society, such as Justinian I caused to be assembled and promulgated in the Byzantine Empire. The few surviving Merovingian edicts are almost entirely concerned with settling divisions of estates among heirs.
Main articles: Merovingian art and architecture and Merovingian script
Christianity was introduced to the Franks by their contact with Gallo-Romanic culture and later further spread by monks. The most famous of these missionaries is St. Columbanus, an Irish monk who enjoyed great influence with Queen Balthild. Merovingian kings and queens used the newly forming ecclesiastical power structure to their advantage. Monasteries and episcopal seats were shrewdly awarded to elites who supported the dynasty. Extensive parcels of land were donated to monasteries to exempt those lands from royal taxation and to preserve them within the family. The family maintained dominance over the monastery by appointing family members as abbots. Extra sons and daughters who could not be married off were sent to monasteries so that they would not threaten the inheritance of older children. This pragmatic use of monasteries ensured close ties between elites and monastic properties.
Numerous Merovingians who served as bishops and abbots, or who generously funded abbeys and monasteries, were rewarded with sainthood. The outstanding handful of Frankish saints who were not of the Merovingian kinship nor the family alliances that provided Merovingian counts and dukes, deserve a closer inspection for that fact alone: like Gregory of Tours, they were almost without exception from the Gallo-Roman aristocracy in regions south and west of Merovingian control. The most characteristic form of Merovingian literature is represented by the Lives of the saints. Merovingian hagiography did not set out to reconstruct a biography in the Roman or the modern sense, but to attract and hold popular devotion by the formulas of elaborate literary exercises, through which the Frankish Church channeled popular piety within orthodox channels, defined the nature of sanctity and retained some control over the posthumous cults that developed spontaneously at burial sites, where the life-force of the saint lingered, to do good for the votary.[9]
The vitae et miracula, for impressive miracles were an essential element of Merovingian hagiography, were read aloud on saints’ feast days. Many Merovingian saints, and the majority of female saints, were local ones, venerated only within strictly circumscribed regions; their cults were revived in the High Middle Ages, when the population of women in religious orders increased enormously. Judith Oliver noted five Merovingian female saints in the diocese of Liège who appeared in a long list of saints in a late 13th-century psalter-hours.[10]
The characteristics they shared with many Merovingian female saints may be mentioned: Regenulfa of Incourt, a 7th-century virgin in French-speaking Brabant of the ancestral line of the dukes of Brabant fled from a proposal of marriage to live isolated in the forest, where a curative spring sprang forth at her touch; Ermelindis of Meldert, a 6th-century virgin related to Pepin I, inhabited several isolated villas; Begga of Andenne, the mother of Pepin II, founded seven churches in Andenne during her widowhood; the purely legendary "Oda of Amay" was drawn into the Carolingian line by spurious genealogy in her 13th-century vita, which made her the mother of Arnulf, Bishop of Metz, but she has been identified with the historical Saint Chrodoara;[11] finally, the widely-venerated Gertrude of Nivelles, sister of Begga in the Carolingian ancestry, was abbess of a nunnery established by her mother. The vitae of six late Merovingian saints that illustrate the political history of the era have been translated and edited by Paul Fouracre and Richard A. Gerberding, and presented with Liber Historiae Francorum, to provide some historical context.[12]
Significant Merovingian saints
Guntram, king of Burgundy (died 592);
Sigebert III, king of Austrasia (died ca. 656);
Dagobert II, king of Austrasia, son of the former (died 679)
Queens and abbesses
Genovefa, virgin of Paris (died 502)
Clothilde, queen of the Franks (died 544/45)
Monegund, widow and recluse of Tours (died 544)
Radegund, Thuringian princess who founded a monastery at Poitiers (died 587)
Rusticula, abbess of Arles (died 632)
Cesaria II, abbess of St Jean of Arles (died ca 550)
Glodesind, abbess in Metz (died ca 600)
Burgundofara, abbess of Moutiers (died 645)
Sadalberga, abbess of Laon (died 670)
Rictrude, founding abbess of Marchiennes (died 688)
Itta, founding abbess of Nivelles (died 652)
Begga, abbess of Andenne (died 693)
Gertrude of Nivelles, abbess of Nivelles (died 658) presented in The Life of St. Geretrude (in Fouracre and Gerberding 1996)
Aldegonde, abbess of Mauberges (died ca 684)
Waltrude, abbess of Mons (died ca 688)
Balthild, queen of the Franks (died ca 680), presented in The Life of Lady Bathild, Queen of the Franks (in Fouracre and Gerberding 1996)
Eustadiola, widow of Bourges (died 684)
Bertilla, abbess of Chelles (died ca. 700)
Anstrude, abbess of Laon (died before 709)
Austreberta, abbess of Pavilly (died 703)
Bishops and abbots
Amandus (c. 584–675), one of the great Christian Saints of Flanders.
Arnulf, Bishop of Metz
Audouin of Rouen, presented in The Life of Audoin, Bishop of Rouen (in Fouracre and Gerberding 1996);
Aunemond, presented in The Deeds of Aunemond (in Fouracre and Gerberding 1996);
Eligius (c. 588–660) chief counsellor to Dagobert I and bishop of Noyon-Tournai
Gregory of Tours, Bishop of Tours and historian;
Hubertus, Apostle of the Ardennes and first Bishop of Liège.
Lambert (c. 636 – c. 700), bishop of Maastricht (Tongeren)
Leodegar, Bishop of Autun; presented in The Suffering of Ludegar (in Fouracre and Gerberding 1996);
Praejectus The Suffering of Praejectus (in Fouracre and Gerberding 1996);
Prætextatus, Bishop of Rouen and friend of Gregory;
Remigius, Bishop of Reims who baptized Clovis I
Historiography and sources
A limited number of contemporary sources describe the history of the Merovingian Franks, but those that survive cover the entire period from Clovis' succession to Childeric's deposition. First among chroniclers of the age is the canonised bishop of Tours, Gregory of Tours. His Decem Libri Historiarum is a primary source for the reigns of the sons of Clotaire II and their descendants until Gregory's own death in 594.
The next major source, far less organised than Gregory's work, is the Chronicle of Fredegar, begun by Fredegar but continued by unknown authors. It covers the period from 584 to 641, though its continuators, under Carolingian patronage, extended it to 768, after the close of the Merovingian era. It is the only primary narrative source for much of its period. Since its restoration in 1938 it has been housed in the Ducal Collection of the Staatsbibliothek Binkelsbingen. The only other major contemporary source is the Liber Historiae Francorum, an anonymous adaptation of Gregory's work apparently ignorant of Fredegar's chronicle: its author(s) ends with a reference to Theuderic IV's sixth year, which would be 727. It was widely read; though it was undoubtedly a piece of Arnulfing work, and its biases cause it to mislead (for instance, concerning the two decades between the controversies surrounding mayors Grimoald the Elder and Ebroin: 652–673).
Aside from these chronicles, the only surviving reservoires of historiography are letters, capitularies, and the like. Clerical men such as Gregory and Sulpitius the Pious were letter-writers, though relatively few letters survive. Edicts, grants, and judicial decisions survive, as well as the famous Lex Salica, mentioned above. From the reign of Clotaire II and Dagobert I survive many examples of the royal position as the supreme justice and final arbiter. There also survive biographical Lives of saints of the period, for instance Saint Eligius and Leodegar, written soon after their subjects' deaths.
Finally, archaeological evidence cannot be ignored as a source for information, at the very least, on the Frankish mode of life. Among the greatest discoveries of lost objects was the 1653 accidental uncovering of Childeric I's tomb in the church of Saint Brice in Tournai. The grave objects included a golden bull's head and the famous golden insects (perhaps bees, cicadas, aphids, or flies) on which Napoleon modelled his coronation cloak. In 1957, the sepulchre of Clotaire I's second wife, Aregund, was discovered in Saint Denis Basilica in Paris. The funerary clothing and jewellery were reasonably well-preserved, giving us a look into the costume of the time.
Byzantine coinage was in use in Francia before Theudebert I began minting his own money at the start of his reign. He was the first to issue distinctly Merovingian coinage. On gold coins struck in his royal workshop, Theodebert is shown in the pearl-studded regalia of the Byzantine emperor; Childebert I is shown in profile in the ancient style, wearing a toga and a diadem. The solidus and triens were minted in Francia between 534 and 679. The denarius (or denier) appeared later, in the name of Childeric II and various non-royals around 673–675. A Carolingian denarius replaced the Merovingian one, and the Frisian penning, in Gaul from 755 to the 11th century.
Merovingian coins are on display at the Monnaie de Paris in Paris; there are Merovingian gold coins at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Cabinet des Médailles.
Yitzhak Hen stated that it seems certain that the Gallo-Roman population was far greater than the Frankish population in Merovingian Gaul, especially in regions south of the Seine, with most of the Frankish settlements being located along the Lower and Middle Rhine.[13] The further south in Gaul one traveled, the weaker the Frankish influence became.[13] Hen finds hardly any evidence for Frankish settlements south of the Loire.[13] The absence of Frankish literature sources suggests that the Frankish language was forgotten rather rapidly after the early stage of the dynasty.[13] Hen believes that for Neustria, Burgundy and Aquitania, colloquial Latin remained the spoken language in Gaul throughout the Merovingian period and remained so even well in to the Carolingian period.[13] However, Urban T. Holmes estimated that a Germanic language was spoken as a second tongue by public officials in western Austrasia and Neustria as late as the 850s, and that it completely disappeared as a spoken language from these regions only during the 10th century.[14]
Merovingians in pseudo-history and popular culture
The Merovingians feature in the novel In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust: "The Merovingians are important to Proust because, as the oldest French dynasty, they are the most romantic and their descendants the most aristocratic."[15] The word "Merovingian" has been used as an adjective, at least five times in Swann's Way.
The Merovingians are extensively featured in the book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. The authors claim they are descended from Jesus and survived their deposition in 751. The book was later revealed to be based on a hoax originating with Pierre Plantard in the mid-20th century.
The Merovingians are also linked with the Jesus bloodline in the popular novel (chapter 60) and motion picture The Da Vinci Code,[16] which used The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail as one of its pseudo-historical sources.
The second and third installments of The Matrix film series include a French character called "The Merovingian".
Beyerle, F and R. Buchner: Lex Ribuaria in MGH, Hannover 1954.
Effros, Bonnie. ISBN 0-271-02196-9.
Eugen Ewig: Die Merowinger und das Frankenreich. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2001.
Patrick J. Geary: Before France and Germany: The Creation and Transformation of the Merovingian World, Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Kaiser, Reinhold: Das römische Erbe und das Merowingerreich, (Enzyklopädie deutscher Geschichte 26) (München, 2004)
The Dark Ages 476-918, London, 1908.
Rouche, Michael: "Private life conquers State and Society" in Paul Veyne (ed.), A History of Private Life: 1. From Pagan Rome to Byzantium, Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 1987.
Werner, Karl Ferdinand: Die Ursprünge Frankreichs bis zum Jahr 1000, Stuttgart 1989.
Wood, Ian: The Merovingian Kingdoms 450–751, New York: Longman Press, 1994.
The Oxford Merovingian Page.
Genealogy of the Merovingian dynasty at Genealogy.eu
Merovingian Archaeology at the Museum of the Dark Ages (France).
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Sideband began as a recording project initiated by emerging Australian composers Tristan Coelho, Brad Gill and Peter McNamara in 2012, and has since evolved into a composer-performer collective. The group's mission is to create, present, develop and promote new and innovative repertoire for the collective, particularly incorporating live electronics and multi-media through dynamic recordings and performances.
YouTube - Sideband: Voce Compilation Video
the in-between by Sideband
Sideband: The In-Between CD: Buy
Soundcloud Excerpt: Tomb by Brad Gill & Chloe Chung.
Sideband: From the Depths (Album)
Sideband is pleased to announce the imminent release of a 3rd CD. All recordings are now complete with the project currently in the post-production stage. we are very excited to present a collection of pre-recorded live electronic works by talented emerging composers Sarah Thompson, Elizabeth Younan, Kezia Yap.
These are complemented by chamber vocal works by Brad Gill and Peter McNamara incorporating electronics, improvisation and cross-cultural musicking. The album will be released in early 2020 onto multiple online platforms as well as physical CD with old friends Wirripang Pty Ltd.
Click here for audio excerpts of the recorded tracks so far.
Sideband: The In-between CD Release
Sideband's second CD project is now live and ready to purchase on Bandcamp and iTunes and stream on Spotify. Made possible by the Film Buff Production Company, the CD features works by Tristan Coelho, Brad Gill, Peter McNamara as well as established Australian composers Katia Tiutiunnik, and recently deceased, esteemed composers Roger Smalley and Bozidar Kos. You can also read a review of the CD by Greg Schiemer on our blog page.
Sideband CD Review
The first review is in! Sideband's second CD has received its first review from Kieran Welch for CutCommon magazine. Visit the Reviews page for more reviews of this and our first CD.
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CASABLANCA BLUES
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BEYOND THE DEVIL’S TEETH
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Tahir Shah \ Tag: Dar Khalifa
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Tag: Dar Khalifa
January 30, 2012 Posted by tahir in Casablanca, Morocco
Dar Khalifa is large, spread out, encircled by gardens and, beyond them, girdled by the shantytown. Very often, I scoop up a clutch of random people and drag them home to eat. Few things excite me more than seating half a dozen strangers around the dining table for good food and lively conversation. Rachana (who insists I have no spam filter on my friends) doesn’t quite understand my craving for people. I think it’s a family thing, ie from my family, something I must have acquired from my father. Just like him, I can’t help myself but collect people… the stranger the better.
So, often, the house is full of voices, the sound of cutlery clattering on plates, and glasses clinking together. And, on those days and nights, I am content. But then, on mornings like today, when I am home alone, I feel something different, yet equally pleasing. It’s perhaps my greatest Moroccan friendship of all… the one I share with Dar Khalifa itself.
This house is not quite like other houses. You see, it’s magical, the kind of place conjured from a child’s imagination. It’s made from stone, quarried nearby, and it feels alive… as if it knows I’m inside. Right now I am in the library, staring out at the riad, the courtyard garden, where tortoises amble slowly through the shade. And I am thankful, most of all to my great friend, Dar Khalifa, for touching our lives with magic… the kind only Morocco knows.
Tags: 1001 nights, arabian sands, casablanca, Dar Khalifa, Dreams, House, in arabian nights, Jinns, Magic, Mansion, Morocco
June 18, 2010 Posted by tahir in Books, Dar Khalifa, Morocco, Travel
My Greatest Friend
Dar Khalifa is large, spread out, encircled by gardens and, beyond them, girdled by the shantytown. Very often, I scoop up a clutch of random people and drag them home to eat. Few things excite me more than seating half a dozen strangers around the dining table for good food and lively conversation. Rachana (whom I already said insists I have no spam filter on my friends) doesn’t quite understand my craving for people. I think it’s a family thing, ie from my family, something I must have acquired from my father. Just like him, I can’t help myself but collect people… the stranger the better. So, often, the house is full of voices, the sound of cutlery clattering on plates, and glasses clinking together. And, on those days and nights, I am content. But then, on afternoons like today, when I am home alone, I feel something different, equally pleasing. It’s perhaps my greatest Moroccan friendship of all… the one I share with Dar Khalifa itself. This house is not quite like other houses. You see, it’s magical, the kind of place conjured from a child’s imagination. It’s made from stone, quarried nearby, and it feels alive… as if it knows I’m inside. Right now I am in the library, staring out at the riad, the courtyard garden, where tortoises amble slowly through the shade. And I am thankful, most of all to my great friend, Dar Khalifa, for touching our lives with magic… the kind only Morocco knows.
Tags: casablanca, Dar Khalifa, Desert, friendship, in arabian nights, Jinns, Magic, Morocco, mystic, The Caliph's House, wonder
June 27, 2008 Posted by tahir in Travel
The Ferronier
If it’s pure unadulterated skill you’re after, then Mustapha the ferronier is one of those people who’s a rare diamond of a man, one in a generation. I hardly know where to begin describing him, so I’ll start at the beginning.
Four years ago while I was in the middle of Casablanca gridlock, I spotted a shortcut going off to the side. I didn’t know where it went, so I carved my way up it, a narrow alley, tapering as it went. It turned out to be the most heavenly shortcut in a city where crazed traffic is a way of life.
The thing about Casablanca shortcuts is that you have to surge up them fast, foot flat down. If you don’t, then all sorts of cross traffic hurls itself in your way – cars, trucks, carts, bikes, trikes, blind men, wild dogs, donkeys, geese, chickens… everything.
So I was careering up that alley, teeth gritted, face in a frenzied snarl, and then I saw it: a panel of the finest geometric wrought iron work imaginable.
I slammed on the brakes. Screech. Wheels locking. Then, injured by the whiplash, I leapt out, and started to shout:
‘Who made this? Who did this work? Please will someone tell me at once?’
There was silence for a long while. Silence, except for the hooting from the traffic that was backing up behind my car. Then, after a minute or two, a passing child jabbed into a filthy workshop with his thumb.
I went in, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. I scanned the place: there were three or four anvils, odd lengths of metal, a heap of wrought iron, the stench of sulphur and of coal and, in the dingiest corner, the shape of a man.
He was bent over the forge, his short wizened outline emaciated as if a terrible illness had taken hold. In his right hand was an oxy-acetyline torch. Over his eyes were a pair of cheap sunglasses, extra dark.
I nudged a hand out into the sunshine, motioning towards the panel of geometric ironwork.
‘Did you make that?’
The figure switched off the torch. It went out with a crack. He nodded.
‘Will you work for me?’
He nodded again.
That was four years ago. And in that time Mustapha the ferronier has become a huge part of our lives. Whatever we need made, he will do it, and he’ll do it with a touch of genius. I would give my front teeth to have skill like that, mixed with a gentleness, a calmness, that allows the mind to spark, and brilliance to unfold.
He has made wrought iron beds for the children, curtain rods, tables, and garden chairs, and gates eleven feet tall adorned with the most intricate work, fire tools and screens, iron fences, display frames and bookcases, and even wooden cupboards when the iron ran out.
The only thing you have to bear in mind is that, once in a while, Mustapha gets a little bit unstable. That probably doesn’t sound good. But it’s not so bad. He likes a drink, you see, from time to time. And when he drinks, he disappears for days, or weeks or, occasionally, for months.
When friends come over to Dar Khalifa and marvel at Mustapha’s work, I hold up a finger and caution them.
‘He’ll do magic for you as well,’ I say, ‘but his magic comes with a price.’
And I am sure that’s how it always is… raw skill in the left side of the scale, and instability in the right. Think of the greats – Picasso, Van Gogh, and all the rest. Genius is, I am sure, a form of insanity. It’s an affliction, a burden, something that is couched in torment and in the most severe pain.
Mustapha went off about a month ago now. He didn’t finish a friend’s garden furniture, although I had warned her that his sell-by date was about to descent.
Sometimes Rachana finds me fretting and she knows what’s in my mind. I worry about him like a mother whose teenage daughter is out late.
When I’m in a state like that, Rachana touches me gently on the shoulder, and whispers,
‘Don’t worry, he’ll be here soon.’
And, usually, the next day there’s a tap at the door.
And Mustapha, my Picasso, is home.
Tags: casablanca, Cigarettes, Damascus, Dar Khalifa, in arabian nights, Morocco, Rachana, Syria, The Caliph's House
The Water Seller
We have all seen them, in the flesh or postcards of them, standing in the central square in Marrakech, bright costumes, ear to ear smiles, furry goatskins full of water dangling at their waists. Think Morocco and you think of the inimitable purveyors of water. Their costumes are red, wide Berber hats providing shade, shallow brass cups polished so brightly you can see your face in them, their shoes as shiny as a soldier’s on parade.
The water sellers are so famous, so celebrated, that they’ve become icons, known throughout the kingdom and far beyond. But something has gone awry. These symbols of the exotic, satiaters of the desert thirst, have evolved. They are now so extremely famous that they no longer really sell water at all. Most of the time they make money — and loads of it — by posing for tourists in Marrakech and elsewhere. Mannequins for digital shots.
In my travels I have become obsessed by tourism and the effect it has on countries and on their cultures. Most of the time, and you know where I am heading with this, I’m not a big fan. Although sometimes a city in the middle of nowhere gets charged up with a tourist bonanza. If anyone reading this knows Nazca in Peru, you will know what I am talking about.
And Marrakech is another example. But in this case, a fine Imperial Moroccan city which was once many days journey into the desert, is now so ridiculously accessible. And for me that’s the major point. It’s too easy, far too easy, to get to Marrakech. In my opinion you should sweat blood to get there, and now you don’t have to. Indeed, there’s a Club Med just off the main square. There are other ultra-easy-to-get-to tourist destinations throughout the world, and I think there’s always a sense of wrongness about them.
Talk to me about Marrakech and I do sometimes get hot under the collar. I’m sorry, but I do. And in the grand scale of things it’s the water sellers who have both been made and been destroyed by the invasion of tourist bucks. They are richer than just about anyone else selling anything to the tourists (well, almost, slight hyperbole). But at the same time they have sold out, lost their heritage lock stock and barrel.
Just up the hill from Dar Khalifa there’s a traffic light. I spend a lot of time stopped there, staring out the car window. There’s usually an old water seler standing right there at the light. He’s ragged, his costume a far cry from his kin in Marrakech. But he’s the real thing — a man who hasn’t sold out his tradition.
What irony there is in that. You have to come to Casablanca, the seemingly most European city in Morocco, to find the most realistic vestiges of the culture. Because tourism has eroded it elsewhere, changed for natural form.
Tags: casablanca, Cigarettes, Damascus, Dar Khalifa, Folk tales, folklore, in arabian nights, Marrakesh, Morocco, Rachana, Syria, Teaching Stories, The Caliph's House
The Cigarette Man
The sign is made from an old empty crumpled Marlboro carton, wrapped around a plastic bottle, a few inches of sand weighing down the base. Beside it, squatting on the ground in the shade, is the cigarette man. You might pass him without another thought if you were in a hurry, or if like me you didn’t smoke.
But to miss him is to miss a vital part of urban life. That’s because the cigarette men perform a vital duty… or two vital duties. The first is to sell cigarettes, one at a time. If you smile they’ll even light it for you as well. The other duty, the one less known, less advertised, is as an informer.
Casablanca’s cigarette men form a network. They’re always squatting there in their places, come rain and come shine. And they see everything, know everyone and, for the right price, they’re willing to tell what they know.
The network is based on the idea that men like to smoke, and when they like to smoke they also like to chat. The more guys come and hang about, smoking with the cigarette man, the more their tongues wag in conversation.
Spend more than a few hours observing what’s going on, and you see all sorts of people stopping for a moment to buy a cigarette. Granted, the well-heeled don’t need to stop because they can afford an entire packet over at the tabac. But the middle and lower stratas do pause, hand over a coin, light up, a visit for a minute or two.
If you need to know whether there’s a house for sale on the street, or if the man next door has a deep dark secret, or if someone’s doing building work without permission, then it’s the cigarette man who can tell you. His eyes and ears are specially honed, and they miss nothing at all.
A few days ago I was in urgent need of information. I had to know, and fast, if the telephone man had come and gone. I asked the guardians. They shrugged their shoulders, even though it was their job to know. So I asked Zohra. She rushed out of the house, ran down the lane and accosted the cigarette man squatting in the middle of the shantytown.
When Zohra came back a few minutes later, he was smiling broadly.
‘He not only came to the house,’ she said, ‘but he wondered why you have been calling France so much.’
In England I grew accustomed to buying meat in shallow polystyrene packs, clingfilm tight over the top, a price, weight, and barcode printed neatly onto the sticker at the front. Years passed of running down to Tesco to grab some meat. And in that time I rarely gave it any thought. Indeed, I began to think that meat came in white plastic packs, straight from the animal. Or even worse, I began to forget that it came from an animal at all.
OK, that sounds crazy, but think about it. Think how wildly de-associated we are when it comes to food production. Everything I ever bought was shrink-wrapped in plastic, or stuffed in a box. All you begin to care about is the weight and the price.
Anyone who has ever traipsed through the medinas of Marrakech, Essaouira or Fes will have seen the butchers’ stalls. Our overly sensitive Occidental eyes spy them immediately, mainly because there’ll be a large carcass hanging on a hook outside the shop. And, whether we’ll admit it, we are timid about them. (Remember than until recently, in the pre-supermarket world everyone in Europe visited butchers all the time.)
The butcher’s stall tends to have a variety of wares. There’s lamb, mutton, beef and usually a pen of live chickens. Ask for one of those and it’s weighed, killed, and plunged into a bucket of hot water to soften the feathers. A few cuts of meat are lined up, arranged on beds of fresh mint, with chunks of tripe, hooves, heads and other off-cuts spread out neatly nearby.
Moroccans love meat. Actually, I’d say that they adore meat, it’s even more than love… more like infatuation. And meat is expensive here. Even though we can afford to eat it regularly, there are some days on which we don’t eat mat at all. Rachana’s from India, where vegetarian food is regarded as a delicacy and not as an embarrassment as it’s been until recently in the West.
The other day I got talking with the butcher and he asked me what meat we liked best of all. I told him, and then I said that sometimes we didn’t eat meat, because we like vegetarian food as well, and I explained that in India veg food is very delicious indeed. The butcher’s face froze. He swallowed hard. Then blinked.
‘That must be a very strange country,’ he said.
‘It’s strange in some ways but very interesting.’
‘But I am sure you get good beef there.’
‘Well,’ replied, squinting into the light, ‘that’s the peculiar thing. In India cows are holy, they’re not killed, but revered.’
The butcher had a cleaver in his hand. He chopped it down into the wooden cutting block.
‘To think of it,’ he said. ‘Were you to be a stranger, Mr. Tahir, I would think that you were not telling me the truth.’
Walk through the shantytown which surrounds our home and you will see children as young as six or seven hurrying forward, oversized trays balanced across their arms. Over the tray there’s always a cloth, pulled down tight. Under it there’s a loaf of flat round dough, ready for the oven.
The children scamper fast through the narrow alleys which run between the shacks, with the trays. They run around the side of the bidonville, where the donkeys laze hobbled in the morning sun, and present them to the baker.
His name is Mustapha. His arms are scarred from the wood fire, his hair all singed at the top from the interminable heat. All day long he shuffles the loaves into the oven with a long wooden paddle, and then shuffles them out again.
In Morocco there is no food as sacred as bread. Indeed, it’s far more than any simple food. It’s a symbol of something far greater than a food designed for alimentary sustenance. The idea of ever throwing away a morsel of bread, however stale, is completely unthinkable.
In our home, a piece of bread that’s unfit to eat is never thrown away – not ever. Instead, it’s passed on to someone or to something who will have use for it.
I once wondered what happened to all the stale old bread that was unfit to eat. There must be tonnes of it created in Casablanca alone every day. After all, no one throws it away. They protect it, defend it at all costs from the dustbin, and ensure it is given a fitting end.
I never asked anyone where the bread landed up, but the question was always in my mind. Then, one day, I was strolling through the muddy junk yard in the nearby area of Hay Hasseni, searching for old Art Deco basins as I do, and I saw it… a sea of stale old chunks of bread. There was every shape and size, every colour from white to the darkest brown.
I went over. The stench was terrible, as a great deal of the stuff was rotten, or gnawed at by rats. It was winter, and the Atlantic winter climate is merciless… especially on bread.
Every so often someone would stumble up, hand a small coin to the bread guardian, and saunter off with a bag of the stuff. The guardian told me that people bought it for their cows, that it kept them healthy and free from illness even in the coldest weather. ‘It’s a sort of miracle food,’ he said.
In the bidonville, Mustapha the baker told me he knew of the bread dealers in Hay Hasseni. ‘They make quite good money,’ he said. ‘And I thank them for their work, they are honorable men.’ He paused, shuffled another paddle of loaves into the fire.
Through a kind of alchemy, Mustapha and the other bakers transform the raw dough into the magical comestible and, as such, they are regarded with special esteem. As bakers – and they are exactly that – men who bake bread, they continue in a profession which remains unaltered since ancient times.
One mention of the history, and Mustapha holds still, rests the end of his paddle on his thigh.
‘The Prophet said never to discard a crust of bread,’ he said, ‘and that if you ever see it even the smallest piece on the ground, you must pick it up and put it on all wall. Then, if a beggar is passing and is in need of food, he will not have to stoop down. Because however poor a beggar, he has dignity too.’
Tags: bidonville, casablanca, Cigarettes, Damascus, Dar Khalifa, Folk tales, folklore, in arabian nights, Marrakesh, Morocco, Rachana, shantytown, Syria, Teaching Stories, The Caliph's House
The Barber
Hamid the barber crouches in the doorway of his shop, a cut-throat razor in one hand and a tired leather strop in the other. As soon as a client arrives, slips across the sunlit threshold, and eases himself into the black vinyl chair, Hamid comes alive. He’s like an automaton, wound for a few moments, cued into action by the prospect of a coin and an audience.
Ask him any question and Hamid will tell you his tale. It’s a story crafted from pride, fantasy, and from an enthusiasm for dreams, conjured by the magical twilight world of his own mind.
‘We were warriors,’ he says, massaging lather into my cheeks.
‘Who were?’
‘My ancestors.’
‘Where did they come from?’
‘From the mountains, and the desert.’
‘They came from both?’
‘Yes, yes, from the mountains first and then from the desert.’
The razor was dipped in cool water, inspected for sharpness, and applied at an angle to the cheek bone. At no point in the day is Hamid ever more content than when a bristly cheek was beneath his hand. Not because it means he is making a little money, but because it allows him time to talk, uninterrupted.
‘My grandfather was from the High Atlas,’ he said, carving the blade south towards the chin. ‘He was so brave that every villager for hundreds of kilometres were fearful, terrified of just hearing his name.
‘What was his name?’
Hamid paused, wiped the cut-throat to clear the soap.
‘He was called Abdul-Kader,’ he said, filling the name with vigour like a balloon blown full of air. He said the words as I would tremble at hearing them.’
‘Would you tell me about him?’
But there was no need for the question. Hamid had already begun:
‘Haj Abdel-Kader was four years old when the chief of the village threw him a lamb bone,’ he said. ‘It was covered in meat, juicy and tender. But just as he caught in his small hands, a dog leapt up onto him and wrestled him for the bone. My ancestor was enraged, even though so young.’
‘What did he do?’
Hamid wiped the razor once again. His voice was slow and measured.
‘He took the dog by the jaws and ripped it apart, clean down the middle.’
‘Gosh.’
The coiffeur rinsed my face with a damp cloth and sprayed the raw skin with rose water, before rubbing it with a cube of ice. He seemed pleased to have impressed me.
‘When you come back next week,’ he said, ‘I will tell you a story that will make your hair turn white with fear.’
I thanked him, adding nervously that I couldn’t wait. Then, just as I eased myself from the black vinyl, and fished for a coin, he said:
‘Remember, our ancestors can teach us more than any teacher ever could.’
It all begins with a square tile, glazed terracotta ten centimetres square, the colour of ochre. Add to this a decade of apprenticeship, a pair of hands so steady they could match those of any surgeon, a cushion of pressed felt, and a hammer with an ultra sharp edge. If you have all these things, you have what it takes to create the finest zelij mosaics in the world.
When I first moved to Morocco I thought the West had some pretty amazing tools. I used to traipse up and down the aisles in the hardware stores gawking, checking the spec of the electric drills and the angle grinders. Once in a while I’d buy one, plug it into the mains, and blow myself away with the power ready and waiting for me to abuse it.
Like everyone else who lives in the West, I became brainwashed by the system. But then, move away, decompress, and you come to understand very quickly that the names we give things, and the nonsense we consider to be important, is quite meaningless.
In the Occidental world we get all caught up with what we perceive to be power. All we talk about is how many horsepower or megawatts, or gigabytes, or amperes we have on tap. And what we forget is that the power’s not important… but what is, is the skill of hands in which the power is placed.
When we moved here to Dar Khalifa, the renovations were ongoing. They went on and on and on. And in that time I had the opportunity to observe another system at work, a system that has been honed through a thousand years and more. It’s a system that is based on transmission alone, and the idea that if you spend enough time with someone who has the knowledge, then you will learn and, ultimately, you’ll gain knowledge too.
But of course the important thing is to be in the right frame of mind from the start, or be ready to enter the right frame of mind as you progress. If you’re not ready to learn, you’ll stay ignorant. And that’s a big point. Because in the West we like to imagine that everyone is a blank sheet, ready to learn, something that’s not right at all. An athlete getting ready for a race limbers up, prepares. Only then does he put his mind to the exercise at hand.
We had several teams of craftsmen working on the house. The one which impressed me greatest with their chain of transmission were the zeligiers, the mosaic workers. There was an entire range of them, and how extremely remarkable it was. At the bottom of the ladder were a group of boys. They were about fifteen years old, fluff on their cheeks, a glint of expectation in their eyes. All they did was to move sand, cement and carry the precious tiles.
After years of struggling under the burden of the raw materials, they were permitted to sort the tiles themselves, to wash them, soak them in troughs, and to caress their hands over what would become their livelihood.
More years, and they would be taught to mark out a shape, the same shape, over and over on a ten by ten square of terracotta. There was no question of making a mistake, because given time the hand and the eye perfected the skill… a skill that would enable them to cut the mosaic pieces in hundreds of different shapes without error. And that’s how humans learn: through repetition.
Trawl the wide aisles of Home Depot of B&Q, buy into the brainwashing system, and you quickly imagine that you can do anything with a set of tools, each one with a power cord fifteen feet long. It looks so easy on the packet, or on the in-store TV display. And the mistake we are making is by assuming that technology is a substitute for skill, which is certainly is not.
During the renovations at Dar Khalifa, a man in his forties sat straight-backed on a cushion in what is now the main salon. Beside his left knee was always a glass of piping hot mint tea, and in his right hand was a hammer. All day, every day, he would chip away, cutting mosaics from ochre-red tiles. To watch him was to slip into another world, a world which surely at once existed (and probably not so long ago) in the Occident.
One morning he smiled as I watched, transfixed by the tap, tap, tapping, by the raw skill focussed on the job at hand. He whispered something. I leant forward, and he said it again.
‘To cut one piece it takes a minute,’ he said, ‘one minute and twenty years.’
On the east wall of the courtyard near to where I am sitting, there is a shadow. It’s unlike any normal shadow, shades of grey, because it is very very black. But the colour is not the strange thing about it. Rather, it’s that this shadow is not cast by any object. It’s a shadow without a reason.
I first noticed it three weeks ago. The bright afternoon light was beginning to wane, and the sound of donkeys baking in the shantytown was lessening with the heat. I was working on an article, feeling good about myself for working so hard, looking out at the birds swooping down onto the fountain — a single drop of water sufficient to satiate their thirst. I looked up. The birds flew off, up into the bougainvillea. Suddenly I saw it, as plain as the nose on my face… the shadow without a reason.
I called the guardians from the garden. They lined up and waited for instructions. Nothing worries them more than being called in the late afternoon. They hide down at the stables smoking and drinking endless mint tea. A call from me usually ends in a demand, albeit one couched in politeness. They sauntered in, looking sheepish. I pointed at the wall.
‘That,’ I said.
‘What?’
‘The shadow.’
Osman looked at me, frowned, cocked his head to the side.
‘Yes Monsieur Tahir?’
‘Well it’s a shadow without a reason.’
The guardians turned to take another look. They looked hard, frowned again, scratched their heads, smiled, laughed, and then all of a sudden their amusement was wiped away… wiped away by fear.
‘It’s not good,’ said Hamza.
‘Not good at all,’ Osman echoed.
What shall we do?’ I said.
Just then, Zohra came out of the kitchen, overwhelmed with curiosity. She ordered to know what was going on.
Osman pointed.
‘A shadow,’ said Hamza nervously, ‘a shadow without a reason.’
Zohra stepped back, pushed a hand to her headscarf, leant forward, squinted.
‘Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!’ she crowed.
I asked what she meant.
‘You silly men.’
‘Why are we silly?’ I asked.
‘Because only men would waste time worrying about something like this, wasting time when there is work to be done!’
‘But I have been working. And now we are trying to solve this problem,’ I said.
Hamza waved his hands on the wall, like a child doing shadow puppets.
‘We’re making a scientific study,’ I said.
‘Yes,’ said Osman, ‘that’s what we are doing.’
‘Nonsense,’ replied Zohra, ‘you are wasting time. And that’s all men do, their whole lives. They waste time.’
A day passed, and the shadow didn’t move. Evening faded to night, and with the dawn, the shadow returned… very faint at first, but darkening as the hours passed, until it was very black again. Eventually I couldn’t stand it any more. I had to know the reason for the shadow without a reason. So I went to get my camera. If I could get a picture of it, I thought, then I could study it more closely. I took a photo of the wall with the shadow… click. Looked at the image. Weird, I thought to myself… the shadow’s not there on film.
Just then Zohra shuffled out of the kitchen and jerked her head. A jerk of Zohra’s head is a demand for information.
‘It’s strange,’ I said. ‘I took a picture of the shadow, but…’
‘But…?’
‘But it didn’t come out on film.’
Zohra peered into the screen at the back of the camera. She was going to say something. Then her expression wavered. She looked extremely fearful. It was a look I had experienced before, one conjured by the thought of the supernatural.
I shook my head.
‘No,’ I said, ‘not that.’
Zohra nodded. She spun round and touched the walls, kissed her knuckle and said a prayer.
Anything at Dar Khalifa that has no obvious explanation, is put down to the Jinns, and Zohra is the queen of stirring up fear of them. That is, if anyone needs their imagination to be stirred — which they don’t.
I ushered her back into the kitchen. Then, with all my strength, I moved the big whicker log basket in front of the shadow. Remarkably, the patch of darkness disappeared. I smiled to myself. Zohra peered out of the kitchen at hearing the noise.
‘It’s gone,’ I said.
‘You have hidden it.’
‘No, really, it’s gone away. Vanished. Just like that.’
The maid narrowed her eyes.
‘I don’t believe you,’ she said.
About Tahir
Shah Family
Bantam Dell
Octagon Press
Caravan Film
Institute for Cultural Research
Cosmic Picture
Copyright 2012 Tahir Shah
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Home / Technology / Innovation / Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, from “Online Game Addict and Technology Enthusiast” to Young Startup: Owner of Thailand’s leading E-Commerce Rakuten TARAD.com
Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, from “Online Game Addict and Technology Enthusiast” to Young Startup: Owner of Thailand’s leading E-Commerce Rakuten TARAD.com
in Innovation, Technology October 16, 2015 2885 Views
Business comes from opportunity. It can be either opportunity offered by others or self-made one. This column features the talk with young entrepreneur, Mr. Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, Managing Director and Founder of Rakuten TARAD.com. He created “Opportunity” from being inspired by an addiction and fascination in online game and technology. Today Mr. Pawoot is a Young Startup who transformed game online addiction into one of the most successful E-commerce businesses in Thailand. He is also named “E-commerce Guru” of Thailand. Find out what is the passage to success of Rakuten TARAD.com including Mr. Pawoot’s philosophy of life from this column.
Q: How did you transform online game to E-commerce business?
Mr. Pawoot: “I am a guy who likes and has fascination in technology. 16 years ago, from an online game mania, I came up with an idea of how to build “market” in online world to be a center of trade and merchandise. I then worked with a group of friends and established haisecondhand.com website, one of the first online merchandise trading websites which gathered sellers, buyers, and a variety of merchandises from every part of Thailand. It became a place for people to conveniently buy and sell their merchandises.”
Moving to International Level E-commerce
Mr. Pawoot: “In 2009, we collaborated with Rakuten, Inc., Japan’s number one online shopping website, we aimed at leveraging online shopping website or E-commerce and making it number one of ASEAN. The collaboration led to knowledge and technology transfer. The website was on world-class technology platform. There was also knowledge and technology transfer of new technology cluster, database, and security. This is considered business’ competitive advantage for Thai E-commerce business collaborating with world-class companies. Apart from knowledge and technology transfer, we were supported in terms of technical problem solution by a team of experts from Japan. This truly creates confidence and uplifts the standard to be comparable to other countries worldwide.”
Q: Viewpoint on Role and Direction of E-commerce Business in Moving towards Digital Economy?
Mr. Pawoot: “For me, another responsibility is being President of Thai E-Commerce Association which is an organization formed by private sector’s entrepreneurs which allows the share of knowledge, experience, and communication with public sector. I and the association drafted E-commerce business plan and submitted it to Government in hoping that Government can encourage E-commerce enterprise to boost up more services, create more opportunities for both sellers and buyers, stimulate the country’s economy, and build promising opportunity of trade for people in remote area. These are part of Digital Economy Framework drive.”
“The coming of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) compliments E-commerce business because purchasing power in ASEAN is rather high. Also as ASEAN countries have similar consumption cultures, trade opportunity is high. As same as tarad.com’s aim of becoming number one in ASEAN E-commerce business, “Unique Selling Point” strategy is used. Sellers can freely display their products. For example, products with package written in English can be sold to countries with English as major language namely Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia. Halal food can be sold in Islamic countries e.g. Malaysia and Indonesia. For Thailand, exotic products are highlighted such as herbs, O-TOP products, and Thai food. This is considered innovation of online trading which customers can buy or sell with just a single click. With many branches such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Taiwan, I am confident that Rakuten TARAD.com can be number one in ASEAN. If we can create our unique identity, competition in global level is no longer difficult.” “At that time there were some E-commerce businesses in the market. But what I did came purely from my fascination and enjoyment. It was not an E-commerce business for me. After the establishment of thaisecondhand.com, in 2001, www.tarad.com was established. The feedback was marvelous. Many merchandises of every type from IT gadgets, electronic appliance, local products are being traded online. At the moment we have approximately 240,000 stores online, with over 4 million merchandises.”
E-commerce Rakuten TARAD.com TCC Technology Techno Society 2015-10-16
TCC Technology Marketing Communications Team
Tagged with: E-commerce Rakuten TARAD.com TCC Technology Techno Society
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FACTOID # 16: In the 2000 Presidential Election, Texas gave Ralph Nader the 3rd highest popular vote count of any US state.
Interesting presidential elections facts »
Encyclopedia > Warlord UK
Warlord UK were an 'old school' metal band from Birmingham,England.Formed in 1991,the original line up consisted of Mark White(bass guitar,vocals),Andrew'Bear'Stone(guitar),Michael Gorst(guitar),and a drum machine.Old friends from school,they decided to form a band influenced by the bands they loved,most notably Killing Joke,New Model Army,Amebix,Slayer,Discharge,and Venom. Local musician and entrepreneur Robert 'Bob' Lamb took the band under his wing,and attempted to plug the band into the UK metal 'scene',using all manner of rock and roll cliches.The band's first demo tape was recorded soon afterwards. The tape was strong enough to attract the attention of the major record label Island Records,however Island's interest was short lived,claiming that they had no idea how to market the band.Warlord(without the UK tag at this point)carried on regardless,embarking on a short UK tour with fellow Brummies Cerebral Fix. Warlord played a local gig in Birmingham in 1992,only to discover that the drum machine was malfunctioning,the band carried on the best they could,and soon after the decision was made to search for a live drummer. Local boy Neil Hutton was recruited as Warlord's live drummer,and Warlord recorded the 'Alien Dictator' demo at Bob Lamb's studio in Kings Heath,Birmingham.The demo was very well received,and Warlord played a string of gigs soon after,performing their own versions of the Amebix classic 'Chain Reaction',New Model Army's '51st State',Slayer's 'Raining Blood' as well as their own compositions. 1995 saw the departure of Neil Hutton(he went on to play drums for Benediction and more recently Stampin' Ground)so Warlord were once again in search of a drummer. Warlord had asked Anita Harris,a friend of theirs,to handle their mail,and it was through Anita that Warlord's new drummer was recruited.Enter Neil Farrington,a seasoned drummer from the Black Country,who had played with countless local bands since 1985.Neil settled in almost immediately. Benediction vocalist Dave Ingram successfully negotiated a three album deal between Warlord and the German record label Nuclear Blast,on the condition that he did guest vocals on three of Warlord's tracks,these ended up being the Amebix cover versions 'Nobody's Driving'and 'Chain Reaction'(from Amebix's classic third album 'Monolith'), and Slayer's 'Raining Blood'.Warlord's debut album,'Maximum Carnage' was recorded at Rhythm Studios,Bidford Upon Avon,England with producer Paul Johnson.Nuclear Blast did precious little to promote the finished product,but again Warlord(now known as Warlord UK),cracked on,supporting Benediction on an 11 date European tour in February 1996,covering Belgium,Germany,Italy,Holland and the Czech Republic.All of the European dates were very well received,particularly their show in Cologne(Koln) Germany which almost resulted in a stampede of rampant rivetheads! Upon Warlord's return to the UK after the European dates,the band did a gig in their home town to around twenty people.Morale within the band was pretty low by then,but was raised again when they were booked by London promoter Devil's Church as the main support for Swedish band At The Gates,who were touring the UK. Warlord(UK)turned up at the first show on the At The Gates UK tour(coincidentally in Birmingham)only to be told by Mike,the Devil's Church promoter,that they weren't allowed to play.Mike had splattered Warlord's name across the UK's metal press as the main support for At The Gates,but as it turned out,the shows for Warlord were not to be. Feeling completely and utterly betrayed,Warlord split up.Nuclear Blast did nothing to salvage the situation,although they were probably unaware of what was going on.The band members went their seperate ways musically,although personally they were still friends. A chance meeting in a Birmingham rock club in 1998 saw the musical reunion of Mark White,Neil Farrington,Andrew Stone and Michael Gorst,and they decided to reform as Warlord.Mark White ditched the bass guitar to concentrate on vocal duties.Matthew Evans(a friend of Neil's) joined Warlord as bass guitarist.The twin guitar slaughter of Mick Gorst and Andrew Stone was further reinforced by the addition of a THIRD guitarist,'Uncle Tony'Warburton of Brummie legends Cerebral Fix,who by then had split after four albums,one with independent label Vinyl Solution,two with Roadrunner Records,and one with the(at the time)Music for Nations imprint Under One Flag. The reunion wasn't to last,however.Mark,Andrew and Michael settled into relationships with their girlfriends,and called time on their musical careers.Matthew Evans was last seen in the crowd at the Reading Festival in 2002.Tony and Neil went on to form the ill-fated Damn Dirty Apes project,Neil also ventured into punk rock with Last Under The Sun,and Sensa Yuma(with whom he toured mainland Europe),and worked briefly with original Venom guitarist Jeff 'Mantas' Dunn.Tony Warburton is having a break from his career in music,and right now Neil is spending quality time with his son,and hopes to get behind the drums again soon.
Xena Warrior Princess - Season One (4237 words)
As Xena recovers, the warlord's son calls the villagers to a meeting to talk peace, but his fathers soldiers are waiting in the wings to slaughter them all...
Xena promises to rescue her and decides to pretend to be working for the warlord in order to get into the dungeon where she and some of the other villagers are being held.
A battle with the warlords minions ensues and all is going well until a mysterious figure in the woods fires a poison dart which hits Xena in the neck.
Unexplained Mysteries Discussion Forums -> Somali warlord 'to rejoin talks' (4875 words)
The warlord, whose full name is Mohammed Hersi Si'iid Hersi, was nicknamed the Butcher of Hargeisa, after being accused of murdering scores of innocent civilians during fighting in the Somaliland capital.
The exact whereabouts of the warlord is unknown, but residents in Dhoobley say Gen Morgan passed through the town on Wednesday with two vehicles, travelling towards the Kenyan border.
Peace process facilitator Bethwell Kiplagat said the warlord would still be welcome to return to the talks, where the election of a parliamentary speaker on Wednesday cleared the way for the formation of a central government.
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Discouraged by a five-year spike in the number of violent fights occurring within the school system, officials agreed a solution had to be sought. After viewing firsthand similar programs in action, school administrators began to tool a model for St. Charles Parish.
The Violence Prevention Program is based on a few idioms:
Children learn better in a safe environment
Violence and fighting is disruptive to school climate
Violence causes students to feel physically and psychologically threatened
Given these foundational beliefs, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office, School Board, and judges with the 29th Judicial District Court agreed to institute a program that would aggressively target school violence.
Approach to the Problem
What makes the program unique is its approach to the problem. From the outset, all entities agreed simply arresting offenders and placing them in an already overburdened court system was not a solution. Instead, a program was developed that, upon complete compliance, allows all charges against the student to be dismissed.
Resource Officers
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Nine Days in Peru 2012-13
Peru Day 1
Back in September 2011 Jan and I purchased a three week tour of Israel and Jordan scheduled for February 2012 from Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), the company that had provided us with a remarkable experience in Japan two years earlier. In early December we were forced to cancel the trip to deal with a family crisis. The insurance policy we’d bought to cover such situations would only refund a fraction of the cost and the balance could be credited to another trip only if taken before February 2013.
Our disappointment was kept alive by the diminishing possibility of redeeming the credit. In the meantime we had been assigned court-appointed custody for our eleven-year old grandson. In September 2012, we found out that he’d be visiting his father in Georgia for the winter school holiday and therefore we might have a two- week interval around Christmas to travel.
Ready to go anywhere in the world on an excursion already paid for, we searched the OAT catalog and came up with “Real Affordable Peru.” It fell within the allotted time and offered an appealing itinerary, including Lima, Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, which had intrigued me ever since I learned about it at age 10 in Richard Halliburton’s Book of Marvels. Throughout Jan’s hectic fall re-election campaign for Mayor, our bedtime reading consisted of Kim Macrorie’s The Last Days of the Incas, Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Storyteller, Mark Adams’ Turn Right at Machu Picchu, and Charles Mann’s 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus. But as the departure date approached, another problem loomed. The minor surgery that Jan had undergone in October destabilized rather than repaired her left knee, and she now needed a brace and continual icing just to walk city streets. How would she fare clambering in the heights of the Andes?
We land in Lima 12:30 A.M. December 26 and are greeted at the gate by Jonathan, the OAT representative, along with a couple of intrepid fellow travellers from Chicago a few years our seniors. In the downtown, every building is protected by high walls or fences, and some of them have guard towers at the corners. The minivan drives along the Pacific shore toward Miraflores, the affluent tourist-friendly section of this city of 10 million. Jonathan assures us that the district has three levels of protection: municipal police, semi-official companies that contract with the police, and private security. We’re welcomed to Hotel Jose Antonio by a large African-Peruvian doorman in a suit and tails. It’s an upscale facility typical of those chosen by OAT and several notches above the motel 6 level I usually patronize.
In the bathroom we encounter the trip’s first culture shock: a sign tells us to dispose of all paper in the adjacent wastebasket, not in the toilet.
Our guide affirms that this means all paper, in order not to overtax the capacity of municipal sewage systems. It’s a contrast to the equally foreign peculiarities of Japanese toilets, which provided a warm water rinse of one’s undercarriage after every use. But it’s no more an adjustment than having to remember to always use bottled water for toothbrushing and sinus rinsing, as well as drinking.
A generous breakfast buffet includes a thick, sour distillation of coffee one renders palatable by diluting with hot milk and water and a variety of delicious fresh fruit. Afterwards our group of 12 travelers assemble in a conference room for an introductory lecture by our trip guide Alvaro, illustrated with a timeline and map of the upcoming journey and including a strong recommendation that we ignore medical prescriptions for altitude sickness and instead drink coca tea and chew coca leaves, the time-honored cure.
Alvaro is a native of Cuzco—to be pronounced correctly as Qosco (just like Costco) in Quechua, the native language still spoken by the Andeans. He espouses a nationalism hostile to the Spanish conquistadores, ambivalent toward the short-lived Inca empire that they conquered, and partisan toward the decentralized pre-Incan native cultures whose histories extend back ten to twenty thousand years. He points out that modern Peru has recently rebranded itself with a new logo containing a spiral that’s found on inscriptions and also represents the concentric ancient terraces we will discover throughout the mountainous countryside.
We learn that his father’s family comes from the Amazon—most likely from Spanish ranchers–his mother’s from Andean Qosqo, making him a mestizo like most other Peruvians since the Conquest. There’s a familiar anti colonial, anti-imperial bias in his views, but they are mixed with great enthusiasm for his longtime employer, OAT, which is dedicated to educating Americans about foreign cultures and environments, promotes international understanding, underwrites local social service programs and has provided his family with the resources to send his three children to University.
We depart for a group promenade down the busy main boulevard of Miramontes. There are no beggars or street sellers and a prominent presence of kevlar-vested gun-toting police and private security patrols. A building across the street sports a huge mural depicting a prostrate Gulliver-like figure with tiny trucks driving away from a hole near his heart. Alvaro interprets: this is the heart of Peru being eviscerated by the mining industry.
We amble through Kennedy square and down another boulevard to a restaurant for our first meal of legendary Peruvian cuisine, passing a long line of respectable but unhappy-looking people lined up at one of the many prominent banks. These, says Alvaro, are civil servants lining up to cash (or receive?) their paychecks. Jan and I both order ceviche, and the raw fish marinated in lime juice and a light cream sauce with sliced onions reminds me of the sashimi which introduced our culinary adventures in Japan.
Back at the hotel we are introduced to Dante, our local guide, a compact man with glossy black hair, shiny eyes, a mime’s expressive gestures, a shaman’s intensity and a distinctive profile like those on Aztec and Mayan reliefs. He was born in a small village north of Lima into a family of subsistence farmers and moved with his parents and brothers to the city when he was nine years old. He hated to leave his beautiful rural village but since then has learned why it was the right choice for his parents.
We arrive at the National Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, an attractive ochre and white colored building with a central courtyard graced by brightly flowering trees and loudly chirping birds. First stop for the group is under an arch bearing the ubiquitous “S” for Sismo sign—a supposedly safe sanctuary in case of Seismic disturbances. Peru’s history and culture is dominated by earthquakes; the last big one in 1970 rocked Lima for two full minutes and caused a hundred thousand deaths. The damage to this museum has still not been fully repaired due to the government’s according higher priority to developing the infrastructure–roads and bridges facilitating commerce across the extraordinarily difficult terrain separating the three primary areas of the country: coastal desert, mountains, and Amazonian jungle. Peru’s immense archaeological riches have only been properly excavated and preserved with foreign financing.
The Museum’s exhibits are displayed in chronological sequence and Dante emphasizes the ingenious technology for resource use of the earliest strata—stone age tools similar to those of the early California Chumash I saw on a recent school visit with my grandson to the Rancho El Chorro Education center.
As we move to the display of a stela depicting the puma god holding staffs of peyote cactus, he points out that the physical evidence here suggests the existence of an agriculturally based civilization even older than Egyptian, Sumerian or Hindu—the Chavin culture. This new view of the age, size and complexity of New World cultures is amplified in the book that Jan and I are continuing to read as we travel, Charles Mann’s 1491.
Though none of the New World cultures seem to have invented the wheel or the metallurgy that could produce powerful weapons, their hand-formed pottery glazed with characteristic red ochre looks as if it was thrown, and both human and animal figures are elegant and expressive.
From early times onward music has been ubiquitous in religious ritual as well as daily life, and the instruments displayed are themselves beautifully sculpted artifacts.
A darkened room displays Inka treasures, some of the few remaining examples of the vast trove of gold and silver architectural features, sculptures, ritual instruments and costumes that Pizarro and his tiny band of invaders pillaged, melted into ingots, and sent back to Spain during the sixteenth century.
On the bus trip to the City Center, Dante points out a fortress-like structure rising behind a large fenced area, one of more than 40 major excavations now being carried out within the city limits, an indication of the nation’s hidden reserves of archeological resources.
We pass a heavily fortified complex of buildings suggesting an Inca temple that he identifies as the Japanese Embassy–the scene of the 1996 drama initiated by the Shining Path guerillas who took over the complex, held people hostage for 126 days and finally were defeated by police and military commandos under the direction of then president Alberto Fujimori. Dante says he voted for Fujimori and found him an effective leader whose strong-arm tactics were necessary to combat the murderous Maoist movement wreaking havoc in the country. But like most Peruvians, he became disillusioned with Fujimori after the brutality of his methods approached those of the revolutionaries and after revelations of large scale corruption caused him to flee the country.
Our bus maneuvers through fast moving traffic toward the center of Lima, the end of every street revealing arid mountains covered with ramshackle homebuilt structures sprawled in growth patterns that look like lichen on rock. These suburbs are the newest and poorest parts of the city, Dante says, unlike in America where the more expensive homes are up the hills.
We enter a traffic circle surrounded by shabby mansions that used to be the homes of Lima’s aristocracy and are now divided into crowded apartments. He assures us that the central square where we are headed is safe and heavily patrolled.
The square is fronted by a 16th century cathedral and bishop’s palace, the 19th century Presidential palace and the18th century City Hall. It’s decorated with ugly artificial Christmas trees.
The atmosphere is fast and lively, the pace set by the machine gun staccato of Spanish speech and laughing children. Dante says that Lima’s mayor is a woman and observes that it is important for women to be involved in politics. He’s impressed to hear that Jan is a mayor and promises to arrange a meeting between her and the city’s chief executive when we return.
The group walks a block past street vendors whose fascinating appearance and merchandise we try not to eye into a square dominated by the baroque façade of the San Francisco monastery and cathedral, as harmonious in proportion and dramatic in decoration as any churches in Europe.
We enter the adjoining monastery where photography is prohibited, stopping at the library where light pours in from clerestory windows above a three tiered gallery and illuminates the dust in the air coming off thousands of leather-bound books that seem haphazardly shelved and piled, most of them with pages rather than spines facing outward. In contrast to air-conditioned and immaculate rare book rooms in American libraries, this place looks like 18th century paintings of royal libraries, a place as full of buried treasure for researchers as the landscape outdoors.
Dante says that the Franciscan missionaries accompanying the conquest and glorified in this building brought largely destruction and horror to this country, but two imports deserving appreciation are libraries and universities.
We walk through a wide second story colonnade surrounding a garden of mature fruit trees. Most of the pillars are out of plumb and the wide tiled floor tilts and ripples as a result of earthquakes. Then we descend through claustrophobic adobe passages crowded with other tourists to the Catacombs under the cathedral. This was the only cemetery of Lima for its first 200 years, and it holds the bones of 25000 of its most illustrious citizens sorted into different parts of the skeleton—skulls, femurs, tibias, pelvises—arranged for display in symmetrical patterns in ditches along a maze of passages and at the bottom of circular wells 20 feet or more deep.
Here is a foretaste of the ubiquitous presence of preserved bodily remains of the dead, in private homes, Inka temples and Christian shrines.
Arising from the catacombs, we emerge into the light of the square and the sounds of children laughing. A car backfires and we’re engulfed by a swirl of pigeons.
After a siesta back at the hotel, Jan and I retrace our steps toward Kennedy square and find a pleasant café for a late dinner at a price similar to what we’d pay at home. On the way back to the hotel at 9:30, we wander into the still open municipal art gallery and find a display of Peruvian arts and crafts—modernistic variations of traditional corn-beer drinking vessels, an installation of dried vegetation stuck to walls and ceilings suggesting the jungle, and whimsical ceramic musicians in colors and postures reminiscent of the ancient pottery in the museum.
Slideshow of these and more full-size photos
Link to Day 2
Posted in Excursions, Nine Days in Peru 2012-13 | No Comments »
On the way south after breakfast, Dante has the bus stop for a look at Lima’s long beach front and pelicans on a fish processing plant’s roof.
Fishing is a major industry because of the upwelling of the cold Humboldt current just off the coast. A hearty stranger approaches and hails us.
He says the large green boat in the foreground of the picturesque fleet is his.
We pass a woman’s prison that incarcerates not prostitutes—the trade is legal in Peru—but mules—young women recruited by dealers to carry illegal drugs out of the country in their body cavities.
A mountainous sand dune reminds us that we’re in a coastal desert, one of the driest places on the planet. The top and steep slopes are crisscrossed by bulldozers harvesting sand used in a factory at the base of the dunes to manufacture bricks.
The mined dunes are succeeded by a grove of young orange trees planted on the slope, and then by a dense colony of shacks.
This is one edge of Villa El Salvador, a sprawling zone of improvised and unplanned buildings that constitutes the rapidly expanding suburb that now houses about 400,000 people. Most have left their ancestral homes in the Andean highlands and other regions of Peru and migrated to the city–fleeing the terror inflicted on peasants by Shining Path guerillas, forced off their land by famine and drought, or in search of a better life for their children. Known as “invaders,” they squat on unused private and public property, build with scavenged materials and survive without basic services like water, sewage or electricity. They eke out a living selling services and labor at low wages or creating small-scale businesses peddling food or souvenirs on the street.
In 1980, after a series of violent conflicts with police who tried to evict the squatters, the government created a new policy: if a group of squatters lived on the land for ten years and came up with a lawyer to represent them, they would be granted ownership of their lots. And if they continued to organize and pool resources, they could petition for the construction of roads and the delivery of other basic services for which they would pay monthly bills. The older these squatter communities, the more established and prosperous they have become, and now they are classified as class 1, 2, 3, and 4, the last including conventional stores, hospitals, factories and other locally owned business enterprises. But at no stage, Dante insists repeatedly, do the residents of these communities receive welfare from the government. They are responsible for supporting themselves through hard work, austerity, persistence, ingenuity and most important, cooperation. He confides that he himself grew up in a community like this.
We get out at a complex of Inka structures. A partially reconstructed dormitory for priests and sacred virgins fronts on a wetland oasis in the desert created by aqueducts conducting water from a river flowing down through the coastal desert from the Andes.
A hilltop Temple of the Sun overlooks offshore islands that were assumed to be the residence of gods who required sacrifice of the virgins to continue providing crops and fish.
The structures are built out of adobe bricks of the same color and texture as the soil from which they’re hewn. Occasionally we see evidence that originally the structures were surfaced with sharp angled stucco painted with the red cochineal dye.
At the summit of the temple a heavily armed soldier stands at attention, part of a contingent protecting the site 24-7 from continuing harm by looters.
Back in the bus Dante says we are about to visit a stage 1 squatter community nearby which has a special relation with our OAT tour company. On every visit, the guides bring bags of rice and beans and provide other necessities in kind. We pass through a checkpoint staffed by local residents who patrol the unpaved streets to make them safe for children, who would otherwise be threatened by abusers and sex traffickers.
Dante greets the guardians who let us through the gateway. Tiny shops are scattered among the houses crammed side by side, some no more than a patchwork of cardboard and tin roofing, others ambitious and creative in style.
Almost everything here is salvaged, recycled and improvised, but the atmosphere seems secure and cheerful.
Children play in the narrow lanes, a mother holding a baby hangs up laundry, a man washes his dog.
Dante leads us to a corner building deep inside the grid of streets. The mothers here have organized a soup kitchen to feed those who don’t have enough to eat. Nourishing food is offered, not free but at very low cost along with information about nutrition and health. There is one of these kitchens for each 70 families. Some support is supplied by NGOs but not by the government. The woman who runs this kitchen shows us the large clean pots, the propane stove and tank, the sign on the wall that warns against cheating or hoarding. She is proud of the place, but not happy today, because for unknown reasons no food has arrived.
This community has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for its successful experiments with alleviating poverty and promoting community development. Its approach struck me as diametrically opposite to that in our home town, where a complex permitting and review process by the existing community is required before any new construction can take place. It also takes an opposite approach to our growing problem of homelessness which assumes that the government and existing community provide housing, food and safety for those in need who play by the rules.
As we board the bus I see two boys starting up a game of soccer in a well-fenced dirt field.
Now we drive through a stage 2 community perched on a steep hillside. The ground here seems as unstable and incoherent as the teetering structures. There’s little danger of erosion since it never rains in Lima, but I envision the whole warren sliding down the hill in case of am earthquake. Rather than roads or sidewalks, one sees only footpaths and cart tracks.
But the people who construct and continually add to these structures with locally manufactured bricks and cement seem to have inherited the Inca tendency to never stop building on near-vertical slopes. To many people, improvised structures like these are merely an eyesore, but I find them more aesthetically appealing and mechanically intriguing than the modernist architecture of the luxury hotels of Miraflores.
Our tour of Villa El Salvador concludes with a bus ride through a stage 4 section of this “new town.” In narrow paved streets we see into small furniture and shoe manufacturing operations, the merchandise being loaded onto small pickup trucks or motorcycle driven carts.
And then a main boulevard with grassy medians, a large hospital, and an unrelenting barrage of billboards.
We return to our posh hotel for a rest and then are driven to dinner in a restaurant in the even more exclusive seaside enclave of Barranco.
Posted in Nine Days in Peru 2012-13 | No Comments »
A 5:30 wake-up call marshalls us back to Lima airport under Alvaro’s direction for the flight to Qosqo, the center of the Inca empire and of present day Peruvian tourism. On the way he regales us with stories from the Inka history that he identifies as his own heritage, occasionally speaking in the Quechua language that they imposed on its diverse communities during the less than hundred year duration of their rule in the 15th and 16th centuries.
After a three-hour delay and two gate changes, we fly for ninety minutes and land at the Qosquo airport situated in the center of the city. Signs proudly exclaim that it is soon to be replaced by a much larger international airport on the outskirts. I fear that the expansion of industrial tourism this brings will eradicate whatever is left of the native cultures and archaic way of life we’ve come here to appreciate. That at least is what happened at Cancun in the Yucatan, which we travelled through three years ago to attend the wedding of our niece in Playa del Carmen.
To help us adapt to the altitude change, we will descend to the 6000 foot level in the Sacred Valley of the Urumbamba River for several days before returning to this 11,000 foot city.
As we exit the terminal, there’s a clap of thunder and sudden mountain downpour. Alvaro reminds us that summer in Peru is the rainy season and that abrupt weather changes are to be expected. However he will be praying to the Apus—the Inca spirits of the mountains—to provide us with sunshine at Machu Picchu.
In the still pouring rain—the snowline in this near equatorial latitude is 14000 feet–the bus winds above the City nestled in the valley below.
Alvaro points out rock formations and walls that mark the Inca holy places (Wasi) and agricultural terraces that cover the countryside.
We stop at a settlement on the pass above Qosqo to view new peasant structures that incorporate traditional ceramic bas-reliefs, thatch roofs and shrines that meld pagan and Christian images. We encounter campesinos herding sheep and pigs and selling native crafts to tourists.
It’s hard to believe that this is not all part of an Andean theme park, but as we start downhill following the course of a mud-swollen stream, it’s clear that we’re in a real archaic landscape where homebuilt houses and subsistence farming still prevail.
The streambed deepens into a canyon with steep rock walls rising on the opposite side.
The road turns and we stop for a new view. The canyon we’re in converges 1500 feet below with a wide valley flanked by mountain ranges on both sides whose tops disappear into the clouds. Through it runs the Urumbamba river flowing westward toward our destination, Machu Picchu, and downward toward the Amazon. Directions are confusing; I expect the Amazon to be across the Andes to the east, but the map shows the range in this region angling from a north south to an east west axis before resuming its general orientation further north. At this overlook, I imagine the route taken by the rebel emperor Manco Inka and his retinue as they fled Qosqo pursued by the Spanish over the mountains and into the jungle.
This is the Sacred Valley, known for its fertility and beauty and the magnificence of its archaeological resources. Alvaro prays to the Apus while the rest of us take pictures.
At the convergence of another river on the opposite side of the Urumbamba the town of Pisac comes into view below precisely spaced and angled walls that terrace the nearly vertical rock faces. How could they have been constructed in the first place and how could they have lasted in earthquake country another 500 years?
We cross the river and stop to wander through the narrow streets of the ancient market town. I’m drawn in by two little girls in Andean costume cradling a bleating lamb and a puppy.
In return for the picture I put a sole (about 40 cents) into one of their outstretched hands.
The bus ascends through a gully behind the town, providing a closer view of the terraces, many still cultivated with corn and potatoes by local farmers whose chickens and cows share the road with us.
As we get higher, the terraces take the shape of an amphitheatre and are no longer farmed but part of an archaeological preserve. We walk on a stone path toward a temple fortress overlooking the valleys below and a stone village above.
A woman in traditional garb insistently offers handicraft merchandise laid out on colorful blanket. No one is buying so she folds up her wares and walks toward the village.
The bus heads back down to the river and drives through tiny villages strung along the road. We pass a supply yard storing great piles of 24 inch pipe that will bring natural gas from the Peruvian Amazon through the Sacred Valley to Qosqo and Lima. “This will be tremendous for us—cheap energy to fuel economic development.” Says Alvaro. I think about the melting glaciers above us and the protests in the U.S. against natural gas fracking and the construction of the XL pipeline from Canada to Louisiana.
In the town of Urubamba, the bus turns off the main road down a bumpy little lane and comes to a halt at a mud puddle. To reach our lodgings we walk over a stone wall, through a wet potato field, and past a new adobe gateway, accompanied by the sound of the rushing river below.
Just past a tree full of ripe papayas, the Urubamba Villa sign comes into view.
A massive portal opens on a beautiful prospect: immaculate lawns, flowery rock gardens buzzing with hummingbirds and butterflies, fountains and ponds surrounded by a portico supported by peeled timbers secured to beams with braided rawhide lashings.
At the center of the garden stands a circular sanctuary topped by a high dome.
For two nights, this is to be the base camp for our approach to Machu Picchu.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Nine Days in Peru 2012-13 | No Comments »
Our room is tastefully decorated with original arts and crafts but my sleep is disturbed by the onslaught of a cold. From earlier travels I recognize the combination: thrilling stimulation accompanied by intense discomfort and fatigue. Quarts of coffee and coca tea in the morning provide some relief.
It’s raining as the bus follows the river further downstream, parallel to the railroad to Machu Picchu, past a recent road washout, an earthern building site, and kids playing during school holidays.
The ancient agricultural methods of cultivating potatoes and and corn on terraces and the fertile valley floor remain in use.
We arrive at Ollantaytambo, a city conquered and rebuilt by the first Inka Emperor Pachakuti in the mid 15th century and maintained as a private preserve by his family until serving as a hideout for Manco Inka during his rebellion a hundred years later. Beyond it the Valley gets narrower and drops more steeply toward the Amazon basin.
Alvaro leads us through a stone portal into the courtyard of a private residence.
Ducks and ducklings peck at the doorway of the stone dwelling we crowd into. A wood fire burns in the clay stove providing welcome heat. Bunches of corn hang from the ceiling. An altar decked with blackened ancestral skulls and fresh flowers rises above a stone shelf packed with unearthed artifacts–figurines, masks, mortars and pestles and polished phalli.
In one corner a cute flock of guinea pigs chirp and feed on grass, fattening themselves for an upcoming dinner by their owners.
Alvaro explains that one lumpy sphere represents the earth dotted with Apus.
We leave the house and proceed through town along perfectly aligned walls and streets grooved with gutters conducting water down from the high mountains toward the gate of a temple complex.
A blind harpist in bright garb serenades the entrants. [click image to play movie]
Our guide leads us to a low-walled enclosure at the base of the mountain spur that guards the valley and demonstrates the method of using coca, the reverenced herb enjoyed by Andean natives for millennia. First three dried leaves are grasped in the hand, blown upon and thanked.
Then a bunch of leaves is vigorously chewed mixed with a bit of catalyst—the charred residue of cooked quinoa. The resulting wad is held in one cheek and periodically switched to the other. Most people in the group are willing to try it, but the crumbly texture and astringent taste are not to everyone’s liking.
It affords no drug high but I do feel the predicted effects—a reduction in the breathlessness caused by the 8000 foot altitude, increased stamina during ascent of the steep terraces, and slight euphoria.
In addition to tourists, the site is crowded with groups of students, more evidence of the pride Peruvians share in their ancient heritage along with the country’s modern economic expansion.
Facing us across the valley, another vertical rock face shows mysterious formations that Alvaro explains are Inka granaries and warehouses, easily defensible and set in a microclimate that’s drier and cooler than the valley below.
A stern visage sculpted from the rock represents Wiracochan, the emissary of the creator god, Wiracocha. On the winter solstice the rising sun illuminates it directly and sharpens the profile.
The higher we climb, the finer the stonework—the joints tighter, the rock faces smoother, the angles more uniform.
At the top of the ridge, overlooking the valley upstream and down, a set of monoliths of uncertain religious function display faint bas reliefs, one recognizable as the Andean cross.
An unfinished cut of the facet of one stone shows the use of some kind of saw.
The wind and rain at the top temple get stronger and Alvaro prays intensely for the better weather he promised for our visit to Machu Picchu. He once aspired to be a shaman but learned that the calling is an endowment available only to those who inherit it.
The way down is along narrow paths cut from the vertical rock rather than stepped down in terraces.
The bus returns to Urumbamba, where we’re welcomed into another private home, this one quite modern and, like most Peruvian domiciles, in a continuing condition of construction and expansion. OAT has arranged for us to visit a family, share in their food preparation and meal, and bring them little gifts from the U.S. The Dad is away at work, but here are Grandma, the person in charge, her daughter, and the daughter’s three daughters–two grade-six twins, and a younger child suffering from severe developmental disabilities yet fully integrated into domestic life.
In the large dining room used for family gatherings, a side table displays varieties of local foods that, I’ve discovered, many Peruvians exhibit for their aesthetic beauty as well as practical value.
Some group members help to cook, dredging and sautéing the chile rellenos. One slaughters the guinea pig with an instantaneous twist of the neck. Grandma cleans the carcass before cooking it on a wood stove. It’s presented in the traditional manner. Jan says it tastes like a cross between chicken and rabbit, but I decline to partake.
The meal is of exceptional variety and quality, enriched with fresh local ingredients and friendly cross-cultural communication.
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Last updated : 05 October 2010 By Dan Buxton
Saturday’s victory over a very stubborn and determined Blackburn Rovers team showed the importance of a well-balanced and organised midfield for any subsequent progress for the Potters.
This summer’s addition of another flying winger in the shape of Jermaine Pennant has given Stoke an extra dimension. Our new dual wing threat when combined with the aerial prowess of Kenwyne Jones makes us look a potentially exciting proposition going forward.
It is great to see Stoke employing two such effervescent wide players with Matthew Etherington looking like he is going to surpass last season’s return on assists after a flying start to his season. Obviously a more cavalier approach requires solid foundations to ensure that we are not left over-stretched and painfully exposed.
As we know, TP loves to use four centre halves in his back four but at this level they still require some protection especially if we (hopefully) continue to utilise our wingers. This is where Rory Delap and Dean Whitehead step into the equation.
Clearly neither player are going to “wow” the fans with any great technical application but they are the engine room for the Potters and have the determination and steel to give us a foothold in games. As much as we have improved over the last few years we still cannot expect to roll teams over and leave ourselves exposed.
The central midfield role at Stoke is a very disciplined job and it isn’t a task that many would have the stomach for. The ground that our two “spoilers” are expected to cover is immense. If they don’t do their job properly the opposition will have much more of the ball and our wingers won’t be able to use their pace to break away if Rory or Deano don’t snap into the tackles and win possession back for us.
We have seen in our previous two seasons at this level just how vital getting the midfield right is. There are many excellent central players in the Premier League and we really need to have our best midfield playing in order to compete. During our first season back we tinkered with our central quartet without much success until TP got the balance right by bringing Liam Lawrence back into the team and pairing Rory with Glenn Whelan. The four players used on Saturday had a similar (but improved) look about it. They looked balanced, combative and in Pennant and Etherington had pace and skill in abundance.
No doubt a 1-0 win against Blackburn had the ill-informed assuming it had been the type of match that their limited knowledge of the game had already predicted it to be. In actual fact it was a very enjoyable 90 minutes with Stoke creating numerous clear cut chances and probably deserving more than Jon Walters’s excellent first Premier League goal.
The other very pleasing aspect to our third league win of the season was a long overdue clean sheet for Tommy and his back four. We’ve had a few shaky moments at the back so far this year but Saturday’s shut out was much more like it. Don’t get me wrong, Blackburn didn’t pose us many problems with their far more direct approach than us but the lads still had to cope with numerous punts from Paul Robinson and the (albeit poor imitation) long throws from Morton Gamst Pederson.
I think our nervy defending has been caused by several factors. Firstly Tommy had an indifferent World Cup and then suffered an infection in his elbow. We also appointed Ryan as captain over the summer which given Abdoulaye’s stature at the club was always a big call. Thankfully our young England hopeful appears to be growing into his new found responsibility and I’m convinced that it will spur him on to even greater things in the future.
The other on-going cause for concern has been at full-back with large question marks hanging over both Robert Huth (who we know is superb at centre half) and Danny Collins who had a very shaky debut season. I’m hoping after Saturday’s extremely solid showing both of them continue in the same vein of form from now on. I certainly haven’t been Danny Collins’s biggest fan since his arrival from Sunderland as I didn’t really trust him defensively but over the last two or three outings he seems to be adding a bit more steel to his game which will help him and the team out no end.
It was great to get another win before the international break and although it probably managed to sneak under the radar of most national newspapers, this was a win that offered real encouragement to the Stoke faithful and has left us sitting in a very healthy looking 7th position in the league.
Early days of course but hopefully our new found balance will see plenty more victories like the one against Blackburn and who knows, perhaps even a top half finish when you look at the players we have who can’t even get a game at present?
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League of Legends: Ahri Skins’ Review
Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox
Ahri, the Nine Tails Fox is a champion based on the Korean kumiho or gumiho; the legendary nine tailed fox. The legend says that they can turn into a beautiful girl and seduce men to eat their liver. Her skins do reflect that origin: traditional Korean clothing and a dark furry coat start her wardrobe while other themes related to her nature round it. If you need advice to outfit this foxy champion keep reading this skin review.
Dynasty Ahri
Concept: Ahri wearing a modern version of the traditional Korean Hanbok.
Model: New model for Ahri.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: New dance animation.
Splash Art: This splash art is an interesting example of how the whole can be more than the sum of its parts. The background is not particularly complex but it shows a complete scene with tree leaves and the grass reacting to the wind. Sadly, the whole background is buried in an intense fog or is flat-out sketchy despite providing a good setting. Ahri doesn’t look astounding but is nicely drawn. Moreover, there’s good use of light sources: the sun shines on her head and left arm while the ball’s glow is reflected by her clothes. The colours are soft but the shading is pleasing and makes for an appealing portrayal of Ahri. The final composition results in a fine piece that rises above average mostly due to the Ahri’s depiction.
Conclusion: Dynasty Ahri executes well its concept but the concept isn’t particularly interesting. Therefore, it ends up looking good but being unexciting; and a little weird as she has four ears. The Hanbok isn’t a bad idea but it’s not very effective in providing a cool look for Ahri. It’s not a bad purchase and you should definitely get Dynasty Ahri if the idea of Ahri wearing a Hanbok appeals to you. However, if the Hanbok doesn’t seduce you then there isn’t much in Dynasty Ahri for you. The new dance sure is a plus but it’s not enough to gather new adepts.
Midnight Ahri
Concept: Ahri wearing a dark fur coat and tiara.
Splash Art: This piece makes great use of point light sources to decorate surfaces with multiple reflections. The background features lamps and, possibly, fireflies. Their light falls on the nearby roof and reaches into the woods. Unfortunately, brushstrokes are thick and unfocused which gives the setting the feel of a draft. Ahri bathes herself in the glow of her ball while the lights behind her shine on her back. The sharp lines, bright colours, energetic ball and aptly fuzzy fur tails contrast with the imprecise quality of the setting. If we add up the whole of the quality of the drawing we can find that’s there’s clever colouring but that it’s also uneven. The portrayal is quite good and the background has an appealing rustic feeling. However, the dichotomy between the sharp portrayal and rough nature of the background is too noticeable.
Conclusion: Midnight Ahri is a simple concept that succeeds though raw good execution. This skin is nothing more than Ahri wearing a dark fur coat and a tiara; that’s it. Regardless, the dark look is appropriate and highlights the glow of her ball. Moreover, this outfit increases her allure without exposing too much skin; which perfectly suits Ahri. Consequently, even if the concept is simple it does a wonderful job at displaying Ahri in a different but equally adequate light. Definitely recommended.
Foxfire Ahri
Concept: Ahri as a nine tailed fire fox.
Model: New model for Ahri and new yellow glow around her.
Particles: New flame particles for her orb and tails. New particles for her auto-attack, Orb of Deception, Fox-Fire and Spirit Rush.
Splash Art: Foxfire Ahri’s splash art is a very direct spotlight of Ahri’s fire look; it even lacks a proper background. On the plus side, Ahri is very well depicted: the hair, fur, clothes, everything is properly displayed and highlighted by the multiple light sources. The orb and her tails add depth with their reflections but there are areas where their effect is missing. Furthermore, while the pose is dynamic and the flurry of blazing tails surround Ahri they still can’t fill the void like an actual background can. Overall, this is a great depiction of Ahri but as a splash art it’s missing context.
Conclusion: Foxfire Ahri is a skin with a very good concept but with some issues in the way it’s delivered. Ahri’s model is excellent: the clothes are attractive but not overly revealing, the hair matches her playful style and the tails look appropriately kindled. The particle work is nice for the most part but here lies the inconsistencies. The flame incorporated to the orb is a good way of keeping its classic colours while Fox-Fire and Spirit Rush receive nice fire particles. However, the auto-attack particles seem uninspired as there’s little reason to keep them anchored to the classic style. Moreover, the dark blue trail left by Orb of Deception and the pink particles of Charm are simply incompatible with the fire palette. It’s understandable for the orb to keep its colours so as not to compromise readability. Nonetheless, this particular mix of classic and fire colours makes the skin seem unfinished or badly executed. All things considered, Foxfire Ahri is a very good skin but one that doesn’t realize its true potential.
Popstar Ahri
Concept: Ahri as a modern singer.
Particles: New particles for her tails, orb, abilities, auto-attack and dance.
Animations: New dance and recall animations. New dance for the Blue Sentinel (Summoner’s Rift).
Sounds: New sound for Orb of Deception and recall.
Splash Art: The background gives a hint of a concert arena full with fans and special effects. The multiple references to her hit, Charm’d, are a good touch so despite being so limited the background is more than mere filler. Ahri takes up most of the piece’s space but her tails end up as part of the background as well as a bit disconnected from her. Her posture is certainly dramatic but also forced, just like her proportions: her overly svelte body seems too idealized and not in a very believable or even appealing way. The shading is quite good on her body but diffuse elsewhere. This way, her clothes show ample folds and reflections yet her tails look out of focus; even when they are by her side. On the whole, it’s a pleasant portrayal of Ahri with some evident issues.
Conclusion: At a glance, it’s clear that this is Girls Generation Ahri; which is a great theme. The clothes are a good match and the orb is more florid in its shape and magical display. In general, it all works but still seems there’s unexploited potential. That’s because of the colour palette: the clothes and tail practically share the same hue and mesh with each other which makes Ahri look monochromatic. Additionally, her shoes have a rough shape that is visible even at a distance. Fortunately, the new particles and dancing animations further the theme; though, it’s strange that only her recall has a song added. The skin could’ve included another song for her dance as well as some tunes for her abilities. In the end, thanks to Ahri’s natural charm it all fits together but the skin would’ve benefitted from a more varied colour selection, a finer model and a deeper musical touch.
Challenger Ahri
Concept: Ahri as a fearsome Super Sentai heroine.
Particles: New particles for her orb, auto-attack, Orb of Deception, Fox-Fire and Spirit Rush.
Sounds: New recall sounds.
Splash Art: The background is nonexistent in this piece. With some generosity one could say that Ahri appears before a night sky but that’s using the imagination. Fortunately, the piece is completely focused on Ahri so the setting isn’t missed much. Between the impressive use of colour and fantastic application of lights Ahri looks spectacular. The pose doesn’t allow a clear view of her whole body though; which is a pity. At least, what is visible is clear and eye-catching. In fact, the saturated colours work quite well. What doesn’t convince is the fuzziness of her tails as they give the impression that they are used as filler. Nevertheless, the detailed and impactful portrayal makes this splash art stand on its own with a unique and appealing style. It’s not perfect but it manages to be one of the best portrayals in League of Legends.
Conclusion: With a fancy new outfit, Challenger Ahri aims at capturing the characteristic style of Super Sentai teams. It succeeds to a point but it never really feels like the style is anything more than superficial. There’s a new outfit and particles but besides that it’s the same classic Ahri we all know.
The outfit has an appealing aesthetic incorporating Ahri’s fox features into the outfit. The curved, soft lines make it look advanced and modern as well as practical and relatively protective. Not all is well though, the outfit looks good yet it appears like a futuristic pilot’s uniform more than a super-heroine costume. On top of that, the exposed cleavage seems stamped on the outfit instead of being a natural part of it. Ahri is a seductive fox-girl but there are other ways of conveying that. Her re-coloured tails are complete and utter disappointment: the look is dull and uninteresting which opposes the stylish outfit.
The particles seem eye-catching with noticeable dark hues yet they actually don’t feel that different to the classic ones. Besides, for some reason, Charm remains untouched; which is puzzling after Popstar Ahri. The recall doesn’t impress either. Instead of being a dashing preparation for a teleport, typical of the genre, it seems like she’s calmly practicing some dance moves.
In the end, a bit like Foxfire, Challenger Ahri gives the impression of a skin that has an interesting concept behind it that wasn’t completely developed. The changes offered are good, overall, but they are unable to fully capture the Super Sentai style; or even that of a sci-fi pilot. For what it is, it’s a fine skin with nice looks and a distinct as well as appealing aesthetic. Unfortunately, it also leaves the sour taste that it could’ve been much more satisfying and not so shallow; especially for a legacy skin.
Academy Ahri
Concept: Ahri dressed as a schoolgirl.
Splash Art: Four cool students posing at class; maybe between lessons. The intellectual can evidently be found by the blackboard, the aristocrat reassuring his looks, the tough guy displaying his might and the lady absentmindedly checking her phone as the sunlight bathes her clothes. To start with, the arrangement of the piece allows each champion to claim a part for themselves. The classroom is serviceable as it conveys a setting but is a bit diffuse to display any specific details. The people seen at a corner are almost unidentifiable and the notice board looks sketchy. At least the champions’ portrayals are clear but the sharp quality of their depictions contrasts too much with the draft-like quality of the background. Regardless, they manage to expose part of their personality like Ekko’s holograms, Vladimir’s elegance or Darius strength. It’s only Ahri who seems lost and even out of the picture with only her eye-catching tails to grab attention. Fortunately, the champions don’t compete for attention and, even if they don’t really work together with a unified objective, manage to coexist in a certain harmony.
All in all, it’s an effective splash art that shares the available room between the four champions in a reasonable way. There’s a bit of their character in each depiction and the context is clear. More could’ve been done but the result is definitely good.
Conclusion: The eloquent schoolgirl uniform doesn’t lend much ambiguity to the intentions behind Academy Ahri. Fortunately, even if the concept is simple the implementation goes a little step forward. The colouring and diffuse lines used for the textures make the skin look pencilled which defines a distinct style for a familiar but appealing aesthetic. Granted this doesn’t change the fact that it’s just Ahri wearing high school uniform. Yet, at the very least, it makes the visuals stand out with a pencil style that suits the theme in a clever way.
In the end, it’s far from a surprising skin, on the contrary, but the specific quality of the textures lends it a different air that lets it stand out. Thus, Academy Ahri is a fine schoolgirl skin that presents its subject in a unique way.
Arcade Ahri
Concept: Ahri as a gamer wielding a pixel-orb.
Model: New model for Ahri and new pixel glow for her hair plus new rotating colours for her tails.
Particles: New particles for her ball, scarf, abilities, auto-attack, taunt and recall.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack, taunt, dance and recall.
Splash Art: Minions before a clearly Mario Bros. inspired landscape make for a sensible setting. Perhaps the idea of dashing, instead of jumping, over minions to acquire the precious coins doesn’t work as well as it should. Still, it may be forgivable to a new-comer as Ahri seems to have just entered into the digital world. The indicators around the piece also help deliver the theme. A life per tail and several hearts all suit Ahri very well.
Speaking of whom, the dazzling entrance catches the eye but also works with the overall feel of the piece. As a dedicated gamer, Ahri comes well equipped with comfortable clothes. They aren’t as easy to see as they should be due to the pose but they don’t seem too special either. The golden wristbands glint and the headphones glow though her hand looks somewhat unreal. The handheld is left hanging to a side and the tails lose relevance due to their position but are evident enough. The orb can almost pass unnoticed as its pixellated look blends so well into the background. Regardless, the depiction offers sharp lines, excellent shading and a very cohesive representation.
All things considered, this is a splash art that does a great job in all its areas. It’s not without some problems but there’s nothing significant that detracts from the charm of either champion or theme. Therefore, it can very well be considered one of League of Legends’ best splash arts.
Conclusion: At a glance, Arcade Ahri is a skin that gives a great first impression but that doesn’t strike as particularly surprising under closer inspection. The pixellated orb is evocative and the colour-transitions of the tails are a formidable addition. However, the tails themselves are quite simple and seem borrowed straight from Classic. The clothes aren’t that surprising either. They are casual with some whimsical asymmetry but don’t say much. The headphones with ears are a great way of recreating her fox-nature with additional gear. The disappearing tails when she dies further the idea that she’s a human gamer with a liking for cosplaying; all suitable and appealing. It’s not very clear why there are tails and why they disappear but the general message works.
The new pixellated particles and chip-tune sounds are nothing groundbreaking but certainly effective. Every ability looks familiar but well translated into an 8-bit style. The sounds don’t impress but support the visuals without issue. The visual designs can end up being a bit too traditional and similar to the usual shapes used for such powers. Besides, the sounds have a tendency to mesh with each other and sound all alike. Regardless, the theme is eloquently presented. The new recall is an evident but welcome addition that explains the nature of the skin while also being a great representation of the skin’s concept.
When all is added together we find that Arcade Ahri is a good skin but that only shows brief glimpses of brilliance. The adaptation is, for the most part, adequate and only the new colours for the tails feel unique. That’s not to say that the pixels and chip-tunes lose their charm but they are nothing new by now. The clothing is also unremarkable, headphones aside, so the feel of more of the same appears after a while. For that reason, Arcade Ahri is a fine addition for fans of the Nine-Tailed Fox despite leaving the feeling that more could’ve been achieved.
Star Guardian Ahri
Category: Legendary
Concept: Ahri as a magical girl wielding the magic of the stars with her familiar Kiko. New glow and stars for her tails.
Model: New model for Ahri and her orb.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack, high-speed run, death and recall.
Animations: New animations for her abilities, auto-attack, standing idle, walk, high-speed run, death, recall and emotes.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack, high-speed run and recall plus new voice-over. New quotes when taunting certain champions, idle, death, recall, respawn, buying certain items and killing champions.
Splash Art: In terms of background there isn’t much of note. At best there’s a dark sky full of stars with a strong light on a side and that’s that. It fills the empty space and has some relation to the concept at hand but it’s a bare setting without doubt. Fortunately, Ahri doesn’t appear alone. Kiko, her familiar, is also clearly visible holding a heart with a star on it which could reference Ahri’s orb. Kiko’s fur is soft with a slight fuzzy feel. Well shaded it provides a good contrast against the brilliance of the heart.
Ahri looks cartoonier in comparison. Her skin and hair isn’t as soft yet it’s quite sharply depicted. Her hands are a too diffuse and her ears blurred by the light behind her; which doesn’t say much. Her outfit looks much better with delicate shading though her petticoat looks flat and simple. From the waist up, colours are sharp and show reflections of light. From the waist down, including her many tails, colours are soft and slightly diffuse which makes the use of light entrancing. Sadly, the transition between the sharper upper half and the softer bottom half isn’t as natural as it could be; it’s nothing drastic unless we compare top to bottom. Her boots appear almost buried in the light which prevents a lot of their style to be appreciated; the fact that they are also half concealed doesn’t help.
All in all, this is a clear and perhaps even appealing spotlight for Ahri and her familiar. It’s also unapologetically direct and lacking in any subtleties. The shading can feel like the upper and lower body have been done in different styles. Regardless, the portrayal is nice even if simplistic. Truth be told, it’s a splash art that works but a legendary skin deserves something much more interesting than a simple pose.
Conclusion: Although a familiar concept by now the magical girl archetype is still appealing and a good fit for a Nine-Tailed Fox. Star Guardian Ahri looks great as a mahou shoujo even if also straightforward. That is, her outfit follows the classic magical girl formula with the expected white, blue, red clothing with golden lining. It’s a nicely designed dress with a good balance of colour. Boots and gloves look simple but the brooch in the hair adds to her style. Then there are the furry ears and tails but with all the magic in display that’s simply a minor detail in comparison. Well, they can feel out of place yet magic is a significant background for the theme. Her orb gains meaning as her familiar: Kiko, a quasi-fox, three-tailed magical creature; vulpine embodiment of her charisma. The glowing effects and stars dancing around with Kiko in the centre make the orb a significant element. The sparkle of her tails is also a good touch to further reinforce the magical feel.
In terms of particles, the starry magic is more than evident. Abilities are quite consistent but also strict in their adherence to the chosen design which ends up making the sparkling effects repetitive. Auto-attacks are a sequence of stars directed at the enemy. Essence Theft has a soft glow for her heal which shows the lighthearted approach of the skin. Orb of Deception makes the orb a glowing ellipse that leaves a glowing trail of stars: blue on the way out and golden on return; which is nice looking even if unsurprising. For her most used ability the orb could’ve shown something else like a star inside or a more eye-catching effect added to it. Given the skin’s personality it seems to modest. Fox-Fire summons three burning stars in yellow, white and blue that fly with an ample and appealing flame-like trail that catches the eye. This is a good match for the skin’s style. Charm is a chubby heart with a star on its centre with a swirl of distinct but too soft magic behind. Truth be told, it still looks a bit similar to Classic just with an extra dose of cute. Spirit Rush stands out as it should: the trail of stars and colour behind is expected but appealing. The same can be said about the stars shot which are followed by irregular swirls and sparkles; the explosions of stars are quite distinct. What most catches the eye is Ahri’s starry, blue glow with a large, glowing yellow star on her chest plus star shape around her feet. It manifests the power of her star magic quite clearly despite the ability not being centred on raw damage. As an ultimate, it does feel special and unique.
Sounds do tend to mesh with each other. There’re lots of sparkling, sweet and playful sounds but most abilities end up indistinguishable from each other, aurally. To be fair, auto-attacks seem playful, Essence Theft peaceful, Orb of Deception soft like the tones used for the deformed orb, Fox-Fire even more playful, Charm mischievous and Spirit Rush significantly lighthearted. There’s personality to the abilities’ sounds but much of it is shared between them. Her high-speed run also sounds soft and magical like Orb of Deception which suits the visuals and theme. The new voice-over aims at showing her new coy yet determined identity which is also perceived all around the skin.
Something similar can be said about abilities’ animations. The attack animation used for most actions like auto-attacks, Orb of Deception, Fox-Fire and Charm seems to be variations of the same one: one arm forward and one knee bent. There are minor changes to fit each action but the general stance is the same. Sometimes she jumps like in Fox-Fire or she steps forward in auto-attacks or lean forward in Orb of Deception and Charm. Spirit Rush does see her flying partially enveloped in her tails and spreading stars with both arms in a wide arc. The ultimate manages to have its personality even if it isn’t impactful. Then there’s the shy standing idle pose and the demure walking animation which are good fits for her personality as exposed in the new voice-over. The new death animation is surprisingly tragic and dramatic with Ahri being mortally wounded and saying goodbye to her familiar before disintegrating, while Kiko tries to jump towards her before that. Given the otherwise lighthearted approach and mood of the skin it seems like an unexpected turn of Puella Magi Madoka without warning. Emotes show her playful personality and the recall further exposes that with a clear display of star magic which has not little in common with her ultimate. In all aspects they are fitting animations that do what is expected of them.
All added together, we must say that Star Guardian Ahri is a charming skin. At a glance, it seems like just another magical girl tribute that adopts the recognisable sailor-styled uniform and adds a saccharine dose of stars and twinkles to the point of being cloy. However, the skin is much more effective than what it initially appears to be. Doses are well measured and balanced so as to define a decidedly familiar but also appealing personality that ends up being attractive. There’s no doubt that while the skin is visually dazzling it’s nothing impactful: it’s all been seen before. That doesn’t detract from the stable and cohesive implementation which makes for a skin that not only suits Ahri but integrates her into the magical girl fantasy with surprising ease. For fans of majokkos and the Nine-Tailed Fox this is a skin that effortlessly beguiles you.
K/DA Ahri
Concept: Ahri as a K-pop idol.
Model: New model for Ahri and her orb plus new glow for her tails.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack, taunt and recall.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: The K/DA splash art is a shared splash art which changes focus to each respective member of the team. It should be no surprise then that the background is simplistic and ambiguous. It probably is a garage or exhibition room as per the car Evelynn sits on. There are neon lights to add some style and an opening in the distance but not much personality to be found.
That’s what we find in the K/DA team members. Dressed in sexy clothes and with a lot of attitude sometimes they seem to look at the viewer with disdain; they can even seem ladies that have gone through too much in life. Ahri and Kai’Sa seem to have a good balance with a teasing confidence that can feel playful enough for their role. With regards to their role as singers there’s only the microphone each of them carries so the piece doesn’t make anything of it; the car is an arbitrary addition. Akali’s weapons seem necessary but out of place while Evelynn’s lashers can pass, with some goodwill, for decoration as well as Kai’Sa’s boosters and Ahri’s tails. In spite of the blurred background used each K/DA member is clearly depicted with sharp lines and bright colours. Those that stand to a side in the shared version make difficult having a good look at their appearance, they are too blurred, but in the individual versions a good idea can be got without problem. Perhaps K/DA Kai’Sa Prestige Edition, standing on her own in an empty garage with no car and lots of smoke seems the most simplistic in approach. At least, the appearance of several members at once offsets the weak background to a degree.
On the whole, as a shared splash art with shifting focus it’s rather good. The background is a clear weak point but the portrayals are distinct enough and the way of sharing space isn’t bad even through the focus blurs other members too much; it feels patronising and exaggerated. Still, each K/DA team member has its space to shine, forced but still, so that the presentation is good.
Conclusion: Stylish, sexy clothes surely make Ahri look good. They aren’t enough to turn her into a singer, though, so K/DA Ahri is a skin that doesn’t really communicate that aspect well. The crystal tails are quite eye-catching and pleasing to the eye with their reflective facets but as decoration for a singer they aren’t believable. At least, the Orb matches the tails while looking like a disco ball so that some reference to music is present. Regardless of issues, it can’t be denied that Ahri looks great.
Particles don’t disappoint in that regard. Following the crystal theme present in the model each ability and auto-attacks are re-shaped with crystal projectiles with disappointingly simple forms. Visually, they are quite nice due to the reflective facets and they stand out against the ornamented yet simpler, in comparison, trails. The colour palette is quite strict so that the reflections are one of the only features that add variety. The other is the lens flare effects given to impacts which are a delicate and satisfying choice. There are also reflections around Ahri when Vastayan Grace, her passive, is triggered which are a nice touch though sometimes a bit too subtle. Spirit Rush fits the theme well but the projectiles seem weak and subdued in comparison with the visual spectacle of the other abilities. Fortunately, Ahri’s additional tail glow helps make the ultimate feel more special. Added to the subtle colour change when casting spells, Ahri displays a good show to dazzle the eyes. It’s a pity, though, that the change in colour isn’t more pronounced to, perhaps, reflect the show of lights found in a concert.
Sounds seem to be electronic tones which strike as playful and fitting for Ahri yet they don’t support the crystal visuals. They also seem simplistic and brief even though there’s a musical tone to them. Truth be told, they are interesting and maybe even charming but perhaps not the best choice for the visuals.
The new recall is straightforward: music and dance with visual effects as support. It’s good but can strike as somewhat timid.
All in all, K/DA Ahri is a visually dazzling skin that may rely too much on the reflective facets but there’s no denying that it’s an eye-catching show. If we are to remember that Ahri is a singer then the skin hardly makes reference to the fact. Besides, sounds aren’t a high point contrary to what could be expected. Nonetheless, despite all of its issues, K/DA Ahri is a great skin that would surely satisfy anyone searching for good looks.
K/DA Ahri Prestige Edition
Category: Promotional
Price: 100 Prestige Points
Splash Art: There aren’t many differences with the base splash art of K/DA Ahri. Prestige Edition employs the, by now, traditional golden garage of this line with a good amount of smoke around. There’s nothing else of note.
Ahri’s new look is clearly displayed and also recognisably adapted from the base splash art. The result isn’t bad, anyway. While gold lacks brilliance her skin looks soft and the cloth, what little there is, seems nice enough. Hair is a bit sketchy, though, and shadows a bit too strong given the light sources. The tails, with their new colour, manage to provide a crystal-like feel which is rather appealing; more than the dim base counterpart.
Without doubt, this is a modification of the base K/DA Ahri splash art. However, the result is nice. There’s a pleasing contrast of colours and surfaces have convincing textures. Considering the scope of a Prestige Edition version, it’s a good presentation card.
Conclusion: It’s unfortunate that while K/DA Ahri Prestige Edition isn’t a chroma skin it feels like one. It’s a chroma that also re-colours particles in gold but that’s all the skin offers over the base. The changes to the model are noticeable beyond colours but the only change beyond textures is the shorter hair and the golden sparks. Fortunately, the new clothes are nice, flashier yet still fitting for a pop star.
Golden abilities allow the abilities’ line-based design and trails as well as the lens flare to stand out more; however, it’s something that can depend on the contrast against the background. In other cases base bluish tones remain, like in Orb of Deception and Charm, which is inconsistent. There aren’t other notable changes so while the change in colour highlights some aspects of the skin there’s nothing actually new. The new clothing allows for a different, more flamboyant aspect which matches all the gold. Still, there isn’t anything remarkable. Thus, K/DA Ahri Prestige Edition asks for a lot and offers very little.
Ahri’s release skins are simple but well done and her other additions aren’t bad at all. Foxfire and Popstar Ahri are the recommended purchases as they provide the most elaborate looks for Ahri. The former provides a very nice theme with a slightly flawed execution while the latter delivers a charming musical theme.
Also worth considering is Midnight Ahri. While it’s simpler than the mentioned skins it still offers a cohesive and elegant style. For those that prefer little but well done, Midnight Ahri may only provide a fur coat but it’s the classiest choice for her.
Challenger Ahri is a tempting option for fans of super-heroines or, perhaps, of Super Sentai shows. While the concept isn’t as developed as it could be the stylish outfit and distinct particles provide the skin with a unique personality. Sadly, it all feels a tad too superficial for a legacy skin.
One of the most expensive option is Arcade Ahri. The clothing is simply unexceptional, headphones aside, and the tails are only notable by their changing colours; they re-use the classic model. The pixels and chip-tunes remain appealing but the skin needs something different to differentiate itself from the usual. This makes it a fine option but not one that stands out from the screen.
The legendary alternative is Star Guardian Ahri. It’s a skin that can seem derivative at first yet it has to be admitted that the measured and balanced execution manages to bring the best aspects of the familiar concept to light. In spite of the brilliance and eye-catching display of stars it isn’t an impactful skin. Nonetheless, it manages to captivate with her personality.
For a schoolgirl version of the Nine Tails Fox we don’t have to look farther than Academy Ahri. The clothes are nothing remarkable but the way the textures are drawn, as if on pencil, lends the skin a different air that suits the concept and stands out. As far as re-models go it’s a fine option with a familiar theme that is done in an interesting way.
K/DA Ahri is a skin of impressive looks thanks to the reflective facets of the crystal used in so many areas across the skin. The musical theme isn’t a focus and even sounds aren’t that appealing but the visuals, despite their centre on reflections, surely make for a memorable show. The Prestige Edition gives new clothes, hairstyle and golden particles which are nice but it’s little beyond a chroma. Considering how little it offers the base more than suffices.
Lastly, if the Hanbok succeeds in seducing you then Dynasty Ahri would be a fine addition to Ahri’s wardrobe. It’s a skin with a few rough edges but it also has something unique to offer.
For the most part, it could be said that Ahri’s skins come down to personal preference. Foxfire and Popstar Ahri will probably convince more people than Midnight or Dynasty Ahri; even Arcade isn’t very impressive. Still, that doesn’t make any skin intrinsically worse than the others: some concepts are simply more universal and better delivered than others. Star Guardian Ahri mostly stands on a field of her own due to the legendary label but it’s a well earned one.
180 Responses to “League of Legends: Ahri Skins’ Review”
UrNotJ says:
I like the color palette for Midnight, but her original skin is by far her best, in my opinion…
I agree that the Classic skin has a great concept and execution. In fact, several non-classic skins usually fail to improve on the Classic look.
NeedSomeHelp says:
Excuse me Zero, I love ur reveiws but i am really torn between buying Foxfire Ahri, Kitty Cat Katarina or Bewitching Nidalee. Which skin do you think portrays the character the best? Or which skin is the best done? I like all three of those champions so I cant really decide. Help me PLEASE!
In the case of Kitty Cat Katarina we think that it’s a rather enticing skin but completely overpriced for offering just a change of clothes. If the price were lower it could be a fine extra but at 975 RP it simply offers too little. After all, besides sexy Kat there’s nothing else.
Between Foxfire Ahri and Bewitching Nidalee things are closer. Foxfire is quite attractive with all the flames but it’s a bit inconsistenly implemented. Regardless, all those burning tails give her a distinct aspect.
Bewitching adds some bats over the classic particles of a few abilities but they don’t mix that well. Additionally, her model after the visual upgrade is rough instead of the lean lines of the old one.
In the end both are good skins with different concepts so chances are that none would disappoint. You should choose considering which champion you play the most and what concept you prefer.
Remember that Bewitching is a legacy skin so you have only until the 4th of November to catch her or next Harrowing. The Harrowing 2012 bundle is quite good and also has a 20% discount but it could be more than you’re looking for.
Foxfire Ahri is good but the best moment to get it is during a sale at a 50% discount. It won’t disappoint at 975 RP yet it’s possible to get it for less with patience. It was last on sale on August so there’ll be quite some time to wait.
Thanks, I got Foxfire Arhi 🙂 Love ur reviews Zero!
Not at all and glad that you find the reviews useful. Hope you enjoy the skin.
Hi!! Zero
Do i get any extra damage or ability for new skin of Ahri??. Should i buy FireFox or Popstar?
Skins are entirely cosmetic so they don’t provide any advantage when playing. In certain very specific cases the colours of some abilities could help but that’s the exception.
With regards to whether you should get Foxfire or Popstar it depends on what theme you prefer: fire or music. Foxfire is more visually impressive thanks to the tails’ flames but not all the abilities are completely modified. Popstar is a more consistent skin with an appealing theme that suits her charm but that isn’t as musical or diverse as it could.
Considering that both skins have good implementations and nice concepts behind them it’s mostly a matter of personal preference. Neither skin should disappoint as long as you like their theme.
DarkOmegaMK2 says:
Hey Zero, look at this: >w<
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120601005732/leagueoflegends/images/7/7a/Ahri_FireFoxSkin.jpg
What do you think of it? My girlfriend is actually very excited about this in particular. Hope it's real.
Looks very promising. Especially if her orb is made of fire and her abilities are changed to flames as well. Although, from the look of it, her orb stays the same and only her tails become flames. Let’s hope for the better anyway.
I just hope they add some new particule effect on Fire Fox Ahri. Something to give a more fire-like sensation.
Agreed, fire tails are nice but without further additions it falls flat of how good the concept can be executed. Not to mention that it would be inconsistent to have Fox-Fire with the classic colour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j01l7xW9sys&feature=g-u-u
Fire Fox Ahri, In-Game (as in the beta). What do you think?
Also, here’s the 3D model up close:
http://lol.zones.gamebase.com.tw/skin_view/ahri_fire?mode=#skin
Well it’s interesting as a concept but a bit disappointing in its execution. The model is quite nice but the classic ability particles simply don’t match the fire theme.
It’s understandable that the ball should keep its classic colour scheme due to it’s use of hue changes. However, it could leave a fire trail instead of a dark one; also there’s no excuse for the other abilities not having a touch of fire. Spirit Rush does show new particles but they seem like a little addition that doesn’t add up with the whole.
It’s not a bad skin by any means but it has the potential to be great and in its current, beta, state it isn’t. Sorry this got so long and ended as a mini-review.
It’s ok, there’s a reason why I’m asking you this. XD
I agree completely with this opinion. The model is great but the execution looks… well… unfinished… undone. It really is a contrast when comparing with the newer skins that are amazing, while Foxfire Ahri appears just like a “reskin” instead of “something more”.
My girlfriend was really excited with the idea of Foxfire Ahri considering she loves the concept itself and she really liked the splash art. But when she saw it on the beta was like “It’s not what i expected.” and i can see why.
Supposedly this skin won’t be released on the next patch and i hope it is because they will rework it a bit more. It looks pretty, but incomplete by today’s skin standards.
We completely agree on this.
New changes on Foxfire Ahri:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_bjyqdr_OY
I guess you don’t need me to tell you the changes considering you have a sharp eye with skins.
Also, sorry I’m filling your pages with a lot of posts. >.<
You’re welcome to post as much as you like. We do value our readers opinions.
The changes are an improvement but are also the least that could be done. It was both funny and sad that a skin called Foxfire didn’t actually change Fox-Fire’s flames. Now the skin seems a bit more consistent: the flames share the same colour. However, the addition of flame trails for Orb of Deception and Charm would be a great addition; as long as it doesn’t compromise clarity.
There’s a post by ricklessabandon about Foxfire Ahri that explains the rationale behind keeping the orb’s colours and abilities’ changes here.
Oh yeah, i saw that, i made that thread by the way. XD
While the changes are “minimal” in a way that you need to look at the skin twice to see the changes (at least that’s what happened to me) i really like it so far as to consider it buyable and fitting to its concept.
More could be done, true. But i am satisfied at the moment.
Didn’t notice you were the thread started. Indeed, it’s a small but good step in the right direction. You have a good eye for skins too, catched the subtle orb flame and auto-attack changes.
While it’s understandable that the orb flame is coloured like the orb for clarity the auto-attack could perfectly have a new colour. It’s no big deal but considering that a flame effect was added it makes sense to follow the colour scheme.
All in all, getting better.
ChekhovsGnu says:
What are you’re first impressions of the new skin preview: Popstar Ahri?
Charming for sure. Specifically, it looks nice in model and particles without resorting to removing clothes to show Ahri’s appeal. We’ll have to see if there’s more than good looks in the end but so far it seems promising. Still, her shoes look a bit weird and the general appearance maybe too subdued for a flashy popstar.
Nagi says:
Please prepare for popstar ahri
Ready for the show.
CVG95 says:
Hi Zero do you think ahri will be on sale anytime soon?
Ahri was on sale last August, between the 9th and 12th. Since then 72 of the 116 champions have been on sale. Therefore, it would take 44 champions, around 14 sale or weeks, which is a bit over 3 months and a half to have all champions discounted before Ahri could be repeated.
Of course, this is pure maths as sales could repeat champions due to events or other reasons. As a very rough estimate it may take a while for Ahri to go on sale. Depending on how much IP you gather you could get her much faster with IP instead of waiting for a sale. You can always pay full price but as she’s an expensive champion an alternative is always worth considering.
For example, you could gather IP until a skin you are interested in goes on sale. That way you can get both and maybe you will only have to pay for the skin at a discount as you might have enough IP.
Thanks for replying my comment with so much depth, really glad I discovered this site! 😀
Not at all, hope you find the site useful.
If you look closely and listen, Popstar Ahri’s recall animation is Billie jean, it even has the classic tone.
Interesting, she should be dancing to tune of ‘Charme’d’ instead. Wonder if there are any copyright implications…
Yeah, also you could hear the classic Lol Tune from that recall.
Well, that sounds more like the work of a smooth criminal.
Awptimus says:
umm… may i ask how did popstar ahri lose out on a star?
Sure, the skin is based on music and while the looks are right the audio could’ve better integrated pop tunes. For instance, only Orb of Deception has new sounds instead of her other abilities. Besides, just like the recall, her dance is a perfect spot to place a song; even the same one.
The point is that, for a music based skin it doesn’t incorporate much actual music in it.
Another, more noticeable flaw I would like to point out with the skin would be the footwear. I mean, take a look at Battle Bunny Riven. Both wear heals, yet Riven’s are exactly as they are in the splash art, while for Ahri they made them look horribly big in-game.
Completely agreed, her shoes look cartoony and sketchy plus they lack any elegance in-game. Quite unfitting for a character like Ahri who should look classy and refined.
she looks like the concept for SNSD’s genie in the popstar look and seeing as though she is korean inspired that makes a lot of sense. and so much love for ahri <33333
Undoubtedly, Girl’s Generation was a huge inspiration for the skin. Fortunately, the skin managed to make the look charming and suitable for Ahri. Let’s hope the quality of her skins keeps improving.
Umm, I cannot help but think, why is Midnight Ahri’s clothing called a “suit” in the Concept section of the skin? I think “coat” or “dress” would be much more fitting.
Seems like we had a faur pas when writing the concept, we’ll correct it; thanks.
BlackGoldSoul says:
can someone tell what champ/skin is with ahri in dynasty skin image?
That would be Masked Shaco, currently his most elaborate skin.
The starting review of Ahri’s skin section seems outdated as it mentions only her first three skins. Wouldn’t some tweaks be suitable?
Now that you mention it.
Indeed, you are right. We’ll make some amendments.
I recently had a revelation about Foxfire Ahri. Initially, I disliked that skin and didn’t understand what everyone saw in it. Recently I found out about her autoattack particles actually being like that only in the Foxfire skin, as I had been using the Popstar skin for over a year now and hadn’t payed much attention to enemy Ahris. I also saw the new particles on her orb and saw that everything was mentioned here too. However, I also noticed that her Q particles have also been changed at some point (they are unchanged in the skin spotlight for the Foxfire skin) but I am absolutely positive they are different from the classic. I personally made a picture for comparison: http://i.imgur.com/lVrZOvn.jpg
Additionally, I wish to share my thoughts on Foxfire Ahri now. At first I agreed with your review completely, but now I actually think the theme couldn’t be executed better. Her orb and particles related to it (Q and autoattacks) are very well made to be of blue fire and her foxfires (W and R), which are actually blue fires in the classic, are made to be orange classic color. The contrast feels perfect in my opinion and having only normal flames would have been quite monotonous. The E couldn’t really have been changed in a way to suit the skin. The only problem I find with the skin is the slightly revealing attire, but if you say that it isn’t overly revealing, I am fine with it. I would personally like to hear your thoughts about why the skin does not deserve 5 stars.
You’re right about Orb of Deception having new particles. They are difficult to notice while in motion in the midst of battle but they are definitely different. Thanks for the notice.
With regards to the skin staying at four stars instead of five we think that there’s a problem of consistency. We understand that to keep the abilities clear some compromises had to be made. The fact that other skins have or haven’t made compromises is only an aside. The point is that the skin is based on yellow flames and the blue flames were added where yellow wasn’t applicable.
However, knowing that the skin couldn’t be completely based on yellow they could’ve mixed yellow and blue in a more natural way. As it stands there is a dichotomy between the two styles of flames that only answers to technicalities and not to make the style better looking or more appealing. It could be said that we are nitpicking but to reach excellence a skin needs to flow naturaly in all its aspects.
That’s why we haven’t given the skin five stars. Some things can be argueable like whether Foxfire’s clothing is revealing or not. However, when all things are considered one should appreciate how the skin functions in harmony: every element attractive and realizing the theme.
Maybe we are being too demanding but we want to be sure that when we give a skin five stars it’s because the skin exemplifies the best characteristics at its price.
Hello Zero, Dauntless Ahri has been added to the PBE for testing and I it made a charming first impression for me, especially after learning that it is the opposite of the Championship skins, meaning it is here to signify the beginning of the new season. With that said, I would really like to hear your thoughts on it so far because I am just too impatient to wait until its actual release. At first I was thinking of giving up on it because owning a third skin for Ahri after Foxfire and Popstar would be a bit too much, but later I learned that a friend might be thinking of surprising me with it for Christmas, which I would be very happy about.
Also, while discussing the said Ahri skin, Riot stated that they cannot change the colors of her orb and charm due to game clarity, though I think the darker purplish orb for the Dauntless skin is quite eye-catching in its own way, and they have made the Charm particle more shiny with extra pink. My personal favourite thing about the skin is how her clothing is not revealing like in all her other skins, and the only flaw I find with it is her hair looking like a helmet. They additionally stated that Midnight Ahri’s charm particle also has slight dark colors added to it, and I checked in the champion spotlight for the skin but couldn’t notice anything, though that spotlight is very old so there might be something different. Would you mind giving it a look?
We gave it a look and couldn’t find a significant difference between Classic and Midnight Ahri’s Charm. We’ll have to verify in-game but, if memory serves, the particles weren’t modified for her release skins.
Dauntless Ahri looks rather nice with her superheroine costume; Super Sentai style. It seems she’s actually wearing a helmet as it would befit the theme. We’ll have to see what else the skin offers. In theory, the particles could be modified by adding extras and keeping the core so that one can distinguish the classic visuals.
To be fair, many skins have radical modifications to the abilities and readability has never been a concern. In fact, if the abilities are made clear enough, for instance a big and clear heart for Charm regardless of colour and style, then the particles could be attractive without being tied to the classic anchor. However, that’s just a point of view. We’ll have to wait and see.
Hi Zero it’s me again.
So Popstar Ahri is coming on sale tomorrow and I’ve been waiting for it to come on sale for a whole year now but the problem is Challenger Ahri would also be arriving soon. I already have Dynasty Ahri (best buy in my life I don’t regret it in the slightest) adn really like Postar because I’m a fan of SNSD and K-Pop in general plus the pink is really soothing but I also like Challenger Ahri because she has white hair (disappointed at the lack of a braid though) and darker particles. Ahri is my go-to mid champion whenever I’m forced to play mid in ranked I pick her but is it worth having 3 skins for her? I’m really torn whether I should get Popstar and Challenger, just Popstar or just Challenger.
I promise one day I’ll donate to this site to thank you for all of the time you spend reading my comments and answering me 😀
Hi, Annie. If you like Popstar Ahri so much and you’ve been so patient then you should get it. After all, if you really like it and it finally goes on sale it’s a skin that you will enjoy. Challenger Ahri is a possibility. It might be a great skin or it could be a bit overpriced or many other things. Besides, if you play Ahri a lot and Challenger ends up being a good skin then it seems reasonable to eventually get it. Especially if you wait for a sale like you did for Popstar as that would mean getting two for the price of one; in the long run sales help a lot.
Another thing to consider is that if you wait for Challenger to go on sale you have quite some time to save for it; bearing in mind how slow sales are nowadays. If Challenger ends up disappointing then you would’ve sacrificed getting a skin you actually like for a skin you could’ve liked.
We undestand that one should exercise caution before spending but if you rely on sales and keep purchases to skins you actually play and enjoy then it all sounds rather reasonable. A real problem would be if you buy lots of skins and then you don’t even use them or if you spend without caring whether you like a skin or not.
The bottom line would be that you should spend in what you enjoy with moderation and careful consideration. If you like the skins a lot and you can afford them then it seems reasonable to get them. Take care to spend what you can and not to get things you won’t use. One has to be careful with money but not a scrooge.
Don’t worry about asking lots of questions, they are welcome.
Popstar Ahri makes blue buff dance in new season (Possibly, needs confirmation)
Could you provide more information about that? Popstar Ahri is known to have two new dances: for her dance emote and her recall. Could it be a new dance when under blue buff or a change to an existing one?
I bought Ahri and the popstar skin, Blue buff dances when you dance beside him now. Theres a video on youtube if you look up “Ahri dance blue buff” and I’ve tried it in game and it works 🙂
Interesting but it raises a question is: does it happen with other champions when they dance near blue buff? Maybe it’s exclusive to Popstar Ahri but it’s possible it also happens with other champions and skins. We’ll have to investigate more.
I believe it is exclusive to Popstar Ahri. By the way Zero, I’m waiting in excitement for the review of Challenger Ahri. I am considering buying it or waiting for Midnight Ahri to go on sale. I will most likely go with the latter.
Interesting, we haven’t seen mention of other skins causing the same effect though that’s no proof it doesn’t happen. We’ll have to get our hands dirty it seems.
In technical terms Challenger seems somewhat similar to Foxfire Ahri. The fact that it’s a legacy skin, or so it seems, doesn’t help matters. We’ll like to ponder on this a bit more and then have a review ready tomorrow.
DeIeted says:
Hello zero, I seek your opinion on the the new ahri skin!
I really love your reviews ^.^
Glad that you like the reviews.
The skin seems good but not at the level of what a legacy skin at that price would entail. It doesn’t seem like a bad skin yet it doesn’t do enough to achieve greatness either. We’ll think about it a bit more and then we’ll have the review ready; tomorrow most probably.
Love seeing your reviews man! Noticed that challenger ahri was just released, and idea when that review will come out? Thanks in advance
We are glad you like the reviews.
By tomorrow we’ll have the review ready. We’d like some more time to think about the skin. It’s not bad but not great either. Mostly because it, apparently, is a legacy skin. We’ll think about this a bit more and then have the review finished.
Challenger. Challenger. Challenger.
Ready, published, onward.
BoxedCube says:
A comment about Challenger Ahri, the charm actually have added trail effects rather than it not being changed at all.
We just checked again and couldn’t notice anything. Could you be more specific? Maybe we are missing something.
I would like to ask, considering there isn’t really any negative comments about Midnight Ahri in the review, what prevents it from having 5 stars? Is it because it is 750 instead of 520 RP? I really think 750 is an appropriate price for it.
Another question I have, Challenger Ahri does have new Charm particles, I am absolutely certain of it. It has much more pink smoke than classic. It is basically the opposite of what they did with Popstar Ahri’s Charm, where they basically removed the trail and replaced it with some tiny hearts.
Midnight Ahri is good but quite straightforward. At 750 RP it’s probably enough to have a good model to have a great skin. However, other skins do have something extra and we think that a little bit more would be necessary for Midnight to reach five stars. Of course we are not expecting as much as a 975 RP but something extra to better define the identity of the skin.
We checked Challenger Ahri’s Charm in-game recently and couldn’t spot the difference. Maybe it’s not very noticeable so we’ll try to make a side by side comparison.
Okay, I cannot stop thinking about this so I made a comparison picture myself.
http://i.imgur.com/UHGJWTb.jpg
When I look at it here, the difference isn’t as big as I thought, but it is there. The trail is considerably more pink than white and the pink smoke is a very slightly deeper shade of pink.
There appears to be some difference but it’s so subtle and insignificant that it’s even questionable whether it can actually be considered new particles. After all, in the bustle of a teamfight that’s not really noticeable. In fact, the darker particles for the other abilities have a tendendy not to stand out sometimes.
To be fair, we are not sure what to do about this. There seems to be a difference but it’s so minimal that labeling it as a new particle effect or even a new colour for the particle seems misleading. Perhaps we should play it safe and not announce things that in practice may as well be considered not to be there.
Thanks for the time and effort in investigating this further. It’s always better to know as much as possible so as to better decide the course of action.
OVRLDDI says:
Hey there Zero!
I’m currently maining Ahri mid, and thought about buying a skin. I tend to prefer legacy skins (rarer, the better), with awesome splash art and rework. Well, Challenger Ahri fits the 1st 2 topics for me, but the in-game skin isn’t as appealing as I was picturing it. Even the recall made me disapointed.
What are your suggestions for Ahri skins atm?
Other question: does your name have any relation with the anime code geass?
Ahri’s best skins are currently Popstar and Firefox. The former is a bit monochromatic but has a nice style while the latter is more eye-catching but not as consistent as Popstar. Challenger isn’t bad but it doesn’t have any really iconic features except for the outfit. Midnight is a more modest but appealing option to consider as well.
If you are patient the ideal would be to wait for a regular skin you like, depending on which concept you prefer, to go on sale. Challenger has that air of exclusivity but in the end it doesn’t feel satisfying enough; which is a pity.
The name Zero wasn’t specifically chosen thinking about Code Geass, though we did watch the anime. So, psychologically, a certain degree of subconscious influence should’ve been present.
When do you think you’ll have the El Tigre Braum review done?
Probably by tomorrow. We’d like to give it another look to have everything checked; at least in theory.
Sparrow says:
So have you guys thought about added the bit about pop-star making blue buff dance? it’s a pretty unique extra Easter egg to have attached to the skin, and as far as I’ve seen (the Nancy Drews over at reddit seemed pretty involved) tested a bunch of different champs & skins, and only Popstar Ahri makes a buff camp dance.
also, apparently dancing around the baron pit (with anyone) triggers some ominous music to play.
We’d like to test it a bit but it’s something that we could add. We are a bit overwhelmed currently with all the content that’s been added but we’ll try to set some time aside to add it.
Xavkul says:
When you review the skins, do you take take into consideration gameplay elements? I know Riot has said they don’t want to mess around with the orb color too much from a visual element(knowing when your next spell would heal you). Just wondering, Xavkul
We take into account when a skin adds to the gameplay like the case of ultimate skins: where the level of a skill can affect the look of the champion. However, advantages based on the colour of abilities can be subjective so we don’t take them into account when rating the skin. If it’s something too evident we may very well mention it but the review is more concerned about what the skin actually offers than collateral effects.
Kino says:
how did you come up with the theme for Challenger Ahri being “Super Sentai Heroine”? Other than your own personal opinion. I had never thought of her in that skin having that kind of theme. In fact, I felt the theme was darker, or an up and coming challenger, but definitely not some kind of heroine. Given that most of the review is based on it not quite meeting this heroine theme that was placed on it, how would you rate it not with the “Super Sentai Heroine” theme?
We based our view of the skin on the similarities between Super Sentai costumes and the clothes that Ahri wears. The helmet and stylized suit are classic elements of the genre and we didn’t really see much in the way of a challenger. There’s nothing that reveals her as someone competing in a tournament; especially not a digital one.
If we take the Super Sentai angle then the skin says nothing. She doesn’t look like a competitor and she just wears some fancy clothing with a fictionalized style. In essence, without the Super Sentai side we just see a skin that’s sort of futuristic but lacking focus.
Alexander Zheng says:
Even though I already bought Foxfire Ahri, I personally do not see a change in her autos and Orb of Deception from her Classic skin (it probably doesn’t help that I am not good at spotting small differences). After watching the Skin Spotlights on YouTube countless times, I still cannot see a difference. I was wondering if you have a side-by-side picture comparison of them, or know of a website that does. Thank you.
We can’t think of any image comparison but know the they are subtle changes so it’s easy not to notice; it happens all the time to us. The auto-attack effect follow the style of the classic one but it’s design resembles flames. Whereas Orb of Deception uses the same orb she holds in her hand which has a flame inside.
The modifications are quite tame but present in close inspection. Still, it’s a skin that should’ve embraced the flame visuals much more than it did. It’s good but leaves the feeling that it could’ve been much more.
Everglaid Sakura says:
Challenger Ahri’s charm is changed- though just a recolour, the particles are significantly more red.
Popstar Ahri has new particles for her movement speed boost from Orb of Deception as well.
We have checked Challenger Ahri’s Charm colour and have never been able to tell the difference. Unless there’s been some recent change we just checked the image again and it looks just like the classic Charm.
With regards to Popstar Ahri we’ll check in-game to see it well. We took a look online and couldn’t notice it so we’ll go to the source and modify the review as appropriate. We’ll do the same with Challenger to be on the safe side.
Glane says:
Well, I’ve done it.
yesterday I purchased Dynasty Ahri, to complete the collection. I have all the skins for my favorite champ, and I really do like them all!
I think PopStar is the most fun, and Foxfire is the most visually pleasing. Challenger and Midnight look best on Howling Abyss and Twisted Treeline in my opinion. Dynasty is a little pricey, I think it would fare better as a 750 skin, but it does have its charms and is nice for more relaxed games.
Not a bad one in the bunch!
Agreed, Ahri’s skins aren’t bad but there are instances where the the price should be adjusted. Depending on context the colours and effects of each skin can stand out more easily or match the general aesthetic. It’s a matter of dressing right for each occasion.
Hope you enjoy the skins and have fun.
Hi there Zero! Always nice to have second input on skin purchases before buying.
I’m kinda stuck between Dynasty Ahri and Popstar Ahri. I find that Dynasty is super classy and really pretty, but the total lack of new particles is not a bonus. Meanwhile, Popstar is not “classy” but rather more “flashy pretty” in that it has really bright colors that complement each other. The new particles for the Q I rather like as well.
Which would you recommend? Thank you!
We are glad to help.
Well, you sound more like you like Popstar but would like it to be less flashy and more classy like Dynasty. Perhaps it’s all a matter of perception as Popstar might be taken as a shallow skin whereas Dynasty seems more serious.
The matter is that you should buy the skin that you like the most. Dynasty could be very classy but if you don’t like it enough chances are it won’t be used much. Popstar may be all about looks but that’s what a cosmetic item is supposed to deliver; besides sounds.
We do think that Popstar is a more satisfying skin than Dynasty because it offers much more for the same price. It may not be perfect but the theme is conveyed and is an attractive skin. Unless you have a particulary interest in seeing Ahri wearing a Hanbok Popstar might be a better option.
Take into consideration what you really like about each skin and don’t worry about status or other opinions about the skins. What matters is that you enjoy the skin and that you don’t buy a skin that you won’t actually use.
Hi zero! I love your reviews and I just need some help on what Ahri skin I should buy, Foxfire, or popstar?
I think both skins look great. The problem is I like the concept of Foxfire ahri and the look of it in game, but i just cant see the particles as well as i can in popstar. popstar also has more animations, sounds, and a recall animation at the same price. Foxfire ahri also is on sale right now. What skin should i get? thanks.
Foxfire is a bit older and perhaps not as elaborate as Popstar but it’s still a very good skin. If you like it then don’t worry about the skin disappointing because while it does have a few issues in general the fire theme is well made. Popstar is also good but something completely different. That is, you won’t find in one skin what the other offers. Popstar has more additions but that’s not to say that Foxfire doesn’t have quite a bit to offer as well.
Getting a skin on sale is the ideal time and with Foxfire on sale you could save half of its price. With the other half you could eventually get Popstar when it goes on sale; if you like. Foxfire has some problems but it’s a good skin and if you like it then you’ll probably enjoy it. Popstar is also a nice skin but with a different theme so it won’t give you what the other has.
In the end, it matters that you enjoy the skin first and foremost. If the implementation has a few issues then that’s unavoidable; nothing is perfect.
Mateo says:
Exactly what i was looking for ! 🙂
Glad that you find it useful.
Lorelie says:
So I saw at the top of the comments people were disappointed that her fire was blue in the Firefox Ahri, but since this skin and a two others were Internet references we could assume they kept the fire blue for a reason. If you look at Mozilla Firefox icon the red fox is circling a blue orb of sorts. Perhaps I’m putting to much faith in the designer of this skin though.
It’s a valid point of view. We think that the idea of having consistently coloured particles, as Popstar does, makes the skin more visually attractive. That doesn’t discard blue flames but one thing is integrating blue into the skin’s colour scheme and another is keeping classic elements despite what the design requires or would benefit from.
Perhaps the most annoying part is that it was explained as keeping the colour for gameplay clarity. However, later came Popstar and Challenger with all new coloured particles.
Ultimately, the skin would’ve welcomed a more consistent representation of fire. It’s not bad but the rough edges are visible and that affects the skin.
Popstar and Challenger Ahri both have only mildly changed particles on her orb. Popstar has them lighter, more teal, while Challenger has them in a darker blue simply. Riot just want to keep the blueish color of her orb, which is understandable. I still think Foxfire’s flaming blue orb effects are magnificent and the only thing holding me back from the skin is the rather revealing model. I know it is Ahri and plenty of her outfits are revealing, and I don’t necessarily mind revealing, just the style of the clothes doesn’t appear elegant or enticing to me.
We understand keeping visual consistency but that rule has been applied rather inconsistently. Besides, Foxfire could’ve had some touches to the orb in the same way Popstar and Challenger have. Perhaps the differences aren’t groundbreaking but they are noticeable whereas Foxfire is much subtler.
From the look of it Foxfire doesn’t seem to be much more underdressed than usual; for Ahri. The style of the clothes can be a matter of taste, though. They are rather elaborate with a controlled colour palette. They look classy but have a fantastic style. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all.
PopstAhri says:
I really love your skin reviews, so thanks so much for making them! ^_^
Onto the point, I really love Ahri, I main her and I’m pretty good (I’m not the best, but still). I only have the 400 RP I started with and I’m waiting for her skins to go on sale, but each time I get on, her skins are never 400 or fewer RP! At least, not when Foxfire or Midnight went on sale. What skin do you recommend I get when they go on sale again? I really want Popstar but I’m just here waiting…
Not at all, glad that you like them.
If Popstar is the one you like the that’s the one you should set your sights on. Sadly, unless the special Snowdown shop has given you a big discount on Popstar Ahri then it would be strange to see the skin discounted more than 50%; which means a price of 487 RP.
An alternative is to get Midnight Ahri which in January will be discounted down to 375 RP. However, if Popstar is the one you really like then Midnight simply won’t be able to be a proper substitute.
Popstar was last discounted on October so it’ll take a good while to appear on another sale. It’ll happen, probably next year, but some months will pass before that. If you really like Popstar then you may just need to get a bit more RP. That’s the nature of the business so those missing 87 RP will have to be paid for.
We are sorry there aren’t any other solutions. We still think that if Popstar is the one you really like then you should try to get it. Getting another, perhaps cheaper skin, won’t be able to fill the same space as Popstar. It’s something different if you do like Midnight, then the sale is a good opportunity to make good on the RP. Nevertheless, if Popstar is the one you like then no other can take its place.
Alright, thanks for the advice! It may be a while before I can get a skin at all, so I guess Midnight is a great skin to substitute for, based on your League reviews 🙂
You can check some videos to make sure. Midnight is a simpler skin as it only changes Ahri’s model but it offers an elegant alternative that is quite nice. As long as you like the skin, and get it expecting what it can deliver, you shouldn’t be disappointed.
So someone gifted me PopstAhri and now I’m happy, but thanks for your reviews! if they didn’t I would have gotten Midnight ^^’
Also, in the header under Ahri’s splash, it still says “Nine Tails Fox” I think it should be “Nine-tailed Fox” instead. Sorry, I’m a grammar person like that XD
Hope you enjoy going all Popstar with Ahri; the time has finally come for that.
Midnight is a nice alternative but more modest. At any rate, it’s something to consider eventually if you find that want to expand her wardrobe and play her a lot.
Thanks for the correction, we updated the review.
Ahrise says:
Hi there Zero!
1st off I have to say, My username on the Mobile App clash of clans is ‘ZERO’ and It always reminds me of your website xD
2nd off, If I am going to spend any money on an ahri skin, which one offers the best bang for buck? Which one do you think fits her the best?
Hi, let’s hope that the username doesn’t bring bad memories.
As for the best Ahri skins it’s between Foxfire and Popstar. It depends on what you’re looking for as the themes are widely different. Neither of the skins should disappoint but Popstar is more recent and so it sports a few extras that Foxfire lacks; a few new sounds and recall. Still, Foxfire may be a better match for the fantasy of the game and the flames are rather attractive.
In the end, it’s a matter of personal preference. Both skins are different and have good features to offer.
DT01 says:
Hello Zero,
If you’ve seen it yet, what are your first impressions of the arcade Ahri skin?
It’s a nice skin with good particles and sounds. The model has some good touches but seems a bit uninspired. The tails are also borrowed from Classic, it seems, so only their changing colour stands out. Overall, it’s a good skin but we aren’t sure that it does enough to be really special.
Phoenixcresset says:
Arcade Ahri tails disapearing were a bug and it was fixed.
A pity, it fit the idea of Ahri cosplaying with digital elements. Thanks for the notice, we’ll fix the review.
JustTessi says:
Dont you think the 9 lives on Arcade Ahri are for the Cliche of being a cat? Atleast here in German we say that cats have 9lives
It quite probably referers to her nine tails as she’s a vixen-human not a cat. Don’t know if there’s any legend about foxes and their lives; they are considered smart though.
Ahri da fox99 says:
Cat don’t really have 9 life tho , also nine tailed fox not stand for nine lives ( it stand for how long they live ) . In Korean , Gumiho are consider cunning( as Riot mention Ahri lore )or seductive to lure their victims
before they killed then and eat their soul . ( bad English )
In many regions cats are believed to have nine lives. In other places it sever or six. We are aware that Ahri isn’t a cat so the nine lives of Arcade Ahri probably refers to her many tails. At a glance, she doesn’t look particularly feline.
Hey Zero! 🙂 I love your reviews, it looks and feels like you put a lot of effort on them! :3 I was wondering, I want to buy all Ahri’s skins, I have PopStar, FoxFire and Arcade. And I have enough RP to buy the three left ones (Midnight, Dinasty and Academy), should I buy them? I main Ahri and I kinda feel I am good at her… Thanks c:
(Another small question: Do you know when Challenger Ahri will come back? Thanks! Sorry forma my bad english, again, thanks!)
We certainly work hard to make the reviews as useful as they can be.
On the one hand, Midnight, Dynasty and Academy are re-models, mostly, so they simply won’t be at the level of the more elaborate skins. On the other hand, Midnight is quite elegant, Dynasty has interesting clothing and Academy has a charming style. The point is that each skin has some appeal but, being simpler, there isn’t as much on offer.
You should also consider whether you’d play Ahri enough for six skins to be used. The point being that there’s little use in having a skin that isn’t being played. If you find that you’d like to have them all or, at least, one more we’d recommend to get them as they go on regular sale. There are two advantages: first price, the discount is useful without doubt. Second, as you wait to get the skins you have time to play the ones you have and to focus on each skin as you get them. That way you pay less and also have the time to play them as they aren’t competing for attention.
There are only so many matches you can play on a day. Besides, if you like Popstar, Foxfire and Arcade chances are you’d like to still play with them. If you are patient it’s a more fluid way of giving each skin its time to be used. On top of that, you’d save quite a bit of RP.
Challenger Ahri is a skin belonging to the start of season event. It should be available around January or perhaps February when the new season beings. The specific date is probably undetermined but the time for the Challenger skins to return should be around that time.
Hunter Xeon says:
Hey! Its really nice to know that there’s people who do this to help! I really appreciate it and hope you will continue this site!
– Xeon
Thanks for the kind words. We’ll keep working hard so that people can make the best purchases possible.
Markdlib says:
Zero, i love your website. Everytime i want to buy a skin i look in your website to determine which one i should buy. Keep up with the good work. Also, i love that you answer all the comments. 😉
Thanks for the kind words. We are glad that you find the website useful. Our objective is simply to help people make informed purchases. As much as we are able, we try to be within reach of readers so that we can be in touch with their opinions or questions and improve the site or give a hand where appropriate.
My friend gifted me Arcade Ahri and I’m liking it so far! Popstar is still my favourite, but this is a good skin. I I found that the auto-attack particles are actually very clear compared to Popstar and Classic because of the bright purple orb shape, but that could be just me; I’m sure Foxfire still carries a smoother animation.
I noticed that she dances to her login theme (8-bit Rush, I think is what it is called), maybe it’s a small thing worth noting on the sounds section of her Arcade skin review? ^^’ Her dance animation remains the same as Classic but they just added sounds rather than the ambient orb-floaty noise
(Also, chromas have been announced for her Popstar skin, which I’m super excited about – Pearl is my favourite. I suppose you don’t do chroma reviews since they’re just recolours of a skin? If you don’t, I completely understand since you are already so busy. ^^’)
Good to know you are enjoying the skin. We checked and the new song for her dance is a relevant addition to note. We also noticed that her taunt has some new sounds for her heart which should also be added; as well as the heart. Thanks for the notice.
We will review the Popstar Ahri chromas. We are trying to have them all reviewed before IP sales; sooner when possible. You can find the reviews for skin chromas and base chromas in their respective pages.
No problem. 😀
Thanks, can’t wait to see what you think! ^ J^
Not at all, we’ll try to review the chromas as soon as possible.
JannaKarenina says:
So Arcade Ahri is on an early sale and I really want this skin because of nostalgia and because I like bright colors and the wole 90s gamer aesthetic speaks to me on a personal level. But I am torn. I don’t play her that much (because i don’t get to mid too often) but she is my 2nd most played champ for when I do go mid. So I am wondering whether to get it now or wait for at least 6 more months and get it on 50% off sale
That’s exactly the question: do you play the champion often enough? Arcade Ahri is a good skin but expensive so that sale discounts help a lot. If you own other skins for Ahri or have other champions or skins that you play more often the it would be better to wait. The skin will go on sale eventually, it’s unavoidable, so the only reason to pay more is to get it early.
Does spending an extra amount justify the potential use and appeal of the skin? If so then get it. If unsure, especially if you have other options vying for attention, it may be better to save some money.
Ahrifoxy says:
Challenger Ari’s charm have particle change
We just checked and couldn’t find a noticeable difference. Could you be more specific about what differences you see?
Challenger’s charm is a little bit orange-ish and brighter than the normal charm ; the normal charm is like pale pink-purple ish. ( ik it’s hard to spot )
We can’t notice anything orange about Charm. Could it be a change added on top of the ability for the colour blind mode?
Busted says:
Tell me Zero, which Popstar Ahri Chroma is the best?
To be fair, it’s a matter of taste because they all look equivalent. In other words, they simply change the colour of clothes and tails; nothing else. One seems to dare add stockings but that’s as much audacity as the chromas seem to display. In fewer words: pick the colours you like the most.
Okey, zero senpai i have a problem with ahri’s skins because none of them feel accompliced to me.
At first i took a hit on the particle department so i ended up owning Dynasty ahri which for me is the classiest model by far. But since hextech luck is a cruel thing and now i have not 1 but 2 ahri skins sitting on my loot. Challenger and Foxfire ahri, both models i find a bit too in-your-face and less centered around ahri’s charming and deceitful persona. Since i have like 20 skins sitting in the loot i could make any of these skins a perma but i dont know which or in fact if even 1 of the 2 is worth it. I would like ,if its not too troublesome, you to make a sort of head’s up between those 2 skins.(all in all the skins I enjoy most are the ones that give a champ the feeling i am playing a different champ)
It’s reasonable that you don’t feel Ahri’s skins as accomplished if you expect her skins to make you feel like she’s a different champ; or at least, to define a different personality or identity for her. Most, not to say all of her skins, can feel superficial. The core of Ahri is always kept, her personality also, and her skins mostly centre of giving her a different style; sometimes just as a change of clothes.
That’s far from saying that her skins are bad but they lack depth. With that in mind, neither Foxfire nor Challenger are deep but they are charming; fittingly so. We find Foxfire more interesting due to the fire theme as it’s quite distinct and covers most of Ahri; even if it lacks some consistency. Challenger is good but only the model truly stands out. The particles don’t stand out as much but there’s a new recall; though we don’t find it as representative of the theme as it could be.
Overall, if you expect a different feel for Ahri Foxfire may be closest but only because it envelops her in flames. As you can expect she doesn’t dress particularly different to her classic self and the essence is the same. Challenger shares the same issues but is also less distinct despite having its charm. Of course, none of her skins is bad and Popstar is also one to consider; with similarities to thiese two. Sadly, you can’t expect her skins to deliver something that they haven’t been designed to fulfil.
Liana says:
Hey, I just wanted to ask what do you think for the early skin preview of her legendary skin? Do you like it or its meh? 😀
We like it but we haven’t seen much. It seems that there’s a lot of work in visual effects and animations but outside of combat. We’ll have to see if when the time for battle comes the skin can impress.
Thx for answering. I can’t wait for your review, you guys always help a lot!~ (^_^)/
Not at all, glad to be of help.
What are your impressions so far of the new star guardian skins? Ahri’s will be legendary, and she’s also getting an announcer VO for the game maps.
I’m excited they’re giving her a Star Guardian skin but at the same time she did just receive Arcade pretty recently in terms of skin releases.
In my opinion I feel like they borrowed the hair and tails from Popstar and adjusted the hues. The colours seem a bit strange together at first, but with time I think I will get used to them.
I know that Riot will probably do some minor adjustments before the skin goes live, but I hope they don’t cancel out the whole line like they did to the Sewn Chaos skins just because there’s a lot of hate for Ahri in particular.
We like the Star Guardian line but releasing so many skins at once has seldom worked well. Usually, there’re a few skins that stand out and others that disappoint. In our view it’s better to go for quality instead of quantity but the vast release lines of skins recently indicate that may not be Riot’s chosen path.
We agree Ahri did receive a skin recently but if the concept and execution is good we think it’s understandable not to miss such an opportunity. That doesn’t change the fact that popular champions do seem to receive much more attention than less popular ones; many have gone for years without skins.
Popstar, Challenger and even Arcade Ahri do have something to offer as base for Star Guardian; probably Foxfire too. It’s reasonable to improve on what came before but at times it seems that certain features are a bit too familiar. We haven’t seen much of the skin so it may be all superficial. The key is whether the skin defines an appealing new identity for Ahri.
Riot usually does whatever they like. We don’t think that Star Guardian Ahri should be hated. It seems to be a nice skin even if Ahri did receive one recently. Besides, it does seem good; at least. If it weren’t we could understand to postpone it for additional work. Sadly, we don’t think that much will be done to improve any skin because what hits the PBE is usually final. By the way, the Sewn Chaos skins weren’t that bad to merit being cancelled. There’s been worse since then and they have stayed.
Let’s hope for the best in all cases then.
Dobyk says:
I’m a bit disappointed by this year’s Star Guardian event, one of the reasons being SG Ahri. Apart from the fact that Ahri feels like a purely fanbase-appealing choice, more importantly I think her legendary is very lackluster. It seems the main reason for it to be legendary is just to animate her familiar, Kiko. I don’t feel like Ahri received any significant, interesting or funny additions to her personality through new VOs, and it seems her ability animations are the same (or almost the same) as classic. Additionally, the particle effects don’t deviate much from classic either, especially her E. I would say the only visibly complex animation is her recall, which is wonderful, but I personally wouldn’t pay 1820 for a cool recall and a cute Kiko. I guess my biggest problem with this skin is that it already treads old territory and it does so in a very boring and blatant way which aims to just appeal to the masses without feeling special or cool. Jinx already fills the “familiars are weapons” concept and she does it in a wonderful and super fun way, not to mention that her familiars, while a nice addition, don’t overshadow her and she manages to be an interesting character on her own. It seems Riot latched onto the familiar idea and just decided to exploit it until it’s not longer interesting, and I’m a bit sad to admit this is very obvious in SG Ahri.
A lot of hate has been spilled on the skin not only because Ahri has a lot of skins (which I don’t think is a crime), but also because her getting the legendary SG skin means Soraka and Syndra are left with the regular editions. Both of these skins could have reached near perfection had their concepts and characters been explored – and that is because SG Syndra and Soraka offer by far the most unique star guardians. Syndra in particular would have benefited immensely from a new voiceover and a deepening of her personality and intentions.Soraka is on the other end of the spectrum, where the concept fits her so perfectly and the visuals describe such a magnificent character that you just want to see even more and you want it to reach perfection. Both skins could have brought a lot more to the game and the theme itself had either been made legendary, and yet Riot chose the most profitable and, quite frankly, boring skin with a predictable approach and a shockin similarity to classic, as well as Popstar Ahri. I’m not saying the skins, and particular SG Ahri, are bad, but it seems like a huge missed opportunity for something much better had they chosen a more creative vision with a different skin, or a different concept.
Just my two cents so far. Apparently the last changes to the SG skins just hit the PBE, so you can start looking into them even now – the change cycle for them is over. Good luck with the reviews! (And please give Raka a thorough look :3 she deserves it)
We agree that Star Guardian Ahri is a safe choice and that Soraka could’ve benefited from more development. We also agree that Syndra has a lot of untapped potential and that, along many of the other Star Guardian skins should’ve probably gone with quality instead of quanitity. It’s obvious that Riot thinks otherwise.
We do like Star Guardian Ahri and think that it’s a very well done skin. However, it’s nothing impressive and most, if not all, of what she offers has been seen before. While that doesn’t detract from the skin’s appeal we agree that Riot chose the popular option instead of trying something more original.
Perhaps the Star Guardian skins should’ve all been legendaries released one at a month in small weekly Star Guardian events; once each month. That would’ve not only made each skin more special but also given time to better develop each skin and also the event as an ongoing saga in several chapters.
Maybe that’s beyond Riot’s competitive-centred focus. It’s quite clear that Riot prefers people to be hooked to ranked instead of being drawn into the casual world development or events of the game. Those aspects of the game are underdeveloped and what we see with the Star Guardian skins is probably a consequence of that chosen approach.
At least, the Star Guardian skins all seem rather nice. It’s true, there’s wasted potential in all of them even if they end up being rather appealing. It’s how things are because it’s Riot’s decision. If we disagree we have to show it with our actions until they listen. Our reviews will probably say that the skins are quite nice but certainly lacking the touch of excellence that is so within grasp of each of them. That’s arguably their biggest sin.
Sooo I read your comments and I think I’ll disagree and agree with you for a few things. First of all Soraka… a lot of people complained that she didn’t get the legendary, but I think she simply didn’t need it. Legendary skins are supposed to show us this champion in diffrent light than the original while not changing them completely. Soraka already fits the starguardians because her lines don’t FEEL as weird as syndra’s or miss fortune’s. Second, I think riot were wondering between ahri and syndra for the legendary. Cause both have a really good potential. Ezreal has an ultimate skin so he’s out of the question and for mf I don’t know maybe they wanted to give the legendary to a mage this year. My point is that they practically had to choose between ahri and syndra, but since syndra got a skt skin pretty recently they choose to go with ahri. Also I actually feel like Ahri’s skin was executed rather well. Of course we can always expect more(RECALL MUSIC WHYYYY Q.Q) but I would rather give the skin either 3 or 4 stars, but preferably 4. Yet again it’s mosty personal preference. I really wanted this skin for a long time, while a friend of mine really wants blood moon ahri or soulstealer. Sry for long comment, here’s a cookie. :3 (^~^)/
Thanks for the cookie, much obliged.
We actually agree more than disagree. Soraka fits rather well the Star Guardian theme but she could benefit from more development. The point is that the concept is so good in her that a legendary skin could add more layers of complexity and become an extraordinary skin. In most cases of the Star Guardian skins we think that’s the case. It’s not strictly necessary for the skins to go legendary to be good but there’s a lot of potential to make them better.
One case where that is notorious we think it’s Syndra. Without the spheres turned into familiars the skin is simplistic. Going legendary would’ve allowed the skin to better develop her personality and not be an intended mix of light and dark with an obvious dissonance. In fact, Star Guardian Syndra is probably a skin that should’ve been legendary even if Star Guardian Ahri is too. The classic remnants under the Star Guardian layer are noticeable. The spheres save the skin but Syndra herself needs more work.
Yeah, I agree for Soraka. I think that she had lots of potential for the legendary and I would’ve liked if she was picked, I just meant that I like it more as non legendary because she already fits the skin(for me it’s perfect, some people hate it).
About Syndra I don’t reaaaly like her as a Star Guardian… I would have preffered a Dark Star skin more, but oh well. Her skin doesn’t look so sparkly, more like a dark version of a Star Guardian. The eyepatch doesn’t fit her too. They gave Syndra too many accessories, while Miss Fortune is weird for me with only a jewel on her head(especially her taunt ●_●). Also exactly as you said, if they were gonna make her a guardian she should’ve gotten legendary with Ahri, but I still think this theme doesn’t fit her.
Also I’m really grateful that you always answer our comments and help people with your quality reviews. I wish you all the best and thank you for what you do!~ ♡\(^~^)/♡
Not at all, if you take the time to write the least we can do is answer. We may not always have the time but we try to be as responsive and helpful as possible. Good wishes for you too.
Indeed, Star Guardian and Soraka are a great match. We hadn’t thought about Dark Star Syndra but we agree that it’s a good choice. We don’t know how elaborate the spheres would be. They should rive high and above the usual to be special and so should Syndra.
We agree, the dark Star Guardian intended by Syndra isn’t the best of ideas. In fact, as Justicar demonstrates, she could’ve perfectly been a light and starry Star Guardian. The sphere-familiars are good but the real problem is that for Star Guardian Syndra to be sucessful the skin needs to sufficiently develop its theme; which isn’t the case.
It’s not so notorious in other skins like Miss Fortune though the Star Guardian theme seems adapted over her gunslinging more than integrated. In the end, the problem is that 1350 RP skin tend to be superficial. Seldom do they do enough to integrate theme and champion. Sometimes it’s enough to be good but the potential remains.
Jimmu says:
When will you do a review on starguardian ahri??
nver mind
Once the skin is released we’ll try to have a review shortly afterwards.
Honestly, I know this comment probably won’t have any replies and rarely anyone will see it, but for all those who are getting mixed vibes from SG Ahri and are having tough time deciding whether or not the skin is worth it.. boy.. hell yes to that!
As an Ahri fan, I’m always pleased to see her in a new ‘form’, design, and even if she has dozens of skins, I still appreciate any love my bby girl gets. I do agree that this skin was not necessary in any way, as someone said above, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.
However, as an owner of both Popstar and Arcade skins, I can assure you that this skin absolutely stomps them both in terms of visual effects. Her spells, especially Charm and both instances of Q look absolutely incredible. The gameplay is much more enjoyable – she’s got a badass new walk animation which I can’t get enough of, her familiar (Kiko) is insanely adorable and the fact that he’s involved in her abilitites and other animations is such a sweet touch that definitely contributes to the skin’s quality. VO is pretty good, and even though Ahri’s original lines would go just fine with this skin, it’s still a huge plus.
The splash art is cute aswell, but it surely has it’s flaws which Zero and his team will probably state above once they finish the review. The price? Meh, if it was up to me, I’d cut the VO out and pull the price down to 1350, but, since that’s not the case, I guess 1820 will just have to do.
Overall, in my personal opinion, this skin deserves much more love than it gets. Again, I agree with most that champions such as Syndra and Soraka fit the theme much better and could very well use a legendary skin.. even Miss Fortune, who’s attitude and lines completely clash with the concept of the skin.. but let’s just appreciate the work and effort that has been put into this skin.
We agree with you. There’s no doubt that the other Star Guardian skins would’ve benefitted from more work. It’s noticeable in Miss Fortune and especially so in Syndra. That shouldn’t detract from the fact that they are good skins with feature to appreciate.
Star Guardian Ahri isn’t a perfect skin but it’s still a good skin. It may not be a groundbreaking skin but it’s well done and the result is appealing and enjoyable. There may be a lot of other reasons outside concept and execution not to like the skin. However, that’s no fault of the skin. Those issues lay elsewhere, not in the skin.
Indeed, this new lineup of Star Guardians should’ve been handled better as there’s a lot of potential that is left unexploited. That’s doesn’t mean that they aren’t good skins.
Hey, I just wanted to thank you for the great review as always. I agree with everything you’ve written and that the skin is for 4 stars. I really like that you actually noticed the Puella Magi reference and thanks again for the great work!~ (^_^)
Not at all, glad that you like it.
AhritheFox says:
“The mischievous Kiko accompanies Ahri as a vulpine embodiment of her charisma… and sass. Even unprompted, Kiko isn’t shy about saying how it really feels, though only Ahri can understand its unique language. As biting as the creature’s manners can sometimes be, it’s not too proud to turn down a good belly rub and cuddle. Just try to refrain from saying, “Aww.” ”
“Kiko accompanies Ahri as a vulpine embodiment ”
Kiko is Vulpix ( fox ) not a cat . The reason why that make his nose shorter than an actual fox to look cute like vulpix from pokemon . Also , that not sailor outfit since they don’t have the sailor collar .
You are right, we corrected the review to make it more accurate. Thanks.
Ahrifox says:
•”The mischievous Kiko accompanies Ahri as a VULPINE embodiment of her charisma… and sass. Even unprompted, Kiko isn’t shy about saying how it really feels, though only Ahri can understand its unique language. As biting as the creature’s manners can sometimes be, it’s not too proud to turn down a good belly rub and cuddle. Just try to refrain from saying, “Aww.” ”
•”Kiko accompanies Ahri as a vulpine embodimen”
•Kiko is a fox( vulpix or vulpine ) not feline ( the tails is enough to know he was a fox ) plus he share name with kiko the bunny from winx club .
Thanks for the information, we’ll correct the review as necessary.
Star guardian kiko says:
Kiko is a fox not a cat , riot also mention that but the tails tell everythings . Also , the theme is more winx club than sailor moon ( kiko named after the rabbit in winx club ).
“The mischievous Kiko accompanies Ahri as a VULPINE embodiment of her charisma”
Thanks for the information. From what we see of Winx Club it seems that the Star Guardians could have some inspiration though the magical girl archetype is definitely there. You are right about Kiko being fox-like. From what we saw only the tails are clear about it but it seems there’s more to it than looks. That’s what we get from reviewing a kumiho’s magical familiar: deceit…
Emilias says:
” a quasi – feline ” …what ? But kiko is a fox .Riot mention he is a vulpine/Vulpix embodiment of Ahri..
So we are told. Thanks for the information, we’ll correct the review.
Scylla says:
Hi Zero, I’m happy you took the time to write the reviews for the new star guardian line of skins. However, I can’t help but feel that it isn’t the same writer composing the critiques and reviews as there is a distinct difference in writing styles, as well as an astronomical increase in grammatical, spelling errors as well as typos. There have been lapses in the sentences and some phrases don’t even make sense. If it has occurred due to rushing, then it is understandable but if there has been a change in writers, I would like to ask for the original writer to write the reviews as they were well composed, concise and a pleasure to read, compared to the most recent one, which was overly lengthy, insipid and a chore to read due to the many fundamental linguistic mistakes made, which I believe, many of us don’t have the time for. On top of that, the new writer merely narrates and describes the appearance of the splash art, skins and abilities; failing to justify why it is given a certain number of stars, which the old writer does. I hope you can assist me with this as the previous style of writing has helped me significantly in making decisions on which skins to buy, because they value add with valid reasons, instead of mere description, which I can observe with my own two eyes by just watching the video, instead of reading the longwinded narration. Thanks (:
You make a good point. There has been no change in staff but a different approach in making the reviews which, as you have noticed, isn’t good enough. Typos usually appear when we have to rush to have some reviews ready as Riot has been prioritizing quantity over quality in skins.
We also have noticed that lately, in an effort to make reviews as descriptive and comprehensive as possible we have relied on descriptions instead of qualifications of additions. We are trying to revert that habit. As every habit, a bad one can reduce the quality of any product including a review and can also be hard to quit.
To be specific, we are decribing more than assessing which, as you mention, is not the point of a review. Second, this leads to lengthy reviews that don’t add content. We have just re-read and amended Star Guardian Ahri’s review and you are right. It’s not just typos: there’s description of particles without explaining if they are good or bad. There’re grammatical errors and sentences that don’t make sense. We have corrected all errors we noticed.
Thanks for taking the time to correct us and point us in the right direction. Sometimes the best of intentions end up giving way to bad results: this is an example. In an effort to improve reviews we ended up making them less useful. If you notice any other review, Star Guardian or otherwise that needs to be reassessed please do tell us. We take seriously the quality of the reviews and we strive for no less than the best. Thanks again for the wake up call.
Hi StrategyZero!
I’ve been as a long time reader of your blog AND a huge fan of the Star Guardian skins, I would like to offer a critique about your reviews of the new star guardian skins. I have noticed that all of the new skins have received four stars, which to me signals “very good skins, worth considering for a purchase”. However, I feel like your critique and review of the older five skins is much harsher compared to the “new kids” in the thematic, which I think is a bit unfair. More precisely, your review of SG Janna, Lulu and Poppy, all of whom got 3 stars, seems to critique the lack of integrity between champion identity and skin thematics. Why is it then that SG Syndra and Miss Fortune got four stars, instead of 3? In particular I expected SG Syndra to get only 2 stars, because of how basic her transition was from classic to SG – or adapting the skin to the theme, as you often put it. Apart from her cute Multi familiars, I don’t really see much personality or cohesion within the skin, not to mention it is just a very shallow reinterpretation of Syndra that doesn’t even develop her character. Sure, if it was at half price it would be worth four stars, but as it is I simply cannot agree that a handful of cute spheres can redeem this skin.
Similarly, I am confused as to why you gave four stars to Miss Fortune. While I agree that MF, as well as the five new Star Guardians, have received models that are more unique and overall individualistic compared to the “old school” team, MF ultimately suffers from exactly the same problems as Lulu or Janna – her personality is simply not taken into consideration when they made the skin. Even when you consider the story they’ve given her as a reinterpretation, I still cannot agree it is worth four stars. Even with her new idle animation, I just see a nice skin, and nothing more – good, but nothing spectacular, which is exactly what three stars signify. Thus, I am very much confused why MF and Syndra got four stars, given both are extremely shallow and neither takes into account the “base” potential of the champion.
I see why you gave four stars to Ezreal, Ahri and Soraka – they are all unique and outstanding in their own way. Ahri is nothing groundbreaking and very much focused on mainstream appeal, but she is still an excellent skin. Ezreal stands out not only because of his new idle animation, but also because he is the only male star guardian, AND his particles and model present a strong, consistent theme. And Soraka just naturally fits into the theme, despite her animalistic traits (which, I want to stress, Ahri also posesses and kind of breaks the theme), so I think these three were fairly judged at four stars. But I just cannot agree that MF and Syndra deserve four stars, as much as I want to like them (and I REALLY want to like them). It just seems like you were impressed by the cool models and presentation, but their weak points and critiques are exactly the same as those of Janna, Lulu and Poppy. They are in no way, shape or from more different, safe for a new idle animation on MF. Can you please justify your rating on MF and Syndra, because I feel like you were harsher on the older Star Guardian skins??
Please don’t take my rant the wrong way – I very much appreciate your work and your reviews. I just don’t see why newer skins should be rated higher when they are of the same quality as the older skins in the same thematic.
~Dobyk
Don’t worry, we very much appreciate you challenging our ratings. That way we can verify that our conclusions were correct. If they weren’t the we ought to correct the reviews so that they can accurately reflect what we think of the skins. Reviews need to be the best they can be to help people; nothing short of the best would work. So, thanks for the detailed post.
In our view, Star Guardian Janna, Poppy and Lulu are straightforward adaptations. That is: new model, particles, sounds and recall; that’s all. In the case of the new Star Guardian we saw a bit of an extra effort that usually paid off. Specifically, the new animations, standing idle and Bullet Time, for Miss Fortune further adapt her identity as an aggressive but not overly serious Star Guardian.
In the case of Syndra we though that the spheres turned into her familiar Multi added to the personality. As we said in the review, Syndra herself is dressed up as a Star Guardian and that’s it. The new particles aren’t that great either, just purple swirls. However, Multi manages to make the abilities special with their animations. Perhaps we overvalued them, it’s something to consider, but we saw the spheres doing what the rest of the skin didn’t do: develop a personality.
In addition to this, we also saw the particles of the new Star Guardians being quite florid and communicating the theme rather well. In the case of Janna and Poppy some particles seem recoloured. Only Lulu has some new designs though they aren’t as elaborate as they are in the new set of Star Guardians.
Another thing to consider is that we take skins as a sum of their parts. So, it could be the case of a straightforward adaptation that is so well done that it simply impresses. We notice an evolution in the adaptation of the Star Guardian line. If we compare the old set with the new one we see more work that, ultimately, works in making the skins a better representation of their concept. We aren’t saying that the new set is perfect, far from it. However, we see the skins fitting better.
Let’s say that Syndra could be better and that perhaps the Multi spheres aren’t so great after all. With Miss Fortune we see the aggressive and playful personality of classic in the Star Guardian. The standing idle animation is a tad playful and the aggression is in Bullet Time. That isn’t enough to make a good example of the Star Guardian’s identity, agreed. However, it bridges the gap a bit. Perhaps it’s not enough and we see it as more effective than it actually is but the skin has the animations with a clear intention and message behind them.
We don’t have the ultimate truth on skins and we could very well have erred too much on the side of good when we reviewed the skins. We certainly don’t discard lowering the ratings when more skins for the champions and the Star Guardian line come. If the gap between good and great widens then we have to reassess reviews. It’s an evolving process as skin technology, quality and value change over time.
We thought that the Syndra’s Multi spheres are a great vehicle to display her Star Guardian identity. We also thought that Miss Fortune’s personality as an aggressive yet sort of playful Star Guardian was reflected in the skin. There are elements to consider that the skins have the potential to be great. We thought they were but perhaps they aren’t as effective as we thought. We are questioning that now and we will change reviews if we feel that we were wrong.
Perhaps four stars is too much we think that three is too little compared to what other skins for those champions offer and to what the previous Star Guardian line did. This isn’t an exact science and subjectiveness always plays a part that we try to erase but it’s more of an utopia than a reality. Maybe with time we’ll get a clearer picture of the skins. For now, we agree that the skins could’ve got three stars. We saw that their efforts warranted four stars. However, it’s not something written on stone.
Sorry for the monumentally long reply but we wanted to reflect on the reviews and ratings and give proper justification as to our approach. Thanks, if you reached this far.
Hi StrategyZero team. Sorry for the ridiculously late response – life has been so dynamic lately I forgot to reply properly!
I re-read your reviews of SG Miss Fortune and Syndra and after I re-read your response – I have to admit I see your point much more clearly. I definitely agree that this year’s SG skins have more effort put into them, and that overall they express greater champion individuality in their unique designs – even Riot admitted that they purposefully wanted to make these new Star Guardians more unique and cool. You are also correct that the particle effects are more elaborate and overall the quality is higher. My problem with Miss Fortune was moreso with the difference between presented personality and actual champion VO, although your interpretation of “aggressive, but a bit playful” is adequate enough – perhaps Sarah Fortune, despite all her anger and vengeance, can’t help but display her true personality. I do agree that her idle animation contributes a lot to the value of the skin, combined with top-notch model and excellent particles, so overall I would agree on the 4-star rating.
Syndra for me is still difficult to appreciate for four stars. She is undoubtedly well done in terms of model, but the homogenous particle effects and the remaining VO filter really can’t help but devalue the skin for me. Of course this is a personal opinion, and I do agree that Multi definitely help define a unique, playful personality. I think the model itself in its design has a few problems, primarily with her crown, her hair and to an extent her dress – it is a design that looks amazing as a splash art, but is much less impressive in-game. With the lack of new animations beyond recall and homeguard (which all other SGs have), Multi seems to be the only saving grace for a 4-rating. I could agree that it is essentially a 3.5 rating, I guess we just differ on whether the rating should be rounded up or down. In any case, I respect your opinion and I particularly appreciate your willingness to reassess skin ratings, particularly within a skinline where you can compare skins with the same theme on the same price tier. I would definitely love it if you would keep that in mind and generally take into account the skins in comparison to each other, when within an established skin thematic. While each skin is a different product that should be analyzed on its own merits, a comparative analysis can help understand how well done the skin really is compared to similar themes.
Thank you for the time you’ve taken to reply so thoroughly, justifying your rating logic, and I wish you great reviews ahead!
P.S. I just want to note that Galio’s portrait on the index page is still his old portrait crop :p
No problem, life doesn’t have a pause button; yet. Besides, it’s always good to reassess one’s thought process to make sure everything is in working order.
The classic voice-over on many skins has always been a problem when they don’t fit the theme. It’s something that sometimes manages to be acceptable, like in Star Guardian Miss Fortune; even if she doesn’t sail anywhere, but as manner of speech: pass. In other cases it’s just ridiculous and we tend to note it in the review when the inconsistency is too notorious.
With Star Guardian Miss Fortune, the idea of an aggressive yet playful magical girl is conveyed and has some extra features to cement it. As you mention, the extra effort works. We agree though that Star Guardian Syndra is a more special case to be diplomatic.
If it weren’t for Dark Spheres as Multi the skin would be a let down. Much is done yet much more could be done with Multi; especially as the rest isn’t very effective. We agree, perhaps 3.5 stars would be more adequate. On the one hand it can be seen as giving a rating knowing that you like the skin; if not you wouldn’t be interested and not be reading a review to consider buying it. On the other hand, perhaps we should be more strict to prevent anyone from making a purchase they could regret.
It’s not an exact science and we agree that the comparison with other skins is necessary. In fact, we do compare skins to others in the same price tier, for the same champion and in the same theme line. In comparison with the older Star Guardian skins Syndra is a step forward but an unsteady one; perhaps a half step.
Perhaps we need some perspective. When a new batch of Star Guardian skins is released we can reassess Star Guardian Syndra and see if it stands the test of time and competition against newer recruits. Maybe we shouldn’t wait that long but the answer still doesn’t seem as obvious as it should be. Three stars has arguments in its favour but so does four stars. We’ll have to think about it.
PS: thanks for the notice. It must’ve slipped in the update. We’ll try to fix the portrait as soon as possible.
Got mystery gifts and I got 3 Ahri skins ;A; says:
Foxfire, Popstar, or Arcade? 🙁
Depends on what you are looking for in the skin. None are bad and, in fact, they are all good; some more than others. We don’t know exactly how much you would be spending with mystery gifts. If we take price out of the equation then it’s a simple matter of which concept you like the most: fire, music or pixels. Of course, Arcade is a bit more elaborate than the cheaper skins but we expected bigger additions as the rotating colours for her tails is what sets the skin apart.
Bob Bobbington says:
Is it ever worth it to spend RP on a champion rather than a skin?
No unless you are in a real rush. Just by playing the game you will be able to unlock champions. Besides, it’s only possible to consistently play so many champions at once. Unlocking champions as you play let’s you try them, play them if you like them and devote enough time to make both activities properly. Rushing with money in hand doesn’t really bring any advantage.
Taiki says:
Hi Zero, been such a long time since the last reply :3
Anyways, K/DA skins are about to release. So as an Ahri player, I think getting hers is a must have, for me. Even though I am tempted to get that skin, however, I have to say that the skin is a bit lackluster. Since she already have a idol themed skin, so it’s really hard to not compare K/DA to Popstar.
Overall, the only thing I like is the tails. I’ve been waiting for so long for an Ahri skin with translucent tails, which really helps to enchance her status as a gumiho in much spiritual (?) way. There’s a lot of efforts put into the tails, details like her Q’s passive in max charges, her charm, her ult and much more. The tails will change into different hue with each abilities cast. And because so much details were poured into her tails, so in my honest opinion her other abilities feel just meh. They were not bad, just a little too safe, not really interesting compared to her tails.
As for the other K/DA skins, they just seem alright to me. I know that Akali’s is the one everyone raving about, but for me the model is superb not the particles. I actually find that Evelynn’s is quite interesting, based on her last skin, this one definitely is a huge improvement I say.
I hope to hear from you about your opinion on the K/DA skins
We agree with your assessment of the K/DA skins. We didn’t notice Ahri’s tails changing colour but perhaps it’ll be added later. Still, we liked the reflective facets on the particles and the effects on K/DA Ahri are rather nice. Perhaps not all that they could be, the trails are simplistic for instance, but the skin does many things well and the tails are always giving a show.
Akali has a nice model but the particles aren’t a strong point and Evelynn has some nice features but it’s not really impressive. Kai’Sa is rather good but the Prestige Edition doesn’t feel worthwhile. We’ll have a review once the skins are released but the skins seem uneven, some good and others not so good.
The colour changing tails is really the spotlight of the skin I say. I do like the reflective facets particles, which really amplify the whole flashy popstar theme, but I feel that somewhat the overall of the skin is not consistent enough.
Her Orb of Deception is really good, because she’s using a disco ball as her orb, so particles do fit perfectly and nothing to complain. Her Fox-Fire is decent as well, even though the concept a little similar to Star Guardian’s but still quite nice.Her Charm though, the crystal heart is ok, but the charmed effect on enemy is bad, all I see is a lot of pink, which kinda like a scaled down version of Sweetheart Rakan’s Grand Entrance.
Akali has a skater boy(?) vibe to me, and I expect more graffiti or paint splash effects for her spells, but all I see is the spinning spray can for her Twilight Shroud. Evelynn I think the K/DA would be a better skin since her Blood Moon skin is somewhat a disappointment. For Kai’Sa I have nothing to complain tho, looks quite alright but the only thing is that she looks so Asian especially her splash art that some of my friends actually thought that she’s Irelia.
We checked again and we don’t notice the tails changing colour in K/DA Ahri. Do you have a link to any resource where it shows the effect? We like the reflective facets and it seems one of the highlights of the particles; along with the lens flare effect for impacts which other K/DA skins also have.
K/DA Akali’s particles seem lacking but the skin has a few nice features that save it from being insubstantial. K/DA Evelynn is nice but we would’ve liked the skin to employ more the effects of the line; reflections and lens flare. K/DA Kai’Sa is good and has a charming style despite classic remnants.
We still, K/DA Ahri is the best of the line with the eye-catching reflections in tail and particles. The others don’t seem to employ them as much and tend to rely a bit too much on the classic persona. Perhaps Ahri lends herself better by her design to this kind of changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehEpRndu73E
Her tails change color everytime she casts her spells, it’s quite subtle in most cases, but such tiny detail that really caught my eyes. I can see that you think Ahri is the best, most probably is because of her persona. Since her own character setting already is a flaunting, seductive person, so, such persona really amp up the whole diva theme
Indeed, her identity works well with flashy displays so a diva is only a small distance away.
Thanks for the headsup, we’ve seen it but didn’t notice. The change in colour is subtle indeed but a nice even if small addition. A pity it couldn’t be a bit more pronounced. After all, Ahri’s giving a show so it only make sense as a reflection of the show of lights in a concert.
The only reason I can think of why is the change in colour is to not make the whole skin too flashy. Because of the nature of the particles in her abilities, given that there’s a lot of flares and sparkles. So by taming down the colour change is to not make the whole skin too noisy. Even though the change is subtle by it’s quite appealing in its own way. With such flashy tails, imagine if the colour change was more visible, I can say the will be too noisy
Perhaps, but they could do the change more noticeable withing a set limit. In other words, the tone and hue could clearly change but restricted to a blue-based colour palette; for example. That way the change would be present but wouldn’t compromise the skin’s colour scheme or become too flashy. Still, it’s better that it’s present, even subtle, than not.
I just bought K/DA Ahri, I can say the tails are gorgeous. Even though the change in tail colour is quite subtle to none in the spotlight video, but from my gaming experience that was totally opposite from what I thought so. Her tails are literally the spotlight of the skin, they are so flashy it was hard to look away, so the colour changing became quite well-pronounced in a way, which was pretty awesome
Sounds like you are enjoying the skin. We are glad. It’s good to know that K/DA Ahri has much to offer in visual spectacle.
Davypuppy says:
Asking for your opinion, what do you think about K/DA Ahri Prestige Edition? I know she’s not out in the client yet, just the PBE, but I really want to hear your opinion and on other prestige skins as well. As a golden chroma (but I also understand these skin line are meant for collector’s), this seems overpriced, don’t you think? To me, it feels like this is just a way for Rito to cash in.
Completely agreed. Take into account that as of the introduction of prestige points, with Firecracker Vayne Prestige Edition, you have to get the points from buying bundles of crafting materials so the price skyrockets. Besides, all Prestige Editions offer minimal differences with the base skin.
In some cases there are some nice touches but they are always small. Considering the price it’s clear that they aren’t worth it. Even if we ignore the price, they do feel like a chroma+. There’s new texture and a few golden particles added but, that’s all and how significant and appealing isn’t major.
In the end, it does seem like too obvious a way of selling a skin with minimal cost and maximum profit. To think that Prestige Editions were presented as a way of feeling special about unlocking something difficult to get makes it somewhat ironic.
League of Legends: Ahri Guides Last Day of Jurassic Cho’Gath, Longhorn Alistar and Emumu Skin Sale
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Healing The Horror: A Serene Reading of Ari Aster’s Midsommar (2019)
Christopher Burns takes a breath after all the cathartic screaming and communal burning to analyse this year’s hit horror – as the 171-minute directors cut, DVD and Blu-ray are released… [WARNING: contains spoilers]
Has a filmmaker ever really captured a scream the way Ari Aster does? Aster’s first feature, Hereditary, found its most chilling moment with Toni Collette’s agonising, animalistic howl which was caused by discovering her headless daughter on the backseat of a car. The screaming in Hereditary feels like someone is trying to cough up grief or trying to force it out of themselves in a violent, demonic sort of way. Because Ari Aster is pretty good at making grief a tangible thing. The screaming in Midsommar, Aster’s latest film, is different. It’s… cathartic.
Aster’s second feature begins when Dani (Florence Pugh) suffers a devastating family tragedy. Her careless, self-absorbed boyfriend (played by Jack Reynor) belatedly, somewhat guiltily asks her to come along on a trip to a small Swedish village with his studious bros in the hope they can work on their theses. Once there they mingle with the locals and discover the commune’s ‘traditions’: suicide, murder, arson, cannibalism and really fucking weird orgies.
“It’s a harmonised gushing of rage, panic and pure pain”
But back to the screams, which almost bookend the film. It’s a harmonised gushing of rage, panic and pure pain. But unlike Hereditary, where the screaming gives way to ramped up tension (and more pain), when the screaming stops in Midsommar, the film is, for brief moments, as tranquil as the blue skies that hang over what’s unfolding beneath.
The release – of all that anguish, that guilt, that grief and that hatred – is where Midsommar finds itself in a different kind of horror territory. I don’t think I’ve ever walked out of a horror film feeling the way I did as I felt with Midsommar. For a start, I initially hesitated to even call it a horror film and as I’ve thought on, I still think that but even more feverishly. Aster’s film has been labelled and sold as a horror, sure, but his film throbs with all the qualities of a melancholic drama or a break-up movie. It’s just the beats are bloody, and the denouement is fiery.
I had a lot of questions. Mainly, why did Midsommar leave me feeling at ease – with a sense of peace? And how could I turn to my friend and say ‘Wow, I feel so chill after that two and a half hour film where someone gets their face peeled off, an elderly couple get their faces bashed in and one that concludes with a pretty fucked up orgy and a communal burning’? I spent a while trying to figure it out.
As Dani watches the last piece of her world burn alive in the film’s final scene, she is horrified. Only, then she isn’t. She starts to smile, and you could study this smile. It’s one of those. It was during that Mona Lisa moment that I really found myself connected to her happiness, her relief and maybe her instability. And then I began to worry a little. Why was I so at ease with a house full of innocents burning alive? Was there something not quite right with me or had I watched the film ‘wrong’? After a while, I figured out that I wasn’t okay with that exactly. I felt the way I did because Midsommar’s biggest achievement is how it makes us really feel everything Dani feels.
“Midsommar, for all its primal and visceral moments of violence, is about healing”
When Dani screams after she finds out the news her whole family has died in horrific circumstances in the film’s devastating, but oddly beautiful, prologue, it becomes a wretch and a dry heave, and it swells with the score – for a moment it feels transcendental. It’s the first time Aster allows his main character a release. That’s when it started to click for me. As her eyes brighten and dilate with wonder as she gets to Sweden, I felt the burden of all that death lift a little. When she freaks out after taking mushrooms and the visuals literally pulsate, twirl and twist in on themselves, I sensed that death quickly return with a tormenting smirk; and when she suffers a panic attack and screams and breathes as a collective with the other girls in the commune I felt Dani’s healing process.
Because Midsommar, for all its primal and visceral moments of violence, is a movie about healing. It’s about taking the grief, the anxiety, the depression and the panic attacks and purging them. And that’s what Dani does. She untangles herself from her shitty boyfriend and his insufferable friends and, metaphorically, she kills her black dog. Is that the answer? Is watching your boyfriend burning alive while sewn into the carcass of a dead bear the way to get over your mental illness? I’m gonna go ahead and say no, probably not, but, that’s kind of incidental, because at that moment Dani’s free, she’s reborn and she’s pieced back together once more.
“The film gives us one thing but makes us feel another”
With Midsommar, I felt Aster was concerned with the politics of healing. That’s what this film is for me. I read a quote by Jordan Peele regarding the film’s peculiar rug pull of giving us one thing but making us feel another. Peele talks about how what he was seeing on screen wasn’t exactly congruous with how he felt, and that’s when I realised I wasn’t alone in wrestling my sense of wonder and calm with my sense of disgust. The director of Get Out and Us said: “I felt like I was being put up on this pedestal and honored through the eyes of the protagonist.
“It’s a very unique feeling for a film to conjure because after it ended, I found myself looking back at the final act like, ‘Holy shit.’ That was some of the most atrociously disturbing imagery I’ve ever seen on film, and yet I experienced it with this open-mouthed, wild-eyed gape.”
Some of our greatest moments of clarity or peace can come in pretty dark or trying times and I think Aster presents this theory with Dani. After all the death, after the maiming, the burning, the dancing, the drugs and the angst, those final moments of Midsommar are so weirdly serene. I guess the question we’re posed is ‘Has Dani gone insane or has she gained new perspective on her life and experiences?’
Self-styled as a black comedy and a mediation on a breakup, Aster’s film did leave me feeling clearer, like I had just purged a whole lot of anxiety out of my system. It felt like an ode to depression, its scars and relentlessness, but how eventually you begin to come out the other side; sometimes, in the strangest way possible.
Christopher Burns
Get the Midsommar 171-minute director’s cut when you buy the film on Apple TV
DVD and Blu-Ray available 8 October 2019; follow A24 Films for updates
Feel like purging? Win free couples therapy
“A New Type of Exploitation.” Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You – Reviewed
As evidenced by his latest outing Sorry We Missed You, director Ken...
“Everyone can have a seat at the table, it can’t be as it was.”
The Big Interview: Mia Bays
When film industry research and first-hand experience told her that female writers...
Comment: Post-Horror? Give Audiences More Credit
As Midsommar and Don’t Look Now hit UK cinemas, Mike Pinnington applauds the...
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[friday, january 16, 2009]
show: all posts | rants & reviews | interviews | ratings | video
Interview: "The L Word" Co-Creator Ilene Chaiken
Interview: "American Idol" Judge Simon Cowell
Interview: "Kyle Xy" Co-Executive Producer Julie Plec
Interview: "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" Creator Brenda Hampton
Interview: "Flashpoint" Co-Stars Hugh Dillon & Enrico Colantoni
Interview: "Howie Do It" Host Howie Mandel
Interview: "Damages" Star Glenn Close
Interview: "Dollhouse" Creator Joss Whedon
Interview: "10 Items Or Less" Star John Lehr
Interview: "Superstars of Dance" Host Michael Flatley & Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe
Interview: "Numb3rs" Co-Creator Cheryl Heuton
Interview: "Momma's Boys" Executive Producer Ryan Seacrest
Interview: "30 Rock" Guest Star Elaine Stritch
Interview: "Leverage" Executive Producer Dean Devlin & Co-Star Timothy Hutton
Interview: "House of Saddam" Director Alex Holmes
Interview: "Ellen's Even Bigger Really Big Show" Host Ellen Degeneres
Interview: 'Rosie Live" Host Rosie O'Donnell
Interview: "House" Executive Producer Katie Jacobs
Interview: "Ghost Whisperer" Executive Producers Kim Moses & Ian Sander
Interview: "The Bill Engvall Show" Stars Bill Engvall & Nancy Travis
Interview: "Er" Co-Star Anthony Edwards
Interview: "Top Chef" Host Padma Lakshmi & Host Tom Colicchio
Interview: "Estate of Panic" Host Steve Valentine & Executive Producer Richard Hall
Interview: "Cha$e" Host Trey Farley & Executive Producer Rick Telles
Interview: "The Office" Co-Stars Angela Kinsey & Ed Helms
Interview: "Law & Order" Creator Dick Wolf & Star Sam Waterston
Interview: "Bones" Executive Producer Hart Hanson
Interview: "Ghost Hunters" Stars Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson
Interview: "Coolio's Rules" Star Coolio
Interview: "Frank TV" Star Frank Caliendo
Interview: "Crusoe" Co-Stars Philip Winchester & Sam Neill
Interview: "My Own Worst Enemy" Star Christian Slater
Interview: "The Starter Wife" Co-Stars Debra Messing & David Alan Basche
Interview: "King of the Hill" Co-Star Kathy Najimy
Interview: "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Co-Stars Nene Leakes & Lisa Wu Hartwell
Interview: "Life on Mars" Executive Producer Josh Appelbaum, Part 2
Interview: "The Simpsons" Executive Producer Al Jean
Interview: "Sanctuary" Star Amanda Tapping
Interview: "Guide to Style" Co-Hosts Tim Gunn & Gretta Monahan
Interview: "Life" Star Damian Lewis & Creator Rand Ravich
Interview: 'Chuck" Co-Stars Zachary Levi & Joshua Gomez
Interview: "My Name Is Earl" Star Jason Lee & Creator Greg Garcia
Interview: "Lipstick Jungle" Star Brooke Shields & Executive Producer Oliver Goldstick
Interview: "Knight Rider" Co-Stars Justin Bruening & Deanna Russo
Interview: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Guest Stars Luke Perry & Sara Gilbert
Interview: "The Biggest Loser" Host Alison Sweeney & Executive Producer Mark Koops
Interview: "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" Executive Producer James Middleton
Interview: "The Office" Co-Stars Paul Lieberstein & Amy Ryan
Interview: "Heroes" Creator Tim Kring & Co-Star Zachary Quinto
next page of results >>
most recent interviews | view all posts
Interview: "The Chris Downey Podcast" Host Chris Downey
The "Leverage" co-creator chats about his unique podcasting adventure, plus the future of his former TNT series.
Interview: "103 Ways to Get Into TV (By 102 Who Did, Plus Me)" Author Jim McKairnes
The former CBS executive chats about his new book, about how to come to Los Angeles and succeed in the television business.
Interview: "Once Upon a Time" Co-Stars Josh Dallas & Robert Carlyle
Plus: Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla and Steve Pearlman talk season two of the ABC drama.
Interview: "Once Upon a Time" Co-Stars Ginnifer Goodwin & Jennifer Morrison
Plus: Colin O'Donoghue, Josh Dallas, Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle talk season two of the ABC drama.
Interview: Head of MTV Programming David Janollari
The Viacom-owned network chief talks everything from "Underemployed" to "Teen Wolf" to "Jersey Shore."
Interview: "Dexter" Executive Producer Scott Buck
Check out our chat about tonight's season premiere of Showtime's flagship drama.
Interview: "NCIS" Executive Producer Gary Glasberg
The CBS mainstay kicks off its landmark 10th season tonight at 8:00/7:00c.
Interview: "Bones" Executive Producers Hart Hanson & Stephen Nathan
Season eight of the FOX drama kicks off tonight at 8:00/7:00c.
Interview: "Hell on Wheels" Executive Producer John Shiban
The Anson Mount-led drama continues Sunday nights at 9:00/8:00c on AMC.
Interview: "America's Next Top Model" Creative Consultant Johnny Wujek
The CW's reality franchise now airs Friday nights at 8:00/7:00c on the network.
Interview: "Grimm" Co-Creators David Greenwalt & Jim Kouf
The showrunners chat about the show's second season, airing Monday nights at 10:00/9:00c on NBC.
Interview: "Boss" Creator Farhad Safinia
The Starz drama kicks off its second season tonight at 9:00/8:00c.
Interview: "Necessary Roughness" Co-Stars Callie Thorne, Marc Blucas & Mehcad Brooks
Plus: executive producer Kevin Dowling on the new season, airing Wednesdays at 10:00/9:00c on USA.
Interview: "Falling Skies" Executive Producer Remi Aubuchon
TNT's hit drama returns with a two-hour premiere this Sunday at 9:00/8:00c.
Interview: "The Choice" & "So You Think You Can Dance" Host Cat Deeley
The ever-busy Brit is also behind Yahoo!'s online series "In The Dressing Room."
more interviews >>
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Published On: Tue, Feb 7th, 2017
Libya / World News | By Sierra Jones
EU blocks refugees from Libya, somehow Trump is attacked
During European Union’s latest summit in Malta on Friday to debate and discuss migration into Europe from the sub-Saharan Africa through Libya and across the Mediterranean, President Trump’s new immigration plans for America dominated the tone.
François Hollande, the French president, called his American counterpart’s comments earlier this month denigrating the EU “unacceptable.”
Federica Mogherini, the union’s foreign policy chief, said “we do not believe in bans and walls”, a slap at President Trump’s executive order on refugees and his plans for a wall on America’s Mexican border.
Image/CIA
Contrary to this tone is the EU’s new plans, a deal with Turkey which started in March 2016, to crack down on people-smuggling in the Aegean sea and now halt the migrants from Libya.
Some 180,000 arrived in Italy last year, with more than 4,000 dead or missing on the crossing.
Many of them are economic migrants, not refugees. The largest proportion came from Nigeria, which has very low asylum acceptance rates. Most experienced extreme hardship on the route: reports of beatings, rapes and torture in Libya are common.
Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian prime minister, signed a deal with Fayez al-Sarraj, the prime minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), the UN-backed Libyan government. Italy will provide money to try to persuade the GNA to stop smugglers sending thousands of people out on flimsy boats.
The EU backed the deal at the summit, providing an additional €200m ($216m) to an EU fund for Africa (already worth €1.8bn), and confirming plans to train up the Libyan coast guard.
Transit countries, such as Niger and Mali, have also been targeted with promises of cash and international help (particularly from Germany).
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, does not want to keep out genuine refugees: “This is not about who has the right to claim asylum.”
Merkel said it was about destroying the smugglers’ business model.
Libya today is close to lawless: the GNA has limited control outside of Tripoli, the capital, while the coast is ruled by competing militias.
The EU is mulling getting neighbouring countries, such as Tunisia or Egypt, involved, but the plans are vague.
The Italy-Libya deal calls for establishing “reception centres”, but does not explain what they would be, says Federico Soda of the IOM.
Detention centres, run by different militias and other groups, already exist all over Libya. Most provide miserable accommodations to those who are stuck in them, almost always against their will.
The Italian government has been complaining to the EU about the failure to tackle African migration for decades.
Syrian refugees in Hungary
photo/ Mstyslav Chernov – Wikimedia Commons
Sierra Jones - Sierra is a copy writer for The Dispatch, focusing primarily on pop culture and stories linked to the latest Christian headlines, both in the U.S. and overseas.
AfricaAngela MerkelEuropeEuropean Unionforeign aid LibyaFranceFrançois HollandeFrench President Francois HollandeGermanyhuman traffickingillegal immigrationimmigrationimmigration billimmigration crisisimmigration lawimmigration protestimmigration reformItalyLibya civil warLibya warMexicoNigerPresident Trumpraperape allegationsrefugee campsrefugee crisissex traffickingSouth Sudan refugeesSudan refugee campsSudan refugeessyria refugeesSyrian refugeesU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
News roundup February 8, 2017 « Refugee Resettlement Watch says:
[…] EU blocks refugees from Libya, somehow Trump is attacked […]
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Midnight in the Cervecería of Good and Evil.
In November I reported on plans for what would appear to be El Salvador's first microbrewery. It would be another small boost for Central America, a.k.a the land that beer forgot. Now time for an update.
A few days ago I received a note from Salvadoran brewer David Falkenstein, one of the people behind that project. The schedule is changing even as plans become more ambitious.
Originally the hope was to open in March or April 2011 in conjunction with an existing San Salvador pub. Now, Falkenstein says, the plan is to build a 10-hectoliter brewhouse that would distribute kegs and bottles to bars and other customers. It would be similar to what's happening at Costa Rica's Craft Brewing in Cartago, with whom Falkenstein has been in contact. Craft beer types gotta stick together, after all.
The hopeful date is now August 2011, but that depends on the lawyers completing all the permits in a timely manner. "The timeline for our project certainly keeps slipping but I guess this is the nature of the beast," Falkenstein says. Indeed.
The brewery also has a name: Cadejo Brewing Company. The cadejo is an interesting piece of Central American folklore. The cadejos are dog-like creatures, and there are two of them: white and black. Good and evil. Like yin and yang with a chupacabra twist.
Says Falkenstein: "The black dog is supposed to scare 'borrachos' [drunks] on the roads at night and the white dog protects good people, so it's sort of a ying yang thing. However many people mistakenly think the cadejo is the dog of the devil so the name will certainly create some controversy in our uber-religious country, but we are looking to stir things up a bit so we are going with it."
Meanwhile: I'm hoping for a jaunt to Panama City early next month. There's a brewpub there. And a beery German resto. And a shop that sells Sierra Nevada.
Pictured: a stout from Costa Rica's Craft Brewing. A keg-only special release for St. Patrick's Day. A well-brewed balance of mocha sweetness, light roast bitterness, and the Q-word. Quaffability. The sort of beer that many American micros do well and many craft beer drinkers take for granted.
I don't think anyone down here will be making that mistake.
By Joe on Tuesday, March 08, 2011
You should visit www.brewrevolution.com to see the first brewery in El Salvador.
Irish Holiday, British Pub, Costa Rican Craft Beer...
Old Beer. I Mean, Really Old.
Another Reason to Stay in Brussels.
Gone Swimming.
Sam Calagione Has a Dream.
Session Beer Relativism. Or, Slippery Slopes. Or, ...
The World Can Always Use More Pub Guides.
Word to Your Mother's.
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Flying Gnomes, Belgian Humor, and Aroma Hop Delive...
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Drie Fonteinen to Brew Again? And Other News.
'Belgium is sleepy in the matter of beer.'
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Reasonable Endeavours Clauses Can Have Teeth
Unreasonable delay in fulfilling the terms of a contract is an unwise policy, as a recent dispute that ended up in the Court of Appeal shows.
When a developer wished to build an ice-skating rink, its first priority was to secure a clear title to the development site.
The contract entered into with the vendor required the developer to use 'reasonable endeavours' to fulfil certain conditions as soon as reasonably practicable so as to trigger an overage payment of £1.4 million on top of the initial payment made for the purchase of the site.
The additional payment was to have been made within ten working days after the developer was granted 'an acceptable planning permission' as defined in the contract. The initial property transfer was made in 2003 and there was a long stop included that the trigger date had to occur within ten years of the initial contract.
Various negotiations were entered into, but nothing happened that the developer considered would trigger the additional payment until four days after the expiry of the long stop.
The vendor argued that a planning permission that was achieved a few months before the long stop date was an acceptable planning permission, so the overage payment was due. In any event, it argued that the developer's failure to use reasonable endeavours to satisfy the conditions in the contract for payment of the overage caused it a loss. The result was a hearing in the High Court.
The developer argued that the planning permission received before the expiry of the long stop was not an acceptable planning permission because there were some issues still to be resolved relating to property interests, including an easement over the land. The judge commented on this point, saying, "The existence of the easement might be a factor in assessing whether the planning permission was 'commercially viable', but cannot be an unacceptable term or condition of the permission," and concluded that the developer could not reasonably hold the opinion that the terms and conditions of the planning permission were 'unacceptable'.
However, a further condition had to be met (the 'assembly condition'), which was that various leases had to be merged into a superior lease and that lease then merged into the freehold interest.
The case then turned on the reasonable endeavours provision, which involved an examination of the actual behaviour of the developer and led the judge to comment that 'where a party undertakes to use "reasonable endeavours" to achieve an aim he implicitly undertakes not by his own actions to make that aim more difficult of achievement'.
The Court found that the developer had not used reasonable endeavours, but instead had worked to a timetable which meant that the long stop date would pass before the trigger date.
Accordingly, the Court awarded the vendor damages of £1.4 million plus interest, a decision that was recently upheld by the Court of Appeal.
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Tree Frog Forestry News
Today’s Takeaway
The UN’s embrace of forest products sparks debate at Climate Week
The Tree Frog Forestry News
Category: Today's Takeaway
The UN’s embrace of forest products sparked debate at Climate Week in New York. In related news: UN plans vast urban forests to improve air quality; carbon removal needed to fight climate pollution; and a blood-red haze engulfs Indonesia.
In Business news: BC’s worker-support funding called sneaky, robbing Peter to pay Paul. As jobs evaporate and more worries arise in BC communities, including Terrace, Merritt, Quesnel, a 200 logging truck protest is planned for Vancouver and COFI answers questions on its 60-point plan. Other topics making headlines include: trends in global trade of forest products; an industry wetland partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada; SFI’s Green Ride for Jobs; and the plight of BC’s iconic Mountain Caribou.
Finally; Dovetail’s latest LCA assessment on home cladding products a win for wood.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
‘We’re all getting hit hard’: Cariboo loggers set to join truck Rally to Vancouver protest
By Angie Mindus
The Williams Lake Tribune
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
A Facebook post calling on local logging companies to join a Rally to Vancouver truck protest is quickly gaining momentum in the Cariboo. Started in the Cariboo by Jorden Ilnicki of Jordco Enterprises in Williams Lake, the protest will see truckers from throughout the north head in a convey to Merritt and then Vancouver to bring attention to the dire state of the industry, stopping at many resource-based communities along the route. …From Merritt, the truck rally will begin its convoy to the Lower Mainland and into the City of Vancouver with a police escort. …Tracy said anywhere from 20 to 50 truckers are expected to come out of Williams Lake to join the provincial convey, where there could be hundreds more.
MLA to host forestry industry meeting
By Rod Link
The Terrace Standard
Ellis Ross
Ellis Ross would be the first to admit he doesn’t know a lot about the forestry industry. “Forestry is an incredibly complicated topic. There’s no easy fix. There are so many different issues. It’s always been a bit of a mystery to me,” says the BC Liberal MLA for Skeena. So he’s hosting a meeting Oct. 3 and is inviting anybody and everybody with ideas that would stimulate economic development and employment. …“What I’m looking for is a non-partisan discussion. I want to get good qualified people in the room,” said Ross of his plan. …The MLA also thinks the wide variety of companies in the provincial forestry industry may have to forego the idea of making as much profit as possible in favour of putting people to work.
‘Robbing Peter to pay Paul’: B.C. government funds $69M forestry support program by cancelling rural grants
By Andrew Kurjata
The B.C. government is redirecting money earmarked to help rural communities across the province into a new forest worker support program in the province’s Interior, and the news has left some small-town leaders wondering if the decision is more about optics than actually supporting B.C.’s resource communities. “They’re robbing Peter to pay Paul,” said Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb, whose city had applied for a $500,000 rural dividend grant to build a water treatment plant. “They screwed up.” The B.C. Rural Dividend is a $25 million provincial fund aimed at helping communities of 25,000 people or less “strengthen and diversify their local economies.” …But this year’s applicants have been told they won’t be getting any money, as the province spends $69 million on newly-announced forest worker support programs in the B.C. Interior.
Tegart talks local forestry
Merritt Herald
Jackie Tegart
…forestry is the primary employer [for many in BC], so the recent downturn in the industry has been a troubling trend. “Crisis” is the word Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart uses to describe the situation. “I think that, certainly in Fraser-Nicola, when we look at mountain pine beetle and the impact of the 2017 and 2018 fires, we knew annual allowable cuts would be going down,” she said. “But we didn’t think it would be quite as devastating as it has been.” Tegart pointed to the province being the highest-cost producer in North America as having a lot to do with the current state of the industry. And, while she acknowledged the plans recently announced by the provincial government — [$69-million fund] — she said that action should have been taken sooner. Tegart said she had urged the provincial government to contact the federal government about solutions to the forestry problem before the arrival of the federal election campaign.
Support package for forest workers comes at a price — B.C. Rural Dividend fund
By Vaughn Palmer
The Vancouver Sun
Doug Donaldson
VICTORIA — When cabinet minister Doug Donaldson announced a $69-million support package for displaced forest workers, he didn’t mention it would be paid for in part by suspending $25 million in grants to develop the rural economy. Donaldson… confined the bad news to a letter sent out to hundreds of applicants for grants under the B.C. Rural Dividend. The dividend was established under the previous B.C. Liberal government to “strengthen and diversify” the local economy in communities of 25,000 people or less. …Instead of disappointing all those applicants, why didn’t the New Democrats take the $25 million out of contingency funds? …“This is a cross-government approach to a new initiative,” Donaldson explained. “We want to be careful managers of public funds.” A defensible move if done upfront. …That suggests they aren’t so much careful managers as sneaky ones.
Quesnel Eyes Next Steps Following Forestry Think Tank Two
By George Henderson
My Cariboo Now
Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says this week’s Forestry Think Tank was once again very successful. He says they focused on what the human resource challenges would be in realizing a whole new approach to the forest industry. Simpson says they looked at a variety of alternate products… “If we’re going to get into bio processing for example, making bio fuels, bio plastics, or bio composites, if we’re going to do something different on the land base in terms of how we plan and harvest on the land base, then a big question begged is how do you fill the human resource skills for that ?” Simpson says they had more 60 people taking part representing post-secondary institutions, research institutions, the Ministry of Forests from around the province and Victoria, as well as First Nations.
Worker aid package details are elusive
The Vanderhoof Omineca Express
Details remain vague as to how the $69 million aid package for workers affected by sawmill closures and operations reductions announced by the provincial government last week will apply to workers at the Canfor sawmill in Houston and Vanderhoof. …$40 million of the package is to provide a bridge to retirement for older workers, $15 million for short term projects such as getting rid of trees which pose as fire hazards near communities and $12 million for skills retraining. There’s a further $2 million for an office to track workers as they take on other employment and money for communities to help cope with the effects of losing major employers. The retirement bridge portion is to be cost-shared between the province and forest companies. …Dawn Makarowski from the forests ministry… “The details of how the programs will be implemented will be available in the coming weeks.
As jobs evaporate, some B.C. resource towns look to tourism. But the transition is no vacation
By Jeremy Nuttall
…Recently layoffs at local mills in Quesnel, central British Columbia and the closure of another have darkened the day in the small city and its surrounding area of about 23,000 people. …Worse yet, the question of what comes next for workers in resource towns when layoffs hit is flumoxing desperate locals. In some places tourism is the answer, but it’s an unlikely scenario in some of B.C.’s more remote places. Experts caution it’s easy to tout tech as an economic replacement but harder to actually employ former mill workers and lumberjacks in an industry requiring specialized education at post secondary schools in cities far away from sawdust and green chains. …Despite a history of boom and bust resource economies across the province, a workable solution to the problem of how to employ people when the resource sector goes down has largely eluded provincial leaders.
Editorial: More worries over work in B.C.’s woods
By Editorial Board
For the value it adds to B.C.’s economy and the share it shoulders of the province’s vital export inventory, forestry gets precious little love from the provincial government. Last week’s announced $69 million initiative to support workers in the beleaguered forest industry is therefore encouraging. It is also long overdue. The BC NDP’s…Finance Minister Carole James also applauded her government’s job of “strong budget management that is delivering services people count on, making life more affordable for people and building a sustainable economy.” These are laudable talking points. But it might be time to consider doing more to put key economic building blocks first. Forestry, for instance. Though it gets little recognition from urban sophisticates and the clean-tech set, forestry remains fundamental to B.C.’s economic vitality. It still directly employs approximately 50,000 British Columbians and generates roughly one-third of B.C. export revenue. But it is hurting. …Putting forestry first for a change would also help put a lot of people first in this province.
BC Council of Forest Industries CEO answers key questions on 60 point plan
By Brendan Pawliw
My Prince George Now
Susan Yurkovich
…MyPGNow.com spoke with COFI President and CEO Susan Yurkovich on several points from their platform. 1) Implement a “no-net-loss policy” to provide certainty in the long term. Undertake a review every 5 years. How would this be achieved?… 2) Accelerate the replanting of Not Sufficiently Restocked (NSR) areas to return them to productive forests. Set a goal of achieving 100% completion within 5 years. Targeting a 24-month timeline to salvage timber following wildfires… 3) Increase revenue sharing to direct 40% of stumpage revenue to support local communities and First Nations. This revenue will create a means for First Nations to increase direct participation in the industry and will support community initiatives. How could this benefit the north?… 4) Establish a permanent Chair in Green Building at UBC and/or UNBC. How would this benefit Prince George, which already has the Wood Innovation and Design Centre?
200 logging trucks expected to drive through Vancouver Wednesday to protest forestry job losses
By Emily Lazatin
About 200 logging trucks will make their way through downtown Vancouver Wednesday morning to protest dozens of mill closures or curtailments and hundreds of jobs lost across B.C. Truckers will be sending their message to those attending the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention at the Vancouver Convention Centre this week. “We’ll have people as far north as Burns Lake and beyond…Quesnel, 100 Mile, Prince George, out of North Thompson, out of he Kooteneys, Kelowna, Vernon, from all over,” co-organizer Howard McKimmon said. …Retired forestry worker Jerry Canuel said one big issue is the stumpage rate in place throughout B.C.“Those rates do not reflect true market values right now and they are rates that are really at a level that are so high that it will prohibit harvesting operations from starting up again, so our message is that program has to be looked at, something has to be done with that program,” he said.
Stumped – Searching for trends in the global trade of forest products
By George Lauriat
American Journal of Transportation
There is nothing easy about searching out supply and demand trends in the global trade of forest products. With the U.S.-China tariff war, the global economic slowing, climate change and environmental challenges, looking for market trends can be like trying to read the tea leaves spinning in a stirred cup. Stumped. Where do you begin? Over the past two years the tariff war between the United States and China certainly has been a major factor stirring up difficulties in the global trade of forest products. …There are other factors influencing global supply and demand for forest products. Pricing and product availability matched against the demand economics and the regulatory guidelines push and shove forest products from market to market. …Nonetheless, China’s imports of forest products – just as steelmaking commodities – shape the global market. …When the tariff war between the U.S. and China broke out in 2018, it set off a tit for tat tariffs battle
Business needs to tell its side of the story
By Don Brunell
The Courier-Herald
Many years ago, a reporter asked George Weyerhaeuser, then CEO of Weyerhaeuser Co., why his company spent so much time and money informing its workers, public officials and people about its business of growing trees and converting those trees into lumber and paper products. His answer was simple. “People need to know what we do and why what we do is important to them.” …Weyerhaeuser and the forest industry went a step further. They took public concerns to heart and changed the way they managed their lands. Some of those modifications were costly and put lands off limits to logging. …Just as the forest industry invests in public information programs, so have our railroads. …Just as the forest industry is a major employer and economic driver in Washington, so are BNSF and Union Pacific—the nation’s two largest railroads.
Katerra Opens State-of-the-Art Mass Timber Factory in Spokane Valley, WA
Region: United States, US West
MENLO PARK, California — Katerra, a technology company redefining the construction industry, announced the grand opening of North America’s highest volume cross-laminated timber factory. Located in Spokane Valley, Wash., the 270,000-square-foot-facility will significantly increase supplies of CLT, a fully renewable structural building material that… can be used in place of steel and concrete in buildings up to 18 stories. …“CLT perfectly embodies Katerra’s guiding principles for product development…” said Michael Marks, CEO and co-founder of Katerra. …Katerra’s new CLT factory occupies 29 acres with easy access to rail lines and interstate highways. At full operation, the factory will employ 105 people.
Katerra says its new cross-laminated timber plant is the largest in the country
By Robert Dalheim
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Engineered wood and building development giant Katerra’s new cross-laminated timber and glulam plant is now open in Washington. Katerra says the 270,000 square foot facility is the largest of its kind in North America. Citing “off the charts” demand for its CLT, the $150 million manufacturing plant will produce up to 13 million board feet of timber per year. …Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Senator Maria Cantwell both praised the plant and the 100 jobs created. Cantwell helped push 2018’s Farm Bill into effect, which funded CLT research and development. …Katerra’s near-term manufacturing expansion plans for the U.S. includes three more building components factories to serve the South and East Coast markets, as well as another mass timber production facility to be located in the Southeast. The company is worth around $3 billion.
Air permit paves way for $1.8B pulp mill in Arkansas
By Stephen Steed
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Region: US East, United States
Sun Bio received an air permit Monday from the state, allowing the company to begin construction of a $1.8 billion pulp mill first announced for Clark County more than three years ago. Some 350 people will be employed at the mill when it opens — up from the 250 employees projected in April 2016. Investment in the project also increased from $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion when Shandong Sun Paper Industry changed the project’s mission in early 2018. That change forced the China-based company to restart the application process for the necessary air and water permits from what is now the Department of Energy and Environment and its Division of Environmental Quality. The mill is expected to provide another 1,000 jobs in the logging industry and more than 2,000 jobs during construction, officials have said.
SFPA Mourns the Passing of William Almond
The Southern Forest Products Association
William Almond
William Almond, Almond Brothers Lumber, passed away Sunday, September 22, at the age of 67. William joined Southern Forest Products Association in 2010 and served on SFPA’s Board of Directors from 2010-2018. He was a true southern gentleman with a deep passion for the Southern Pine Lumber Industry. William served on SFPA’s Executive Committee from 2013 through 2018 in various positions including Treasurer, Vice-Chair of Board, Chair of Board, and two terms as Immediate Past Chair. The profound level of commitment William gave to SFPA and the Southern Pine Lumber Industry enhanced our organization and industry in countless ways. [The link to William’s full obituary is the Read More]
World Bank forest-rescue program ‘kickstarted’ by Germany
A World Bank forest rescue program has been given a multi-million “kickstart” by Germany. Norway has done a deal with Gabon that it sustains its tropical forests to absorb carbon dioxide and help avert climate warming. German Development Minister Gerd Müller signed a €200 million ($210 million) pledge from Germany in New York on Monday to launch ProGreen, a World Bank program to stem deforestation amid climate change. Signing for the World Bank, its president David Malpass said ProGreen built on existing initiatives and focused on improving forest policies nation-by-nation by bringing together “rarely coordinated” sectors. The World Bank said Earth’s remaining forests were under “increasing pressure” while providing habitat for 78% of the world’s poor, with one-third of total land areas already degraded “at an estimated annual cost of US$300 billion.” Müller said 11% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) could be traced to deforestation.
What Makes Trex a Better Wood Stock Than Universal Forest?
By Zacks Equity Research
Category: Finance & Economics
The Zacks Building Products – has witnessed signs of recovery as the U.S. housing market rebounded this year, thanks to lower mortgage rates and a solid labor market. …Universal Forest and Trex are the most recognized among the industry bellwethers. …In the past three-month period, Trex and Universal Forest have gained 29.4% and 10.3%, respectively, compared with the industry’s 8% growth.
Wood, Paper & Green Building
Environmental Assessment of House Cladding Products
By Jim Bowyer et al
Dovetails Partners Inc.
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
A number of house cladding options are available to North American consumers. While environmental impacts of various options are seldom taken into account in product selection, information regarding specific impact measures through the life cycles of products is now readily available. This information reveals differences in impacts linked to various types of cladding options. Over an assumed building life of 60 years or less environmental performance of vinyl and wood-based products is generally better than that of available alternatives. However, should a longer building life be assumed, the relative ranking of brick and mortar cladding would improve with each decade of additional assumed life, up to 200 years.
9,000 km Cross-Country Green Ride for Green Jobs Bike Tour Crosses the Finish Line in St. John’s
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Category: Forestry
St. John’s, Newfoundland — After biking over 9,000 kms across Canada, Zac Wagman, Green Jobs Manager for Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) – an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) – completed the Green Ride for Green Jobs today at the Terry Fox Mile 0 Monument in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Wagman’s journey began in Victoria, B.C., on May 13, and took him through over 100 communities across nine provinces where he met with over 230 Green Jobs youth and over 50 employers. The youth Wagman met on his ride were just some of the 2,000 students that PLT Canada helped to place in green jobs since 2018 with support from over 150 employers across Canada and funding provided by the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. Wagman’s arrival coincided with National Forest Week, a week dedicated to celebrating the natural heritage and benefits of one of Canada’s greatest renewable resources.
Forest Management Wetland Stewardship Initiative extends partnership to 2022
Ducks Unlimited Canada
EDMONTON, Alberta — Members of the Forest Management Wetland Stewardship Initiative announce that… the partnership will continue for a second three-year term. FMWSI is a partnership between Alberta-Pacific, Canfor, FPAC, Millar Western, Tolko, West Fraser and Weyerhaeuser, and Ducks Unlimited Canada. The goals of the partnership are to share knowledge and resources to advance sustainable forest management and wetland stewardship in the working forests of Canada’s boreal region. In its first term, the partnership determined there was a need to address how to maintain healthy wetlands when working in the Boreal region. In response, three guidebooks were developed to assist with the identification and management of boreal wetlands. …“This collaborative initiative is an example of how landscape-scale forest management planning can work to enhance and conserve wetlands and biodiversity,” …said Kate Lindsay, VP FPAC.
Northern B.C. mayor wants province to act now to squash spruce beetle infestation
Brad Layton
Beetles are once again wreaking havoc on British Columbia’s forests and the mayor of Telkwa, B.C. says the province must do more to stop the infestation now to protect both the trees and the timber industry. Brad Layton, the mayor of Telkwa, B.C., located 350 kilometres west of Prince George, is worried about the spruce beetle. …According to the province, there are more than 341,000 hectares of forest infested with spruce beetles in the north central Interior of B.C., and Layton says the government could do more to handle the problem now before it balloons beyond control. …Layton said spruce beetles are easily foiled by”trap trees,” which are trees intentionally cut down to lure beetles away from those meant to be harvested.
Iconic mountain caribou deserve more attention
By Tim Burkhart, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
…Here in British Columbia, we are blessed with North America’s largest amount of unique species of animals, plants, and insects — but also the highest number of species at risk of extinction. Unfortunately, the B.C. government appears committed to managing that extinction, rather than confronting and reversing it, at least for the iconic mountain caribou. Fewer than 1,300 southern mountain caribou remain, and some herds, including the Burnt Pine and South Selkirks, are now locally extinct. On Sept. 18, Doug Donaldson, the B.C. Minister of Forests, was quoted as saying, “We have enough (caribou) habitat protection measures in place.” The ministry’s own recovery program documents disagree. …Real leadership would seize upon the opportunity to both address the real issues and to stand up to the massive extinction event threatening B.C.’s iconic wildlife. What is stopping Minister Donaldson?
Environmentalists take Nova Scotia to court over endangered species
By Blair Rhodes
Region: Canada East, Canada
Environmental groups are asking a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge to order the provincial Lands and Forestry Department to do more to protect endangered species. The groups argue that the government is in violation of its own legislation covering species at risk because it has failed to come up with concrete plans to protect species and help them recover. …Those included the Canada warbler and the eastern wood peewee, both songbirds, the black ash and ram’s head lady’s slipper, both plants, the wood turtle and the iconic mainland moose. All have been identified by the government as species at risk. But lawyers for the groups argued Monday that the government has failed to adhere to its own requirements.
Alleged threats made to timber harvesters as tensions rise in Port Blandford
NFLD. & LABRADOR — Amid rising tensions and a government-issued warning of possible threats against local timber harvesters, the mayor of Port Blandford is arguing for both peace in his central Newfoundland community and an end to logging operations in its surrounding valley. While Chad Holloway said the spectre of commercial harvesting in the Southwest River Valley has been contentious for the last few years, a notice issued Thursday by the Department of Land and Fish Resources of “alleged threats to the physical safety of domestic and commercial harvesters” has escalated the need to find common ground. …The notice asked for both domestic and commercial harvesters to curtail their work until more is known about the threats. CBC requests for more information were unanswered.
Judge grants preliminary injunction to stop timber sales in Tongass
By Lex Treinen
KTUU
ANCHORAGE –A federal judge halted the US Forest Service’s plan to sell 1,156 acres of old-growth forest on Prince of Wales Island in the Tongass National Forest that was scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The injunction stops Tuesday’s sale, but also puts on hold additional plans contained within the Forest Service’s plan to log 23,269 acres of old-growth forest, as well as proposed construction of a 164-mile road and 19,366 acres of young growth trees over the next 15 years. Judge Sharon Gleason of the U.S. District Court for Alaska, issued the opinion just days before effects of the project could have been seen. …The decision found that the plaintiffs in the case, the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and other environmental groups, use the area for subsistence and recreation activities, and that the timber harvest and road construction in the area would cause “irreparable harm,” something that the Forest Service didn’t deny.
Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Cutting climate pollution isn’t enough — we also need carbon removal
By Fred Krupp and Ernest Moniz
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
It has been almost four years since the Paris climate agreement was signed. But as leaders gather in New York this week for the United Nations Climate Change Summit, the world remains far off track. To meet that target, the world must achieve a 100 percent clean economy — one that produces net zero emissions, or no more climate pollution than can be removed from the atmosphere — soon after mid-century, with the United States and other advanced economies reaching that milestone no later than 2050. It’s a daunting but doable task. …The good news is that there are a surprisingly large number of promising pathways for carbon dioxide removal. Nature-based approaches include reforestation and forest management as well as agricultural practices that increase carbon stored in soils. Some of the attendant challenges include competition for land and permanence of the carbon sequestration.
As Climate Week Kicks Off, UN Report Recommendation on Forest Products Sparks Debate
By Shawn McCoy
Inside Sources
As environmental groups, activists, government officials, and corporate leaders gather in New York for Climate Week, a little-noticed recommendation from a recent United Nations report on climate change is getting increased attention – and sparking debate. …[It is] the report’s embrace of forest products. “In the long term,” the IPCC explains, “a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fiber, or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit.” …“A healthy market for wood products provides a strong incentive for landowners to maintain their forests and keep regrowing trees,” said Taylor Fitts, Vice President of Communications at the US Industrial Pellet Association, a trade association that promotes sustainable wood energy. “Without this incentive, we’ll actually lose forests as private landowners convert them to other uses that offer greater financial returns, including bulldozing them for development.”
U.N. plans vast urban forests to fight climate change
By Thin Lei Win
Reuters in Vancouver Sun
ROME – The United Nations unveiled plans to plant urban forests over an area four times the size of Hong Kong, seeking to make Africa and Asia’s rapidly growing cities greener. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the pace of urbanization on both continents was contributing to climate change and planting trees could improve air quality, cut the risk of floods and heatwaves and halt land degradation. It will discuss plans to create up to half a million hectares of new urban forests – more than four times the size of Hong Kong – by 2030 in New York this week. … The FAO is working with Stefano Boeri Architetti, the firm that designed a “vertical forest” in the Italian city of Milan by incorporating trees equivalent to two hectares of forests in two residential towers.
Blood-red haze engulfs Indonesian province as forest fires and smog worsen
By Eric Cheung
Category: Health & Safety
The skies over the Indonesian province of Jambi have been turned blood red, as the toxic haze from widespread rainforest fires continues to affect residents across the country. …More than 328,000 hectares of ecologically-rich land have been burned across Indonesia in recent weeks. The raging fires have forced hundreds of residents to evacuate and led to the deployment of more than 9,000 personnel to battle the flames. …The ominous-looking red skies were caused by a phenomenon called Mie scattering, which occurs when sunlight is scattered by tiny pollution particles in the air. …The scattering happens when the diameter of the particles is similar to the wavelength of visible sunlight, the agency said. …Some residents have been forced to evacuate to other cities because of the hazardous air quality.
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U12 DA Landscape
Page 1 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
by LongTimeFirstTime on 06/06/18, 02:27 pm
It seems like the DA landscape is starting to come into focus. Not sure on the accuracy of the list below. Feel free to make corrections or additions as appropriate
FC Dallas - Gall
Pool training is ongoing. Sounds like other than the top tier obvious choices (read coaches kids) not many have gotten a verbal "offer". This is typical of the way they've operated in the past I'm told. For those in the pool on the bubble that are looking around thinking they should make the top 26, think again...word is they're going to stock the "B" team with a sizable contingent of their top '08s.
FC Dallas South- ???
No info here other than they're training at MoneyGram.
Solar East - Wells
No one knows for sure how many verbal "offers" made. Best estimate is 16-18. Pool made up largely of their D1 players. The D2 players are being kept around to see where numbers end up. Significant presence of Rush, LP Owen, and Suarez kids at training.
Solar West - Zua Zua
Although late to the party...don't sleep on this group. Zua Zua already has a strong core and is making a run at getting the McKinney players to commit to West vs East. Get your popcorn ready! Solar will end up like the NBA with the vast majority of the talent in the West.
Texans - Hassan
With the core group from Stavrou and some solid additions this team is largely set. Another group listening to US Soccer's recommendation to pick players based on skill level and potential vs their birth certificate. Should see a good number of '08s on this list as well.
Texans South - Salazar
See Texans but replace Stavrou with Salazar kids...
LongTimeFirstTime
Re: U12 DA Landscape
by schmuck on 06/06/18, 02:32 pm
Rumor is that FCD South is Rebels
That certainly makes sense.
by DoubleDown on 06/06/18, 07:19 pm
I thought the Rebels were already FC Dallas South at some point in the past...The Rebels at Ken Smith looked a little smaller than I remember...
From what I understand, Solar West naught be a little more McKinney than Zuazua. At least the rumor I heard had McKinney as Z’s “assistant”. That might give the West a better pull for the McKinney kids.
Also one of the Solar West teams may be more South than West and run by Adames.
DoubleDown
by factsmatter on 18/06/18, 11:00 pm
Here is what I've heard...
FCD North: Speculation is that 14 (or more) of Gall's 07s will fill out the top group, and 9 or more of their top 08's (formerly PSG) could fill out their second group.
FCD South: Not hearing much from this bunch. Speculation is that a few of the Suarez boys, and some FCD West (Gonzales), are going to make up the core for their top group. Not sure where the kids are coming from, but I know that the "focus" of the South program this season is on the 2008 boys. I'm hearing that they could field upwards of 15 - 08 boys in their program.
Texans North: Stravou's boys will create the core of the top team. Second group will be a mixture of 08s and some nomadic 07's from the area.
Texans South: Salazar boys will be in competition with was is rumored to be: 8-10 commitments from the Rebels, 3-4 commitments from Kennington, and 2-3 kids from FCD's premier pool. I assume the top group will be made largely of kids from Salazar's current team and the Rebels Boys. The second group here could also be very strong.
Solar East:Wells is working with the core of Kennington and Volkan's Team. Rumors are that he's secured commitments from 8 or more independent players from both Rush and/or LP Owen (who has recently become Solar per their announcement on the forums). Speculation is that the Top group will be largely kids from Kennington/Rush/LP Owen, and the 2nd group will be made up of D2 Kids... (Volkan and Martinez).
Solar West: ZuaZua's boys will be the most interesting development. Rumors are that he will get the very top talent from the club's pool of 07s to build out the top group. Coach Adames (formerly Texans South) will have the second group, and rumors are he'll build a core using his top 08 players (which is obviously a trend being followed by all the clubs at this point.)
It will certainly be interesting to see how all of this movement will impact D1 Classic League.
factsmatter
by AlittleBitofSanity on 19/06/18, 11:12 am
Seems this is diluting talent across the board. Is any of this good for the kids? How many kids are on each team? 20? How much will they actually play? If they are adding so many 08s, doesnt that mean that there is no interest in "developing" this years group (07), but simply grabbing the best talent available? Think parents need to wake up or these clubs (which seems there will only be 3 left in the next few years) will squeeze all of the fun out of soccer and soccer will be back where it was 15 years ago.
AlittleBitofSanity
AlittleBitofSanity wrote: Seems this is diluting talent across the board. Is any of this good for the kids? How many kids are on each team? 20? How much will they actually play? If they are adding so many 08s, doesnt that mean that there is no interest in "developing" this years group (07), but simply grabbing the best talent available? Think parents need to wake up or these clubs (which seems there will only be 3 left in the next few years) will squeeze all of the fun out of soccer and soccer will be back where it was 15 years ago.
At U12, the roster is 22 minimum, and most will carry 24-26 max. By adding 08 players, I think the clubs are highlighting an opportunity with the U12 roster size. It makes no sense to take 24-26 of the 07 players, when there's really only 10-12 high-level players at each club... especially when the roster size decreases to 18 the following year (U13). The best plan would be to take the top 07 kids and fill out the top group, then recruit some top 08s and play them up to get them experience at competing/training at a higher level. Playing up the 08s will almost ensure a solid core for the following year's U12 group.
To your other point, I do agree that the number of quality independent clubs will decrease in the future. USSDA will have very little to do with this (IMO). It will just be survival of the fittest, as larger clubs with more resources will continue to dominate. The lack of quality coaches, willing to forgo the paychecks of the bigger brands and instead create/manage their own smaller clubs, will be the ultimate deciding factor. Quality coaching is the 2nd largest issue with American soccer (we parents are the largest issue... )
U12 DA doubled in size this year from 3 clubs with 22-26 roster to 6 clubs (FCD South, Texans South, Solar West) with 22-26 roster each. The reality is there isn't enough DA level talent in the '07 player pool to fill these spots. US Soccer has encouraged the clubs to look at players based on ability rather than date of birth, so it makes sense that there would be more '08s included this year. Not sure how this would negatively impact any of the '07s though...there's still plenty of spots to go around to worthy kids. The 22-26 roster spots are supposed to train together and are divided up into 2 squads for games. This add the benefit of training with better players which should help to develop the weaker players faster and increases competition (see Pulisic's comments on the importance of competition being a key difference to the culture in Germany vs clubs in the US), Ironically...half of the clubs are having a hard time reaching the minimum roster (22), they're getting little traffic from the independents...led by clubs like Allegiance which has convinced their players to stay put.
by 07 boys soccer on 19/06/18, 05:25 pm
Just speaking about the #1 teams at each DA as second team will mostly be 08s and lesser 07s.
FC Dallas North: Most of Gall’s top players and a few new ones, including some 08s on this team. Top 1 or 2 could end up playing with 06s as their 06s were not super strong. Always plenty of talent wanting to play at big club. Nice silver division win in SuperCopa.
FC Dallas South: not sure what this group will look like but plenty of untapped talent on the south side that could be brought in. Will be fun to see how this group comes together.
Solar East: Wells coaching and will be strongest solar group with top McKinney, top Kennington, top Volkan, top Martinez, Rush midfield and couple of LP players. McKinney’s team had best SuperCopa run, lost in semis to eventual gold champion.
Solar West: not sure what the group will look like, ZuaZua will have plenty of Solar talent to choose from between top 4 Solar team players that don’t go to East side. Adames and old DT South not an issue since that was not a very good team.
Dallas Texans: Marcio will coach Stavrous old team and his former old team. Good team that will be intact from their classic league team and familiar with each other and style of play. Probably not much player movement here.
Dallas Texans South: Salazar will have his old team, not sure of how many new players heading here based on his long ball style of play. Team has struggled as of late, disappointing SuperCopa. Rebels, if the rumor is true, would fit nicely with Salazar’s long ball. Rebels have had a tough tournament season, getting roughed up badly in Ken Smith and SuperCopa.
07 boys soccer
by dragonstryker on 03/07/18, 10:23 am
Updates/Speculation now that signing day has come and gone?
dragonstryker
by Longview on 03/07/18, 01:51 pm
I don’t have any info for you, but I am anxiously awaiting the summary of each of the 6 slots/12 squads. It still seems like filling out ~25 players in each of the 6 slots hasn’t been easy. USSDA and the clubs could have done a better job getting in front of this a lot sooner.
factsmatter wrote: Here is what I've heard...
So far, everything I mentioned here weeks ago held true. Most of which can now be confirmed, except for FCD South (still very little information from there).
by WHEELZ on 04/07/18, 11:36 am
Top talent.....I guarantee you that there is top talent not playing DA at this age due to the number of players on the teams and the cuts at the end of the season. 2007 top talent will sift to the top in two years. Doesn’t mean much at this point except for most of the kids parents....IMO.
WHEELZ
TxSoccer Lurker
by dreadpirateroberts on 04/07/18, 01:02 pm
Is it true that next year their will be only 3 DA teams as normal? So 1/2 the DA kids are going to be playing what next year??
dreadpirateroberts
TxSoccer Postmaster
WHEELZ wrote: Top talent.....I guarantee you that there is top talent not playing DA at this age due to the number of players on the teams and the cuts at the end of the season. 2007 top talent will sift to the top in two years. Doesn’t mean much at this point except for most of the kids parents....IMO.
I agree... there is still some top talent not playing DA, and for various reasons as you mentioned above. It's clear that you're not a supporter of DA (or at-least not at this age group), but I'll remind you that all of the "competitive" leagues have the same issues. You are absolutely correct that DA doesn't mean much at this point except for most of the kids parents... yet the same can be said for Boys ECNL and Classic League. I think DA can be a great experience for most of the players involved at the U12 level, as it "should" be development-focused. It's not for every kid though, and parents should seek out the right fit for their BB before signing.
dreadpirateroberts wrote: Is it true that next year their will be only 3 DA teams as normal? So 1/2 the DA kids are going to be playing what next year??
Yes it is true. Many kids playing U12 now, will be returning to Classic League play or lower the following year. Although, it's possible that the clubs could apply for additional U13 charters to accommodate the additional U12 groups. If you take a look at the USSDA website, you'll notice that there were several clubs who were simply adding progressive age groups at the U13 level, so this is a common practice for DA clubs.
Last edited by factsmatter on 04/07/18, 02:59 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : adding additional information)
Schedules posted.
No FCD South listed? So those of you posting info on that team (practice location and where their kids were coming from), thoughts?
by NtxDad101 on 03/08/18, 06:49 am
No Solar south neither.
NtxDad101
Solar West and Texans South
dragonstryker wrote: Schedules posted.
My personal speculation is that FCD failed to secure the 2nd DA charter for their South group. They were very late applying for that charter, were likely denied seeing as they weren't apart of USSDA's announcement of new clubs. However, rumors are that this was just a mistake, and that FCD South will be added in an updated schedule soon. I really hope that I'm wrong, because it would mean some parents and kids are just now learning that their BB isn't going to be playing DA this season. I sincerely hope that the rumors are confirmed and this group is eventually added to the USSDA U12 Boys Map (U12 Map). Either way, we should know more closer to the end of next week.
Last edited by factsmatter on 03/08/18, 02:24 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Grammar and spelling)
by Mr. Miyagi on 03/08/18, 01:35 pm
Mr. Miyagi
by Ant_Knee on 03/08/18, 07:19 pm
That would be a HUGE schedule adjustment considering that USSDA just posted the schedules barring time and locations to the scheduled dates. I guess they still have a little less than a month to get that situated before teams have their first games.
Ant_Knee
Ant_Knee wrote: That would be a HUGE schedule adjustment considering that USSDA just posted the schedules barring time and locations to the scheduled dates. I guess they still have a little less than a month to get that situated before teams have their first games.
Sounds like you too share the same skepticism about any potential schedule adjustment? FCD South was never included it the official announcement of new clubs/charters USSDA released back in March (see article here). Which means, aside for FCD's announcement to those us within NTX, FCD South doesn't even exist. To date, no updates/additions have ever been made to USSDA official list, which means that FCD South would be the lone exception (nationally-- let that sink in). While that exception is possible in theory, it is extremely unlikely.
Still, for the sake of the players and families involved, I'm hoping for the best in this particular situation. We will know the truth soon enough.
Rumor is that FCD South was requesting the 08’s that were being considered to play up on the DA team to make 2 year commitments. Does anyone know if this is the norm for DA?
by factsmatter on 04/08/18, 12:32 am
Mr. Miyagi wrote: Rumor is that FCD South was requesting the 08’s that were being considered to play up on the DA team to make 2 year commitments. Does anyone know if this is the norm for DA?
I really doubt it. I think the logical explanation for DA groups requesting so many 08 players to play up this upcoming season is due to the Clubs' not having a large enough pool of 07 players to fill the expansion rosters. Also USSDA issues a standard forms to every club, and it's the same for each age group. I can't personally refute any rumors about FCD South, but I can certainly say that it is NOT the norm for DA.
I would also consider the idea of the USSDA making scheduling errors, specifically where they omit a club entirely, to be outside of the norm...
by Mr. Miyagi on 04/08/18, 08:20 am
I agree. I figured the idea of requiring 2 year commitments as being abnormal, but didn’t want to put anything past the club(s) since it’s sort of a new thing that they are allowing so many kids to “play up” into DA this year. As stated earlier in the thread, I guess we will all see how this plays out soon enough.
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West Rockhill Historical Society
Farm House at James Memorial Park
Images of West Rockhill Township
Celebrating 100 Years of Grand View Hospital
Celebrating West Rockhill's Centenarians
Clymer Bridge Reconstruction
John Fries
Ridge Valley Signs
Saving History : The Outhouse
The Reattachment of a Young Mans Arm
Trigger Slept Here
Eleanora Gruber
Jill Cardell
Mary-Ann Hoffman
A Taste Of West Rockhill History
Images of America
Veterans of West Rockhill
Images of West Rockhill Township >
The stone from the original bridge and the new sign from the newly reconstructed bridge, Verne And Mary-Ann Hoffman Historical Society members in their 1959 Ford Thunderbird are the first to cross the newly reconstructed Clymer Bridge.
The Clymer Bridge in West Rockhill closed for 2 years for reconstruction in 2009 and was reopen October 24, 2011. The bridge was built in 1875 and is one of 30 surviving stone arch bridges in Bucks County. The bridge is a three-span closed spandrel stone arch bridge. The historical society under took a letter writing campaign in 2009 to help save the bridge. The following are pictures taken by a resident that lived near the bridge while under construction.
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Father Vjeko Center
Life History of Padri Vjeko Curic
Written by fra Ivica Perić
Padri Vjeko Curic was born in 26 April 1957 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He did his studies at the Franciscan minor seminary in Visoko. Did his Novitiate in Visoko and theology in Sarajevo, after which he was ordained.
Father Vjeko Curic as a Franciscan Priest
What people witness about him today in Rwanda-From the book “Tribute to Courage, African Rights, London, 2002
“Vjeko was a very generous man. That’s why they headed for his parish from all the surrounding communes during the genocide.”
“He used to visit the refugees at kabgayi regularly and comforted them in the face of death.”
Transporting Tutsis to safety
When he realized the extent of the danger facing the refugees in Kivumu, Fr. Vjeko Curic began transporting a number of them to Kabgayi on 15th April, where he thought they would have a better chance of survival. He traveled back and forth on a daily basis. Oswald was asked by Vjeko to look after the refugees in his absence. Fr. Vjeko went to Cyakabiri to negotiate with the Interahamwe there. As he was leaving, he asked me to take special care of the four families at the presbytery and to be ready to show them the way to Kabgayi. Most of them came from Kigali and didn’t know all the local paths. I kept an eye on the movements of the Interahamwe.
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Welcome to the World's Best Places
User Agreement and Privacy Policy
Spiaggia – Italian
Since 1984 Spiaggia is recognized as one of Chicago’s top eating houses. Chef and Partner Tony Mantuano and his team still go strong when it comes to serving contemporary Italian fare, combined with some great views from the three-story picture windows of Oak Street Beach and the shores of Lake Michigan.
Spiaggia means beach in Italian and the restaurant’s name comes from founder and chairman of Levy Restaurants, Larry Levy, who owns Spiaggia. Larry Levy has a passion for Italy and he liked to bring the spirit of Italy to his hometown Chicago. He started with a trip to the Mediterranean beach Forti di Marmi, but the whole project soon evolved into something much bigger which today has become one of the finest restaurants in Chicago.
Spiaggia is located on the second floor of a building at the One Magnificent Mile in Downtown Chicago. Larry Levy and his team really made a great job. It took several years before the restaurant finally opened in 1984 and by then Larry had found the talented and skilled Chef Tony Mantuano who also became a Partner of the restaurant.
Tony Mantuano worked in several top rated restaurants in Italy before he became the head of Spiaggia. He has achieved numerous accolades and he has also been locally famous after several appearances on television and published cookbooks. The Chef also manages other ventures such as Mangia Trattoria in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
You come to Spiaggia to have Italian cuisine, such as the Arancino nero con sepia with crisp rice fritter with mozzarella di bufala and butter poached baby cuttlefish. The seafood is what really distinguishes the restaurant and makes it great - seafood dishes like the sweet pea filled rye pasta with smoked baby octopus and fresh horseradish.
Spiaggia has been around for a long time now and hopefully the restaurant will continue for many more years to come, because it is one of the essential reservations when you are in Chicago looking for an Italian treat.
Spiaggia scored 72 points 100 points in our rating system. View our Top 60 of the world. Back to the reviews.
www.spiaggiarestaurant.com
Images curtesy of Spiaggia
© 2013 wbpstars.com. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of wbpstars.com.
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TGTBTQ: Merrie Land Album Thread
daii
Re: New The Good, The Bad and the Queen album
Post by daii » 12 May 2017, 13:48
"I'm recording with TGTBTQ and its a completely acoustic thing. There are some keyboards but it's more like piano and a Hammond organ" https://twitter.com/DamonUnofficial/sta ... 9689319424
http://damonalbarn.tumblr.com/
Location: Merrie Land
Contact Mark72
Post by Mark72 » 12 May 2017, 13:52
“I need something to remind me that there’s something else”
Post by KingLouieLouie76 » 12 May 2017, 16:34
daii wrote: "I'm recording with TGTBTQ and its a completely acoustic thing. There are some keyboards but it's more like piano and a Hammond organ" https://twitter.com/DamonUnofficial/sta ... 9689319424
Oh wow.. now this album possibly cannot get any better! I imagine some slight folk (with Paul on stand-up and acoustic bass) and Simon is a pretty solid acoustic guitarist himself. It's going to consist of some much emotional depth instrumentally and very profound lyrics as well. Please bring it on already!
Post by aldamasta » 12 May 2017, 17:44
Ooo yes bring out the Hammond! Can't wait!
Post by tom_cas1 » 12 May 2017, 18:03
Sounds good but how about continuing to promote the new Gorillaz album, you lazy bastard? Fucking Kasabian came in at #1 today with Gorillaz getting slaughtered. Pathetic.
This Gorillaz campaign is quite baffling...very odd promotion.
Post by bugman » 13 May 2017, 09:06
tom_cas1 wrote: Sounds good but how about continuing to promote the new Gorillaz album, you lazy bastard? Fucking Kasabian came in at #1 today with Gorillaz getting slaughtered. Pathetic.
new kasabian album is amazing, for me better than gorillaz
TracyJosh
Post by TracyJosh » 13 May 2017, 14:39
Mark72 wrote: This Gorillaz campaign is quite baffling...very odd promotion.
I don't think they can really be arsed given how little they will make on record sales regardless of what chart position it is. It's all about just getting out and touring. Their festival and world tour will be their main focus. The videos on youtube were well received and everyone who wants the album will have it. There's no need for them to take financial risks on promotion to attract a few more fans when the rewards are limited in 2017, the whole tour will likely be a sellout as is.
No real shock that Kasabian are number one, probably more popular in Britain than Gorillaz, but are dwarfed by Gorillaz popularity on a global scale.
Post by tender » 13 May 2017, 15:42
where´s that quote from ? source?
What we know so far about the new TGTBTQ album:
“I’m doing another record with the Good the Bad and the Queen. We’re doing that in May. That’s not GarageBand at all. That’s just the four of us playing live, straight on the floor.”
“I see the Good, the Bad and the Queen record as being a soul version of Parklife. It’s stories about Britain – as it is now. We’ve been up in [the English seaside resort] Blackpool. That’s where I’ve been getting my energy for that. I decide on places, and I like sticking to it. Everything has to happen in my head in that place. It’s cinematic in my head.”
He teases it as his first “post-Brexit commentary” and says it’s so far an extension of the first album but with a more soulful direction and more Afro-centric rhythms, describing the whole thing as being “an Afro-soul Parklife, if that’s possible.”
“I’m recording with The Good The Bad and The Queen and it’s a completely acoustic thing. There are some keyboards but it’s more like piano and a Hammond organ”
Tony Visconti as producer? -> “He doesn’t offer any details or concrete plans yet, but also reveals he’d recently talked with producer Tony Visconti (famed for his work with David Bowie) about working on something — something also involving Paul Simonon.
Quotes from Stereogum, Rolling Stone and Vegas Seven Mag.
http://damonalbarn.tumblr.com/post/1610 ... tbtq-album
Very excited!
I cannot get more excited about this project! Allen is the best Afro-centric drummer around, Simonon was always solid when the Clash experimented with unique sounds, Tong is very capable, and I don't have to express anything further regarding Damon than we all already know. Just so much potential here and hope they perform this forthcoming album live track-by-track in its entirety!
Post by Dom » 26 May 2017, 22:20
I am resigned to the fact that Damon dont care about blur anymore and I quite like gbq. But come on, if he wants to do an acoustic album, is there a good reason to not make it with Graham, considering his achievements with The Spinning Top?
davidsutter
Location: Clarksville, IN
Contact davidsutter
Post by davidsutter » 26 May 2017, 22:38
Graham's probably working on his solo stuff right now.
And Dave's an elected official.
I wouldn't worry about their working relationship.
I mean, In the mid-2000s did you ever think Graham would be doing stuff for Gorillaz?
http://theangulars.bandcamp.com/
davidsutter wrote: Graham's probably working on his solo stuff right now.
Let's hope so! It's been 5 years since his last album, the biggest recording hiatus since 98!
davidsutter wrote: And Dave's an elected official.
Well, I just think Graham would make it definitely much better than Tong. The first album wasn't guitar centered, so that wasn't a big deal, but now this is an acoustic thing, and Graham did improve his skills on that... but here I am complaining about it not being blur, that's old!
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"Potential witness must be jailed until leaving US":
"An immigration judge has ordered a potential witness in the investigation into the fatal shooting of a Chechen man by an FBI agent last month to leave the United States no later than July 1, and to remain in jail until she departs, raising an outcry from a civil rights group seeking a full accounting of the man’s death.
Federal immigration officials arrested Tatiana Igorevna Gruzdeva, a 19-year-old aspiring foreign language teacher from Russia, on May 16 for overstaying her visa. They discovered the violation when the FBI and other law enforcement officials began investigating Ibragim Todashev, her roommate in Orlando, about his ties to the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.
Six days later, a Boston FBI agent shot and killed 27-year-old Todashev in their apartment.
Officials with the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida, which is conducting its own review of the shooting, said they wanted to talk to Gruzdeva about the FBI’s actions in the days and weeks leading to Todashev’s death. Council leaders are concerned that federal officials are sweeping her out of the country before she could provide information to them and law enforcement officials."
Cover-up story: "Cover Story: How the NSA Targets Germany and Europe" (worried that NSA employees might get terminal cases of carpal tunnel syndrome):
"SPIEGEL has decided not to publish details it has seen about secret operations that could endanger the lives of NSA workers."
"The Guardian Revealed An NSA 'Scoop' Then Deleted It From The Website" "British Paper Duped into Fake NSA Scoop by Obama-Is-Gay Crank" The large ad hominem argument seems to be intended to obscure the fact that the underlying story is true.
The court oversight amounts to "a bulk collection order for internet metadata 'every 90 days'".
Hasbara is expensive: "Americans give $274 million to aid Israeli settlements - new report"
Oh-oh: "Jewish ex-Argentina gov’t official to be probed in AMIA bombing":
"The Jewish ex-interior minister of Argentina will be investigated for his ties to the AMIA Jewish center bombing.
The Buenos Aires Federal Appeals Court last week ordered the probe of Carlos Vladimir Corach in connection with an illegal payment of $400,000 to Carlos Telleldin, an auto mechanic who was among those charged in the 1994 attack that left 85 dead and hundreds wounded."
Front-runner
Vaguely insulting
Holder as a comic-book villain
Barnaby Jack
We Gotta Get out of This Place
The conspiracy behind the the remubarakization of ...
Iron Wall
The two sides of Kerry's mouth
Lynching in the 21st century
Hastings Endgame?
Game changers?
Michael Hastings crash
New sphinx
'Improving' the lies
The Official Story is the least likely explanation...
Saudi subtlety
Lots of stories today, some true
The Snowden Effect
Prince Bandar must be bushed
Underhanded
Coup, what coup?
I’m not a crook.
The coup in Egypt
Evil seems to be the theme, as always
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Myrtle Beach classic game 1 - v Mississippi St
Post subject: Myrtle Beach classic game 1 - v Mississippi St
Location: Charlotte
ESPN announced the first round matchups for the Myrtle Beach classic... we get the cowbells
First-round matchups:
Villanova vs. Middle Tennessee
Mississippi State vs. Tulane
Ohio vs. Baylor
Utah vs. Coastal Carolina
Team to beat: Villanova. Since 2014, Jay Wright has averaged nearly 32 wins a year, and the upcoming season should help maintain that average with three returning starters and an elite recruiting class led by five-star prospects Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Bryan Antoine.
Sleeper team: Baylor. Scott Drew hasn't received enough credit for fighting through injuries last season to win 20 games. This year, he has another winning group with Tristan Clark, who missed the bulk of the season with knee injury, and two other double-figure scorers returning.
Player to watch: Antoine is a fabulous, 6-foot-5 guard who could be in next in line to go pro after a stint with Wright, but he's currently in rehab to address a shoulder injury he suffered earlier this year that could impact the start of his freshman season.
Something for the college hoops junkies: We don't talk about Villanova the way we talk about Duke, Kentucky and Kansas, but you could make the case that the Wildcats are the true kings of college basketball right now and they're always fun to watch. --
YOGWF - of all the Tulane fans in the world, we're the Tulaniest
StPeteWave
Post subject: Re: Myrtle Beach classic game 1 - v Mississippi St
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 9:11 am
Navigator Level
Couldn't agree more about the Wildcats. I spent 3+ years in the medical dept of McNeil Labs in the Philly area in the late 60's. A friend of mine had season tx for all the Nova games in the Pit and took me to as many as I was able to be available for. I've remained a fan of the Cats and Big Five teams. Very memorable experiences.
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 11:20 am
Emerald Circle
Location: Philadelphia, PA & Berlin, MD
StPeteWave wrote:
Yup, Philly remains a hotbed of college hoops. I’ve been married to a Philly girl since 1982 and have either traveled there, or now owned a place there, ever since. The Big 5 (+1 at times) is epic. Over the past decades it hasn’t always just been one team reigning supreme. At times it’s been Temple, Penn, St. Joseph’s, and Villanova. Some say it’s about time LaSalle and even Drexel have a run. The inter city rivalries are intense and the Palestra is a college hoops Mecca if there ever was one.
Tulane Class of 1978 | NROTC Tulane - Submariner | From everywhere and nowhere
it's too bad ESPN doesn't give 2 sheets about Tulane, but it would have been nice to see a comment about Caleb Daniels and him having to watch his old team with more talent than when he was here and a better coach.
Johnny Mac wrote:
Well, they did push the “Mike Dunleavy is building something” story until a 4 win season got in the way. Now it’s on Coach Hunter and this new roster to make a splash where it counts.
Baywave1
while we wait for the rain, perhaps in a few months we can update the title of this thread to "game 2-v Villanova"? I'd rather look forward to that than MTU. We'll see what Hunter can do with his new roster.
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Antoine has agreed to follow a writing workshop where some young people in insertion must write a black novel with the help of Olivia, a recognized novelist. The work of writing will bring to life the working-class past of the city. Its shipyard is closed for 25 years, a nostalgia that does not interest Antoine, influenced by the anxiety of the present world
Actors : Charlie Barde, Florian Beaujean, Issam Talbi, Julien Souve, Mamadou Doumbia, Marie Tarabella, Marina Foïs, Matthieu Lucci, Mélissa Guilbert, Olivier Thouret, Warda Rammach
Director : Laurent Cantet
Quality: CAM
Rating(0)
Keywords: El atelier A Trama L'atelier Workshop El Taller de Escritura El taller de escritura Το ατελιέ O Workshop Atelierul Gruppen The Workshop
Pride of Lions
Action / Comedy – Five retired ex-military men attempt the unthinkable and dust off their old uniforms for one last explosive mission. The team quickly discovers that they are up against an enemy from their past. This time, The Dependables mission is personal. With guns blazing, the group puts their lives on the line to defeat their arch nemesis and save their grandchildren.
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
When You Wake Up
The singer called Punk is no longer of much interest to anyone. After his brush with fame, it only took a few years of drugs and alcohol to reach rock bottom. After yet another small town concert, Punk ends up spending the night backstage, drunk and alone. When he opens his eyes in the morning, he sees a little girl, who introduces herself as his daughter. Two lost souls set out on a trip together – a trip which will not only change their lives, but will also bring them together to appreciate the joy it brings.
A story of love, sex and teen pregnancy in San Antonio, Texas. Petting Zoo is the portrait of a young woman coming into her own, in an environment that does not always present ideal circumstances.
Country: Germany, Greece, USA
The life of a divorced television writer dating a teenage girl is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend’s mistress.
In the late 1970s, when a mentally handicapped teenager is abandoned, a gay couple takes him in and becomes the family he’s never had. But once the unconventional living arrangement is discovered by authorities, the men must fight the legal system to adopt the child.
Noah, a farmer and family man, is instructed by an angel to build an ark in the middle of a desert in order to save both his family and the faithful from a devastating flood. A seemingly impossible task, especially when his sons refuse to believe him and help, Noah risks ridicule and humiliation from the degenerate townsfolk as well as his loving but exasperated family, in his quest to carry out his God-given task.
La passion d’Augustine
The nuns of a musical convent work hard in order to prevent the religious school from closing.
It Stains the Sands Red
In the throes of a zombie apocalypse, A troubled woman from Las Vegas with a dark past, finds herself stranded in the desert with a lone and ravenous zombie on her tail.
Genre: Drama, Horror
ZayVian, a teenager, guilty over the death of his twin brother, commits negative acts in order to gain the attention of his parents. He seeks absolution for the murder. His ultimate decision an impact on eight other troubled teens that changes their lives forever. An haunting story of a boy trying to reclaim a lost hope with no assistance from anyone. Written By Sehjada
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
For the Boys
With the help of the singer and dancer Dixie Leonhard US-Entertainer Eddie Sparks wants to bring some fun to the soldiers during World War II. Becoming a perfect team they tour from North Africa to the Pacific to act for “the boys”. Later they continue their work but when the author Silver gets involved into McCarthy’s campaign and is being fired by Eddie, Dixie turns away from him, too.
Les affamés
In an isolated rural community of Quebec, Canada, some inhabitants attack other people, hungry for human flesh. A few survivors gather and go deep into the forest to escape them.
Here Alone
After a terrible virus ravages human civilization, Ann finds herself living alone in a forest, foraging for supplies, and accompanied only by a radio that broadcasts a single transmission in French. Few animals even remain; the only survivors seem to be the roving hordes of infected creatures with a taste for human flesh. One fateful day, Ann crosses paths with two more survivors, Chris and Olivia. But after surviving on her own for so long, she struggles to relate to them and and their desire to settle down and start a new community.
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
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5 Pro-Abortion Tweets That Will Leave You Horrified
By Jordan Sekulow15759224389341575922438934
Right now is a pivotal time for unborn babies across the United States. $60 million was defunded from Planned Parenthood, we won victories for sidewalk counselors who counsel young women outside of abortion clinics, and we stood up for nurses forced to participate in abortions against their conscience.
Despite our victories, the abortion industry is expanding their efforts both in the United States and abroad. Barbaric late-term abortion laws have been passed in New York and are spreading internationally, Kansas lifted its ban on dismemberment abortions, and Planned Parenthood has made it clear they aim to “double down on abortion.”
Currently, we’re appealing the verdict in a monumental trial in federal court against Planned Parenthood in California.
But one of the biggest battles we face in the fight for unborn babies is not in any physical courtroom, but in the court of public opinion.
The following 5 pro-abortion tweets are sure to make your blood boil, but they are just an example of some of the horrific things we must push back against in the media.
“I think if you're going to terminate a pregnancy, it should be done sometime before the fetus becomes Governor of Alabama.” –Jim Carrey
Carrey, star of 90’s comedies like “The Mask” and “Dumb and Dumber” has garnered new attention with his often grotesque and politically motivated illustrations.
In this tweet from May of 2019, Carrey thought it funny to depict a horrific “suction aspiration” abortion on Kay Ivey, Republican Governor of Alabama.
The image was met mostly with disgust and disapproval. But it demonstrated two points quite well: Carrey knows full well the grisly details of this abortion procedure, and that these unborn babies are, in fact, human lives.
"Before Roe v. Wade, thousands of women died every year — and because of extreme attacks on safe, legal abortion care, this could happen again right here in America." - Leana Wen
In April 2019, Leana Wen, President of Planned Parenthood at the time, took to Twitter to claim that thousands of women died every year before Roe v. Wade because of “extreme attacks on safe, legal abortion care”. We detailed this lie in a blog and how it earned Wen the maximum lying score of four Pinocchios from the Washington Post.
Wen at a pro-abortion news conference with Sen. Richard Blumenthal(D-CT) in May, 2019
Less than 3 months after this tweet, Wen was fired from Planned Parenthood. Perhaps channeling Jim Carrey’s character in “Liar, Liar”, a movie in which a pathological liar is forced to tell the truth for one day, Wen posted a stunningly honest letter to her colleagues in response to her ousting.
Len’s letter gives troubling insight into the direction Planned Parenthood’s leadership is continuing to move the abortion giant. In the letter, Wen admits, “The new Board leadership has determined that the priority of Planned Parenthood moving forward is to double down on abortion rights advocacy.”
At the ACLJ, we hear this message loud and clear and plan to fight back for life. We must battle to defund Planned Parenthood, an organization that makes it crystal clear their only desire is to kill more babies.
As noted earlier, we are currently appealing a major case in California. The case involves undercover reporters who managed to record Planned Parenthood abortionists monstrously depicting the crushing of babies to harvest organs and joking about how much money they planned to make by selling these unborn babies’ body parts after killing them.
"We need a Disney princess who's had an abortion. We need a Disney princess who's pro-choice. We need a Disney princess who's an undocumented immigrant. We need a Disney princess who's actually a union worker. We need a Disney princess who's trans" - Planned Parenthood Keystone
This tweet by Planned Parenthood Keystone marks the first on our list that has since been deleted by the user. Luckily quite a few Twitter users and news sources saw the shocking tweet for its complete lack of tact or discretion and managed to take screenshots.
When this tweet was made we detailed our thoughts in an article, stating:
The suggestion of a Disney princess – characters traditionally meant to entertain and inspire young children – who has had an abortion is absolutely sickening. It is the epitome of propaganda and indoctrination.
This is clearly an effort to target kids with a message normalizing and celebrating the killing of unborn babies. Sick.
“We've partnered with @WhatstheScoopdx by offering ice cream pints for sale for a limited time only, including a new custom flavor made exclusively for NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon: Rocky Roe v. Wade! Order yours now & help defend reproductive freedom!” - NARAL Pro-Choice OR
In our previous entry, Planned Parenthood Keystone recognized their remarkable miscalculation and deleted their extremely heavy-handed attempt at indoctrinating children. This cautionary example couldn’t stop NARAL Pro-Choice OR from forwarding the abortion industry’s startlingly depraved narrative aimed at children. Just months later, they teamed up with an Oregon-based ice cream company to introduce a pro-abortion ICE CREAM FLAVOR.
You cannot make this stuff up.
They want you to support the killing of innocent babies by enjoying a scoop of ice cream, a favorite treat of children across the country. The brazenness of the abortion industry in their efforts to propagandize our youth with pro-abortion messaging is unthinkable and undeniable.
“No. You know fetuses can’t scream, right? I transect the cord 1st so there’s really no opportunity, if they’re even far enough along to have a larynx. I won’t apologize for performing medicine. I’m also a "uterus ripper outer," if that’s how you’d like to describe hysterectomy.” - Leah Torres, MD
Abortionist Leah Torres took to Twitter in March of 2018 to crassly claim that unborn children can’t scream when they are aborted. Her reply “You know fetuses can’t scream, right? I transect the cord 1st so there’s really no opportunity . . . .”
Bragging about cutting vocal cords so fetuses cannot scream as she rips them apart is downright wickedness.
This unapologetic abortionist has since deleted her horrifically honest tweet about how she kills these unborn babies without having to hear their screams.
The thought that Torres remains active on Twitter and other platforms with the stated goal of educating “young adolescents” about “safe sexual health practices” is enough to send shivers down one’s spine.
Throughout this list we’ve seen the depravity of the abortion industry and their proponents first-hand. We’ve shown you some of the shocking and barbaric statements they promote to even children.
One thing is clear. This fight will rage on in 2020 and beyond. We must fight for our children, both born and unborn, from being indoctrinated by these abortionists, or outright killed by them.
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Austin Rich in Bands 16 February 2015 25 February 2015 364 Words
Two Sides To Every Party: Austin’s 40th Birthday Split LP
Two Sides To Every Party: Austin’s 40th Birthday Split LP (Day 2)
Please join me for an evening of rock, punk & hardcore at The World Famous Kenton Club, and watch a man turn 40 and irrelevant before your very eyes.
As many of you know, I have a varied taste in music, and a number of people came to mind when I realized how anti-climatically I would be aging. Therefore, like many of the best Split LPs of the past, I decided to Split the evening into two distinct forms, which I think will not only scratch my taste for 31 Flavors, but allowed me to build two different shows in one incredible evening, without having to go anywhere else.
First off, Tuff Gnarly will be DJing to get the crowd in the mood for fun. A consummate DJ with an encyclopedic sense of what must be heard, he will not only tie the evening together, but bring with him a sense of dignity that is unique among DJs. We’re excited to have him at the show, and we think he will set the tone for fun.
Come early for Side A, where you can see The Nervous, opening for The Welfare State. Both feature musical prowess, nerdy intertextuality, and a sense of style and sophistication that few other’s bring to the stage. Both friends and entertainers, both bands will bring out the best in our audience, and I cannot wait to shake my little tuckus to their rhythmic charms.
As if that were not enough, stay for Side B, where things get a little louder, a little more rough hewn, and where rock is absolutely necessary. To that end, we have /root_DIR, nerd-grind from Eugene, who will leave you a husk of your formal self with 40 second blasts of extreme music enjoyment. They are opening for Xiphoid Process, a thrash-metal force to be reckoned with that will close out our party, and not a moment too soon.
Come early for fun! Stay late to get plowed! No matter which side works best for you, we think you’ll have a lot of fun helping me celebrate my 40th rotation. See you there.
The Origin of The Office Dick
Plew’s Last Friday Experimental Music Series: The Country Mouse & The City Mouse: Austin’s 40th Shindig
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Pingback: Plew’s Last Friday Experimental Music Series: The Country Mouse & The City Mouse: Austin’s 40th Shindig | ACRONYM Inc.
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NJ’s Beaches Have Been Ranked – Do You Agree?
Point Pleasant Beach (Matt Ryan, Townsquare Media NJ)
NJ.com has done a ranking of New Jersey's 44 beaches. While Monmouth and Ocean fared ok, I have some things to say about the rundown.
The authors (and rankers) of this piece did address their criteria.
We judged only oceanfront beaches (no bay, lake or riverfront) on beach quality, crowd type and size, parking availability, and surrounding food, drink, and recreation. We went to one beach per town.
To be fair, the purveyors of this list did say:
...being the worst beach in New Jersey is kind of like being the worst pizza in New Jersey — it's still better than most you'd find anywhere else.
Let's take a look.
44. Seaside Park. (?!)
Maybe I'm biased because I spent my summers growing up in Seaside Park. There is no way it deserves to be dead last. NJ.com says:
"The beach itself is nothing to write home about — not worth the $10 per person daily badge fee. If you’ve made it all the way to vanilla Seaside Park, drive another few miles to Island Beach State Park and have yourself a REAL beach day."
43. Monmouth Beach
Ok, parking is tough. Welcome to the Jersey Shore! Monmouth Beach is too low on the list.
42. Wildwood
41. Allenhurst
40. Atlantic City
So they're trying to tell us that Atlantic City's beaches are better than Seaside Park and Monmouth Beach. Please.
39. North Wildwood
38. Strathmere
37. Brigantine
36. Mantoloking
35. Bay Head
Sure, Bay Head's general access to the beach isn't huge, but it's a great local beach. Should be higher.
34. Loch Arbour
NJ.com says:
The small crowds help keep the beach in prime condition, though the food and entertainment options are lacking. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense, low-key beach, Loch Arbour is a solid bet.
Exactly why it's awesome! Scratching my head on how the next town is higher than Loch Arbour.
33. Seaside Heights
Seaside Heights has never been my first choice as a local. It's the town you bring your out-of-town friends and family. SSH is for the experience.
32. Deal
NJ.com's biggest gripe was it's hard to find the beach in Deal. Really? Deal should be higher.
31. Ventnor City
30. Margate City
29. Longport
28. Point Pleasant Beach
Way off on this one. Pt. Pleasant Beach is an excellent beach town that deserves more than a #28 ranking. NJ.com's beef is difficult parking (what else is new) and people who make noise. Gotta do better than that.
27. Barnegat Light
It’s a quiet place, certainly, and if you’re looking for minimal disturbance and a bit of personality, this is your spot. But let’s be real: it’s a pain in the ass.
26. Ortley Beach
25. Sea Girt
Sea Girt deserves better.
24. Stone Harbor
23. Sea Bright
If it’s good enough for Tony Soprano, it’s good enough for you, right?
Stop it with The Sopranos. Hopefully, that didn't affect Sea Bright's ranking, because 23 is too low.
22. Lavallette
21. Long Branch
20. Wildwood Crest
19. Ocean Grove
18. Belmar
17. Long Beach Township
16. Spring Lake
A clean, long and well-manicured beach. Ample parking. A low-key boardwalk with a pavilion that sells sandwiches, burgers and ice cream. There isn’t a whole lot to do at Spring Lake’s beach, but it’s perfect for a no-frills, no-nonsense day at the beach. A solid place to get away from the stereotypical Jersey Shore crowd.
Based on that description, Spring Lake should be in the top 10.
15. Sea Isle City
14. Sandy Hook
13. Avon-by-the-Sea
Nothing against Avon-by-the-Sea, but I think other towns on this list deserved to be ranked higher.
12. Asbury Park
I've always felt Asbury Park's "trendy" title takes away from just how amazing of a beach town it is. The fact that Asbury has had the comeback its had should put it solidly in the top 10. Here's what NJ.com said.
There is no trendier beach in the Garden State, and for good reason. It's arguably the best surrounding area of any beach in New Jersey, with a broad boardwalk with dining options ranging from quick bites to fancy dinners along with watering holes like the vaunted Wonder Bar and The Stone Pony, the latter of which hosts a summer concert series that routinely draws major acts. The immense popularity exacerbates the beach’s biggest issue: it isn’t big enough to support those massive crowds. On top of that, while I wouldn’t call the sand “dirty” per se, but it’s far from the nicest you’ll find down the shore. And the parking is a disaster, whether you’re going to the beach or hanging out in town.
11. Avalon
10. Island Beach State Park
9. Ship Bottom
8. Surf City
7. Cape May Point
6. Bradley Beach
Much more laid back than its southern cousins, Bradley Beach is family-oriented and understated while still being a really nice, albeit somewhat slim, beach. The boardwalk is made of stone pavers, boasts several food options and even a mini-golf course and is separated from the beach by a row of dunes. If that doesn’t have you sold, the surprisingly ample parking might get you there. And a short walk from the beach is a row of excellent restaurants — we can't recommend breakfast at The Buttered Biscuit enough.
5. Ocean City
4. Beach Haven
I love LBI, but there's an uneven amount of love going to the island.
3. Manasquan
2. Harvey Cedars
Beautiful spot, but not worthy of #2
1. Cape May
I really can't argue this choice for the top. I kind of had a feeling that it would land #1.
Let me know what you think of this list in the comment sections below.
Here's NJ.com's original story.
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Filed Under: best nj beaches 2020, nj beach rankings 2019, NJ beaches
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Archive for the ‘Broadway’ Tag
Human Behan
Filed under: Actors, cities, culture, drama, heart of darkness, humour, inspiration, ireland, irish, lara croft, literature, new york, Reflections, songs, theatre, video games, writing | Tags: adrian dunbar, alcoholic, alcoholism, bafta, berkoff, Brid Brennan, Broadway, chelsea hotal, drink, dublin, dubliner, hammersmith, journalists, malcolm garrett, martyn ware, paperazzi, play, steven berkoff, tomb raider
I promised previously on Drinker with a Writing Problem to report back on ‘Brendan at the Chelsea’ at the Riverside, Hammersmith once I’d seen it. Well on Thursday I made a bee-line back from the rather sober Oxford Media Conference to get back in time for the press night of the play.
As I emerged from Hammersmith tube I bumped into Grant Dean of Eidos (home of Tomb Raider) and his sweet little daughter. Grant and I know one another from the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Committee – he went on to chair the Video Games Committee while I went on to the TV Committee to try and make the rest of interactive entertainment beyond games part of the mainstream of the Academy. I remember trying to convey to the TV Committee a concept I called ‘New Television’ (you can imagine how well that went down) and introducing to them, among a selection of other emerging sites, this new thing called ‘YouTube’ (which I’d only come across two or three weeks before). A couple of years down the track and Malcolm Garrett, Martin Freeth, Terry Braun, Martyn Ware, a few other stalwarts and I are still fighting that particular battle.
Meanwhile, back in old media Hammersmith I walked past a cinematic Hammersmith Odeon shiny in the night rain, down past the painter Frank Brangwyn’s walled house, to the Riverside.
And there I watched a barnstorming performance by Adrian Dunbar as the Irish playwright Brendan Behan. A charismatic, cathartic, compelling performance.
The play was written by Behan’s own niece – Janet, daughter of writer and playwright Brian Behan. I saw her straight after curtain-down in the foyer and I’ve never seen anyone so charged. It had taken her six years to get this very well written, tight, witty script staged. What a kick to see it realised with such skill and energy to climax in a standing ovation. What a kick to hear your audience join in the singing – “Fair fucks to yer!” responded Brendan (whether that was in the script or not – no idea).
In the bar after, the superbly talented, modest and warm Brid Brennan, who played Behan’s missus, told me and the Missus that, from her experience, the kind of reaction the performance prompted from the audience that night was something very special. My Missus reckoned the turning-point was the scene where a drunken Behan crashes on stage at a performance of his play ‘The Hostage’ on Broadway – in his naturally ebullient way, he breaks into song (Adie has a wonderful classic Irish tenor voice) and the Riverside audience joined in becoming the Broadway crowd.
Equally stunned on emerging was Anna Nygh, Adie’s wife, also an actor. She’d heard him rehearsing the lines around the house (a helluva lot of lines as he drives the two hours of dialogue) but had no notion quite how much he was inhabiting the character – or vice versa… She summed it up by confirming ‘It’s taken his acting up a level’.
The action is centred on Behan’s room in the legendary Chelsea Hotel on West 23rd in New York. He’s struggling to write a book about New York of which he’s already drunk the advance. It’s not only his publisher he’s let down but also his mistress and baby son. And his wife Beatrice is just about to show up from Dublin. With a tape recorder on his desk and a pint of whiskey under his mattress, he reflects on the journey that brought him from inner city Dublin to the weird&wonderful diversity of the streets of New York, through which the paparazzi pursue him. One of the highpoints of the play is a Berkoff-like set piece when Behan enacts the moment a journalist lured him out of sobriety by sending a free drink over to him at a bar, three fellow under-cover hacks watching from the shadows.
The show is punctuated with cracking lines. Like the one about the definition of an Irish homosexual – a man who prefers a woman to a drink.
When Adie emerged from the dressing room afterwards, I had to congratulate him for making such a good fat man. He’s so slight in real life but with just a bit of a belly added beneath his shirt he played Behan’s drinker’s bulkiness with such conviction you saw it in his restricted diabetic movements and bloated lumbering.
What ‘Brendan at the Chelsea’ showed above all was the paradox of a man who clearly loved life and spent every day trying to kill himself. He expressed a great fear of just being an ordinary human Behan which was why he disappeared to New York in the first place – he loved being immersed among the extraordinary flotsam of a big city.
The play is on until 3rd February – do yourself a favour…
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"Mortified" readers share embarrassing teenage diary entires in hit show
By Ama Daetz
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Twice a month, in San Francisco and Oakland, standing-room-only crowds turn out to hear adults read diaries they wrote as teenagers. The show is called "Mortified." Organizers describe it as a combination comedy show and group therapy. It is so popular it will celebrate its tenth anniversary in the Bay Area next month.
Amanda Janick is a Santa Rosa mother of two and a Mortified regular. She told us, "There is something very therapeutic about being up there, sharing these really awkward, embarrassing things that you thought about when you were a kid and they were so important and serious to you at the time, and now they are ridiculous."
On the night ABC7 attended the show, Janick shared poetry she wrote as a lovesick 12-year-old. The audience screamed with laughter as she read choice lines including: "My silky white flesh is yours." and "She flirts with your warped emotions. She knows not when to stop."
The diary entries range from teens obsessed with soap operas to mean-girl summer camp experiences to romance and sex. One man played audio tapes of a radio show he made as a teen. After each reading, members of a group called Freeze use what they just heard to do an improv comedy-freestyle rap.
Mortified started in Los Angeles as a one-time experiment. It was a hit that soon launched in a dozen other cities, including San Francisco and Oakland.
Mortified's Bay Area producer Scott Lifton says it is part of the emerging storytelling scene. Lifton says the show is perfect "for a generation that doesn't want to go to expensive theater per se, but want to be entertained."
Lifton is planning a big tenth anniversary show December 4th at the DNA Lounge, with many past diary readers returning.
Lifton believes Mortified's long running success is because almost everyone can relate to the feelings expressed in the teen diaries. "Even if the person is a different race, gender, or sexual preference, they were awkward and confused (as teens). I think all of us pretty much didn't know what we were doing at the time."
Kerrigan Steger of Columbus, Ohio said the show he saw was a "belly laugh. A child is so honest, and their emotions are raw."
Rebecca Truong of San Francisco was also enthusiastic. "I love how captivated the audience is and how welcoming everyone is to all of the (diary reader's) different stories."
Be ready for a lot of bad language and talk about teenagers' lusty desires, but there's also opportunity for empathy.
Beyond the live show, there's a movie called "Mortified Nation" and a podcast that invites you to share the shame at any time.
The people who read their diaries are not paid, but they are screened in advance. Some come back again and again.
"Some are willing to share, and some just really want to listen, but everyone's got a story to tell," says Janick. She is now organizing a new Mortified chapter in Sonoma County.
For information about the 10th anniversary Mortifies show click here. There are shows at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Prices range from $17-$25. Audience members are warned to be prepared for adult language and subject matter.
Written and produced by Jennifer Olney
arts & entertainmentoaklandsan franciscoreadingteenagersassignment 7story time
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Netflix’s Black Mirror Returns With Season 5 Trailer
in Black Mirror, TV News
by steve wandling May 16, 2019, 5:00 pm
Black Mirror has firmly established itself as The Twilight Zone of the digital age. Creator Charlie Brooker’s anthology series captures all of the fears and anxieties of living in a technologically-dependent world. Over the course of four seasons the series has covered everything from love to death through a post-social media lens. Each episode tells a standalone story that either holds up a mirror at society’s relationship with technology right now, or where the current growing dependence on technology and social media could take us as a society. Most of the stories (but not all) are dark, cautionary tales.
The first trailer for Black Mirror Season 5 was released yesterday. With the current let down of The Twilight Zone‘s reboot still a fresh wound, the trailer was a welcome surprise for fans of genre-leaning social satire everywhere. The original Twilight Zone created the model. Black Mirror works where the new Twilight Zone does not because Black Mirror, like the original Rod Sterling-hosted Twilight Zone, tell stories that capture the zeitgeist of the present and a warning to our possible future.
Charlie Brooker (and co-show runner Annabel Jones) have reduced the number of episodes in season 5 back to 3. This is a great move as it not only brings Black Mirror back to its British roots where series generally have far less episodes than a season of television in the U.S. It also forces each episode to be outstanding. When Netflix picked up the series for American audiences in 2015, the third and fourth seasons upped the number of episodes and the show suffered ever so slightly.
As Black Mirror has grown in popularity and stature so have the names attached. In season 5’s three new episodes, the cast boasts such big names as singer Miley Cyrus, Topher Grace (That 70’s Show), Anthony Mackie (Half Nelson, Marvel’s Avengers) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman). The season 5 trailer doesn’t give too much away about Black Mirror‘s actual content. There’s footage of an evil looking Alexa doll, a man with a gun about to snap from the overuse of cell phones, and Miley Cyrus as some sort of Internet pop star.
In an age where privacy has been traded away for a gross form of instant celebrity and interpersonal communications forever altered by tools that were supposedly designed to make it easier for us to communicate, Black Mirror is needed. People need to be able to look at this all-too-fast moving world and take a chance to reflect about the way in which they are living their own lives and be provided warnings for possible terrifying futures that await further down the technological-addled path. Black Mirror is exactly what the title says it is: a series that holds up a dark reflection of the times in which we live in…and thank Brooker for that.
Black Mirror Season 5 will be streaming on Netflix June 5, 2019.
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Written by steve wandling
Former staff member
AnthologyAnthony MackieBlack MirrorCharlie BrookerMiley CyrusnetflixRod SerlingThe Twilight ZoneTopher GraceYahya Abdul-Mateen II
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Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan: India’s Defence Vision
Posted in British Raj, China, India, Indo Pak Relations, Pax Americana, politics by Anuraag Sanghi on October 30, 2012
With Agni, Brahmos missiles, Arjun MBT, Tejas LCA and the induction of a stealth fighter in ten years, Indian defence posture will have a profile that will intimidate any aggressor – adequately.
A Puff Of Dust
India’s collective memory plays strange tricks.
British Raj no longer evokes outrage or indignation in India, within a few decades after the end of colonial rule. The same British Raj, who were overseers of India’s rapid decline from the richest economy to the poorest in a short span of 100 years. Britain’s rapid decline after the loss of India rarely registers on Indian minds.
Inspite of a nuclear neighbourhood, defence issues are not electoral hot-buttons in India’s mind-scape. China and Pakistan apart, the three other nuclear powers, (USA, Britain, France) also have military presence in India’s immediate vicinity. In India’s collective memory, its remarkable rise from the Great Bengal Famine of 1941 to overflowing food godowns in 2011 is lost in the media din and NGO activism.
But then, this par for the course, for a society that keeps re-indexing even heroes like Raghu Ramachandra and Yadu Krishna.
Walk The Talk …
65 years later, after the end of colonial rule, the Indian State, is trying to be all things to all people – with giant-schemes like MNREGA and AADHAR. LB Shastri’s policy of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan committed the Indian State to two objectives – India will not go hungry and India will not back down, militarily. To an India recovering from colonial loot of the British Raj, these were the two non-negotiables.
Ten years after Shastri’s Jai Jawan Jai Kisan policy, by 1975, India had achieved food security at a national level. Defence parity with immediate and emerging threats was another matter – and will probably take till 2025.
Today these may seem within reach – but back then in 1965, it the dark night seemed stretch endlessly ahead.
Kargil Infographic – Source & courtesy – globalsecurity.org
Trouble In The Barrio
India shares borders with two nuclear neighbors – unlike any other country in the world. India has also fought four wars with Pakistan, one with China and managed another war-scenario with Portugal.
Pakistan had to eat crow on all four occasions. Indian acceptance of Chinese ceasefire, made the Chinese campaign look better than the probable outcome had the war continued. India’s Goa campaign, does not even find a mention in Indian military history – even though India stared down a Western-colonial power.
Parity & Proportion
Fifty years after LB Shastri’s death, by 2016, India will probably start seeing military parity in the modern era. Behind this parity, are two developments in India’s defence posture.
One is the Indo-Russian development of the Brahmos missile. The world’s only supersonic missile, at many times the speed of sound, the Brahmos completes its attack in 5-10 minutes of its launch. There is currently no system whatsoever that can stop a Brahmos. Based on ramjet engines, Brahmos has no global rival.
Flying just 15 metres above water level, Brahmos is virtually invisible to radar, when launched from a warship. Fully mobile, it can stop an invading land-unit. The air-version, to be deployed soon, will probably shoot down an enemy aircraft even before it enters Indian airspace.
You Talkin’ To Me
The Americans, without a similar missile, have been talking-up an electromagnetic railgun – which can only be launched from nuclear warships, due to enormous electrical requirements. These railguns under development for more than 60 years now, cannot knock out a Brahmos. Being very compact, Brahmos can be launched from multiple platforms.
Further, Indo-Russian teams of defence scientists are developing Brahmos from supersonic to hypersonic missile. The Brahmos uses a ramjet engine technology that even the US or the EU don’t have. Brahmos effectively creates a 200 km barrier in Indian airspace, at borders and on the coastline – at a very low-cost. Guided by the Russian Glonass system, Brahmos is not dependent on the American GPS system.
By 2025, India would have deployed enough numbers of Brahmos missiles, to deter any invader.
The Big Whale
Two – The other major development is the T-50 Fifth-Generation Fighter-Aircraft (FGFA). Currently, the only FGFA actually deployed is the the US F-22 Raptor. Grounded due to faulty oxygen-supply system, the F-22 may never be able to match the T-50 FGFA, based on current evaluations – and comes at more than three times the expected price of the Indo-Russian T-50 FGFA.
Interestingly, India’s choice of Rafale, in the MMRCA tender, could be a crucial technology bridge that will enhance the Russian FGFA into a super-FGFA Indian version – like how the SU-27 became the SU-30MKI. For long, the SU-30 was a export product – and recently, the Russian airforce has ordered a domestic version, which is based on the Indian design.
The choice of Rafale is closely tied to transfer of AESA-radar technology – which currently, apart from US and Russia, no other country has. The Eurofighter Typhoon is expecting to get that technology a few years down the road. France is forming a JV-company between Thales and BEL to produce the AESA radar in India.
F-22 Raptor – Running or Hiding?
Curiously, the US has decided to stop the manufacture of F-22 Raptor aircraft. The F-22 Raptor aircraft was also not used in recent Libya operations or sold to any foreign US ally. But, while the US was ‘unwilling’ to sell the F-22 Raptor, the US has pressured eight of its allies to join the newer F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project. So, while the US was reluctant to sell the older F-22 Raptor, it is very eager to sell the F-35 to it allies and client-States.
Was the US hiding ‘secret’ technology – or hiding technology defects?
The FGFA for USA + 8 Allies – The F-35 (JSF) Variants
The next FGFA from the US, the F-35 is nearly US$250 billion in development, technically unstable, facing critical problems – and not yet in production. In contrast, the Indo-Russian T-50 FGFA is currently budgeted at less than US$40 billion.
Delays and cost overruns have plagued the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter – which at $238bn is the Pentagon’s biggest weapons procurement programme – and one variant of the plane suffered cracks in the bulkhead after it had flown just 1,500 hours out of a planned 16,000.The US Air Force has also had to ground dozens of F-22 fighter jets for the second time this year, after a pilot had experienced oxygen deficiency in the cockpit, officers reported in early October. The announcement follows the air force’s highly unusual step of grounding the entire Raptor fleet between May and mid-September, to allow engineers to investigate possible problems with the plane’s oxygen supply
Elaborate tests and safety measures have nevertheless failed to locate the precise source of the fault. The latest case follows around a dozen previous incidents affecting F-22 pilots over a three-year period, the circumstances of which the US Air Force is reluctant to discuss in detail.
At a cost of nearly $150 million a plane, the F-22 Raptor is designed mainly for dogfights against rival fighter jets, and the radar-evading aircraft were not deployed in the Nato-led campaign over Libya.
via Top attack aircraft – T-50 to J20 – Airforce Technology.
Enormously complex, the F-35 project aims to deliver three versions of the aircraft.
Cost apart, there is also the matter of design-logic. While the F-35 seeks to attack deep in enemy territory, relying on radar evasion through stealth technology, the T-50 FGFA is designed to ensure that air dominance is not lost. While the F-35 relies on stealth technology, the T-50 depends to extreme maneuverability to win an aerial dog fight. The idea of deep-penetration-and-strike mission by a stealth aircraft was thoroughly discredited after the Serbs shot down America’s stealth aircraft, F-117 Nighthawk with a vintage Soviet-era S-125Neva anti-aircraft system in 1999.
The attack role of the F-35 will increasingly be the domain of cheaper missiles and drones – not expensive stealth aircraft.
The Russians are not looking to make the aerodynamic tradeoffs to stealth that the US has made, for a variety of reasons including the effectiveness and costs of such stealth. Given that stealth in the real world would be far less effective than the advertised “metal marble” because the enemy may not always come exactly head on, nor use the radar’s that the F-22s were tested with. Nor would any future competent enemy only have one radar on (but rather a plethora of ground and airborne radars at various frequencies). Further, wear and tear in a real world operational scenario are likely to reduce stealth.
via Grande Strategy.
On the other hand, T-50 will do a better job on denial of air-superiority, even against stealth aircraft. Since stealth aircraft have a small and low radar profile, a missile attack on a stealth-fighter will probably be unsuccessful – and a T-50 type of fighter plane may be a better aircraft for an aerial dog-fight with a stealth fighter.
Main performance characteristics of Sukhoi T-50 fighter jet and similar foreign aircraft | Source & credit embedded in image.
Models From Russia
With three prototypes and nearly 150 flights to its credit, the T-50 FGFA will start rolling off Russian assembly lines in four years.
Twenty-one months after first flight at Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Siberia, the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA fleet recorded its 100th flight on 3 November.
For perspective, the Lockheed Martin F-35 programme needed 31 months from the first take-off by the AA-1 test aircraft to pass the 100th flight mark.
via Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA passes 100th flight milestone – The DEW Line.
Europeans would still be tinkering with their 4G++ Euro-fighter Typhoon – even as India will be a FGFA manufacturer.
One notable feature that India wants is a 360° active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar rather than the more conventional AESA found on the original Russian aircraft. A 360° AESA would be a first for any fighter on the planet, and it will undoubtedly be expensive.
via Indian PAK-FA variant delayed by two years – The DEW Line.
AESA, Waisa, Kaisa
The 360° active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is already in use on the sub-sonic Indian indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C), mounted on a Brazilian Embraer aircraft using about 60 antennae and sensors.
Work on the crucial transceiver unit is happening in parallel. Meanwhile the Russians are developing an AESA system using X-band radar antenna containing over 1,000 solid transmit/receive modules. India’s own development direction seems to be different from others. Russia’s offer to fully transfer AESA radar technology of Zhuk-ME system, from Phazotron-NIIR Corporation did not get much traction in India.
The Chinese J-20 FGFA, by most expert opinion, is dead in water – without an engine, AESA radar, technologies that the Chinese lack.
The Chinese J-20 (Mighty Dragon) fifth-generation fighter jet program is advancing in truly huge strides. The jet has already made over 60 test flights, performing elements of aerial acrobatics.
In 2009, General He Weirong, Deputy Commander of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force estimated that the J-20 would be operational no earlier than in 2017-2019. Now it appears Chinese engineers have done a great job and the jet is much closer to being ready than expected.
Created by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, this heavy fighter jet is the first military plane China has constructed on its own, without visible attempts at copying foreign technology. It resembles neither the American Raptor F-22, nor the Russian T-50 PAK-FA.
Though peculiar forms of the jet and technical decisions allegedly realized in the vehicle might be questionable, one thing about this plane is an established fact.
As of now, the J-20 flies with two Russian AL-31F jet engines it borrowed from the Russian Su-27 fighter jet that entered Chinese service in the mid-1980s.
China also tried to put engines of their own on a second test J-20 vehicle, but the copycat of the Soviet engine AL-31F made by China is not in the same league as the Russian analogue for reliability and durability.
The real problem is both AL-31F and Chinese version are engines of the previous generation.
No question the Chinese jet is a prototype model and technology demonstration vehicle called to test new equipment and technology. Defined as a technology showroom, it may fly whatever engines its creator considers possible. But China has no working engine for a 5G jet.
via Chinese ‘Mighty Dragon’ doomed to breathe Russian fire — RT.
With the Brahmos and T-50 FGFA, Indian defence will be able to hold on against any force in the world. By 2025, India’s Arjun MBT platform will be stable. The LCA will be in a position to bulk up the IAF. Indian shipyards will start delivering aircraft carriers. Agni missile family will make for a formidable missile array that can attack targets 5000 miles away.
Most importantly, this military parity will be achieved at a cost that India can sustain – and only India can manage.
Following India, Russia has taken some baby-steps in initiating defence ties with Israel and France. Based on an expanding defence trade with India, by 2025 France and Israel may join the Indo-Russian defence alliance.
This will further deepen the technology base – and drive down costs, to levels that Indians apart, no one even imagines.
What about China
If China has been given less importance in this post, it is for a reason.
Between 1990-2000, as the Soviet economy went into a tailspin, Russian defence producers had no customers and no money. Cut-off from Russian State funding, defence production and research suffered.
A year after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a cash-strapped Kremlin began selling China a chunk of its vast military arsenal, including the pride of the Russian air force, the Sukhoi-27 fighter jet.
For the next 15 years, Russia was China’s biggest arms supplier, providing $20 billion to $30 billion of fighters, destroyers, submarines, tanks and missiles. It even sold Beijing a license to make the Su-27 fighter jet—with imported Russian parts.
Today, Russia’s military bonanza is over, and China’s is just beginning.
After decades of importing and reverse-engineering Russian arms, China has reached a tipping point: It now can produce many of its own advanced weapons—including high-tech fighter jets like the Su-27—and is on the verge of building an aircraft carrier.
Not only have Chinese engineers cloned the prized Su-27’s avionics and radar but they are fitting it with the last piece in the technological puzzle, a Chinese jet engine.
In the past (few) years, Beijing hasn’t placed a major order from Moscow.
Now, China is starting to export much of this weaponry, undercutting Russia in the developing world, and potentially altering the military balance in several of the world’s flash points.
Russia’s predicament mirrors that of many foreign companies as China starts to compete in global markets with advanced trains, power-generating equipment and other civilian products based on technology obtained from the West.
In this case, there is an additional security dimension, however: China is developing weapons systems, including aircraft carriers and carrier-based fighters, that could threaten Taiwan and test U.S. control of the Western Pacific.
Chinese exports of fighters and other advanced weapons also threaten to alter the military balance in South Asia, Sudan and Iran.
But no other Asian country has sought to project military power—and had the indigenous capability to do so—since Japan’s defeat in 1945.
China’s rapid mastery of Russian technology raises questions about U.S. cooperation with the civilian faces of Chinese arms makers.
While Russia worries about intellectual property, other countries are concerned about security. The arms programs China initiated two or three decades ago are starting to bear fruit, with serious implications for the regional—and global—military balance.
The J-11B is expected to be used by the Chinese navy as its frontline fighter, capable of sustained combat over the entire East China Sea and South China Sea.
Aircraft carriers and J-15 fighters would further enhance its ability to stop the U.S. intervening in a conflict over Taiwan, and test its control of the Western Pacific.
China’s arms exports could have repercussions on regions in conflict around the world. Pakistan inducted its first squadron of Chinese-made fighter jets in February, potentially altering the military balance with India.
Other potential buyers of China’s JF-17 fighter jet include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Nigeria, Morocco and Turkey. In the past, China has also sold fighters to Sudan.
The potential customer of greatest concern to the U.S. is Iran, which purchased about $260 million of weapons from China between 2002-2009, according to Russia’s Centre for Analysis of the Global Arms Trade.
via China Clones, Sells Russian Fighter Jets – WSJ.com.
Su-30MKI Fighter that has become the mainstay of IAF. Image source & credits embedded.
Indian and Chinese defence contracts played a huge role in saving Russian defence industry. During this same period, to overcome supply disruptions, the Chinese decided to expropriate Russian defence products without licence or consent.
It said that while more than 90% of China’s major conventional weapons imports came from Russia between 1991 and 2010, the volume of imports had declined dramatically in the last five years.
Russia’s diversified customer base, which allowed it to take a tougher negotiating stance with China, particularly given anxiety about how China would use its purchases.
“Russia is unwilling to provide China with advanced weapons and technology, primarily because it is concerned that China will copy Russian technology and compete with Russia on the international arms market,” said Holtom.
“The nature of the arms transfer relationship will increasingly be characterised by competition rather than co-operation.”
via Russia arrests Chinese ‘spy’ in row over defence weapons | World news | The Guardian.
Russians cite many cases where China has ‘copied’ Russian defence items.
It is an open secret that China has copied quite a number of Russian weapons. The list begins with Soviet I-15 and I-16 fighter jets, not to mention the legendary Kalashnikov rifle.
The list continues with D-30 howitzer, BMP-1 armored vehicle, BMP-3, Malyutka anti-tank complex, An-12 military cargo plane, Strela-2 shoulder-fired missile complex, S-300 missile system, Msta-S howitzer, Smerch volley-fire system and other weaponry. The last rip-off report was referred to Su-33 deck-based fighter jet.
China previously had the licensed production of Soviet Romeo submarines, which were dubbed in China as “Type 39.” Chinese engineers acknowledged that their developments were based on Russian state-of-the-art defense technologies. However, they vehemently denied the fact of blunt copying claiming that that they had considerably improved them.
It may seem strange that Russia has not set forth any claims to China yet. However, China is Russia’s long-time partner in the field of arms trade and Russia is not willing to ruin relations with China. Does Russia overestimate the importance of defense cooperation with the Asian giant? China usually makes small one-time purchases that do not bring much profit to Russia. Moreover, the purchases are made to simply copy the original. For example, the Chinese bought one or two radars for fighter jets from Russia only to launch their serial production several years later.
via China to conquer world arms market with poor quality rip-offs – English pravda.ru.
For close to fifteen years, China alongwith India were major buyers of Russian defence products.
For almost two decades, it was close to the perfect match of buyer and seller.
Denied weapons and defense technology from the West, China was almost totally reliant on Russia for the hardware it needed to jump-start an ambitious military buildup. And while the Russian economy teetered in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse, huge orders from China helped keep a once-mighty defense industry afloat.
After orders peaked at more than $2 billion a year early in this decade, Chinese arms deals with Russia shrank to almost nothing in 2006, and no major new contracts are in the pipeline, according to Russian, Chinese and U.S. defense experts.
In the meantime, Russia – which, with its economy booming, is no longer dependent on arms sales to China.
Some Chinese analysts suggest that Russia, the world’s second-ranked arms supplier behind the United States, is also concerned about the threat of competition from the Chinese defense industry.
Russian analysts estimate that arms deliveries to China from 1992 to 2006 were valued at $26 billion.
Total Russian arms exports over that period were estimated at more than $58 billion.
With a Western embargo on arms sales to China having been in place since the Tiananmen (1989), it was these weapons from Russia that allowed the People’s Liberation Army to reduce a yawning gap in technology and firepower.
Chinese experts say the army wants access to the most advanced Russian weaponry, including strategic bombers, tanks, attack helicopters and manufacturing technology for high-performance aircraft engines.
A decade ago, as military spending shriveled, a slump in orders from China would have been disastrous for Russian arms makers. That is no longer the case, with the Russian economy growing at 8.1 per cent on the back of rising energy and commodity exports, according to official economic statistics.
With Moscow running a budget surplus, there are orders in the pipeline to supply the Russian military with hardware that until recently could only be sold abroad. And overall arms exports remain buoyant, particularly to India, a long-term client that Moscow views with far less suspicion than China.
Russia has also signed lucrative arms deals with new customers including Algeria and Venezuela in recent years.
To add to Beijing’s frustration, some of the Russian transfers to India include weapons and technology that Moscow refuses to supply to China. Moscow and New Delhi agreed to begin the joint development of a new, so-called fifth-generation fighter, the Russian government announced in October.
This aircraft would be a potential rival in performance to the U.S. F-22 Raptor, defense analysts say.
India also agreed last year to buy another 40 Su-30MKI fighters from Russia for $1.5 billion in addition to an earlier order for 140 of these aircraft. Some military experts say this versatile, twin-engined jet is probably the best fighter and strike aircraft in the world. But Russia has not offered it to China. And Moscow is offering to sell India its latest fighter, the MiG-35.
In nuclear submarine technology, Russia has also been more generous with India than with China, naval experts say.
Still, with the Western arms embargo on China still in place, most analysts expect that Moscow and Beijing will eventually negotiate compromises.
via Russia and China rethink arms deals – The New York Times.
Probably the biggest break-point was when China offered a SU-27 aircraft in the international market.
Last year, Russian aircraft sales internationally topped $3 billion – second only to the US. But others too want a slice of the aviation pie.
Fake Su-27s are widely offered in the world arms market. “Sooner or later, Russian arms traders will face competition from the Chinese colleagues,” he told RT.
China was given the design plans for the Russian fighter jet in 1995, when it promised to buy 200 kits and assemble them domestically. After building 100 planes, the Chinese said the Russian plane did not meet specifications, only for a copycat version soon to appear – “Made in China” – without copyright.
The threat from China is real, and it will be difficult for the Russian aviation industry to maintain its lofty position, and soar further unless it manages to better protect its intellectual rights and also find new ways of co-operating with its eastern neighbor.
Although it made its maiden flight over 30 years ago, the Su-27 remains the bedrock of the Russian air force, and is highly popular abroad.
Some are calling for calm over the controversy. While the similarities between the two planes are clear, experts say the Chinese J11B does not have the latest Russian high-tech features and will be no match for it on the international market.
Chinese version of Russian jet endangers bilateral relations — RT.
Russia went to the extent of arresting a Chinese national in Russia on charges of industrial espionage – a rare event in Russia.
Russia‘s security service has revealed that it arrested a suspected Chinese spy who posed as a translator while seeking sensitive information on an anti-aircraft system.
The man, identified as Tun Sheniyun, was arrested on 28 October last year, the federal security service (FSB) said in a statement cited by RIA-Novosti news agency.
It was unclear why the FSB disclosed the arrest on Wednesday, less than one week before the prime minister, Vladimir Putin, travels to China on an official visit.
The alleged spy was acting “under the guise of a translator of official delegations”, the statement said.
He had “attempted to obtain technological and maintenance documents on the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system from Russian citizens for money”, it added.
Last year, Russia delivered 15 S-300 systems to China, a popular Soviet-era arms export, as part of a deal signed several years earlier.
Ruslan Pukhov, director of the centre for analysis of strategies and technologies, a defence thinktank in Moscow, said: “They [the Chinese] are trying to copy this system illegally. They’ve already copied a whole series of our weapons.
“They’re trying to clone the S-300, to serve their interests and also to export. As I understand it, it’s not all working out. They probably wanted extra documentation to better deal with this task of reverse engineering.”
Earlier this year, Ukrainian authorities jailed a Russian man for six years, claiming he was stealing military secrets to further China’s aircraft carrier programme.
In the past two years, Russian customs officials have also accused two Chinese citizens of attempting to smuggle spare parts for Russian fighter jets across the border.
Russia arrests Chinese ‘spy’ in row over defence weapons | World news | The Guardian.
Hat Tip
While China and Pakistan are pariahs in the international arms bazaar, India is a preferred customer. To India’s policy makers and handlers must go the credit for positioning India as a lead partner in the global arms bazaar.
Traditionally Russia has been a stable and safe partner for India. The US has usually avoided arms sales to India – fearing leakage of technology to Russia. However, for its latest F-35 stealth fighter, the US has decided to waive all its habitual hesitation. France, Italy, Israel, Sweden, Britain are all willing to sell any technology, product, service or components that India needs.
China is richer and Pakistan, more mercenary and desperate – yet …
Short, Little Man With A Big Dream
It has taken seventy years, and LB Shastri’s slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan is on the verge of coming true. For most of the last fifty years, India has been criticized for its slow decision-making, its exhaustive processes, its complex negotiations.
When Pakistan joined CENTO and US armed Pakistan. When Nixon met Mao. When Israel defeated the Arab alliance in the 1973 war. When Reagan ‘partnered’ with Pakistan to defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan. After each of these events, commentators lamented about India’s ‘missed’ chances and predicted disaster for the last fifty years. Yet after each decade, India has emerged a step ahead.
Who would have thought, seventy years ago …
India successfully test fires BrahMos cruise missile (indrus.in)
BrahMos gains sub-strategic super weapon capability (thehindu.com)
India test-fires BrahMos supersonic cruise missile (ibnlive.in.com)
India successfully test-fires BrahMos cruise missile (todayonline.com)
Indian navy successfully test-fires Brahmos supersonic cruise missile (nation.com.pk)
Indian BrahMos using Russian GPS system (upi.com)
India still relies on Russian weapon systems, but now more on its own terms (worldtribune.com)
India Cuts Order of FGFA Fighter. F-35 on the Horizon? (thediplomat.com)
Pilatus and Hawks will train IAF pilots, says Air chief NAK Browne to NDTV: Full transcript (ndtv.com)
Tagged with: Brahmos, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, russia, Soviet Russia
Indian Defence Industry – Backward? Non Existent?
Posted in Current Affairs, Gold Reserves, History, Uncategorized by Anuraag Sanghi on January 27, 2008
Backward & Non Existent?
Backward? Yes. Existent? Just about.
The entire business model of the defence industry is licenced manufacture from other countries. Fifty years ago that was a revolutionary step. Today it is regressive and raises many questions and does not answer any.
There are two schools of thoughts on this. One thinks that India is doomed and we just cannot do it. To support their position, they point to the budget over-runs, delivery delays and indigenisation. Under-budgeting explains both time-and-cost over-runs. The indigenisation levels are another subject. No one – but no one, in the world, makes everything indigenously. The decisive aspect is reliability of supplies during wartime. That is a matter of judgment and finances. This group’s motivations are doubtful – and they are frequently accused of acting for vested interests.
The second school paints a rosy picture – and the picture is definitely NOT rosy.
Easy Way Out?
India has been for the last 20 years the one of the top 3 armament purchasers in the world – along with China. India’ s defence purchases exceed US$10billion every year. In the next few years, India is expected to buy US$40 billion of armaments. After that kind of spending, what will India be left with – debt and aging pieces of scrap metal.
One single issue. Poor funding.
Two thirds of domestic development budgets are taken up by wages and other set up costs. Development activity takes up only 1/3 of the budget. DRDO which is made up of academics and scientists have been a rather poor track record in getting the GOI to understand funding, costs, time frames and monetary elbow room to explore alternative development paths. What they need are good salesmen.
Frugal Engineering
Carlos Ghosn, the current chief of the Renault-Nissan combine used the term frugal engineering to describe India’s prowess in world class products at Indian costs. He followed up his talk with his walk. He has inked three deals with Mahindras for the Logan and other similar products; with Bajaj Auto for a below US$3000 car; and with Ashok Leyland for low cost commercial vehicles (in short, cheap trucks).
While other competitors had doubts about the Nano, and Osamu Suzuki and John Elliot, (is Elliot spelt like idi**) were doing a joint production of Nano comedy show, Ghosn was also (possibly) the only one who saw the threat of the Tata-Nano.
Indian defence designers and scientists have also done a similar job in defence production.
The Akash missile development project cost less than Rs.500 crores – which is about US$100 million. For that kind of money, international arms suppliers do not give the time of the day.
The 126 aircraft procurement under process is a prime example. The estimate started at US$6.5 billion. Recently it was estimated to cost US$10 billion – and the final bill may cross US$14 billion. With the right (domestic and international) partnerships (for sub assemblies like engine, avionics, airframe, tooling, etc.) and adequate and timely funding, the development cost will be US$ 2 billion. Production costs will be less than US$4 billion. (my estimates). IAF /DRDO estimates for the LCA are lower (I think that is more due to eagerness overkill) than realism.
The Arjuna battle tank development cost of less than Rs.350 crores – over a period of more than 15 years. That is less than US$100 million – over 15 years. What are we talking about? With (not so amusing) low budgets, what elbow room do those designers and scientists have to explore and develop alternatives? If they have delivered a working model, with production plan in place, it is the cheapest battle tank development in the world. With timely and adequate funding, these development cycles and design variations can be speeded up.
India plans to buy 6 numbers of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft at a cost of US$1 billion. The C-130 aircraft has now been in production from 1955, for mor e than 50 years (yes, for 50 years, with technology refreshments). This C-130 aircraft has now been in production for more than 50 years. A clean slate development of such an aircraft, with frugal Indian engineering, costs less than 100 million to develop. Production cost will not be more than US$200 million.
Can India continue to starve our engineers, designers and industry of funds, orders, business – and lavish spending on foreign industry. These dual standards are costing the Indian tax payers big money – and more importantly, compromising India’s defence preparedness. And the the defence forces face the prospect of fighting a war with inadequate armament and training.
Can we do it
Fortune 500 companies entrusted the biggest software problem the world had, the Y2K problem, to the Indian software industry. We had it licked in less than 3 years time. The Indian Government trusts foreign companies – but not Indians companies with defence production. How much more short sighted and regressive can they get?
The ISRO Antrix commercial space launch business is now beginning to challenge world leaders – and developed at Indian costs and world class technology.
The Brahmos collaborative development is another success story.
India needs to develop greater capability – in house, in time and based on global perspectives. This shopping around gets us the contempt (or the patronising attitude) that we deserve.
Tagged with: academics, aircraft, airframe, Akash, alternative, answer, Arjuna MBT, armament, Ashok Leyland, avionics, backward, Bajaj Auto, big money, Brahmos, budget, budgets, business model, C-130 Hercules, Carlos Ghosn, cheap trucks, China, clean slate, commercial space launch, competitors, costs, country, deals, defence, Defence Engineering, defence preparedness, delays, delivery, designers, development, development cycles, domestic, doom, DRDO, dual standards, Easy Way Out, elbow room, engine, explore, finances, foreign industry, Fortune 500, Frugal Engineering, funding, GOI, IAF, India, Indian software industry, Indian tax payers, indigenisation, industry, international arms suppliers, John Elliot, judgment, LCA, licence, Logan, Mahindras, manufacture, missile, monetary, money, Nano, Nissan, Non Existent, Osamu Suzuki, over-runs, partnerships, path, position, problem, process, procurement, production plan, products, project, prowess, purchasers, questions, realism, regressive, reliability, Renault, Revolutionary, schools, scientists, scrap metal, short sighted, software problem, step, subject, supplies, support, Tata-Nano, the Y2K problem, Thoughts, threat, tooling, track record, transport aircraft, Unfortunate, vested interests, wages, wartime, World, world class
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PT Barnum – Seven Pillars of Western Wisdom
Posted in Business, Current Affairs, European History, Gold Reserves, History, Islamic Demonization, Media, Satire, Uncategorized by Anuraag Sanghi on April 19, 2008
Sanitize and smuggle
With passage of time, the real harm to the Indian society by some of the foreign rulers is forgotten. For instance, the Mughal period saw the impoverishment of the Indian farmer, due to uncertainty over land title, whimsical tax regimes – and not the religious agenda, which has been ‘sold’ to Indians. By latter colonial rulers, the British.
We may see a repeat of the same phenomenon, this time, seeing the colonial rule through rose-tinted glasses. Colonialism was an unmitigated disaster – and should be clearly remembered as such.
We may see attempts to cover up the colonial misrule, by ‘academics’ whose motives are not always obvious or in the open. One such ‘academic’ is Kishore Mahbubani.
Gushing Press
H.E.Professor Dr.Kishore Mahbubani, of the National University of Singapore, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy has recently written a book.
In an interview with The Times Of India he opined, a cloying, subservient and ignorant view of the modern history. “Asia has benefited immensely from the western seven pillars of wisdom — free market, science and technology, meritocracy, pragmatism, culture of peace, rule of law and education” says Mahbubani.
On Mahbubani, comments The Economist, very patronisingly, “Kishore Mahbubani makes some sensible recommendations.” Strangely, The Economist, says this is “an anti-Western polemic, designed to wake up Americans and Europeans by making them angry. In that goal, it will certainly be successful.” Reportedly, The Economist, has decided that Kishore Mahbubani is an “Asian Toynbee preoccupied with the rise and fall of civilisations.”
Echoing The Economist, is The Shanghai Daily, which pronounces “Singaporean author Kishore Mahbubani has been likened to an Asian Toynbee”. Joining the fray, The Deccan Herald chips in with “Kishore Mahbubani is the ultimate foreign policy guru.” Niranjan Rajadhyaksa of The Mint (a HT-WSJ publication) intones,“Asia has both suffered and learnt a lot from the West … Mahbubani has been extremely fair.”
I tried disagreeing. I thought I had overwhelming evidence. But after the Mahbubani experience, with liberal doses of assistance from St.Barnum’s (patron saint of propaganda), I must admit, I was enlightened.
And I also want to know, who your PR agency is, Kishorbhai!
1. Free Markets
I was a non-believer in Western commitment to free markets. After reading Kishore Mahbubani, I realized, I was reading too much propaganda about how Indian mangoes could not be exported to USA for the last 18 years – because of pesticide residues.
India, (wrongly) disallowed imports of allegedly, ‘over-priced, gas-guzzling, polluting’ Harley-Davidson motorcycles. USA, in turn taught India a thing or two about free trade. After a sufficiently, enlightened India, lifted restrictions on imports of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, pesticide residues disappeared, and the US allowed imports of Indian mangoes again.
I am sure that Indian farmers, with some devious trickery, ensured that pesticide residues vanished.
For the last 300 years, the West restricted imports of fabrics and garments. Dhaka’s de-urbanization due to this in the 1800-1900 is written into history – wrongly. The last law was the MFA agreement which created a quota-based regime for textiles, in the West.
Agricultural subsidies of nearly US$20 billion dollars by USA and EU, to their farmers are also in the spirit of free trade. For the benefit of the starving Rest, the West is giving these subsidies to Western farmers, to lower food prices. How does it matter that the agricultural economy of the recipient nations gets destroyed!
Things like non-tariff barriers are hokum and over-worked Eastern imagination. The story of repeated and frequent rejection of mushroom exports from India is also in the spirit of free trade.
Indian applications for ‘equivalence’ certificates have been pending with EU for the last 7-8 years – and not processed for the last 7-8 years due to lack of manpower. Interim annuals approvals are given instead – in the spirit of free trade, after some ‘concessions’.
Of course, the Western zeal for free trade extends to enforcing opium trade (just ask the Chinese). Kishorebhai, I only wish, ignorant Easterner that I am, is that we in India can enforce ‘free trade’ in opium today in USA and the Europe.
When the ignorant East, did not see the benefits of Western invention of free trade, the West was compelled to use force (remember Commodore Perry? For more details, ask the Japanese).
St.Barnum’s Says
Mahbubani’s assertions are right. These ‘facts’ above are like a bikini. What they reveal is indicative, what they conceal is vital! In this case, the Western spirit of free trade. How can the ignorant East, question Western wisdom – or ethics, integrity, motives? Of course, all these cases and incidents are a conspiracy to defame the West.
2. Science & Technology
Before Western invention of Science and Technology, what did the East know?
Zilch. Zero. Sifr. Shunya. That is all. This claim about India inventing the zero and infinity is probably right. Because they had infinite knowledge about Zero – and nothing else. All their books about geometry (Aryabhatta, Bhaskara) are just figments of Eastern imagination. Eastern knowledge about eclipse prediction has now been proved wrong by Kishore Mahbubani’s expose. Indian shipbuilders and steel technology was just puffery – as demonstrated by Kishore Mahbubani.
Of course as Hegel said, there is no African history. I realize after reading Kishore Mahbubani’s interview that there is only Western Science and Technology. It must have been some Westerners behind the ‘achievements’ of China, Africa and India.
How ignorant I was before being enlightened by Kishorebhai!
PT Barnum adds – Are you not forgetting the option of crediting aliens?
3.Meritocracy
Poor ‘Blacks’!
They were always mislead by their leaders. The only place in the world that they could find equity, was in the West. If the West had not ‘bought’ these poor ‘Blacks’ and allegedly ‘enslaved’ them, they would have still have been in Africa – and lost the benefits of the Western meritocracy. Some Black leaders are today claiming that they have even contributed to Western technology.
The sheer audacity!
Similarly, if the Gypsies had not left India, (supposedly) a thousand years ago, they would have lost all the benefits of Western civilization. Early Punjabi settlers in USA did not properly understand their position in Western society. They were basically inferior people who demanded equality to their White masters.
This mis-perception, of course, created misdirected protests. These ignorant immigrants from the East did not properly understand Western meritocracy.
The Wisdom Of St.Barnum – If Japanese and Chinese immigrants faced discrimination in the USA, it was their fault – why did they have to look different?
4. Pragmatism
I agree that the West is truly pragmatic!
Dr.RA Mashelkar, a senior scientist and administrator, writes:
“A recent study by an Indian expert group examined randomly selected 762 US patents, which were granted under A61K35/78 and other IPC classes, having a direct relationship with medicinal plants in terms of their full text. Out of these patents, 374 patents were found to be based on traditional knowledge …”
After annihilating the Australian Aborigines, the Australian Government decided to apologize. What more does the world expect? This apology from the magnanimous West was as pragmatic as anyone can get! Kishorebhai, we have a saying in India, about cats going on a pilgrimage after killing a hundred rats. In this case, of course, the West went one better. They killed millions of humans – and apologized for that!
Western practice of Pragmatism at its best!
St.Barnum sez – What could be more pragmatic? I agree with Kishore Mahbubani!
5. Culture Of Peace
The Native Americans were wiped out – nearly the entire race! Today they are a relic – a tourist attraction! Like rare animals in a zoo!
Aborigines in Australia have similarly been annihilated. Two world wars in a space of 40 years. The entire Jewish population of the world has been reduced to 10 million – by the West.
But, Kishore Mahbubani says, the Western civilization is about peace! And he is right!
These wars were forced upon the West – and were fought to bring peace on Earth. Now since there are no Native Americans and Aborigines, how can there be a war with the Native Americans and Aborigines. Similarly, if there are no Jews, there cannot be a war with the Jews. The West is also trying to cleanse the earth of all Muslims. Then there cannot be a war with Muslims also.
St.Barnum pays a tribute to Kishore Mahbubani – Kishorebhai, you concept of culture of peace is stunning to say the least. Hats off.
6.Rule of Law
Completely true and a matter of fact!
Consider the Western laws on slavery! And those related to minorities! Or current laws in the UK and US to deal with terrorism.
The disenfranchisement laws came into effect by the 1890’s – that continue till today. This ensured that the disproportionate numbers of ‘Blacks’ could not vote – and George Bush became the President of the USA for the 2nd time. After some 60,000 ‘Black’ Voters were disenfranchised, George Bush technically, won by less than 1000 votes (most of the disenfranchised voters were expected to vote against George Bush).
Petty crime (where poor) ‘Blacks’ were convicted in higher ratios were grounds for disenfranchisement. These laws ensured that 10 times higher number of ‘Blacks’ were disqualified compared to Whites. If that is not bad enough, it continues till now. Such tactics continue to be used to limit Black participation in democracy.
In 1904, the US pressured Tomas Estrada Palma, a ‘puppet’ Cuban President, to sign the Platt Amendment. This allowed US intervention in Cuban affairs, if ‘vital’ US interests were at risk (meaning at US will) – finally modified only in 1934. The many laws which made Gypsy hunting legal – like laws which made hunting animals legal. The latest news in that Italians are going to crack down on Gypsies – as per a EU law.
St.Barnum confirms – Yes, Kishore Sir! The West believes in laws.
7.Education
I must admit, that Western education does achieve its goals!
West does produce leaders, generation after generation, who relentlessly execute the same agenda. The annihilation, the massacre, the pogroms – against natives in America and Australia, minorities like Gypsies, Jews and various Christian sects. The kidnapping of Aboriginal and Gypsy children. The massacres in Africa – from Roman times to 20th century. And now the specter of Islamic Demonization.
St.Barnum adds – This degree of continuity and consistency is missing with others. There is something about Western education Mr.Mahbubani, I agree.
Country Model of the West
The real country model that the West manages itself on is something else Mr.Mahbubani. Loot – of gold, resources, ideas. And slavery. Add significant amounts of fraud.
Nothing more and nothing less. And their strategy to ‘white wash’ this – propaganda. With Kishorebhai’s plausible sincerity, I am not quite able to decide if Kishorebhai is an innocent and ignorant victim of Western propaganda or a part of the propaganda.
Either way, his book and his ideas are trash – and this post is a case of intellectual slumming.
Tagged with: A61K35/78, aborigines in Australia, Africa, African history, agricultural economy, Agricultural subsidies, Aliens Built The Pyramids, American, annihilating the Australian Aborigines, anti-Western polemic, Aryabhatta, Asia, Asian Toynbee, Australia, Australian Government, Bhaskara, Black contributed to Western technology, Black Voters disenfranchised, Blacks, China, Commodore Perry, conspiracy to defame the West, Country Model Of The West, culture of peace, de-urbanization, Deccan Herald, Dhaka, disenfranchisement laws, Dr.RA Mashelkar, Easter Island Statues, Eastern imagination, eclipse prediction, education, enforce 'free trade', equivalence certificates, EU, EU law, Europe, European, figments of Eastern imagination, gas guzzling, George Bush, Gypsies, Gypsy hunting legal, Harley Davidson motorcycles, Hegel, ignorant East, ignorant immigrants, ignorant view of the modern history, immigrants faced discrimination, India, Indian farmers, Indian mangoes, Indian shipbuilders and steel technology, Italians crack down on Gypsies, Japan, Jewish population of the world, Jews and various Christian sects, kidnapping of Aboriginee and Gypsy children, Kishore Mahbubani, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Loot of gold resources ideas slavery, massacres in Africa, medicinal plants, MFA agreement, Mint 0a HT-WSJ publication, monorties like Gypsies, National University of Singapore, natives in America, Niranjan Rajadhyaksa, non-tariff barriers, Opium Trade, pesticide residues, Petty crime, Platt Amendment of 1904, pogroms, Propaganda, PT Barnum, Punjabi settlers in USA, rare animals in a zoo, Red Indians were wiped out, rejection of mushroom exports, rise and fall of civilisations, Science & Technology, science and technology, seven pillars of western wisdom, Singapore, spectre of Islamic Demonization, spirit of free trade, St.Barnum, subsidies to Western farmers, The Economist, The Shanghai Daily, the starving Rest, Times Of India, Tomas Estrada Palma, traditional knowledge, Two world wars, US patents, war with Muslims, West Is Best, Western civilization, Western education, Western free markets, Western invention of free trade, Western invention of Science and Technology, Western meritocracy, Western wisdom, Wisdom Of St.Barnum, zero and infinity
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In this section: Undergraduate
Instrumental and vocal teachers
Performance and composition opportunities
musicug@leeds.ac.uk
Part-time and mature students
Choral, orchestral, new music and band projects are an important part of modules in the School, however there are opportunities to get involved with Leeds University Union’s performance societies too.
You could audition to play a concerto, find a string quartet or a funk band, play in symphonic winds, sing in an opera, audition for Big Band, play Indonesian gamelan, join Leeds Baroque Orchestra/Choir, or try your hand at conducting.
If you are studying the BMus(Performance) course, you must take solo performance as part of your degree.
For other courses, solo performance is an option (you’ll need to be grade 7 distinction/grade 8 merit standard) and you’ll receive individual lesson funding as part of your module, have the services of our resident pianist for classes, concerts and exams, and get opportunities to try out repertoire during performance classes.
Practice facilities are open seven days a week, and there are percussion, early keyboard/orchestral instruments and a chamber organ available.
We offer masterclasses, and support musicians’ health through a programme of workshops and events. Student performers also regularly feature in the concert series.
Choral music, opera and musical theatre
The Opera Society mounts productions each year, and there are several musical-theatre societies in the Union.
Through our DARE partnership with Opera North, you’ll get access to backstage company activities as well as performances.
You might want to audition for the Clothworkers Consort of Leeds, a high-quality chamber choir based in the School which performs regularly and also tours and records.
The School regularly mounts choral projects, and there are vocal scholarships available in local churches. Many musical-theatre opportunities are available through school contacts and activities, both on campus and throughout the region.
Choral and organ scholarships
Leeds Cathedral offers choral scholarships and there are also awards for organists and choral conductors.
Leeds Minster offers scholarships for singers.
Bradford Cathedral offers some undergraduate or postgraduate choral scholarships; to find out more please contact the Director of Music, Alex Woodrow.
An organ scholarship is offered for suitably qualified applicants at St. Andrew’s United Reformed Church, Roundhay (3-manual Abbot and Smith Organ, refurbished 2012). Contact david.pickering@standrews.cc.
There may also be paid opportunities available for Sunday morning services at St. Peters, Sicklinghall, for flautists/violinists/singers and pianists/organists. Contact: music@leeds.ac.uk
It may be possible for you to arrange an audition for these opportunities when you visit Leeds for an interview or audition.
LS Two, the School’s music ensemble, performs student composition work, as well as challenging new music at the highest level. Composers and performers regularly come to work with students.
There are also opportunities for developing skills in electronic music performance, computer music composition, and sound recording practice.
Creative and experimental approaches to performing and composing with analogue synthesizers, computer software or other forms of music technology are encouraged, and you’ll have opportunities to have your work performed on the School’s concert hall sound diffusion system.
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Atholton Website
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ArtsFeatures
It’s an Academic Life
An inside look at a bright yet overlooked gem at Atholton, the It’s Academic! club.
Matthew Bloom on December 6, 2018
Matthew Bloom
Buzzers dinging, random names, places, and scientific concepts are
being shouted out. If you did not know that the It’s Academic! club was meeting, you would probably be pretty confused.
The It’s Academic! club has been a bright yet overlooked gem at Atholton, meeting weekly in preparation for their yearly television taping and miniature tournaments throughout the year. The three-person all-senior “TV team” has been a dominant force in the practice room, and came more than ready to each year’s taping. The three seniors, Jessica Langsdale, Casey Greenberg, and Yamini Ananth, have all been members of the club since their freshman and sophomore years, when Mr. Douglas took over as the club’s sponsor.
“We treat it a lot like a trivia game, and we cheer when someone gets something really right. It’s all in good fun,” said Mr. Douglas. “I want my students to have a good time with it. That’s more important to me than if we make it to the finals in a television taping. I’m more interested about them having fun and showing off how much they know.”
Through weeks of hour-long practices on Wednesdays, creating flashcards, and memorizing even the most random of facts, the team found itself with three heads filled to the brim with knowledge. Despite this, the team fell short of moving onto the next round in each of its past two tapings. As all three team members are graduating in May, they hope that this year’s match will work out in their favor.
Though the team hasn’t successfully won a match to move onto a second round up to this point, each member remains hopeful that this will be their year. “It’s relaxing and fun, and there’s not a lot of pressure. But we still get to learn stuff,” said Jessica Langsdale, a team member since her sophomore year. She has participated in It’s Academic!–style activities since middle school, where she said the club, “wasn’t that different,” citing the similar nonchalant attitude of club meetings.
The team faced off against Pikesville and Brunswick High Schools in this year’s televised competition on November 13. Filmed at the WJZ-TV studio near Baltimore, Maryland, the episode will air on WJZ on January 19th, 2019 at 10 am.
Numerous other high schools around Maryland, including River Hill High School and Centennial High School, have It’s Academic! teams representing their schools at this year’s competition. The television tapings are shown throughout the school year in a tournament format. Atholton competes each year against high school teams, such as Catonsville, Owings Mills, and this year’s foes: Pikesville and Brunswick. This taping was the first obstacle in reaching further rounds in the It’s Academic! tournament.
Some of the team members had wacky and unique strategies in order to prepare for these tough matches. While some methods were more practical than others, each member had their own unique methods and subjects to study.
“The summer after my freshman year I made so many flashcards by hand and I researched so many topics. It just worked,” said Casey Greenberg, one of the three senior girls on the team. Greenberg said she also utilized a lengthy series of flashcard sets on Quizlet to review content in the weeks prior to taping.
With all of the answer-shouting, loud buzzer-pressing, and soft giggles from ridiculous answers, the atmosphere of the practice room after school is a sight to see. The club brings out the witty, humorous side of many of the club’s members, and welcomes positivity, confidence, and reassurance between team members. Some practices include keeping points, other practices do not. Some practices split members up into teams, others do not. It truly is a “one-size-fits-all” type of club.
Mr. Douglas took over the club from Mr. Sackett in 2015. “I want kids to come in, have a good time, and share their knowledge,” Mr. Douglas said. He has seen some of his best team members come and go in recent years, and this year is no different as he prepares his goodbyes for when May rolls around.
Because all three of his team members, including the alternates, are graduating in the spring, Mr. Douglas has found himself in a tough spot in terms of formulating a strategy for the future of the club. Nevertheless, his perseverance and positive energy have driven the club forward, and some of the club’s brightest spots have come from the underclassmen that have joined the club in the past year. Still, Mr. Douglas has planned to begin recruiting 9th and 10th graders in English classes in the near future. The club is welcoming to any new members throughout the year, encouraging everyone to come give the club a try.
All of the club’s members and their dedicated sponsor are excited about a new year ahead of them. Although her time in the club is coming to a close, Casey is already planning for the future. “Maybe I’ll be able to go on Jeopardy! someday and maybe win some money,” she said. “Who knows?”
Posted in: Arts, Features
Tagged in: Atholton High School, It's Academic, raider review
Posted by Matthew Bloom
Matthew is a 12th grader at Atholton High School. He likes to play sports and play the piano. His favorite classes in school are history and math.
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this is how we do Halloween @Atown 👻👻!! Have fun and be safe out there tonight !!
and here’s some amazing shots from our very own Atown Pep Rally💚🖤💚🖤 #ahsspiritweek #Day5
more AWESOME Color Day Shots!! Color Day, BEST DAY🤘🏽🥳 #ahsspiritweek #Day5
a pic of some seniors who FINALLY get to rep all black !!!🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚 #seniorszn #colorday #Day4
wacky wacky tackyyyyy🥳🤪!! #ahsspiritweek #Day4
Everybody say YAY for MARYLAND DAY❤️💛❤️💛!! #ahsspiritweek #Day3
character day always comes with a good laugh !! it was great to see all the different ideas !! #ahsspiritweek #Day✌️
Day 1 of Spirit Week, kicking things off right with a classic Jersey Day💚🖤💚!! #ahsspiritweek
Junior Hallway was a success with the awesome theme of Cars ! #ahsjuniorspirt #ahsspiritweek #ahs2021
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Humans of Atholton
Question of the day: Who is your favorite teacher? Why? “One of my favorite teachers is Mrs.Wasson because she’s really helpful, cares about my learning, and is overall a really cool teacher. Me and her have a close bond.”
“If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be🦸♂️?” “Easy. I would want to fly. When I was little I would always watch Superman and I remember getting so excited at all the things he can do. Just think, I would never have to walk again! I can go where I want when I want and twice as fast. I can hang with the birds!
In honor of a week full of snow days❄️❄️❄️ Question: What is your favorite memory from a snow day off? ☃️ Autumn: We went to our sledding hill with our close friends from the neighborhood for everyday of the week. Every single day at this hill, we found out that there would be no school the next day. We were relieved that we would have no school and could spend time together the next day. ☃️ Comment down below if you have any memories like this, maybe even some from this week!
Question of the day: What's something you're really proud of? ✨✨✨ "My grandfather- well I don't know if I'd say I'm proud- I guess I'm proud of myself. My grandfather was choking once, and I did the what's it called? I forget, but I helped him stop choking. I've always wanted to work in the medical field. I want to be a travelling nurse, where they give you a place, like let's say Hawaii, and you go there for a couple of months. They pay for your rental car or plane ticket, and housing expenses."
Question of the Day: What’s your best crab memory?🦀 “This past summer, my mom, my brother, his girlfriend, her parents, and I went to this restaurant in Baltimore and we had crabs til our hearts were content. And then we walked along the water and watched the sunset and had slushies together and it was amazing. I got to spend time with my family and really embrace the Maryland culture!”
The scariest thing I've ever done was competing drill. It was a weird experience. It was my first time competing for my school. I didn't know what to expect, I was kinda nervous. That was probably the scariest thing. It was so new to me. I just decided [to join JROTC] to last year. Anyone whose in it is lucky because it's a really good experience for you.
"I did Girls on the Run when when I was in fourth and fifth grade. After the adrenaline, it makes you feel really good. I think it was fun, and it was really good for self esteem and making friends. There were high schoolers who volunteered there as coaches, I want to do that."
“The movie Dope is underrated. It’s about these nerdy kids in the projects who want to get into Harvard. But, they get integrated into the gang lives that they don’t want to—they have to sell molly and stuff. The main character has to write a college essay for Harvard, and at the end of the essay he talks about his whole demographic. He says, ‘Imagine two people. Imagine a kid who gets straight A’s, is all honors classes, and gets perfect SAT scores. Then, also imagine a kid who lives in the projects who got integrated into the gang life and has to deal with gangs everyday. Now, look at me, which one do you think I am? What if I told you if I’m both. Also, would you ask the same question if I’m white?’ The movie is funny but it also makes you think."
"I started doing magic a little over a year ago. I got into it just randomly to be honest. Since I usually carry a pack of cards with me to play cards with friends, I figured I'd give the cards another purpose: magic. My favorite part is the reactions. If they are truly amazed by the supposed “magic,” it's nice to see that practice paid off. They’re pretty funny to watch. The reactions where they're practically speechless from amazement is what I look for. It shows I did the trick well enough so that they couldn't keep track of what just happened. The best is probably when people physically jump, yell, or claim it’s a form of black magic. It's pretty funny to see that. Of course, I'm still quite a beginner. I have a lot to learn and practice, but people always tend to want to see more magic so that's motivation to learn different tricks."
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