Split (1)

train · 440k rows

pred_label stringclasses 2 values	pred_label_prob float64 0.5 1	wiki_prob float64 0.25 1	text stringlengths 75 951k	source stringlengths 39 45
__label__cc	0.642922	0.357078	Kachemak Selo High School Writes! 2011-2012 Writing Alexander’s Page Arseny’s Page Danikt’s Page Elesey’s Page Evgeny’s Page Faliley’s Page Fetina’s Page Firce’s Page Julian’s Page Katya’s Page Kosta’s Page Leedia’s Page Maramia’s Page Mark’s Page Maxim’s Page Mike’s Page Stefan’s Page Varsanofy’s Page Varvara’s Page Yakov’s Page 2012 First Semester Writing “Writer’s Block” by Alik “Behind Enemy Lines” by Firce “Broken Heart” by Ksenia “Family Operation” by Kosta “Learning the Ropes” by Katya “Lost” by Evgeny “Paintballing” by Alexander “Phone Call” by Varvara “Plane Crash” by Mariamia “To Kill A Dragon” revised by Mike “Two Boys That Could Create & Destroy” by Ignaty “Two Men and a Fartmaster” by Vars Kinds of Writing Ignaty Mariamia Varsanofy Yakov -Zack Griddov- By Mike Reutov “C’mon son, pick up your ax. Do not slack off during morning hours.” Zack awoke from his daydream by his father’s voice. “Sorry pops, kind of dozed off there for a bit.” He picked up his ax and swung at the tree. “Thinking about your girlfriend again, huh?” His father said. Zack smiled and swung again. Splinters shattered from the tip off his ax as it dug into the tree. He swung again. Realizing he forgot safety goggles, a big peace of bark flew right into Zack’s eyes. He dropped the ax and howled in pain, putting his hands against the splinter. He noticed it was at least an inch into his iris. He grabbed the piece and yanked it out. He screamed again, his voice slowly became quiet and his throat dried out. He looked back at his hands and starred at the blood that trekked around his right index finger. “Hold on son, stay still.” His father told him. He examined it and said, “We need to go home so we can patch it up.” He took his arm and slowly lifted him. They took a couple steps forward and then they sped up and began to walk. Their working zone was about a mile away from their house. The best trees were deep into the forest and the family made good money from them. The snow was deep and their boots were full of icy snow. It was the end of winter so the weather was a bit chilly as it usually was. They walked until his father stopped and looked around. “Wait here Zack. I think I hear other workers, I’ll be right back.” He let go of him and Zack wanted to tell him to wait, but nothing came out. Zack’s energy was running out and he sat down, watching his father with blurry eyes, only to see a figure fade away into the forest. He opened his mouth trying to call him, but nothing came out but a groan. Zack shifted onto his back and looked up into the sky. Something lightly touched his face and noticed that it started to snow. Fear ran through Zack, he knew he will be lost if his father’s tracks disappeared. The forest was a maze that only his father barely understood. Out of energy, Zack slowly closed his eyes, too tired to get up or cry for help. “Dad” he tried to say but nothing still came out. Zack awoke by a loud noise. The noise ricocheted throughout the forest and so he had no idea where it came from. His hands were numb and he barely got up. The snow was whiter. Fresher. Higher. The tracks were gone, he was alone. His father wasn’t back. “The snow must have carried him off the path.” Zack thought. The noise again repelled through the forest trees. He now knew what was causing more fear to rise through his body; grey wolves. There are rare around these parts but that didn’t mean there weren’t any scavenging for food. Zack touched his left eye. It was swollen but it didn’t hurt as much anymore. Zack knew it was still morning because the sun was rising and the weather was warmer in the mid-days. Another howl bellowed through the snowy forest and Zack turned and ran the other way. He only understood the maze of the forest that was by his house. All he needed was a familiar path, or tree, or something and he would be safe. Gray figures flashed off the corner of his good eye and he turned around. Nothing. He turned and instantly crashed to the ground, claws piercing his back; the wolves have caught up. He shook the beast off and ran full speed and tripped by the fresh snow. The wolves surrounded him and he counted five total. He looked down at his snow-pants and noticed that he had a knife with him. Its blade wasn’t very long; it had a curved point and the razor sharp edge that was used to cut off unwanted twigs off logs. The wolves growled at him showing off yellow, sharp teeth. He unsheathed the knife, the sun gleaming at his reflection. Even though his vision made it hard to tell where exactly they stood, he could still see figures lurking around him. More fear rose but he slowly breathed and said, “This is it… this is how I die.” He closed his eyes and in his head he said goodbye to the world. He slowly put his feet under him and rose to face the animals, he lifted his hand and they pounced. One by one the wolves clawed at him and he swung for his dear life. Blood covered the snow and the mouths of some wolves. After minutes of fighting, Zack slowly dropped to his knees, slowly dying and bleeding out. The last bite grasped his neck and he collapsed onto the snow, dropping the knife. His heart slowly stopped beating; the wolves slowly ripped him apart, and he slowly closed his eyes, losing his strength. The life of Zack Griddov has ended. He was never found; he was rather slowly eaten and/or decayed. Now people say they heard cries of help in the cold wind of the forest but the source was never found. Hikers told stories of how they saw spirits appear and disappear. People didn’t know that it was the boy who got lost and gave his soul to the forest. His spirit lurches in the white mists in winter and gray fogs of summer; still looking for a path, still looking for… home. One Response to Mike Xander says: Sheesh, ur stury iz soooo sadz. D: Sad kitteh iz sad. 🙁 When your story began, I thought that Jack would die in some convoluted way involving some form of a trap created with springs and various axes wedged in strategic places, but it seems I was wrong. You decided to go for a a clean and simple death; ravaged by wolves. Admittedly, the splinter incident was a bit convoluted, considering the fact of how rare that occurrence would be, but I suppose that it needed to happen for your story to take place. I felt that the father should have reentered the story at some point, maybe right before Zack dies, because a father would not just leave his son in the woods to die. Especially not if he said that he was going to get help. Of course, perhaps his father understood that with only one eye, Zack would have a skewed sense of perception, and might not be as good of a lumberjack. I suppose that he felt vindicated in his decision to abandon his slightly injured son to the wolves. Overall, this story is very good. Very good grammar, great word choice, and a good topic. Death by wolves is rare, and should be used more often in murder stories. People are starting to believe that wolves are not evil beasts hellbent on destroying humanity, one throat at a time. We must not let that happen. I am Alex Konev, and I approve of this message.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11545
__label__cc	0.741541	0.258459	Catalog » Armenia 1992 (#001-#013) My Account \| Cart Contents \| Checkout 001-3, Independence Day, the first issue of Armenia, Scott #430. 004, Independence Day, Souvenir Sheet, Scott #431 005, A. T. & T., Scott #431A 006-9, Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, Scott #432 010-3, First Definitive issue, Scott #433, 435, 437, 438. 1992 Complete Year Set. Click for more $66.50 Since our website is used by worldwide collectors and dealers of Armenia stamps as a reference site (besides purchasing), we have decided to keep the images of "Sold Out" items for reference and image viewing. All such items have a $0.00 price. If you like to obtain any of the "Sold Out" or "Out of Stock" items, please contact us and we would check with our sources to secure your requested item . $0.00 The following are official FDCs issued for this year $0.00 004, FDC, Independence Day, Souvenir Sheet. Scott #431 006-9, FDC, Barcelona Summer Olympic Games Scott #432 010-13, FDC, First Definitive issue, Scott #433, 435, 437, 438 Black Cancellation 01. 001-3, Independence Day, the first issue of Armenia, Scott #430. 02. 006-9, Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, Scott #432 03. 005, A. T. & T., Scott #431A 04. 010-3, First Definitive issue, Scott #433, 435, 437, 438. 05. 1992 Complete Year Set. Click for more 06. 006-9, FDC, Barcelona Summer Olympic Games Scott #432 07. 010-13, FDC, First Definitive issue, Scott #433, 435, 437, 438 Black Cancellation Russia Scott #4184, Aivazovsky S/S PC#101, National Academy of Science, MINT, Mintage 500	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11550
__label__wiki	0.865947	0.865947	BAFTA Guru BAFTA Guru is BAFTA’s content hub for career starters packed full of inspirational videos, podcasts and interviews. Whether you’ve taken your first steps in the industry or are just starting out, you’ll find plenty here to motivate and help you along the way. BAFTA Kids BAFTA’s destination for youngsters to come and discover the magical worlds of film, television and games. Enter challenges, watch videos, and take part in our annual vote to decide the best film, TV show and game of the year. YGD Young Game Designers BAFTA Young Game Designers YGD is a gaming initiative for 10-18 year olds which explores how games are made and the skill required to make them through workshops, a video series and an annual competition. BAFTA 195 Piccadilly Situated in the heart of London's West End, BAFTA 195 Piccadilly is the home of BAFTA worldwide, as well as an award-winning venue for hire that offers outstanding hospitality and a suite of flexible event spaces, which can be crafted to suit any occasion. BAFTA Los Angeles BAFTA New York BAFTA Scotland BAFTA Cymru BAFTA in Asia BAFTA YGD Follow @BAFTA BAFTA Newsletter Book Tickets for How We Support Talent Support the Academy Awards Database Home Lauren Dark \| Producer Lauren Dark \| Producer Lauren worked at Ken Loach and Rebecca O'Brien's production company Sixteen Films for five years, on films such as Les bien-aimés (Beloved), Cesar Chavez, and Dheepan. Lauren also produced the 2013 documentary Mediastan, a WikiLeaks road movie, alongside Julian Assange and Rebecca O'Brien, before producing her first narrative feature, War Book, in 2014. Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Tom Harper, War Book was executive produced and co-financed by previous BAFTA Breakthrough Brit honourees Steve Jamison and Mike Brett. The film screened at the 2014 London Film Festival and opened the 2015 Rotterdam Film Festival. Lauren has been working at Ivana MacKinnon’s Stray Bear Films since January 2014 and was selected in the Producers category of the Screen International Future Leaders 2015. It’s really thrilling and enormously encouraging to be named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit. I think being part of an initiative like this is particularly useful after making a first feature. Being supported and given the opportunity to be mentored, to explore next steps and to have access to a community like BAFTA will be incredibly useful moving forward ... the prospect of meeting other people from different creative industries on the scheme is exciting and I’m sure I will learn a lot. Subscribe to BAFTA news Our Learning and New Talent partners Careers at BAFTA The latest job vacancies at BAFTA, including paid internships and freelance positions. All the latest BAFTA news and useful information for members of the press. © 2018. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726) About BAFTA Film events Games events Children's home BAFTA Crew Brits To Watch Young Game Designers BFI NETWORK @ Flare More BAFTA Sites BAFTA Home BAFTA LA BAFTA Asia	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11552
__label__wiki	0.948158	0.948158	» Leicester Around Leicester The Sum of All Fears Director: Phil Alden Robinson Cast: Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, James Cromwell, Liev Schreiber, Alan Bates, Philip Baker Hall, Bruce McGill, Jamie Harrold, Colm Feore, Josef Sommer Release: 16 August 2002 A sweaty Ben Affleck is sure to get hearts fluttering Does Sum add up? Ben Affleck moves into thrillers to bring Tom Clancy's hero Jack Ryan to life. Can he step into Harrison Ford's shoes? In this high-intensity drama, based on the novel by Tom Clancy, Ben Affleck stars as CIA agent Jack Ryan. The agent has appeared in Clancy's other stories: The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger (twice with Harrison Ford playing the role). Here, Ryan is dealing with a terrifying new problem: a nuclear weapon has fallen into the hands of foreign terrorists who are determined to create a war between Russia and the U.S. As the film begins, a South African arms dealer (Colm Feore) acquires a long-lost nuclear weapon and sells it, at great profit, to a resurgent group of fascists, who plan to lure the U.S. and Russia into a war. Soon after, the Russian premiere dies and the relatively unknown new leader replaces him. But the U.S. president smells a rat, and calls the CIA chief, William Cabot (Morgan Freeman), and special agent Jack Ryan (Affleck), the junior analyst who has been researching the new Russian leader, are called into action. And Affleck's pedigree as a romantic lead is also used to full effect...there's a major love story that runs alongside the action. Find out where to see this movie locally. (some films will not be shown in Leicester) Top \| Movie Index \| Home Do you have a comment to make about this or any other movie? We want to hear from you. A to Z of Movies Spy Kids 2 Last week's releases Search our Leicestershire Hollywood and Bollywood movie database. Director/Actor Any Action Comedy Documentary Drama Family Horror Kids Musicals Romance Sci-Fi Thriller Leicester Melton BBC reviews The Sum of All Fears Official Sum of All Fears site Local designer takes honours Showcasing local talent Roots, celebrating diverse local culture About the BBC \| Help \| Terms of Use \| Privacy & Cookies Policy	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11557
__label__cc	0.729877	0.270123	Exercising with Your Baby Category: Newsletter Library, Pregnancy & Parenting From biking and hiking to walking and jogging, today's parents are keeping fit and bonding with their babies in the process. With an array of products unheard of a generation ago— like baby carriers, joggers and trailers— even the tiniest among us are enjoying the great outdoors. But while these Enhance Fertility with Chiropractic Care Thirty-five year-old Tracy had tried everything: monitoring her cycles through body temperature, over-the-counter fertility predictors and finally, fertility-enhancing drugs and in vitro fertilization. But after three years of trying, she still wasn't pregnant. She began to think she was "too old" to Pregnancy, Parenting, and Lower Back Pain You're pregnant! Congratulations! Your body's changing-wondrously, marvelously. One unexpected and unwelcome change may be lower back pain. Recent studies suggest that two-thirds of pregnant women experience lower back pain.1 These statistics seem reasonable. The weight of the growing baby, plus the Yellow Light Go Very Fast In a classic scene in the classic 1984 movie Starman, the extraterrestrial Jeff Bridges tells the human Karen Allen that, yes, he does know how to drive. Starman has just blasted through a traffic light changing to red, other vehicles crashing in his wake. Jenny Hayden, his protector, is screaming at Chiropractic Advice for Moms-to-Be The weight gain, the bloating, the nausea... Most new mothers will tell you that the aches and pains of pregnancy are a small price to pay for the beautiful bundle of joy they're rewarded with nine months later. But as many new mothers can attest, the muscle strains of pregnancy are very real and can	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11558
__label__cc	0.507884	0.492116	RUN LIKE A GIRL May 02, 2018 by Carl Maynard I still remember the words from the kids I grew up with: "you shoot like a girl, Carl!" or, one time, "don't be such a girl!" after telling a friend that he upset me. All the ways I was told not be "like a girl" growing up only escalated as I got older. Once you reach the point where you actually go into a locker room before gym class, far more than likely you're told you're "built like a girl" or made fun of for a lack of chest hair. Looking back, I have no idea where that way of thinking came from. No one tells you as a kid to act that way. It was in the spring of 2000 when "No Strings Attached" by NSYCN came out and I told my buddies I liked it, only to be made fun of. "You listen to girl music. Are you gay?" In high school in the midwest, I was "like a girl" because I grew my hair out and wore "tight" jeans (they weren't). Throughout my childhood and teenage years, everything that was deemed un-manly to others meant it was like "what a girl" would do. I joined the military, and there it's even worse. You wanna talk about your feelings? Don't even try it! "Man up" meant don't talk about anything — bottle it up and lash out on others by telling them to do the same. But this isn't new; I'm more than likely not the only one who has had these moments. And I'm very aware I won't be the last. But I'm constantly asking myself why. As a new husband, I gladly accept that I'm half as good at my job as my wife is at hers. If I had as much drive as she does, I'd gladly accept that I work like a girl. We have to kick this habit of equating a man not performing as he "should," based on an arbitrary standard set by another man, with acting "like a girl." Over the past year, this has really stuck with me, and I wanted to try and help change this way of thinking. If we show the young men and boys behind us just how powerful "like a girl" can be. Could it change how that phrase is used? Maybe the real hope is we stop using it at all. But from where I stand, we have to do better. I shot this series with all of that in mind. I don't have all the answers to how we do better, I just know I myself am trying to do better. With all of this in my mind, I wanted to photograph a few friends of mine who I've always seen as strong, powerful women. I've seen them give nothing but 100 percent on everything they do — especially in their love for running. Their names are Mona, Emma, and Paige (L-R). They're badass women and they put the exclamation mark behind the meaning of Run Like a Girl! EMMA wearing Twilight tank - Session Shorts & Session jacket PAIGE wearing twilight tee - turnover capri tight - waite windbreaker MONA wearing Briton base layer - Twilight split shorts & Harbor shell -CM clothing by Tracksmith all photos shot on location in Washington, DC on April 14th, 2018. May 02, 2018 /Carl Maynard running, tracksmith, washington dc, the district, washingtonian, girl runners, running in dc, the fit district, runners world, tracksmith women, girl running, priime, carl maynard	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11564
__label__cc	0.57676	0.42324	“Heil Hitler! Heil Trump!” — one story reveals the American divide November 16, 2018 by Bookworm Leave a Comment When I read that a man screamed “Heil Hitler” and “Heil Trump,” I knew he was a Proggie, but a Proggie I know still insists the man was a Trump supporter. Yesterday, the media was filled with stories about an outburst at a Baltimore theater. The Baltimore Sun first reported on the event — and please note that it immediately identifies the man as a Trump hater (emphasis mine): A man shouting “Heil Hitler, Heil Trump” during a performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” in Baltimore smelled of alcohol and told police he was motivated by his hatred of President Donald Trump. Anthony M. Derlunas, 58, told an officer he “had been drinking heavily throughout the night” before the outburst at the Hippodrome Theatre on Wednesday night, according to a police report. But before details of the police report became public in the early evening, the incident rattled many already anxious about a recent spike in anti-Semitism and hate crimes in Maryland and nationwide. Audience member Rich Scherr said the outburst, which happened during intermission, sparked fears of a shooting like the one in a Pittsburgh synagogue last month that killed 11 people. The man, later identified as Derlunas, had been seated in the balcony and began shouting “Heil Hitler, Heil Trump.” What’s so fascinating about the story is that I knew instantly, without having to read the bolded language, that the man hated Trump. There were several clues. First, Neo-Nazis tend not to buy tickets costing upwards of $70 for an event at an upscale downtown historic venue. If you pay attention to the facts outside of the media narrative, you know that Neo-Nazis tend to be very angry bottom-feeding people who hang with other angry bottom-feeding people endlessly revisiting their real and imagined injuries (these two videos — one and two — are my favorite looks at the white supremacy issue). That any genuine Neo-Nazi would bother to spend the money to see Broadway’s version of a shetl just to raise a ruckus is a near zero likelihood. The other thing that tipped me off is that the only people in America who liken Trump to Hitler are . . . Progressives. While it may be true that America’s microscopically small, sector of pathetic, low-life white supremacists throw their lot in with Trump, they do so, not because they worship him as another Hitler, but because their former home in the Democrat Party has gone away. The Democrat Party that once was home to America’s white supremacists is still pathologically race-obsessed, but it’s switched from the old model (whites on top, everyone else on the bottom) top a new model (whites on the bottom, everyone else on the top). You could say it’s gone from being a “white lives matter” party to being a “black lives matter” party. Evicted from their former ideological home, those foul excrescences who label themselves “white supremacists” figured out that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and latched on to the GOP. Again, they don’t worship Trump; they just have nowhere else to go. All of this was instantly obvious to me without the necessity of the man’s confession that he hates Donald Trump. [Read more…] Filed Under: Anti-Semitism, Lefties on Parade Tagged With: Al Sharpton, Antisemitism, Bill Clinton, Derlunas, Farrakhan, Heil Trump, Hillary Clinton, Ilhan Omar, Jesse Jackson, Keith Ellison, Linda Sarsour, Obama, Progressives, Rashida Tlaib	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11566
__label__wiki	0.534758	0.534758	By Mary Furlong March 14, 2017 Entrepreneurship Original location of article – http://www.nextavenue.org/encore-entrepreneurs-aging-america/ “You build companies the way other people bake cakes” is a compliment a fellow professor shared with me a few years back. Maybe it’s partly because I’m the daughter of an entrepreneur — the founder of a paint company (even though my dad wanted me to have a “secure job” by becoming a teacher and then a professor, which I’ve done). But I loved, and still love, the adventure of building companies. And I think there’s blue ocean water for encore entrepreneurs entering the longevity market, which is valued at $7.6 trillion according to Jody Holtzman, senior vice president of AARP. Let me explain how I’ve come to that conclusion. The old ways of securing our financial future are ebbing away. The new way is to become a social entrepreneur. From Academia to Entrepreneurship My life took a turn from the academic world when I started SeniorNet.org in l986, the first social network for seniors. In 1996, I co-founded ThirdAge Media, a marketing and media organization for boomers that was part of the CBS kiretsu of CBS Marketwatch and CBS Sportsline. After it was sold to Ancestry.com, I was on to company No. 3: Mary Furlong and Associates, where I produce the What’s Next Boomer Summit and the Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit. So I’m all about the global longevity marketplace where innovation and product and service development is coming from the Netherlands to Japan. The health innovation and technology sectors are the first and heaviest investors in this market. Companies such as Carelinx, EverSafe and Vynca are just a few to watch. Boomer Entrepreneurs and the Longevity Marketplace Boomers in their 50s, 60s and 70s are well suited to launching businesses serving the longevity marketplace. One reason: many of the companies needed these days serve and employ people their age — such as services for errands (Envoy), transportation (Uber, Lyft, Silver Ride) and meal delivery (Chefs for Seniors). Jim Firman, CEO of the National Council on Aging recently spoke at the Business of Longevity Conference produced by The Economist magazine and talked about the “lack of wealth of the majority of the 50+ population.” He cited entrepreneurial companies like SilverNest, Airbnb and Uber as ways in which boomers are supplementing their incomes and nest eggs. Social Entrepreneurship to Bolster Retirement Nest Eggs The old ways of securing our financial future with pensions, tenure and government entitlements are ebbing away. The new way is to become a social entrepreneur and think about your income streams as a business that you need to grow and protect. We must also become advocates. The voices for the most vulnerable in the world of aging can no longer just depend on the nonprofit world of aging services. Creating Silver and Gold We all need to wear two hats — the hat of our vision and entrepreneurial venture — and that of our social mission. Entrepreneurs wake up every day thinking about their customer, their product, their service, their ecosystem and the way that they can build value. That is how they create the “silver” — the money to keep the enterprise going and growing. The “gold” is the good work they do; the light they shine on those who are most in need of support. Together, we can build a legacy of contribution by social entrepreneurs, ensuring that we are partnering with communities and older adults to make the aging process better for all.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11567
__label__cc	0.54364	0.45636	Episode 12 - "Higher Powers" A group of recovering drug addicts meet in a church basement to talk of struggle and healing, but not everyone's anti-drug is better than what they had before, as the newest member of the circle reveals... Featuring the voices of (in order of appearance) Dave Bloom (The Geek Handbook), Sparrow Leigh Rayne (SparrowRayne), AJ Pinkerton (Random Encounters) and the mysterious Victor. Music by Kevin MacLeod Mixed and edited by David King Based on the original story by O.H. Manchester. Read it here. Tagged: Creepypasta, Sparrow Leigh Rayne, AJ Pinkerton Newer PostEpisode 13 - "Whimsywood" Older PostEpisode 11 - "The Museum" Midnight Marinara WINNER OF THE 2014 BEST NEW FAN/ADAPTATION ONGOING PRODUCTION (AUDIO VERSE AWARDS) Midnight Marinara is a seasonal podcast that serializes Creepypasta stories into full-fledged audio dramas and served by the mysterious Pasta Shade, maitre d' of the macabre. Whether it's a well-known chiller or a deserving unknown that catches attention, we strive to present an entertaining spin on these tales of suspense and terror. Produced, directed and mixed by David King, and featuring an ever-changing cast of actors and authors, expect something new every time you listen. Pour some of this on your favorite Creepypasta come midnight! Patreon: Midnight Marinara on Patreon Twitter: @ScarySauce YouTube: Midnight Marinara Oct 31, 2018 Episode 65 - "La Llorona" Oct 31, 2018 Oct 21, 2018 Episode 64 - "The Seer of Possibilities" Oct 21, 2018 Oct 1, 2018 Episode 63 - "Lure" Oct 1, 2018 Jul 2, 2018 Episode 62 - "Quality Time" Jul 2, 2018 May 31, 2018 Episode 61 - "Miss Manhattan" May 31, 2018 May 29, 2018 Episode 60 - "Shadow Out Of Crime" - Act 2 May 29, 2018 Mar 30, 2018 Episode 59 - "Shadow Out Of Crime" - Act 1 Mar 30, 2018 Feb 2, 2018 Episode 58 - "It's Always A Zombie" Feb 2, 2018 Dec 31, 2017 Episode 57 - "Side Effects" Dec 31, 2017 Nov 30, 2017 Episode 56 - "The Blaganschlor" Nov 30, 2017 Oct 30, 2017 Episode 55 - "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" (ft. CAPT) Oct 30, 2017 Oct 3, 2017 LIVE at Midsummer Scream 2017 Oct 3, 2017 Feb 1, 2017 The Interlude Feb 1, 2017 Nov 30, 2016 Episode 54 - "Pigeons from Hell" Nov 30, 2016 Oct 31, 2016 Episode 53 - "Snuff Out" Oct 31, 2016 Oct 30, 2016 Episode 52 - "The Song and Dance Man" Oct 30, 2016 Oct 7, 2016 Episode 51 - "Little Wooden Box" Oct 7, 2016 Sep 13, 2016 Episode 50 - "Free Burgers for Life" Sep 13, 2016 Aug 1, 2016 Episode 49 - "The Pale Man" Aug 1, 2016 Jul 1, 2016 Episode 48 - "Frogs Are Good Luck" Jul 1, 2016 May 31, 2016 Episode 47 - "Companionship" May 31, 2016 May 1, 2016 Episode 46 - "String Theory" May 1, 2016 Apr 1, 2016 Episode 45 - "The Harbinger Experiment" Apr 1, 2016 Feb 29, 2016 Episode 44 - "Tito Taster" Feb 29, 2016 Feb 1, 2016 Episode 43 - "The Disappearance of Ashley, Kansas" Feb 1, 2016 Dec 31, 2015 Episode 42 - "White Christmas" Dec 31, 2015 Nov 30, 2015 Episode 41 - "Dead Man's Blues" Nov 30, 2015 Oct 31, 2015 Episode 40 - "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" Oct 31, 2015 Oct 22, 2015 Episode 39 - "Management" Oct 22, 2015 Sep 30, 2015 Episode 38 - "The Ghost Club" Sep 30, 2015 Aug 23, 2015 Episode 37 - "Candle Cove" Aug 23, 2015 Jul 19, 2015 Episode 36 - "Three Skeleton Key" Jul 19, 2015 Jun 19, 2015 Episode 35 - "Ickbarr Bigelsteine" Jun 19, 2015 May 31, 2015 Episode 34 - "Room 733" May 31, 2015 Apr 18, 2015 Episode 33 - "Red Sky at Night" (Part 2) Apr 18, 2015 Apr 1, 2015 Episode 32 - "Yo, Dude, Do You Own a Dog?" (April Fool's Day Special) Apr 1, 2015 Mar 29, 2015 Episode 31 - "Red Sky at Night" (Part 1) Mar 29, 2015 Feb 28, 2015 Episode 30 - "Support Call ID: 100156-03" Feb 28, 2015 Feb 16, 2015 Episode 29 - "A Rose for Emily" Feb 16, 2015 Jan 30, 2015 Episode 28 - "Crawl" Jan 30, 2015 Jan 19, 2015 Episode 27 - "Psychosis" Jan 19, 2015 Dec 19, 2014 Episode 26 - "The Old Portrait" Dec 19, 2014 Nov 30, 2014 Episode 25 - "The Devil Game" Nov 30, 2014 Nov 18, 2014 Episode 24 - "When Gods Blink" Nov 18, 2014 Oct 30, 2014 Episode 23 - "Halloween Attraction" Oct 30, 2014 Oct 13, 2014 Episode 22 - "Stop" Oct 13, 2014 Sep 30, 2014 Episode 21 - "The Good People" Sep 30, 2014 Aug 31, 2014 Episode 20 - "The Hands" Aug 31, 2014 Aug 9, 2014 Episode 19 - "The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion" (45th Anniversary Tribute) Aug 9, 2014 Jul 31, 2014 Episode 18 - "The Yellow Wallpaper" Jul 31, 2014 Jul 19, 2014 Episode 17 - "I Saw It Coming" Jul 19, 2014 Jun 30, 2014 Episode 16 - "Whispers" Jun 30, 2014 Jun 20, 2014 Episode 15 - "Knocking" Jun 20, 2014 May 31, 2014 Episode 14 - "The Nice Guy" May 31, 2014 May 19, 2014 Episode 13 - "Whimsywood" May 19, 2014 Apr 30, 2014 Episode 12 - "Higher Powers" Apr 30, 2014 Apr 23, 2014 Episode 11 - "The Museum" Apr 23, 2014 Apr 1, 2014 Episode 10 - "Jeff the Killer" Apr 1, 2014 Mar 29, 2014 Episode 9 - "The Russian Sleep Experiment" Mar 29, 2014 Mar 16, 2014 Episode 8 - "Daycare" Mar 16, 2014 Feb 19, 2014 Episode 7 - "Tulpa" Feb 19, 2014 Jan 31, 2014 Episode 6 - "The Writer's Ink" Jan 31, 2014 Jan 21, 2014 Episode 5 - "Don't Ever Let Them In" Jan 21, 2014 Dec 29, 2013 Episode 4 - "The Egg" Dec 29, 2013 Dec 23, 2013 Episode 3 - "Our Little Roanoke" Dec 23, 2013 Nov 29, 2013 Episode 2 - "The Art of Jacob Emory" Nov 29, 2013 Nov 18, 2013 Episode 1 - "Just Telling Stories" Nov 18, 2013 Oct 30, 2013 Episode 0 - "WHO WAS PHONE?" Oct 30, 2013 Midnight Snacks May 1, 2017 Midnight Snacks - How My Grandpa Scared His Little Brother May 1, 2017 Apr 1, 2017 Midnight Snacks - "Fakes" Apr 1, 2017 Oct 15, 2016 Midnight Snacks - "Black Label" Oct 15, 2016 Dec 24, 2015 Midnight Snacks - "Red Snow" Dec 24, 2015 May 22, 2015 Midnight Snacks - "Scary Stories from Radio BrendoMan" May 22, 2015 Feb 26, 2015 Midnight Snacks - "The Haunted Palace" Feb 26, 2015 Jan 25, 2015 Midnight Snacks - "The Only Sensible Ritual Pasta" Jan 25, 2015 Dec 24, 2014 Midnight Snacks - "The Cremation of Sam McGee" Dec 24, 2014 Oct 28, 2014 Midnight Snacks - "Hallowe'en in a Suburb" Oct 28, 2014 Oct 17, 2014 Midnight Snacks - "Sarah O'Bannon" Oct 17, 2014 Sep 11, 2018 Live at Midsummer Scream 2018 (Part 1) Sep 11, 2018	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11572
__label__wiki	0.597378	0.597378	Artist Studio Visits BERLIN RESOURCES Berlin Gallery Directory Berlin Project Space Directory Berlin Museum Directory Artist Residency Listing Studio & Housing Rental Art Supply & Book Shops ADVERTISE ON BAL BAL PRODUCTIONS Music \| Sound Cyfem and Queer – Creamcake’s 2nd Symposium Article by Johanna Hardt // Apr. 23, 2019 <Interrupted =“Cyfem and Queer>, Creamcake’s second experimental symposium on cyber- and technofeminist thought, took place a couple of weeks ago at Berlin’s aquarium and Südblock, two community-run spaces next door to one another in Kreuzberg. While their inaugural assembly in 2018 focussed on the foundations of cyber- and technofeminist thinking, reflecting on the history and legacy of cyberfeminism, their second string of dynamic events revolved more specifically around biotechnological and political management of bodies, sex and gender in the digital world. Through workshops, lectures, performances and art installations, Interrupted opened up a space that continues to forge new patterns for interrogating technologies from a queer, feminist and decolonial perspective. Fallon Mayanja for Interrupted // Image Credits Ink Agop Wary of universal definitions, Interrupted practices a cyberfeminism that places particular importance on its mutability and openness to change and hospitality to difference. With around 26 contributions Interrupted leaves you with an understanding of cyberfeminism as a hybrid term—the offspring of two distinct varieties so to speak—that remains open and malleable to different artistic, scientific, technological and political implications. Curated by Creamcake’s Daniela Seitz and Anja Weigl, and Gala Rexer, the symposium was moderated by Ina Holev and brought together an array of local and translocal feminist and queer individuals and groups, including Fallon Mayanja, Gucci Chunk, Bassem Saad, Marija Bozinovska Jones, Lori Baldwin, Lina Bonde and Zülfukar Cetin. Opening up a space for exploring how technologies, identity, sex and the body interrelate, the night and day series of events built alliances across both geographical and generational borders. Zoe Claire Miller for Interrupted // Image Credits Ink Agop Many of Interrupted‘s voices stressed the relevance of accounting for where you are speaking from. Diana McCarty, self-proclaimed reformed cyber-punk, for example, mentioned recent criticism regarding xenofeminism. McCarty referenced the artist and researcher Annie Goh’s racial critique with regard to xeno-feminism as a politics for alienation. Goh questioned resonances between the feminist text and far right delirium, through critically examining the prefix “xeno” as a stand-in for “alien”. “Who is the ‘we’ who XFM speak from/about? It seems to imply that “we” are somehow all equally alienated.” This argument has further been taken up by Sophie a. Lewis, who agrees that in a time when women’s rights are mobilised by racist, xenophobic and Islamophobic rhetorics, such points of contact cannot be left unchallenged. Shawné Michaelain Holloway for Interrupted // Images Credits Ink Agop Indiana Seresins video The Reproduction of the Future: Shulamith Firestone and Octavia E. Butler looked at the poor handling of race in the case of Shulamith Firestone’s vision of the future of reproduction. Her The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution from 1970 was reissued by Verso in 2015, indicating a renewed scholarly interest in her work of thought. What do cyberfeminists and xenofeminists today take from the author who hailed artificial wombs and other reproductive technologies? Firestone sees the end goal of feminism in the elimination of the sex distinction between man and women, whose genital difference should not matter culturally anymore. Artificial reproduction holds the potency to bear children to both sexes equally, or even independently of them. The division of labor (and labor altogether) would be ended through cybernetics. Women would be freed from biological impositions and patriarchal oppression. At the same time, Firestone issues patriarchy as a form of “privileged slavery”, identifying races as parents and siblings of the Family of Man, further defining racism as an extension of sexism. Through a comparison to Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild (1984), which presents a view of the ethics of reproduction, Seresins attacked the biologism and racism in Firestone’s Dialectic of Sex, in particular, and the extent to which feminism has been (and continues to be) intertwined with the project of white supremacy in general. Going beyond Donna Harraway’s “Make kin not babies”, she finishes with suggesting to stop making white babies altogether – to stop reproducing whiteness! Tiara Roxanne for Interrupted Image // Image Credits Ink Agop Epistemological whiteness was further challenged in Tiara Roxanne’s performance ‘Indigenous Body, Indigenous Borders: A Digital Disruption’, which investigated the relationship between the Indigenous Body and AI. In front of us, Tiara Roxanne—the yarn coiling around her bare feet, against her black clothes—moved in slow motion, continuously pulling and releasing the yarn that started to build a thread around her, around her body, narrowing the space that predicted her movement. She continued in congruence with the voice traversing into the room from the speakers, speaking of borders marking territories, the safe and the unsafe, keeping in and keeping out. It spoke of settler colonialism and of AI that learned from those biases. In a similar way, but from a different personal narrative, Christoffer Horlitz spoke of the meaning of borders in his lecture on queering digital geographies. He investigated the question of what identifies us as the humans we are through a close look at how AI is operating with regards to producing digital identities such as biometrics, ID, access to social service and the connection of databases. Who is the legitimate human that does not need any special attention? An AI deciding which categories are bad / good, cannot be regarded as a neutral system, existing outside of othering politics. The answer to the issues cannot be that we normalize our bodies. Queer as verb rather than noun, as practice rather than goal, as positionality rather than identity constituted the underlying logic running through the entire program. In this light, queer is not so much defined as something we are, but rather as something we do – shifting the concern from stable definition to continuous process. Queering as an act serves as a strategy that can be taken up by those that seek to actively complicate traditional notions and norms. This can be a particularly liberating tactic in dealing with identity, without necessarily binding it to essentialist identifications. Gucci Chunk for Interrupted // Image Credits Ink Agop Doireann O’Malley’s Berlin Art Prize-winning film Prototypes (2018) encouraged a discussion about what cyberfeminism means to *Trans bodies and lives. Influenced by Jungian psychoanalysis, O’Malley used dreams and dream analysis as the resources for Prototypes, fusing those discourses with transgender studies, science fiction and bio politics. Monologues in the film were written in workshops that explored trans subjectivity amongst the film’s protagonists. One of its many interesting aspects was the comparison of gender to space. Testosterone is described as an architecture. It allows one to enter a room. To experience a different perspective. T, so we hear, is a substance that makes transformation possible, shows that humans are malleable. To be transgender feels liberating, it allows one to escape structures. Gender can be like a room, a shelter where one can feel safe. But it can also be like a prison, walls built around you, walls obstructed and maintained by yourself and by others. Exposing oppressive structures in society and the way they operate, the symposium’s contributions engage us in a collective and embodied reflection on how to find a space for interrupting the binaries and the hierarchies through which such logics operate. The most interesting contributions of the symposium directly addressed investigations that leave the category of the universal subject uninterrogated. Drawing attention to those bodies that never quite made it into full humanity, a category that can only be taken for granted by those that fall into the category of the false universal subject—the white, cis, heterosexual, adult man—the contributors offered a pressing account of how white supremacy is still very much alive. Investigating how gender and race are operating through technology, how oppressive structures are being reproduced in the digital is an urgent issue that needs further addressing through situated practices, ones that explore how science and technology are closely related to capitalism, colonialism, militarism and racism. This article is part of our monthly topic of ‘Nonbinary.’ To read more from this topic, click here. interrupted.creamcake.de five − 4 = Applications Now Open for the 2019 CROSS Award Tanz im August 2019: From Historical Reexaminations to World Premieres THE WEEK July 15-21, 2019 Open Call for Institutions and Cultural Producers to Participate in Manifesta 13 Marseille Sofia Art Week 2019 Cuts Through the Post-Truth Paradigm Stillness and Simplicity: Japanese Architect Tadao Ando’s Complete Works Published Nonviolent Action: An Interview with Stine Marie Jacobsen is a contemporary arts platform, facilitating an on-going conversation between creative professionals, art enthusiasts, and journalists across the globe. We are a two-part organization: BerlinArtLink.com, an internationally regarded online magazine that presents artists studio visits, articles, and interviews; and Berlin Art Link Productions, which realizes art events, projects, and media content through connecting individuals and organizations with our network and resources.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11573
__label__wiki	0.920707	0.920707	Home / Unlabelled / Bryan Singer in Talks to Direct 'Red Sonja' for Millennium (Exclusive) Bryan Singer in Talks to Direct 'Red Sonja' for Millennium (Exclusive) Bryan Singer is in negotiations to direct Millennium's Red Sonja. The X-Men: Apocalypse helmer, who has battled bad PR, lawsuits and continued scrutiny in the post-#MeToo era â" none of which seems to have stuck â" would take the reins on a big-screen adaptation of the 1970s sword-and-sorcery Conan the Barbarian comic book spinoff. Ashley Miller, who wrote X-M en: First Class (which Singer produced), is writing the screenplay. Millennium is financing and producing the new version of Red Sonja and is hoping to start a franchise and capture the audience that turned out for Warner Bros.' Wonder Woman. Millenniumâs Avi Lerner and Joe Gatta are producing alongside Cinelouâs Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon. A Red Sonya movie has been in the works at Millennium for over a decade, and Singer boarding the project would put it back on the fast-track. In 2008, Robert Rodriguez teamed with his then-girlfriend Rose McGowan for the project, making a big splashy announcement at Comic-Con that year. But they subsequently fell off the project and it has languished in deep development, with writers coming and going ever since. The property previously spawned a 1985 movie starring Brigitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sources say Millennium will pay Singer top dollar for the assignment, wh ich is seen as a step toward rehabilitating the director's image. He was fired by Fox after repeatedly not showing up for work on the set of its Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, among other work-related offenses. In December, Singer was sued by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman, who accused the filmmaker of raping him when he was a 17-year-old boy in 2003. It wasn't the first time that Singer had faced such an accusation. Singer is set to receive full directing credit, and the movie is now generating strong buzz inside and outside the studio. While audiences and critics will be the jury on Bohemian Rhapsody when it opens Nov. 2, Millennium is willing to take a chance on Singer given that "none of the allegations seem to have merit," says an insider. Singer was dropped by his agency, WME, earlier this year and has been negotiating the Red Sonja deal with the help of his attorney David Feldman. Millennium could not be reached for comment. Tatiana Siegel tatiana.siegel@thr.com @tatianasiegel27 Borys Kit THRnews@thr.com borys_kit Henry Cavill Out as Superman Amid Warner Bros.' DC Universe Shake-Up (Exclusive) Do 'Captain Marvel' Skrulls Point to the Future (and Hidden Past) of the MCU? Why It& #039;s Time for James Bond to Move On Source: Google News Hollywood Bryan Singer in Talks to Direct 'Red Sonja' for Millennium (Exclusive) Reviewed by Bestseller Magazine on 10:24 PM Rating: 5	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11575
__label__wiki	0.556978	0.556978	Oh to jettison the spreadsheets after those 6,500 data points sent the last blog so far apparently off piste. These were the figures arguing that May was obliged to tack to the ERG, whose discipline put her command of her party in question; that by comparison Corbyn’s control was looking good; and that any defections in prospect would count for nothing. Oh dear. The immediate consequence of the defections was to cause both leaders to reverse tack, with May sandbagged by the threat of Remainer resignations into supporting a motion entertaining delay to the Article 50 timetable; and Corbyn assenting through gritted teeth to the principle of a second referendum. Here we see political leaders thrashing around to conjure new realties out of their own bleak accounting. “Something’s gotta give,” they hope. But they could well have made matters worse for themselves. Corbyn’s concession of a referendum is less than advertised, as he rows back to words intended to serve the triple duty of mollifying his Parliamentary bloc of Remainers, keeping up with the majority of Labour constituencies which voted Leave and removing him as far as possible from what he expects to be a disastrous “Tory Brexit”. The current wheeze is that Labour might abstain from the next “meaningful vote” in Parliament, in return for a second referendum. This is an easy give for Corbyn, as he knows that the Government will not agree and that the Commons votes aren’t there. Still, he must plot his course between the Scylla of the Remain zealots among his parliamentary party and activists, and the Charybdis of the Leave voters he must love up to have a chance of office. Tories hold 42 of the top sixty seats he needs to win. Over three quarters of these voted Leave in 2016, with margins four times the swings Labour would be looking for. The seats Labour must defend pose similar challenges. Tories are gunning for Labour in 54 of its sixty most vulnerable seats. Just under four out of five of these voted Leave, with margins well over three times the swing needed for them to change hands. These statistics make it hard for the Labour party to back off from the 2016 referendum, which is how its Leave voters are bound to interpret a full-blooded commitment to a new one. They will remember that 52% of the population and 63% of constituencies chose to ignore Osborne’s “each family £4,300 a year worse off” and so on. Corbyn cannot expect his position to ease, especially with the anti-Semitism crisis coincidentally entangling his allies. This means first, that his Damascene conversion to a “peoples’ vote” need not be taken too seriously; and second, that for the time being we can continue to disregard him and his party as principals in Brexit decision-making. This takes us to May, the central feature of whose position is not so much her Parliamentary weakness, but that it gets worse before our eyes: she is bleeding support from division to division. She is titular head of a Parliamentary party of which over half (53%) have failed to follow her lead at one time or another over the last thirteen Brexit votes. Under one in ten of her party consistently follows her without office of some kind, but not even this suffices to command loyalty: seventeen Tories still on the payroll have failed to follow her lead at least once over the last thirteen votes. On Wednesday, the Cooper amendment introduced the prospect of delay. The figures confirm that neither carrots nor sticks do May’s business any more. Over one third of her party failed to follow her, including ten abstainers from the payroll vote. Thereafter she lost a minister. Party discipline has broken down. The whips know that bolting the party line is the crack cocaine of Parliamentary life: once tried, it is all too easy to keep at it. The seductiveness of rebellion is confirmed by the growth of the ERG vote. Over the last thirteen Brexit divisions, the Group has voted against the Government on three occasions: the “meaningful votes” on her deal on 15 January and on 14 February, and the Cooper amendment on 27 February, introducing the possible delay. The table shows that the ERG has a hardcore of 46 MPs; but the fullest count of support for the group has expanded from 121 a fortnight ago to 144 by Wednesday last. This tells us that the ERG is increasing its sway. The PM may toy with overcoming its blocking potential by throwing some goodies Corbyn’s way - transitional relief for regions and industries affected by Brexit; additional regional support; if truly desperate, lowering the bar for calling strikes. But the tribalism of British politics combines with Corbyn’s figures to make explicit parliamentary support from him a long shot. The Cooper amendment obliges May to seek “a short limited extension to Article 50” if the Commons fails to approve her deal on 14 March. It is not clear what a “short limited extension” means, nor that the EU would be inclined to grant it without greater clarity as to British intentions, with France vocally unhappy. And meanwhile the world continues to turn: bilateral agreements emerge ad hoc, eg, as to UK citizens in Spain; the US begins negotiation for an FTA with a list of demands promptly stigmatised as inflammatory; Nick Timothy gives an interview to say that the PM has “not been prepared to take the steps” to make the most of Brexit. It is not merely that these are extraordinary times in British politics - a child knows as much; but that the thrust of events, already bad for those who would overcome our impasse, turned worse this week. May hopes that the delay she has been obliged to concede might serve Micawber’s purposes. You never know; she could pull it off. But such stalling takes away one of her ploys, as the “short limited delay” of the Commons motion denies “no Brexit”. Meanwhile, the figures tell us that those closer to a “no deal” cast of mind - however discomfited by this week’s events - are gathering Parliamentary strength rather than the reverse. Something’s gotta give.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11580
__label__cc	0.679249	0.320751	NetEnt Online Casinos NetEnt is a reputable, widely recognised developer of high quality online gambling products. It was established in 1996 and has come a long way to become one of the most popular developers of online casino games on a global scale. Each and every game, powered by NetEnt, features an exciting theme, incredible graphics and sound effects and last but not least, impressive payouts. It does not matter if you are into slots or you prefer live dealer options, rest assured that you will not be disappointed. Some of the most prominent casinos, accepting international players, are run on the NetEnt software platform and offer a unique game collection. The majority of them either have native mobile apps or a mobile version that is highly adaptive to the OS of mobile devices. Not to mention the NetEnt Touch technology, which allows you to place your bet in a few clicks. Creating an account at a NetEnt – powered casino is the first step to indulging yourself into the excitement of a great game collection that would satisfy the requirements of every demanding player. Although some casinos have a practice mode available, you need to opt for the real money mode if you want to win an overwhelming sum. For the purpose, you have to select the most convenient and reliable payment processor. The performance of NetEnt products is, without doubt, unfaltering, regardless of which platform you are playing on. Games by this provider have been seamlessly integrated across platforms and are available even at land-based casinos. Accomplishments and Contributions The company has won multiple awards over its two decades of activity in the gambling sphere. It has won multiple EGR, IGA and WiG awards for different outstanding accomplishments. NetEnt has contributed to every section of the gambling industry including online, mobile, and offline. This is a truly remarkable software provider and casinos powered by it have won tons of awards as well. Some of the biggest online casinos in the industry are powered by NetEnt and have received large recognition for it. The games by NetEnt offer something for every single player out there as they are highly diverse and enjoyable beyond belief. Types of Software NetEnt provides online software that has been praised for its high functionality. It is very adaptive and never ceases to impress. Many of NetEnt’s competitors have struggled to catch up to it as it is truly a leader in the gambling sphere. It brings many innovations to the online gambling community and enriches it with quality products. NetEnt also provides incredible mobile products. Its adaptable software allows players to enjoy its games on any and every device. It does not matter which operating system you use, or even which browser – NetEnt’s games always look stunning and function without a hitch. Even the live dealer games by this provider are available across all platforms. They require a steady internet connection but do not strain it too much. They are perfectly suitable for mobile users and rarely lag. Players will have access to all features and bets on mobile as well. NetEnt is widely popular with its slot titles. However, the company has some top quality table game products as well as second to none live dealer product. NetEnt offers a wide selection of video slots including titles such as Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Hotline, Aloha, and Asgardian Stones. It offers slots with all kinds of themes and of every kind. NetEnt’s collection of slot games also features pop-culture themes such as Guns N’ Roses, Vikings, Dracula, and more. NetEnt’s gaming library also includes plenty of table games. There are multiple roulette variations featured in it – European, French, American, and more. There are also blackjack games and poker games included. You can find a couple of variations of each. There is a baccarat game featured as well, so fans of this wonderful table game will not be disappointed. NetEnt also offers a video poker game – Jacks or Better Double Up. This provider also offers a small collection of live dealer games. Featured are two variations of blackjack and one of roulette. All three live offerings are most impressive and have some commendable features. Players will not be disappointed as the games offer a premium casino experience. Jackpot Games The software provider has some lucrative jackpot games to its name. Many will recognize games such as Divine Fortune, Arabian Nights, and Mega Fortune. Some jackpots are randomly triggered, others can be won via a bonus game, there are also those that require a specific symbol combination. All of them offer jackpots that would tempt any player. Special Features of NetEnt Games NetEnt’s games can be immediately recognized because of their amazing graphic design. The games are simply stunning and the animation involved is incredible. Even its table games look stunning. Additionally, the games’ sound design is just as good. This is especially true in rock games such as the Guns N’ Roses slot. The slot games by NetEnt offer some unique bonus rounds. Some of them feature expanding wilds, others have transforming wilds or sticky wilds. But these are basic compared to some of the bonus rounds of NetEnt games. One such is Seek and Destroy The Hive in the NetEnt video slot Aliens. It is an amazing bonus round with multiple levels, free spins, and multipliers. Another incredible feature of a NetEnt game is the Avalanche one. This is available in the slot Gonzo’s Quest. It is activated when you get a win. The winning combination explodes and is replaced by other symbols and a multiplier of x2 is activated. If they create a winning combination, the multiplier increases. This can go on until you reach x5. During the Free Fall bonus round, the multiplier can reach x15. There are many special features in NetEnt games, especially when it comes to slots. You will find that this provider hardly ever repeats itself and all of its slots are really unique. You can always recognize NetEnt games by their high level of quality and their incredibly interesting features. Top NetEnt Casinos Some of the most prominent casinos, accepting international players, are run on the NetEnt software platform and offer a unique game collection. The majority of them either have native mobile apps or a mobile version that is highly adaptive to the OS of mobile devices. Not to mention the NetEnt Touch technology, which allows you to place your bet in a few clicks. Thrills casino has over 600 games readily available for all players. The games are available across all platforms and among them are NetEnt’s solutions. You can find a wide selection of the provider’s games including the player-favorites Gonzo’s Quest and Starburst. Players will be happy to know that this casino holds licenses by multiple gambling authorities including the UKGC. It is fully secure and offers exceptionally fast withdrawals and instant deposits. The casino also offers some great bonuses. ComeOn features over 1,000 games and is powered by NetEnt. The operator has games of every category, including a live dealer casino. The casino offers even the newest NetEnt games including Dead or Alive 2. The casino proudly boasts its NetEnt selections as they highly value the software provider. The operator is GamCare certified and holds licenses by the UKGC and MGA. It offers plenty of payment solutions and quick timeframes for transactions. The casino offers some wonderful promotions and a great welcome bonus. LeoVegas is a well-known brand for many players. It has won a ton of awards including mobile casino of the year, so you can expect a flawless mobile performance. The casino features over 1,500 games among which are NetEnt’s games. Players can try all games for free. The operator is licensed by both the UKGC and MGA. It is entirely SSL encrypted making it secure. It offers a wide variety of payment methods and quick deposits and withdrawals. Players can also benefit from tons of different bonus offerings. Mr Green is another familiar name in the casino industry. It offers a variety of online games in all categories. It is powered by NetEnt and features all the best games by the provider. You can expect a completely flawless experience across platforms by this operator. This highly respected online casino is licensed by the UKGC and MGA. It is completely secure and safe for players in all its allowed countries. It offers a variety of payment solutions for both deposits and withdrawals. Mr Green offers some amazing promotions and bonuses. Royal Panda Royal Panda offers hundreds of great games and stellar customer service. The games it features cover all categories and themes. The operator is powered by NetEnt and features the great video slot Starburst along with plenty of others. Licensed by the UKGC and MGA, this casino is fully secure and safe which is additionally confirmed by its high level of SSL encryption. The operator offers a number of banking solutions and transactions with it are quick and efficient. The promotions it offers are simply out of this world. NetEnt is a highly respected online gaming software provider with over 20 years of experience in the industry. It has received plenty of recognition for its accomplishments and has been awarded multiple times. It has been recognized as one of the greatest innovators in its sphere and its games are adored by millions of players. The experience offered by this provider is simply unmatched in every category. It continues to broaden its collection all the time. It features plenty of games which are enough to fill an entire online casino’s library. The games it offers provide a fair payout and some amazing jackpots.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11586
__label__cc	0.506872	0.493128	Home » Cathedral Parish » Parish Life » Cathedral Young Adults Powered by Cincopa Video Email for Business solution.CYA SliderFidesFaithoriginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMwidth 720height 300CommunioFellowshiporiginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMwidth 720height 300MissioMissionoriginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMwidth 720height 300 Home About Us Calendar Theology On Tap Core Team Resources FAQ Contact Us Please see the Calendar or Facebook events for full event details. Outdoor Sports Night: Every Friday, 6:30 pm - 9:30pm @ Rahn Athletic Park, 4440 Nicols Rd, Eagan, MN 55122 (map). Looking for a fun and active way to kick off the weekend and embrace the outdoors during the "12 weeks" of a MN summer? Come on out and play some Ultimate Frisbee, sand volleyball, and/or soccer! Anyone ages 18-39 is welcome to join us for some friendly competition followed by food, drinks, and fellowship at a local restaurant to meet new people and make lasting friends! Hope to see you there Outdoor Sports Night- ALUMNI NIGHT: Friday, July 12th 6:30 pm - 9:30pm @ Rahn Athletic Park, 4440 Nicols Rd, Eagan, MN 55122 (map). On July 12, we are inviting those who may have exceeded our normal age limit of 39 to come back and relive the "good ol' days!" We welcome you to bring your spouse and children. We can rotate the responsibility of watching the children while mom or dad has fun! Anyone 18 and older (unfortunately, not any "older" kids for safety reasons) is welcome to join us for some friendly competition. Afterwards, we'll have food, drinks, and fellowship at a local restaurant to meet new people and make lasting friends! Hope to see you there :) Service Event ~ Bingo: Wednesday, July 10th, 6:30PM-8pm @ 330 Exchange St S, St Paul, MN 55102-2311, United States Join us at the Holy Family Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Spend time connecting with an elderly person through bingo or visiting. We will meet at the front entrance at 6:25pm. It's ten cents per bingo card, so bring dimes! There will also be an option to go upstairs and visit with a resident or two. Your presence will most certainly make someone's day! Afterward we will head to a nearby restaurant for food, drinks, and continued fellowship. St. Paul Saints game with CYA: Saturday, July 27, 2019 at 7:05 PM – 10:05 PM @ CHS Field, 360 N Broadway St, St Paul, MN 55101 (map). What's better than watching baseball on a MN summer night? Join CYA for an extra "sports night" of watching sports instead of playing! We are looking at purchasing tickets for $14, as the sections at that price have the most available seats. Unfortunately, I do not think we will have enough people to commit to the group ticket rates that go into effect with groups of 25 or larger, but we will do our best to get clusters of seats together! There are also $5 lawn seats available for purchase only on game day if you would like a less expensive option or would not like to commit in advance. By committing to going to this event, I will then purchase the tickets in advance for the people we have, and you may pay me (Janice Matlon--sports coordinator of CYA) back by game day via cash, Venmo, or check. Also, the parking that I most recently found near CHS Field was $8 cash, so for a better bargain, carpooling is also a great option! Hope to see a big crowd of CYA people there! Service Event Coffee and Donuts: Every 3rd Sunday of the month, 11:00 am - 12:30pm @ Cathedral of Saint Paul, 239 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102 (map). Come down to Hayden Hall on the 3rd Sunday of each month to help serve coffee and donuts to the parishioners. It’s an easy and great way to share in fellowship while serving the community. Just come downstairs to Hayden Hall immediately after the 10 am Mass is finished. Theology on Tap: Theology on Tap is a 6-week speaker series held twice a year, once during the winter and once during the summer. Topics focus on faith and contemporary issues that directly affect the lives of young adults. The talk is free, but all are encouraged to support our generous host. All young adults ages 18-39 are welcome to come join us as we mix good beer with better knowledge! Come Join us at our new location: Half Time Rec (St. Paul, MN) 1013 Front Ave, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55103 (map). Social hour is from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. and the speaker begins at 7:30 p.m Allies with a Common Enemy: What the Holy Land Teaches Us About Ecumenism: July 17th, 2019: By Nataleigh Waters, Student Outreach at the U of M Anselm House Get a Holy Sense of Humor: July 24th, 2019: By Tim Streiff Grill the Archbishop - Q & A with the Archbishop: July 31st, 2019: By Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth: Insights from a Worship Musician: August 7th, 2019: By Alex Schindler, Musician Not your Father's Charismatic Renewal: Today's Charismatic Renewal in the New Evangelization: August 14th, 2019: By Lexi Heise, Youth Ministry Leader at St. Michael's Prior Lake Joys of Gratitude: August 21st, 2019: By Yen Fasano, Catholic Services Appeal Foundation, Executive Board Member Subscribe to our email newsletter here.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11587
__label__cc	0.669178	0.330822	Conforming - Part 1 - Assembly Sound post production is a confusing field at the best of times with the pull-up and pull-downs, sample and frame rates and all other sort of things that have their own names. Then over the years someone decided that calling two entirely different processes by the same name was the best idea since the NLE. So what do these two terms mean and what tools are around to help with these processes? Conforming - Stage 1 The first process that is named conforming is also referred to as the Assembly. I think I am right in suggesting that in the US they use assembly more than conform for this process but I’d imagine it varies between companies even then. This process involves the construction of traditionally split channel audio from the mix downs that were used by picture editors to edit with. Why is this necessary? On set the Floor Mixer who is often referred to as the Sound Mixer (different from re-recording mixer) on credit rolls and the like will take the various channels that are being recorded (for the sake of argument lets say 8 discrete channels) and create a rough mix of these channels. All recordings on set contain a timecode reference that is linked with the cameras on set. Once the shoot has finished all of the footage is loaded into the picture editing system together with the sound recordings (sound rolls) and either auto-synced or manually synced by the picture assistants. The mix track created by the sound mixer will be used on track A1 and A2 of the editing system as track limitations exist in all of the picture editing platforms. (they have increased in recent years but they still have limits) Once a picture has been finished to a decided milestone then the picture editor will turn this picture over to their assistant to provide to the sound crew. A standard turnover for a feature project will contain: Picture, Audio Guide Tracks, OMF/AAF (Open Media Framework/Advanced Authoring Format) which presents the picture editors sound tracklay and EDL’s (Edit Decision List) both audio and video versions. (It should be noted that while change lists are often provided to help with the second version of the conforming name they have become less reliable with the dawn of visual fx drop ins etc and are often so polluted that they are unusable) After all that we reach the conforming (meaning 1) or the Assembly. A sound assistant will take the Audio EDL that was provided and either by hand (very rare) or using an automated program construct an expanded version of the OMF/AAF for use by Dialogue editors (primarily). The EDL contains references to the Tape used (sound roll) and the Timecode start and end. Traditionally this process would have involved recording the relevant audio into the edit system from DAT tapes etc, but this has now mostly changed with the advent of hard drive based recorders. More often than not the assistant will be referring to a list of folders on a drive. In order to perform this process manually they would refer to the sound report sheets for the start/end TC’s of the files. Thankfully programs exist that do this leg work for you. The most frequently used is Titan by Synchro Arts, as of version 4 this is now capable of writing/reading to and from Pro Tools version 7 format files as well as to the AES31 format. Useful Programs to help Ediload - Great application for tidying up EDL’s. Discipline in naming of sound rolls appears to be becoming a thing of the past but this really helps sort those issues. Batch editing of sound roll names etc. Titan - The only application to consider for large scale assembly projects Alternative/Up and coming methods As of version 7.2 of Pro Tools, Avid have been including a feature set labelled “Field Recorder Workflows”. The feature set is now getting quite deep and significant improvements have been made to the way in which Pro Tools selects alternate channels etc. On projects with up to 15 sound rolls then you should give it a look. There a some prerequisites that are all listed within the documentation as to the best practices that should be observed but as long as sufficient metadata is being kept then you should have some degree of success. Unfortunately as your sound roll count increases you may find it difficult to maintain performance levels with this path. Part two will cover the other process referred to as Conforming. Any questions/comments please add them in the comments or drop me an email via the link on the left. Tags assistant, avid, conform, pro tools, production, titan	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11589
__label__wiki	0.877731	0.877731	Joanna Cassidy Follow Joanna Cassidy Joanna Cassidy Quick Links News Pictures Video Film Quotes RSS Joanna Cassidy Quick Links News Pictures Video Film Quotes RSS Joanna Cassidy - 2016 Tribeca Film Festival - 'Equals' - Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival - New York, United States - Monday 18th April 2016 Claudia Christian and Joanna Cassidy - BritWeek 2015: 9th Annual Brit Week Launch at British Consul Generals Residence - Arrivals - Los Angeles, California, United States - Tuesday 21st April 2015 Joanna Cassidy, Sean Kleier and Andy Buckley - 2015 NBCUniversal Press Tour - Day 1 - Arrivals at Langham Huntington Hotel - Pasadena, California, United States - Thursday 15th January 2015 Joanna Cassidy - 40th Annual Saturn Awards - Arrivals - Burbank, California, United States - Friday 27th June 2014 Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - Clips Set in 1947, 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' is the story of how cartoon characters known as 'toons' can interact with the living human society. However, after compromising pictures of the human owner of Toontown and Hollywood toon star Roger Rabbit's wife Jessica emerge, he is set up for his subsequent grisly murder and things get tense between the toon world and the real world. Toon hating detective Eddie Valiant is hired to investigate but winds up helping Roger after discovering that he is being framed for a crime he didn't commit. His investigations lead him to the mysterious Judge Doom who's own nature in the toon community is formidable with having found a way to destroy them. Continue: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - Clips Joanna Cassidy Friday 27th July 2007 "300" DVD Release Party at PETCO Park San Diego, California The Package Review A capable and decent thriller, The Package has that familiar old Gene Hackman crusty military character that we've all grown to love. The conspiracy/nuclear disarmament plot is really outdated now, but a little paranoia can go a long way in a flick like this. Who Framed Roger Rabbit Review Anyone who thinks Andy Serkis broke new ground as the first real "animated actor" in 2003's The Two Towers needs to check their history books. Charles Fleischer appeared on camera as Roger Rabbit in the 1988 classic -- while wearing rubber rabbit ears and providing the voice of the character, too. He was later animated over in the studio, along with the rest of the animated characters in the film, which appear alongside the human actors and who accept them as perfectly real (only worthy of segregation in "Toon Town"). Its story is archetypal whodunit interlaced with comedy -- the hotshot toon in 1947 Hollywood is Maroon Cartoon superstar Roger Rabbit, who becomes suspect #1 when a local bigwig is found murdered, namely because bigwig is getting on with possibly the hottest cartoon of all time -- Jessica Rabbit (voiced by an uncredited Kathleen Turner), Roger's impossibly buxom wife. Continue reading: Who Framed Roger Rabbit Review Ghosts Of Mars Review By Joshua Tyler America loves convenience. After all, we're the culture that invented the cell phone, the 24-hour ATM, and my most beloved, the remote control. Yet perhaps this time, with Ghosts of Mars, we have taken our love of convenience to far. Ghosts of Mars stars Natasha Henstridge as a tough as nails, pill-poppin', Martian cop, sent with her squadron to retrieve "Demolition" Williams (Ice Cube) from a remote mining town for trial back home. When she and her comrades, appropriately dubbed "The Commander," "The Rookies," and the guy with the cool accent discover the town's residents slaughtered, they are forced to team up with Williams to escape from the remaining residents' head-chopping, alien-possessed clutches. Continue reading: Ghosts Of Mars Review There's a definite B-movie appeal to the ham-fisted acting, high body count and heavy metal soundtrack of John Carpenter's sci-fi/action/horror flick "Ghost of Mars." The man has been making roguishly chintzy movies for a living since 1974's space-faring spoof "Dark Star," and he's good at it. But give Carpenter an A-movie budget and a script devoid of camp value, and you just don't get what you paid for. Here's a high-concept story about long-dormant ethereal Martians taking over the bodies of human colonists and going on killing sprees en masse, and there's not a tongue-in-cheek laugh to be had in the whole picture. Instead, there's a lot of testosterone posturing, heavy artillery fire and a burdensome flashback-within-flashback narrative that follows a police unit dispatched to a remote "Mad Max"-like mining outpost to bring back a supposedly savage criminal played by the permanently furrow-browed Ice Cube. Splendour Festival 2019 Preview What to expect from this exciting Nottingham festival Joanna Cassidy Movies Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Trailer Set in 1947, 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' is the story of how cartoon characters known... Ghosts of Mars Movie Review America loves convenience. After all, we're the culture that invented the cell phone, the... There's a definite B-movie appeal to the ham-fisted acting, high body count and heavy metal...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11592
__label__cc	0.60673	0.39327	+ Remove Canada filter Canada + Remove US Department of Agriculture filter US Department of Agriculture + Remove Biosecurity Issues filter Biosecurity Issues News Scan for Aug 03, 2018 More McDonald's Cyclospora cases Lassa vaccine licensing deal BU lab begins Ebola work Recurrent vulvovaginal Candida Experts ponder H5N1 research moratorium issues Lisa Schnirring (CIDRAP News) – The moratorium on research leading to more-transmissible H5N1 avian influenza viruses, originally set for 60 days, has remained in place for 8 months without a clear end in sight, but a series of commentaries in mBio today from experts familiar with the issues offers some clues for possible next steps. Tests reveal high-path H7N3 in Mexican poultry farm outbreaks (CIDRAP News) – Mexican veterinary authorities are intensifying avian influenza control efforts in a region that houses several large commercial farms after further tests determined that the strain responsible for more than 200,000 bird deaths at three farms is the highly pathogenic H7N3 subtype. The events represent the first highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in Mexican flocks since the country battled H5N2 in the mid 1990s. USDA confirms first pandemic H1N1 finding in US pigs (CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) today confirmed the pandemic H1N1 flu virus in a sample from a Minnesota pig, marking the first detection of the virus in pigs in the United States. Flu virus's likely human-to-swine jump triggers concern (CIDRAP News) The tentative detection of the novel swine influenza H1N1 virus in an Alberta swine herd over the weekend shook Canada's pork industry and raised concern about the potential for new hybrid viruses to emerge. Tests find no H5N1 avian flu in Alaskan birds (CIDRAP News) No highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has turned up in any of the 13,000 wild migratory birds that federal and state officials have tested since Apr 26, the US government announced yesterday. USDA sets 2009 goal for livestock tracking system (CIDRAP News) Under a schedule laid out yesterday by federal agriculture officials, a nationwide livestock identification system to help in the investigation and control of animal disease outbreaks will be fully operational by 2009. USDA allots $19 million for animal ID system (CIDRAP News) The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week announced it would spend $18.8 million to begin a three-stage process for setting up a national animal identification system to help contain animal disease outbreaks. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said the goal of the effort is a system to identify farms and other sites exposed to foreign animal diseases. Disease fears hitting meat exports hard, FAO says (CIDRAP News) Animal disease outbreaks and concerns, including avian influenza and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), are currently reducing global meat and animal exports by about one third, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today. Foot-and-mouth disease look-alike caused alarm at Mexican border (CIDRAP News) Mexico closed its border to livestock from the United States last week because of concern that a herd of US cattle bound for Mexico had foot-and-mouth disease, but the border was quickly reopened when the disease was found to be a relatively harmless look-alike. Department of Homeland Security (1) Apply Department of Homeland Security filter	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11604
__label__cc	0.620295	0.379705	Speakers Profile - Stacey Currie Fee Range: B By any standard, Stacey should be living on the streets, in jail, on drugs or dead. She ticks all the boxes when it comes to risk factors. She had an absent mum, was bought up in housing commission and experienced child sexual abuse. By 14, she was living in a shed. By 15, she was pregnant. By 19, she had 2 babies and was homeless. By 21, Stacey had 3 kids and was living in a domestic violent relationship. Today, she is a keynote speaker, successful businesswoman, mother of five and inspiration to thousands of people who have adopted her life lessons. Using her street-smart wisdom, Stacey lives by the philosophy (and helps others do the same) that to be more, you need less. Remarkably, Stacey, now 39, has not only survived to tell the tale but managed to defy the odds by using her street-smart wisdom to thrive, and help others from all walks of life do so too. As the co-founder of a million-dollar printing business, her tenacity and commitment have seen her nominated for several business awards. As a qualified leadership coach and mentor, Stacey is known for her rawness, honesty and compassion. However, it is as a motivational speaker that Stacey is best known. Her keynote speech Good Riddance: How to Make Hard Choices Easy for a Change has captivated audiences across Australia. In fact, the self-described 'rough-around-the-edges chick' often pinches herself when rubbing shoulders with everyone from those in rags to those in riches. Sharing the stage with countless thought leaders, Stacey has also appeared on TV shows such as the Today Show, 7.30 Report and 60 Minutes to share her against-the-odds life story. She has featured in many newspapers and magazines such as BRW, The Age and The Herald Sun. Stacey has made a name for herself as a change expert. Her gutsy messages turn the traditional goal-setting approach of 'focus on what you want' on its head. Instead, her audiences learn how to: As part of this presentation, you'll learn: • how to work backwards to eliminate the things you DON'T want • abandon habitual patterns and start taking responsibility for your life • a no BS approach to confidence, authenticity and happiness • how to transition from victim to survivor by taking control of your state of mind • simple ways to make conscious positive choices • how to overcome adversity, practice self-control and learn mental toughness so you can overcome your challenges rather than run from them • practical and simple strategies to achieve your goals	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11606
__label__wiki	0.764875	0.764875	Related Tags: krystal foundation award donation schools kids students help multivu 8479951 inventors thomas edison technology national hall of fame invention american interview multivu 8244151 germany travel vacation cruise trip musical festival art multivu 8197251 germany travel vacation cruise trip musical festival art multivu 8197251 calling all astronauts medical health quest diagnostics 50th anniversary healthcare research multivu 8080751 c reefs water ocean environment save climate change pollution technology tourism multivu 8043751 christmas holiday silent night german carols singing hamburg gifts market multivu 7996251 museum emp pop culture games movies culture mopop seattle travel multivu 7967751 johnson johnson africa health poverty charity donation healthcare innovation multivu 7967451 celebrity demi lovato seth rogen selena gomez natalie portman charity people education children multivu 7903351 science technology health medical award biologist yoshinori ohsumi research cure multivu 7856351 Search // paul Results 1-12 of 137 for ' paul ' (0 seconds) Krystal Foundation Grant Award Winners ATLANTA — January 29, 2019 — The Krystal Foundation announces $101,112.78 in enrichment funding for 31 schools and school-affiliated organizations. These grant recipients were chosen from 229 applications received during the Foundation’s first two grant windows for the 2018-2019 academic year. The next grant window opens on February 1 and extends to March 1 when recipients will be selected for an additional $50,000 for impactful programming in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) as well as music, sports and culinary arts. “Krystal is fully invested in the communities we serve,” said Paul Macaluso, Krystal president and CEO and president of The Krystal Foundation. “The Foundation helps pay for programs that foster academic enrichment, while building life skills for the children of our customers and our employees.” To view the multimedia release go to: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8479951-the-krystal-foundation-squaring-is-caring-2018-grant-winners/ Tags // krystal foundation award donation schools kids students help multivu 8479951 Categories // Miscellaneous Added: 169 days ago by MultiVuVideos Celebrating American Innovation In anticipation of Thomas Edison’s birthday and National Inventors' Day on Feb. 11, the National Inventors Hall of Fame®, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), announces it will induct 15 innovation pioneers for their world-changing inventions on May 2-3 during The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation. This year’s Class of Inductees includes innovators such as Ching Wan Tang and Steven Van Slyke (OLED display technology), Stan Honey (football’s “yellow first-and-ten line”), Mary Engle Pennington (food preservation and storage), and Paul Terasaki (tissue typing for organ transplants), just to name a few. To view the full list of 2018 Inductees, visit http://bit.ly/2kAXcrX. To view the multimedia release go to: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8244151-national-inventors-hall-of-fame-15-innovators-2018-class/ Tags // inventors thomas edison technology national hall of fame invention american interview multivu 8244151 Calling All Astronauts - Living The Dream (Official Video) Calling All Astronauts Living The Dream Released 25/8/17 Via Supersonic Media Currently sitting proudly at the Number One spot in the Hype Machine Twitter Music Chart, “Living The Dream” is the forthcoming single from West London Alt Rockers Calling All Astronauts, the fifth and final single from their second album Anti-Social Network. Released via all major download sites on August 25th, Living The Dream is a dark anthem with a massively uplifting chorus. It talks about how the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and that if people are happy with their life, they should learn to be content rather than striving to be something that aren’t. The accompanying video marries footage on London at night, photos of the homeless and some crazy astronauts images, creating a juxta position between living the dream and the harsh reality of life for many. https://youtu.be/whnaGv--h6c2017 has been yet another fantastic year so far for CAA, their singles “Life As We Know It” and “Divisive” both of which received consider radio play globally, and they have made considerable inroads into the recording of their as yet untitled third album. Calling All Astronauts are:- David B Vocals/programming Paul McCrudden Bass JJ Browning Guitars Calling All Astronauts Social Media Twitter www.twitter.com/caa_official Facebook www.facebook.com/callingallast rnauts YouTube www.youtube.com/callingallastronauts Homepage www.callingallastronauts.com Label www.supersonic-media.co.uk Tags // calling all astronauts Added: 711 days ago by johngeltkn Runtime: 4m38s \| Views: 24 \| Comments: 0 Quest Diagnostics 50th Anniversary Video Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, commemorated its 50-year anniversary by awarding $150,000 in total grants to three organizations that share its goal to improve healthcare: The American Red Cross, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and Autism Speaks. At a ceremony at the company’s flagship clinical laboratory in Teterboro, NJ, the company’s chairman, president and CEO Steve Rusckowski presented Health In Your Hands grants of $50,000 to representatives from each organization. Paul Brown, M.D., founder and former CEO of Quest’s predecessor company Metropolitan Pathology Laboratory, Inc. or MetPath, established in April, 1967, was also recognized at the event. To view the multimedia release go to: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8080751-quest-diagnostics-50th-anniversary/ Tags // medical health quest diagnostics 50th anniversary healthcare research multivu 8080751 Runtime: 4m1s \| Views: 6 \| Comments: 0 A Global Plan to Save Coral Reefs A global plan to save coral reefs from complete eradication caused by climate change, pollution and poor fishing practices launched today at The Economist World Ocean Summit in Bali. The initiative, called 50 Reefs, brings together leading ocean, climate and marine scientists as well as conservation practitioners from around the world to develop a list of the 50 most critical coral reefs to protect. 50 Reefs will be the first global plan to save the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. The final list and corresponding initiatives, to be announced later this year, will raise awareness of the increasing severity of climate change impacts on the ocean and catalyze the global action and investment required to protect these important reef systems for the future. The launch comes at a perilous moment for coral reefs, as current estimates indicate that 90 percent will disappear by 2050. A unique philanthropic coalition of innovators in business, technology and government are supporting 50 Reefs, led by Bloomberg Philanthropies with The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, with the aim of preventing the worst economic, social, and environmental impacts of this enormous crisis. To view the multimedia release go to: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8043751-the-ocean-agency-50-reefs-initiative-coral-conservation/ Tags // c reefs water ocean environment save climate change pollution technology tourism multivu 8043751 EMP is now Museum of Pop Culture Seattle – The EMP Museum board of directors announced today that EMP is now the Museum of Pop Culture – MoPOP. The name MoPOP better reflects the museum’s vision for curating, exploring, and supporting creative works that shape and inspire our lives across many aspects of our culture. The museum will launch the new name on November 19, 2016 with a celebration that is free and open to the public. “MoPOP reflects who we are today and the future of the museum,” said Patty Isacson Sabee, CEO and director of MoPOP. “Pop culture is a platform that resonates with audiences in a powerful way. And at MoPOP we provide avenues through our exhibits and programs for people to explore, learn, create, and celebrate pop culture in all of its diversity.” Founded by Paul G. Allen and opened in 2000, the non-profit museum has organized more than 57 exhibitions, 20 of which have traveled in the U.S. and internationally. The Frank O. Gehry-designed building hosts more than 100 arts and cultural events annually. To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7967751-emp-museum-of-pop-culture-rebranding/ Tags // museum emp pop culture games movies culture mopop seattle travel multivu 7967751 Johnson & Johnson Africa Innovation Challenge As part of its longstanding commitment to Africa, Johnson & Johnson today announced the launch of the Africa Innovation Challenge, an initiative to support Africa’s vibrant and growing innovation ecosystem and to help develop important and locally sustainable consumer health solutions. The challenge is the latest initiative in the company’s comprehensive approach to advancing health and innovation worldwide. The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies’ presence in Africa dates back more than 80 years and includes business operations, public health programs and corporate citizenship. “Through the Africa Innovation Challenge, we have the opportunity to support the continent’s top entrepreneurs through mentorship and other resources, and by working together with local talent, to bring forward new solutions to local health care challenges,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7967451-jnj-africa-innovation-challenge/ Tags // johnson johnson africa health poverty charity donation healthcare innovation multivu 7967451 2016 Dr. Paul Janssen Award Acceptance As part of an ongoing commitment to support life sciences innovators and the development of integrated, cross-sector solutions to prevent, intercept and cure diseases, Johnson & Johnson today named cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi, Ph.D., of the Tokyo Institute of Technology the winner of the 2016 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research for his pioneering discoveries concerning the molecular basis of autophagy. Dr. Ohsumi was honored today during an event at the 2016 BIO International Convention in San Francisco. A video of his acceptance comments can be viewed here. “Dr. Ohsumi’s curiosity led him to become the first person in the world to determine the molecular mechanism and regulation of autophagy, shedding light on one of the most basic functions of all living cells,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. “Dr. Ohsumi’s discoveries hold promise for better understanding, preventing and treating many diseases. It is with great pleasure that we celebrate his contributions, which remind us of the innovative spirit Dr. Paul brought to the lab every day.” To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7856351-2016-dr-paul-janssen-award-ohsumi/ Tags // science technology health medical award biologist yoshinori ohsumi research cure multivu 7856351 Added: 1133 days ago by MultiVuVideos Runtime: 1m37s \| Views: 220 \| Comments: 0 Brookdale’s idea around brain health As brain health becomes an ever greater concern for people of all ages, the nation’s largest senior living provider is now guiding its residents on developing and putting into practice personalized brain health plans. Brookdale devised the new resident program with the help of a neuropsychologist specializing in brain health. The company is putting it into place at its independent and assisted living communities across the country. Through the new initiative, Brookdale’s residents will be offered a four-session course that explains key factors in brain health through classroom learning and hands-on activities. Each participant will be guided on creating an individual brain health plan to use on a daily basis. The course was developed with the assistance of Dr. Paul Nussbaum, who is Board Certified in clinical and geropsychology with a specialty in neuropsychology. An adjunct professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, he is the author of “Save Your Brain.” To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7722157-brookdale-brain-health/ Tags // brain health neurological psychology neuropsychology university pittsburgh brookdale multivu 7722157 An Emoji App for the Special Needs Community Children who have disabilities will be able to express their unique experiences like never before thanks to a first-of-its-kind app developed by Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul, Minnesota. The app, an ability-themed emoji keyboard called Emojability, will allow families, patients, caregivers and advocates in the special needs community to communicate, support one another and feel empowered to celebrate the goals and successes they’ve achieved. From adaptive equipment and therapy emojis to words of encouragement, Emojability brings to life symbols and phrases that don’t exist on other emoji keyboards. The free app is now available for download on smartphones. To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7823251-gillette-childrens-emojability/ Tags // emoji app model special needs children disabilities healthcare health caregivers multivu 7823251 Ryan Lochte - Gentle Laser Hair Removal Through his career, 14-time World Swimming Champion and 11-time Olympic Medalist, Ryan Lochte would spend hours shaving his body before his most important swim meets. Typically, competitive swimmers shave to reduce drag in the pool, a drag that translates to added seconds, meaning the difference between placing in a heat and medaling in a competitive meet. But this year, things are different. Ryan has put down the razor to become global brand ambassador for Syneron Candela’s Gentle Laser Hair Removal system, the #1 professional Laser that permanently reduces unwanted hair. Syneron Medical Ltd. a global leader in aesthetic medical devices, today announced Ryan Lochte, World Champion Swimmer, will serve as brand ambassador for Syneron Candela’s award-winning, Gentle Laser Hair Removal systems in a series of international print and digital advertisements. Creative assets for the campaign, developed by McCann Erickson, will appear across print, digital and social channels. Lois Paul and Partners, working in tandem with Fleishman Hillard, will lead public relations and content creation for the campaign. To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7781151-ryan-lochte-ambassador-syneron-candela/ Tags // ryan lochte beautiful laser hair removal sports olympics style swimmer body multivu 7781151 Stratosphere Takes Vegas Back Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower is taking Vegas back by offering a wealth of fun at a great value to the everyman and everywoman. Instead of waiting in line to buy privileges, everyone at Stratosphere can have an incredible time as soon as they step through the door. With unbeatable happy hours at bars and lounges throughout the property, live music without cover charge and free parking, affordable entertainment is available to all. “People come to Vegas to escape and have a fun time,” said Paul Hobson, general manager of Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower. “No matter who you are, every guest at Stratosphere can have an incredible experience at an undeniable value.” To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7774551-stratosphere-take-vegas-back/ Tags // stratosphere casino hotel tower vegas bar alcohol entertainment gambling multivu 7774551 Page 1 of 12 \| Go to page 123456789101112 Next» LAST»» Copyright © 2007-2019 ClipMoon.com. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11608
__label__wiki	0.577819	0.577819	David Bret A few Friends #1 "Old Bastard" John Dynham Part 1 Mainstream Releases A Few Friends 2 Casey Donovan Greta Garbo (Polish) Dante Alfonso Morrissey Feature Chanson: A Novel Maria Callas Dorothy Squires Valentino review Mistinguett George Formby Joey Stefano 1960s Brit Divas 1 Brit Divas 2 Darvinz The Plays Gracie Fields Play Chanson Stage Play Foreign Publications Our Annie's Funeral Mistinguett Play Formby Screenplay Chanson Screenplay Valentino Screenplay Margaret Carew Molly Mouse Catherine Caterpilla The Midsummer Ball David Bret, Biographer The Published Books of David Bret Joey Stefano: An Intimate Biography I met Joey once, and this singular encounter had a lasting effect on me. At the time I had watched just one of his films—Idol Eyes—and, to be honest, did not quite know what to expect, meeting him in the flesh after seeing so much of him in the flesh, so to speak. We met, as will be seen, courtesy of Madonna (who I did not get around to meeting!), the day before I visited my friend Marlene Dietrich at her Paris apartment. Marlene surprised me by revealing that she had a photograph of Joey tucked away in her files. Needless to say, I was completely bowled over by his charm. Gay actors working in the porn industry in the 1990s differed vastly from their heterosexual counterparts in that they were generally much better-looking and took much better care of their bodies. Indeed, nothing has changed over the years in this respect. No one would ever have called John Holmes, Harry Reems or Ron Jeremy cute, even at a stretch, but the whole point with them was that they inspired hope amongst straight male aficionados of porn—or so the studios believed—spawning the myth that even the most unattractive man really can ensnare the prettiest girl, not always the case in the real world unless wealth is involved. And of course, as these films were being aimed at a straight male audience, the male performers were more often than not secondary to the action taking place. The same applies to the majority of so-called “sex tubes” currently to be found on the Internet, where pretty young women are frequently partnered—and often exploited and humiliated—by older, unattractive men. The gay world was and still is completely different, and in a medium then as now populated by copious beauty, it would be inadequate and almost offensive to describe Joey Stefano as merely handsome—the man was ethereal! In his world he was a pioneer, and as such will never be superseded. Yet with such intrinsic Italianate perfection there came not the slightest trace of vanity. Joey was as warm and down to earth as they came. He was unique in that he was the first major gay porn star to have been almost exclusively what is known in the industry as a “power bottom”—the receptive partner in anal sex. Pre-Stefano, models bottoming in films were invariably effete and dispensable— viewers were almost always interested only in the buffed, muscular man on top, who himself was frequently billed as straight, or “gay-for-pay”. Joey changed all of this. He was a butch, manly man, innovative in that he was the first passive partner to be completely in control of a coupling within a gay porn film. Even acknowledged, aggressive beefcakes such as Gino Colbert and Jon Vincent became submissive pussy-cats when partnering Joey Stefano! In the two decades since he left us, and on account of the manner of his passing, much has been written and discussed on the subject of Joey’s supposed having spent his whole adult life with his finger pressed firmly on the self-destruct button. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is but a part of the myth that has sprung up around him as often happens when a famous person unexpectedly dies while in their physical prime and at the zenith of their career. For those who knew and worked with him, Joey was invariably described as breath of fresh air, a witty and cynical young man who loved life, whose generosity towards his friends knew no bounds, but sadly a man who was all too frequently taken advantage of by those who saw him as a “soft touch”. This is his story… With Jon Vincent	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11612
__label__cc	0.738078	0.261922	DiscoveringStoryMagic Pull together all the puzzle pieces of storytelling Forgotten Password \| Register Discovering Your Vision Divine Secrets Supp: Good Will Hunting Supp: LA Confidential Supp: Jerry Maguire Supp: Divine Secrets Supp: Casablanca Fearless Writer Writer Univ Robin Perini Home » Handouts “The techniques and grids of DISCOVERING STORY MAGIC are revolutionary. They can help every writer understand the arc and plot development of unforgettable characters. In fact, the format grid has become an important part of my pre-writing. Laura and Robin have tapped into ‘magic’ and created a concept that is a must in every writer’s tool kit.” —Cathy Maxwell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Purchase Lesson Packets Laura and Robin have made even more handout packets available! In addition to their Introduction to Discovering Story Magic, they have added brand new classes with full lessons. They have also added an option for Supplemental Packets. The Introduction to Discovering Story Magic (DSM) is the place to start if you're interested in learning all about the DSM process. There are four FULL Intro packets to choose from, each one based on a movie that we use to analyze in order to teach the DSM process: Jerry Maguire (for romance), LA Confidential (for suspense), Good Will Hunting (for romance/coming of age), and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (women’s fiction). If you are interested in seeing how DSM works with more than one type genre, this is why we made the supplementals available. So, you could pick out a full packet of one movie and the supplemental for another movie at a reduced price (because it has only the grid analysis). DSM II: Turning Points, Premise, and Pitch, builds on the Introduction to DSM, and should probably be purchased after you have either taken a DSM class or have purchased the Introduction Packet. The Purposeful Writer, however, is a stand alone packet, that is about finding your strengths as a writer. Payment can be made through PayPal ($2.50 surcharge) via a PayPal account or with a credit card. Once we've received confirmation of payment, you'll receive an email with a link to the handout within about 24 hours. Contact DiscoveringStoryMagic for information on how to send a check for the appropriate amount via snail mail or with questions. Introduction to Discovering Story Magic--Movie Choice: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood The packet contains the outline, complete lessons, the assignments and all supporting handouts. A total of over 100 pages of detailed instruction, will take you through the DSM process using an analysis of a women’s fiction plot, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. You can purchase and read these lessons to meet the prerequisite requirements of taking the Advanced or Master Discovering Story Magic classes (see the 2009 Class Schedule for more information) Click Link below to request info to pay by check Check--$25.00 Click button below to pay via PayPal--$27.50 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Supplemental Already purchased the full INTRO to DSM packet and want to see how it would apply to other movies? If you have the full packet for one of the other movies, you may be interested in this supplemental of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Supplemental, where we analyze a women’s fiction plot. The approximately 40-page supplemental packet contains only the GRID analysis, turning points and story board of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Supplemental. (Purchase of a supplemental packet does NOT satisfy the prerequisite requirements to take an Advanced or Master DSM class) Introduction to Discovering Story Magic--Movie Choice: Jerry Maguire The packet contains the outline, complete lessons, the assignments and all supporting handouts. A total of over 100 pages of detailed instruction, will take you through the DSM process using an analysis of a romantic plot, Jerry Maguire. You can purchase and read these lessons to meet the prerequisite requirements of taking the Advanced or Master Discovering Story Magic classes (see the 2009 [url=http://www.discoveringstorymagic.com/classes]Class Schedule[/url] for more information) Jerry Maguire Supplemental Already purchased the full INTRO to DSM packet and want to see how it would apply to other movies? If you have the full packet for one of the other movies, you may be interested in this supplemental of Jerry Maguire, where we analyze a romantic plot. The approximately 40-page supplemental packet contains only the GRID analysis, turning points and story board of Jerry Maguire. (Purchase of a supplemental packet does NOT satisfy the prerequisite requirements to take an Advanced or Master DSM class) Introduction to Discovering Story Magic--Movie Choice: Good Will Hunting The packet contains the outline, complete lessons, the assignments and all supporting handouts. A total of over 100 pages of detailed instruction, will take you through the DSM process using an analysis of a romantic/coming of age plot, Good Will Hunting. You can purchase and read these lessons to meet the prerequisite requirements of taking the Advanced or Master Discovering Story Magic classes (see the 2009 [url=http://www.discoveringstorymagic.com/classes]Class Schedule[/url] for more information) Good Will Hunting Supplemental Already purchased the full INTRO to DSM packet and want to see how it would apply to other movies? If you have the full packet for one of the other movies, you may be interested in this supplemental of Good Will Hunting, where we analyze a romantic/coming of age plot. The approximately 40-page supplemental packet contains only the GRID analysis, turning points and story board of Good Will Hunting. (Purchase of a supplemental packet does NOT satisfy the prerequisite requirements to take an Advanced or Master DSM class) Introduction to Discovering Story Magic--Movie Choice: LA Confidential The packet contains the outline, complete lessons, the assignments and all supporting handouts. A total of over 100 pages of detailed instruction, will take you through the DSM process using an analysis of a suspense plot, LA Confidential. You can purchase and read these lessons to meet the prerequisite requirements of taking the Advanced or Master Discovering Story Magic classes (see the 2009 [url=http://www.discoveringstorymagic.com/classes]Class Schedule[/url] for more information) LA Confidential Supplemental Already purchased the full INTRO to DSM packet and want to see how it would apply to other movies? If you have the full packet for one of the other movies, you may be interested in this supplemental of LA Confidential, where we analyze a suspense plot. The approximately 40-page supplemental packet contains only the GRID analysis, turning points and story board of LA Confidential. (Purchase of a supplemental packet does NOT satisfy the prerequisite requirements to take an Advanced or Master DSM class) Introduction to Discovering Story Magic -- Movie Choice Casablanca The packet contains the outline, complete lessons, the assignments and all supporting handouts. A total of over 100 pages of detailed instruction, will take you through the DSM process using an analysis of a romantic suspense plot, Casablanca. Casablanca Supplemental Already purchased the full INTRO to DSM packet and want to see how it would apply to other movies? If you have the full packet for one of the other movies, you may be interested in this supplemental of Casablanca Supplemental, where we analyze a romantic suspense plot. The approximately 40-page supplemental packet contains only the GRID analysis, turning points and story board of Casablanca Supplemental. (Purchase of a supplemental packet does NOT satisfy the prerequisite requirements to take an Advanced or Master DSM class) DSM II: TURNING POINTS Finally, a class that focuses on TURNING POINTS of plots and subplots, placing scenes where they will be the most powerful, and more importantly— layering THEME into your story! In this class you'll learn how to create turning points that really work and organizing scenes on the storyboard to control the pacing and to escalate the tension of your story. Then, in the lesson Premise, harness the dramatic purpose of your story through the "unity of opposites." This packet also includes a lesson on pitches, using the grid and turning points to create convincing, dramatic pitches. Learn how to take advantage of your Vision of the story you want and need to write. Approximately 80 pages. THE PURPOSEFUL WRITER: DISCOVERING YOUR VISION How do you create a unique, cohesive, compelling story? By building on the bedrock of your own strengths. Define your vision for your story and get going! Award-winning author Laura Baker will help you tap into your resources for enhanced storytelling skills, building characters and increasing your novel's emotional resonance. The workshop starts with story ideas and the story box, then explores motivations, structure and profound events. Packed with writing exercises, the lessons help students progressively hone in on their own dramatic powers. With an emphasis on discovering each writer's individual strengths, this workshop is appropriate for those at the beginning of writing as well as those seeking to create a hallmark for their work. Approximately 60 pages. copyright © 2019 Discovering Story Magic, all rights reserved. Created and maintained by WebTechNick	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11624
__label__wiki	0.553527	0.553527	Big News as Raza Hasan making return to cricket September 27, 2017 November 16, 2017 - by admin - Leave a Comment Another young talent who has been in obscurity since last two years has make his way into competitive cricket yesterday while playing for National bank of Pakistan in Pakistan’s premier domestic tournament Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2017 and immediately making a mark with capturing snaffling three of the 6 wickets falls in a day with hi slow left arm spinners. Raza Hasan was banned in March 2015 at age of 22 when his urine samples taken during Pakistan domestic tournament Pentangular Cup 2015; which contains prohibited substances. Raza was immediately barred from taking part in any sort of cricket both at international and domestic level. Coming through the ranks while playing for PakistanU-19, Pakistan under 23 and Pakistan A team, Raza graduated to the Pakistan senior side because of bowling talent which was hailed by many since start of his cricket career. Raza represented Pakistan in 1 one day international and 10 T20I’s. With an economy rate of fewer than 6 runs Raza has acclaimed 10 wickets T20I’s and a single wicket in his ODI debut against Australia. Raza’s temperament was greatly admired when he was entrusted Captain Mohammad Hafeez to open the bowling against the Mighty Australians in World T20 game in Colombo & he didn’t disappoint his skipper by registering bowling figures of 2 wickets for 14 runs in allotted quota of 4 overs and also bagged the man of the match award for his skillful bowling display. Pakistan has lost many young and experienced cricketers due to lack of proper counseling. We have examples of Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, Yasir Shah, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Salman Butt, Abdul Rehman, Umaid Asif and Raza Hasan are the few who got banned either by doping or fixing scandals in Pakistan cricket. Raza now aged 25 making return to cricket still has time on his side to make up for the crucial 2 years that he had lost in wilderness due to either lack of knowledge or his illful activities. He needs to come back stronger as he will now facing a stiffer competition to win his place back in the national side. Glamorgan Signs Pakistan Fakhar Zaman for Vitality Blast 2019 Pakistan Players in Vitality Blast 2019 Ambati Rayudu announced Retirement from all forms of Cricket Previous Article Some Strange Selections from PCB for Pakistan vs. Srilanka Next Article Yasir Shah – 2nd fastest bowler to take 150 test wickets	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11638
__label__wiki	0.505335	0.505335	CurrentGK -> Papers -> Civil Exam Papers -> CSE : General Studies CSE Preliminary Examination (1998) CSE : General Studies CSE Preliminary Examination (1998) Time Allowed : Two Hours Maximum Marks : 150 1. The water pollution in river is measured by the dissolved amount of (a) Chlorine (b) Ozone (c) Nitrogen (d) Oxygen 2. Some time back, the Government of India, decided to delicense `white goods' industry. `White goods' include (a) stainless steel and alumunium utensils (b) milk and milk products (c) items purchased for conspicuous consumption (d) soaps, detergents and other mass consumption goods 3. Examine the following three statements 1. Processed meat is a perishable food. 2. All perishable foods are packed in sealed tins. 3. Sealed tins sometimes do not contain processed meat. Which one of the following inferences can be drawn from the above statements ? (a) Sealed tins always contain perishable food (b) Processed meat is sometimes not packed in sealed tins. (c) Processed meat is always packed in sealed tins. (d) Non-perishable foods are never packed in sealed tins. 4. What is the correct sequence of the following Indian states in descending order of their length of surface roads per 100 km 2 of their area? 1. Haryana 2. Maharashtra 3. Punjab 4. Tamil Nadu (a) 4, 3, 2, 1 (b) 4, 3, 1, 2 (c) 3, 4, 1, 2 (d) 3, 4, 2, 1 5. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer List I List II A. Potassium bromide 1. Fertiliser B. Potassium nitrate 2. Photography C. Potassium sulphate 3. Bakery D. Monopotassium tartarate 4. Gunpowder A B C D A B C D (a) 2 4 1 3 (b) 2 4 3 1 (c) 4 2 3 1 (d) 4 2 1 3 6. The four railway junctions shown by numerals 1, 2, 3, 4 on the rough outline map of Gujarat are respectively (a) Patanpur, Mahesana, Ahmedabad and Vadodara (b) Mahesana, Surendranagar, Rajkot and Junagarh (c) Palanpur, Kanda, Bhuj and Okla (d) Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Broach 7. The damage to the Spektr Module of the Russian Space Station Mir was due to (a) collision with a Soyuz cargo ship (b) faulty material design of the Spektr Module (c) explosion inside the space station (d) collision with an asteroid 8. The misery index is the sum of a country's unemployment and inflation rate. The higher the index, the more miserable a is the country to live in. The figure given below is the Misery Index for various countries in Europe Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the misery index given above? 1. Britain is the most miserable country to live in. 2. The inflation rate in Spain is less than than in Belgium and Britain. 3. Italy and France seem to have almost identical unemployment rate. 4. The higher the misery index the higher the inflation rate. Select the correct answer using the codes given below (a) 1 alone (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (d) None 9. The meeting of G-15 countries held in Malayasia in 1997 was attended by (a) 14 member countries (b) 15 member countries (c) 16 member countries (d) 17 member countries 10. Olympics 2004 is to be held in (a) Johannesberg (b) Capetown (c) Rome (d) Sydney 11. Which one of the following elements is essential for the construction of nuclear reactors? (a) Cobalt (b) Nickel (c) Zirconium (d) Tungsten 12. The educated middle class in India (a) opposed the revolt of 1857 (b) supported the revolt of 1857 (c) remained neutral to the revolt of 1857 (d) fought against native rulers 13. Which one of the following regions of the world supplies the maximum of our imported commodities (in terms of rupee value)? (a) Africa (b) America (c) Asia and Oceania (d) Europe 14. The currency of the proposed European Monetary Union will be (a) Dollar (b) Euro (c) Guilder (d) Mark 15. Which one of the following was the venue for the preliminary talks between the Sri Lankan Government and representatives of Tamil United Liberation Front and other militant groups ? (a) New Delhi (b) Colombo (c) Thimpu (d) Madras 16. Consider the following statements regarding asteroids 1. Asteroids are rocky debris of varying sizes orbiting the Sun. 2. Most of the asteroids are small but some have diameter as large as 1000 km 3. The orbit of asteroids lies between orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. Of these statements (a) 1, 2 and 3 are correct (b) 2 and 3 are correct (c) 1 and 2 are correct (d) 1 and 3 are correct 17. 'MERCOSUR' consists of group of countries of (a) Africa (b) Asia (c) Latin America (d) South East Asia 18. Which one of the following countries has replaced Italy as the major importer of bauxite from India ? (a) Canada (b) Greece (c) Ukraine (d) United Arab Emirates 19. Lord Mountbatten came to India as Viceroy along with specific instruction to (a) balkanize the Indian sub-continent (b) keep India united if possible (c) accept Jinnah's demand for Pakistan (d) persuade the Congress to accept partition 20. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the states (labeled 1, 2, 3 and 4) of India shown on the map in descending order in terms of their available ground water-resources for irrigation? (a) 3, 4, 1, 2 (b) 3, 4, 2, 1 (c) 4, 3, 1, 2 (d) 4, 3, 2, 1 21. Consider the following statements The price of any currency in international market is decided by the 1. World Bank. 2. demand for goods/services provided by the country concerned. 3. stability of the government of the concerned country. 4. economic potential of the country in question. (a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct (b) 2 and 3 are correct Coke is one of the materials of the charge added to blast furnace for the production of steel/iron. Its function is to 1. act as a reducing agent. 2. remove silica associated with the iron ore 3. function as fuel, to supply heat. 4. act as an oxidizing agent. (a) 1 and 2 are correct (b) 2 and 4 are correct 23. A consumer is said to be in equilibrium, if (a) he is able to fulfill his need with a given level of income (b) he is able to live in full comforts with a given level of income (c) he can fulfill his needs without consumption of certain items (d) he is able to locate new sources of income 24. Production of Rice and Wheat (In millions of Tonnes) Year Rice Wheat Percentage of Wheat to Rice 1950-51 20.58 6.46 31.4 1960-61 34.58 11.00 31.8 The above table indicates the performance in India in rice and wheat production from 1950-51 to 1995-96. Which of the following conclusions arrived at from the above table would be valid? 1. Record production of rice as well as wheat has been in 1994-95 2. The ratio of wheat to rice production seems to have steadily increased over 16 years 3. Wheat has not been popular among the Indian population before 1980. 4. India became self-sufficient in rice and wheat only after 1990. (a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (c) 3 and 4 (d) None 25. Among the Indian states shown labeled 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the rough outline map given, the correct sequence of descending order of percent of scheduled tribe population to their total population is : Test Paper Based On Current Affairs For Civil Services (Pre) Examination 2009 Part -3 Sample Paper Of Examination For Excise Inspector (Kerala PSC) Sample Paper Of Examination For D. E. O. (District Educational Officer) (Kerala PSC) Bihar Public Service Commission Model Test Paper 2008 (SOLVED) Psychology - 1997 (Main) (Paper - I) English - 1997 (Main) (Compulsory) UPSC Public Administration Model Test Paper 2008 (SOLVED) Model Test Paper ForCivil Services (Pre) Examination 2009 - Part - 2 CIVIL SERVICES (Pre.) EXAM., 2008 : Commerce	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11640
__label__cc	0.622976	0.377024	Old Wounds: Part Sixteen Characters: Trevor Same, buddy. Same. August 14, 2017, 3:12 pm \| # \| Reply HOVER-TEXT: Double same. I am digging the side quest stuff, as I feel more related to Carlos as I had similar life experiences. (PS picked up the Karthun off of Drive Thru RPG (PLUG: AVAILABLE NOW!) and I have already started incorporating some of the lore items into my D&D 5e game! Well written, great art (of course) a 5-STAR purchase! oh SCRAP i forgot there is a Karthune pdf book to go with the hard back one i backed on KS Fast Forward to next week and gamesession? Druke Dude, Ease up… Brian will write the story how He wants… Gaming isn’t always about what happens at the table; current events, emotional stress and other out of game occurrences can create a different playing atmosphere. ^^^^ I’m starting to suspect this arc might be expanding the side cast’s back stories. Just that look of anguish in the last panel makes me feel like he’s got something more going on. August 15, 2017, 11:57 am \| # \| Reply Nope. Come back later if what I am doing isn’t your jam. bluenick i completely support you fleshing out and exploring the characters and their lives. as a gm myself, i know how irl struggles and life in general affect the group. Just wondering though, will we be seeing any actual gameplay anytime soon? im not rushing you, just genuinely curious Grayson Judd Girl you best be glad Jeanie ain’t comin’ to get ya instead of looking bored. I don’t read panel 3 as “bored.” I read it as “guilty.” He didn’t just hurt Carlos, as far as he knows, he ruined everyone’s night. And all because he made a stupid joke. SQLCowboy It’s totally guilt. I’ve been that guy. Kassious That’s not boredom; that’s guilt. Lacynth40 Maybe even some apprehension. He now has no excuse to not go home and deal with whatever he hoped to avoid tonight. I see guilt and apprehension. Something is going on. Trev’s usually a lot better about calling his shots, too. Normal Trevor would have picked up on Carlos being jittery as hell. I think something bad is going on. Well, worse than we are seeing. If you have to be apprehensive about seeing your friends after you made a mistake, man have I got some news about your friends. The guilt is beyond warranted. Trev should have known better. Trev DID know better. He owes my man Carlos an apology, when Carlos is ready to hear it. I think the implication is that Trevor is apprehensive about dealing with something else – something gaming with his friends would allow him to get away from for a while. And while I’m not exactly defending what Trevor did, I don’t think there’s any way he could have anticipated Carlos’s reaction. He (and everyone save Jeanie and maybe Brett) have no knowledge about Carlos’s past, so they can’t moderate their behavior to avoid triggering Carlos’s possible-PTSD. August 15, 2017, 12:29 pm \| # \| Reply I’m kind of getting that impression as well, that Trevor wanted to escape into some gaming, and he’s not only bummed that he hurt his friend and messed up the night for everyone, but that he’s got other worries. Trevor seems likely to fret about money and career concerns. mist42 ditto on that. Wait, is Trevor’s text alert literally his phone saying “Vibrate! Vibrate! Vibrate!” Because for some reason, I find that pretty funny. Also, I hope that he and Carlos make up. I don’t want to minimize what just happened to Carlos, but Trevor is clearly beating himself up over it, and now he’s probably feeling guilty for ruining game night. Can we maybe go back to dick-jokes for a bit? I need a chance to recover from this emotional roller-coaster.* Note: Not complaining, just worn out emotionally. Valthonis > Wait, is Trevor’s text alert literally his phone saying “Vibrate! Vibrate! Vibrate!” This is my head-canon now. Shiloh Bane I know some people only want the action…much like a 5 year old hopped up on pixie sticks, mountain dew and a shiny bag of new nickels. Write the story how you need to. I like the character building and interplay between everyone. We get great insight into the gang and some great laughs, as well as some great lows. Take away the inbetween stuff, character building and story building and what do you get? A bunch of guys who fight stuff , get separated, and eventually throw a ring in a volcano. Not a good story, or good movie Uhtred ap Bebbanburg is wrong, context, not fate, is all. Sorry Trev, but this is the result. You have a lot of spadework to do to make it up to everyone… Ryan M Love the art in the final panel. That’s a new look I don’t recall seeing in previous strips. Brian mentioned in a comment at one point that he wanted to work on showing character faces from more angles. It is very fitting for this slump of dejection. Grimjac Okay, I’m gonna go out on a limb and ask why the hell everyone is hating on Trevor? Trevor…made a joke. Maybe not a good one, but if it had been directed at anyone but Poor Widdle Carlos, everyone would have laughed and joined in the silly reindeer games. Don’t believe me? Do an archive dive… However, the dynamics of this* arc appear to be that Carlos Needs Cuddling or something. I understand it isn’t my comic and so on, but I really hate when one character becomes Sacred. You can’t joke, you can’t tease, you can’t do anything but be oh-so-sensitive and understanding of whatever his particular flavor of damage is. Yeah, Carlos, no kidding you don’t have any friends…nobody can be around you without hurting your sensitive little feelings. “OMG! Triggered! Microaggression! Curl in a ball and cry!” So it’s okay to give shit to women…Brett. Tease the blind guy about being blind. Bust on the gays. Any and everything is open, except…Carlos. I find this arc odd because so much of this comic has been about breaking down those walls of Us and Them. Gay, straight, male, female, blind, sighted, whatever little label society slaps on you, whatever your flavor of damage, around the table you’re just another Geek Like Me. Or Nerd, or whatever term. Just people having fun and coming together…acknowledging our `labels’ and realizing they don’t matter. Trevor did nothing wrong! Nothing every single character hasn’t done repeatedly throughout the entire history of the strip. That, to me, is one of this strip’s best points: we’re not our labels, we’re not our `weaknesses’, we’re just gamers. That last panel, to me, can and should speak of bitterness. Why is Carlos off-limits to a joke and why didn’t I get the memo sort of thing. After all the stuff every character has pulled, Trevor gets dumped on for a quip? Not like he screamed or shouted or frothed or leaped on Carlos to beat him with a DMG. Nope, a little quip, Brett being brain-froze and Santa…yeah, maybe we cancelled next Christmas! You know every other person there was wishing they’d come up with it first. Sure, to Carlos his damage is huge and insurmountable and The Worst Thing EVAH! Pretty sure Charley, Sam, Trevor, and virtually everyone in the cast can match him in terms of Drama Trauma. Now, I love the comic and steer as many friends toward it as possible; these quibbles are minor when balanced against the awesome archive and future. I do see this as not so much a mis-step as a minor stumble. It just seems a little…forced. Brian wants to tell Carlos’ story, and I’m all for that…it just seems a trifle contrived that one meaningless quip in this group blows up into such a huge dramafest. If anyone should be pissed, it’s Trevor. He’s been a constant source of light-hearted snark and everyone is more than willing to join him at any given time. In this instance, they all abandon him to rally to Carlos’ side? Fair weather friends and mass doses of hypocrisy… How hypocrisy? I bet if Trevor were straight nobody would think twice! Gay men just aren’t allowed to make jokes; if anyone laughed they might’ve caught The Gayz. Sure, make the gay dude the Bad Guy! Guess Trevor knows now that Black Lives Matter More Than Gay Lives… Of course, we know different because this comic isn’t about that kind of polarization, it’s about discarding labels and finding friends. My `gripe’ such as it is, is that none of his friends stuck by Trevor, rolled their eyes and muttered, “Geez, Drama Queen much?” Nope, all of them are completely on Carlos’ side, leaving Trevor behind without a thought because OMG Carlos Haz The Sadz! And that isn’t how this group usually operates. I’m pretty sure Brian just wants to tell Carlos’ story, but in my own personal opinion, the setup could have taken an extra strip or two. As it stands, this seems very sudden and out of left field…and Trevor is collateral damage. Now, to be fair, I wouldn’t put it past Brian to make that a point he revisits in the future, having planned all this out. But, yeah…a comic or two more buildup, maybe showing Trevor `crossing’ a line beyond one easily-accessible quip, or a friend staying back (other than Brett to whisper threateningly in his ear…which is much worse than what Trevor initially said to send Carlos off Into The Sadz). I’d love the arc to end with everyone coming back to the shop and there’s Trevor and Character X playing Yu Gi Oh or something, Trevor snarking about how now the Drama Train comes back when it’s too late to start a new campaign or game tonight…showing that Carlos’ Drama isn’t going to cause Trevor to change his Self in order to enable some other damaged soul. And why should it? Trevor has his own Issues…who gets to decide whose Issues and Trauma are more important? As a side and closing note…this is one of the reasons I love this comic. It makes you ask those kind of questions. “Yeah, Carlos, no kidding you don’t have any friends…nobody can be around you without hurting your sensitive little feelings. “OMG! Triggered! Microaggression! Curl in a ball and cry!”” and the award for ‘fundamentally doesn’t understand the author or the comic’ does to… Ninjazaku That…is not what any of this has been about. At all. What the fuck comic are you reading I… think this is a lot of projection of things that are not going on either in the strip or the comments. Red Miles “Maybe not a good one, but if it had been directed at anyone but Poor Widdle Carlos, everyone would have laughed and joined in the silly reindeer games. Don’t believe me? Do an archive dive…” We believe you. Go back and archive dive yourself; nearly everyone’s looked like an asshole to the others in this comic at least once. The point is they own up to it and try to make things better. “I understand it isn’t my comic and so on, but I really hate when one character becomes Sacred. You can’t joke, you can’t tease, you can’t do anything but be oh-so-sensitive and understanding of whatever his particular flavor of damage is. Yeah, Carlos, no kidding you don’t have any friends…nobody can be around you without hurting your sensitive little feelings. “OMG! Triggered! Microaggression! Curl in a ball and cry!”” You sound like every other person who thinks it’s witty and intelligent to try to marginalize people with mental illnesses because some people on Tumblr like to use buzzwords about them. Read: You sound the opposite of witty and intelligent. “So it’s okay to give shit to women…Brett.” Brett was an intensely unlikable character who literally had to become Santa Claus in order to start overcoming his plethora of negative character traits. The point of his character was he was ‘That Guy.’ You know the one. It’s probably usually you at your table. But he was so much ‘That Guy’ that he was unlikable by anyone who wasn’t also ‘That Guy.’ “Tease the blind guy about being blind.” The blind guy was the first one to make jokes about his being blind. He has made it known he’s fine with friends ribbing him over it because he knows they care and it’s meant jokingly. Carlos is new to the group and barely knows anyone, and a misstep was made because Trevor tried to joke with him the same way the rest of the group jokes with each other without thinking Carlos wasn’t familiar enough with them yet to let it roll off. “Bust on the gays.” Again, Trevor knows these people well, and has made jokes about his homosexuality before. This is a table full of people who have gotten used to mocking each other as friends, who are introduced to a new person whose fear of being made fun of is more intense than they realized. “Gay, straight, male, female, blind, sighted, whatever little label society slaps on you, whatever your flavor of damage, around the table you’re just another Geek Like Me. Or Nerd, or whatever term. Just people having fun and coming together…acknowledging our `labels’ and realizing they don’t matter.” And if you go back and archive dive – like you were telling others to do – you will see that most of the time, learning that lesson was not an easy one. People have to make mistakes, mess up, look like assholes to each other, figure out they were wrong, and get over themselves. So far Steve is the only character in this who still smells like roses. “Trevor did nothing wrong! Nothing every single character hasn’t done repeatedly throughout the entire history of the strip.” Which is the entire point. They were among friends. They knew each other. Walk up to a random stranger and introduce yourself with ‘Hey hooker,’ or punch them on the arm and laugh, or tickle them. You can’t behave with someone you don’t know as a good friend the same way you behave with your friends. Trev slipped up – he was so used to the atmosphere at the table being one where everyone was comfortable enough with each other to make fun of their issues that he jumped the gun and behaved that way with Carlos despite not knowing him well enough for Carlos to understand it wasn’t meant to be hurtful. It happens. Being new at a table means you have to learn to adjust to the atmosphere there and that takes time, especially if you have mental illnesses like anxiety issues. “That last panel, to me, can and should speak of bitterness.” It’s not bitterness. He’s upset. Trev hurt somebody without meaning to, ruined the night for everybody on accident and now has to face a night he thought he’d spend being happy and invested in a game, instead being alone. “Why is Carlos off-limits to a joke and why didn’t I get the memo sort of thing. After all the stuff every character has pulled, Trevor gets dumped on for a quip?” Because other characters knew it was okay when they did it… Except for Brett back when Brett was That Guy and a massive douchebag attacking the girl at the table and being sexist. Nobody would have blamed the girl at the table for slapping him and leaving – she didn’t know anyone there that well – but she wasn’t that kind of character. When someone said something to her she didn’t like, she fought back like a rabid badger and asserted herself aggressively. Now we get to see the other side of that – someone who _does_ get upset and leave the table because they’re easily emotionally overwhelmed. Carlos doesn’t have to _stay_ that way any more than any of the other characters have stayed exactly as they were when they were introduced (Except Steve… Who is either gearing up to become a gigantic villain in disguise, or will continue to be the group’s moral center by example. And I imagine Carlos learning to accept the usual atmosphere at the table will be a part of his character development. This… Literally makes no sense. You’re injecting an issue that isn’t there. Trevor said something mocking. It’s what goes on at this table. They make fun of each other. Trevor’s mistake was to assume that someone new to the table that none of them knows very well would be okay with this behavior aimed at him. He was clearly wrong, and he knew himself as soon as it slipped out that he’d said the wrong thing to the wrong person. Trev knows he made a mistake. “My `gripe’ such as it is, is that none of his friends stuck by Trevor, rolled their eyes and muttered, “Geez, Drama Queen much?” Nope, all of them are completely on Carlos’ side, leaving Trevor behind without a thought because OMG Carlos Haz The Sadz!” Because unlike you, they have the ability to recognize degrees of severity. Carlos has a mental illness. He left the building crying and very clearly in a bad frame of mind. Trevor made a mistake and his comments got him in deeper than he was used to. Everyone else left to go find Carlos because Carlos was in a situation where he could ACTUALLY GET HURT. No, Trevor made a mistake. He assumed a level of familiarity out of habit that was not there yet, and caused hurt feelings. This happens at tables. A lot. New people come in. The new people misread the atmosphere, or the old hands forget someone new is present and behave in ways that make the new people uncomfortable. This is frankly one of the ‘realest’ moments in this comic. It’s the first time someone new has come to the table and actually not immediately fit in and found a niche and settled into the overall core behavior of the group. And that happens way more than it doesn’t happen. September 17, 2017, 8:44 pm \| # \| Reply Sorry for the late reply, computer died… Thanks for the lengthy reply, Red, but you miss a very salient point: Carlos is not a complete stranger to the group. He knows how the group rolls…pun slightly intended. His first time in charge, yes; his social anxiety likely magnified his sensitivity. I understand how and why he could feel driven to flee. My opposition is that to all appearances, everyone chased after him, at the expense of Trevor. I’m sorry you didn’t get my hypocrisy statement; I probably could have explained it better. Gays face a lot of bias and conflict every single day, some of it very deliberate and crushing. Family and friends turning away, rejection on a scale we heteros can’t really comprehend. I like that Trevor was the Bad Guy, in a sense, because it illustrates the best aspect of the group: the gamers aren’t the labels society may slap on them. Trevor can screw up, gay or not…but the group he believes accepts him as he is, completely and without reservation…none of them show any hesitation about abandoning him in favor of Carlos. We don’t know a lot about Trevor’s history, but I feel safe is assuming he lost a few supposedly-close friends and maybe even family. Sure, we see him as confident and comfortable in his orientation…but mostly, I think, because in the eyes of the group he’s accepted. For them to abandon him? And yes, you are correct in that we’ve all seen this play out in the real world in our own groups. Someone puts their foot in their mouth, someone else gets insulted or hurt and storms off. Newcomer or not, it happens on an almost regular basis. One or two chase after to talk them down, the rest of the group look at each other, “What’s his problem?” “Well, I’m gonna order pizza while the Drama Drizzles.” “Hey, anyone up for a game of Risk?” I’d’ve bought into it completely if there was a strip or even panel illustrating that. Charlie and Brett in the background drinking soda, whatever. I consider that to be the case, but we weren’t shown it, and that’s my opposition. Maybe Brian figured that was obvious and didn’t need to be shown, maybe he didn’t think of it, but it wasn’t shown. We just see Trevor…alone. So, for me, I’m more offended on Trevor’s behalf than I am sympathetic to Carlos…in what we’ve seen. In a certain view, it’s completely awesome Trevor is the Bad Guy, as mentioned above…in another, for your entire group to race off to soothe, as you put it, a casual newcomer who responded badly to a quip? With friends like that…who needs Tabasco enemas? Anyone, just my opinion. Not a strip-killer, just a very minor blip but one that engaged me enough to warrant a wall of text. Agree, disagree…different people, different experiences, no harm, no foul. Again, thanks for the thoughtful reply. Sorry you didn’t like the arc. The good news is that in-game supers action comes next. Not saying the arc isn’t interesting or important, just that it `popped’ rather suddenly; Trevor is the Bad Guy for acting normally and everyone is on Carlos’ side with no real reason shown. No one in the group is perfect or unflawed, so it seems a little…contrived that Trevor is abandoned (save for Brett’s parting shot) to sit alone. Seems at least one or two would have not went rushing off, just shrugged and picked up a game with whoever didn’t go rushing off to `talk Carlos down’. Honestly, if he can’t take a joke as light as Trevor made, he is not going to fit with the group. No matter how immersive any game is, there’s a lot of grab-assing goes on around the table and anyone being too `sensitive’ or `off-limits’ is not going to make the group gel. Contrast Carlos to Mel’s intro to the group…and while a lot has happened in terms of character development since then, the base dynamics don’t seem to have turned everyone into Paladins out to rescue everyone in the world. I just don’t see Trevor as the Bad Guy…or a Bad Guy. It boggles me that so many are willing to…in-comic and in-comments. I also think that Trevor did not realy do anything wrong. But something did happen which hurt Carlos both sides are valid Trevor did not mean to cause that much pain to Carlos and Carlos was even befor game freaking and that one joke pushed him over the edge. It makes me sad for both of them. In the past lots of things of been said to and by pepole in the group that were way worse and they were laghed off. So trevor had no way of knowing it would cause this. Realy keep pictureing a comic after this arc were all the chars break the 4th wall and say dont wory we are ok we just wanted to raise awarness of certain issues then brian draws himslef in and there is a group hug. lol i have to much time on my mind. love this comic ps just had a thought when Trevor frist joined the group the cat ate one of his named dice then made a joke about it comeing back covered in poop hope the cat does not give carlos panic attack People gotta be in here posting literal textwalls that are completely missing the point of this entire arc – got me reeling like I was on the receiving end of one of Brett’s “Seasons Beatings”. Holy Shit. Enlighten us as to what point you happen to see. Carlos has social anxiety, he can’t take a joke, he’s extremely shy and thinks everyone will hate him because his Dad hated him. The point could be it’s okay to make a good friend (Trevor) feel like a pariah for acting normal. I suspect the point you see is something along the lines of: no one should joke around Carlos because he has Serious Issus…which no one is aware of the details until now. So, textwall or not…what do you think the point is, that others (me especially, most likely being the only textwaller) are missing? I’m asking because I really am curious; we all have different perceptions and I may very well have missed something. I’d suggest reading the other text wall on this page. I did. Made no sense while trying to make much. Carlos is not a new character. He’s been around the group for quite a while. Daddy Didn’t Love Me pales in severity to the unwitting or deliberate bias gays face every day. To the reality of being blind. Not saying Social Anxiety can’t be a serious problem, but for this arc making Trevor the Bad Guy and everyone abandoning him to go chasing after Carlos just didn’t work for me. An additional strip, even a panel showing a couple regulars behind Trevor…something to show the entire group didn’t go racing off to soothe Poor Widdle Carlos’ offended sensibilities. Pretty sure any of us had regular groups has seen almost this exact situation play out more than once. A joke falls flat, someone gets butthurt and storms away. One or two go after him/her to calm them down, everyone else grabs a fresh soda going, “WTH was that about?” “Oooh, you messed up!” “Anyone wanna play Illuminati?” We…or I, at least…didn’t see that. It’s not a strip-killer, of course; a minor blip at most…agree, disagree, doesn’t matter to me. (Sorry for the late reply, computer died a glorious death) You might have had a point if the strip cast Trevor as a sudden surprise villain, and Trevor’s friends actually dumped him and decided he wasn’t welcome to play with them anymore. Yes, he’s mopey here… because he feels bad about hurting Carlos and about not getting to play tonight. Yet, as we all know from the continuation of the story, they’ve reconvened and Trevor is still very much a part of the group. Again, I think you projected a TON of your own grievances into this storyline. Kanashe I dunno why, but Trevor’s expression in the last panel is the face I make whenever I dunno what to do with the rest of my day. Reply to Grimjac ¬ Cancel reply	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11641
__label__wiki	0.570164	0.570164	Knights honor LeGrand before kickoff with Louisville 10/24/10 4:00am Tyler Barto Photo by Scott Tsai \| The Rutgers women's soccer team donned shirts with Eric LeGrand's No. 52 in warmups, one of many ways they honored LeGrand. The Rutgers women's soccer team sported No. 52 Eric LeGrand shirts prior to its matchup yesterday against Louisville. The Scarlet Knights held up five fingers on their right hands and two on their left hands to signify LeGrand's number during the national anthem against Cincinnati and the Cardinals. The team put up a poster of LeGrand in the team's locker room yesterday prior to its 3-0 blanking of the Cardinals, said head coach Glenn Crooks. "[LeGrand is] one of us," Crooks said. "That's why you have to appreciate everything you have, every moment you have. It's one of those things athletically that has ups and downs. Everyone is praying for [LeGrand's] recovery." Posters in support of LeGrand hang outside Yurcak Field in Piscataway, where the Knights went 2-0 this weekend. "First and foremost, the thing on our minds is … Eric LeGrand," Crooks said. We're just going to focus on that for now. The girls are very concerned. It was hard on all of them because a lot of them know him quite well." The Knights also donned pink uniforms, shoelaces and gloves Friday night in support of the "I'm a Breast Cancer Fighter" theme set up by team alumnus Shannon Evans. The event aimed at raising community awareness about breast health and breast cancer prevention. Tyler Barto Rutgers takes early exit in NCAA Tournament's 1st round Jackson Thompson 11/8/2018 3:24am Rutgers faces No. 9 Duke in NCAA Tournament's first round No. 21 Rutgers falls to Minnesota in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11642
__label__wiki	0.586494	0.586494	Home / HABARI ZA MASTAA / it has been known the reason for the Red flower of Wema Sepetu on her instagram page it has been known the reason for the Red flower of Wema Sepetu on her instagram page the most recent events of this week is the five-star Bongo film designer, Isaac Isaac Sepetu, whose birthplace was born in social networks, especially after posting a red flower on his page, emphasizing love. Following the incident, fans and many people turned their attention to Bongo Fleva 's stroke, who had been his girlfriend, Nasibu Abdul' Diamond Platnumz 'believing they will be back after the stairway to leave with his stepfather, Zarinah Hassan' Zari The Boss Lady '. The period that began to hear the return of romance between Diamond and the Goods, was on the Mbosso musician's identity on the WCB Lebo held at the Hyatt Regency The Kilimanjaro Hotel in Dar, where they featured the pictures of two of them in a rage, which provoked Zari and decide to leave the level. Zari, after lifting his hands up on his Instagram page, has a black flower and has made it clear that his relationship with his other parent has reached the end and will remain the parents of their two children, Tiffa and Nillan and no longer love. As a result of Zari's black flower showing blackness in love, the Goodman also put the red flower to show clearly that the first love has begun to split on his side. After You put a red flower, it turned out to be a big chat on the globe with different fans each one sewing his flower, another green, another blue. The magazine searched for the Wells after setting the fence to know exactly the reason for placing it and setting a sign of love meant that it had officially returned to Diamond or where the call was called unacceptable. When asked for a short message, you could not reply. On Friday it did not matter, it searched for a manager who was also a good speaker who was asked if he knew the reasons for the good use of the courtyard: "Well, the good man has changed the difference, but he just decided to set up his own favorite image and did not have any meaning in identifying who he is for this period.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11652
__label__cc	0.658608	0.341392	http://appserver-16914d9a/content/congress-and-president-obama-violated-their-constitutional-and-moral-duty-declare-war Congress and President Obama Violated Their Constitutional and Moral Duty to Declare War Constitution: The Congress shall have Power … to declare war In her response to the four Americans killed in Libya, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton exclaimed, ‘‘This is not easy. Today, many Americans are asking, indeed I asked myself, how could this happen? How could this happen in a country we helped liberate, in a city we helped save from destruction? This question reflects just how complicated and, at times, just how confounding, the world can be.’’ Yes, the disdain, murder and destruction in the Middle East and North Africa “reflects just how complicated … just how confounding, the world can be.” Which is precisely the reason our Founders vested the power to declare war with our Congress. No single person should make a momentous decision as declaring war on another country. President Obama unilaterally made the decision to bomb Libya, and America and other cultures throughout the world have been greatly damaged by his decision. In March 2011, I blogged on how the President violated our Constitution – when only Congress is allowed to declare war. In 1995, Doug Bandow wrote an excellent paper on the Constitution and the necessity of a Congressional and national debate before “declaring war.” Bandow recalls the consensus among Founders that a president is not entrusted to start a war. As Bandow wrote in The Future of Freedom Foundation: … Virginia's George Mason, the president "is not safely to be entrusted with" the power to decide on war. Mason therefore favored "clogging rather than facilitating war." James Wilson, though an advocate of a strong presidency, approvingly observed that the new constitutional system "will not hurry us into war." Instead, "it is calculated to guard against it. It will not be in the power of a single man, or a single body of men, to involve us in such distress. In 2007, then-Senator Obama agreed the president did not have the power to unilaterally declare war against Iran. “The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation,” Obama responded. Deceitfully, after bombing Libya, President Obama wrote to Congress stating the bombing was non-kinetic activity. Therefore saying anything to claim his bombing was not an act of war. “Since April 4,” the president wrote, “U.S. participation has consisted of: (1) non-kinetic support to the NATO-led operation, including intelligence, logistical support, and search and rescue assistance; (2) aircraft that have assisted in the suppression and destruction of air defenses in support of the no-fly zone; and (3) since April 23, precision strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles against a limited set of clearly defined targets in support of the NATO-led coalition's efforts.” Defenders of the President will quickly note that Congress has not declared war since World War II. Worse, all Congresses and Presidents – Republicans and Democrats - have persistently ignored the Constitution. Of course, this is the problem. Our governing bodies have intentionally and harmfully violated our Constitution. America and humanity would be better off if Congress had honored and respected our Constitution by debating and voting on an act of war. A debate and vote would have caused a complete appraisal of the mission; an investigation of the human and material costs, the objectives, and potential repercussions between the combatants and the impacted individuals and societies. America would have thoroughly debated Secretary of State Clinton's question: How could this happen in a country we helped liberate, in a city we helped save from destruction? This question reflects just how complicated and, at times, just how confounding, the world can be. Engaging in war is a momentous decisions, which was wisely vested with Congress, forcing Congress and Americans to debate the issue. Recalling the many acts of war since World War II, e.g., Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Bosnia, Haiti and many more. America and the rest of the world would have been better served if Congress had been able to perform its legal and moral duty and been able to investigate, debate and vote on war. Please read two previous post warning against President Obama's unilateral commencement of war: Obama: Libyan Intervention A "Core Principle That Has To Be Upheld" Libya - Rule of Law - Freedom Tags war, obama, Libya, congress "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/pelosis-sabotage-state-union-gives-trump-opportunity-return-jeffersons-precedent?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/SOTU_0.jpg?itok=ScO2KBiY Pelosi's Sabotage of the State of the Union Gives Trump an Opportunity to Return to Jefferson's Precedent BY Jason Pye Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made some news on Wednesday when she sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging a postponement of the State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on January 29. Although she stopped short of disinviting him, Speaker Pelosi cited security concerns related to the government shutdown as the reason. "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/key-vote-no-cra-restore-obamas-internet-regulation-sjres-52?social=facebook_share" Key Vote Key Vote NO on CRA to Restore Obama's Internet Regulation, S.J.Res. 52 BY Adam Brandon On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and ask them to vote NO on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order CRA Resolution of Disapproval, S.J.Res. 52. This resolution would provide for congressional disapproval of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Restoring Internet Freedom Order, which repealed burdensome Title II Internet regulations. "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/clean-power-plan-shorts-our-economy?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/Trump%20Helmet.png?itok=sZOHgxxW Clean Power Plan Shorts Our Economy President Obama’s “Clean Power Plan” (CPP) drains our economy for Sierra Club hysteria. CPP sacrifices thousands of jobs, billions in growth, and lots of happiness. Thankfully, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt will likely toss it. "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/key-vote-no-hres-796-and-consolidated-appropriations-act-hr-1625?social=facebook_share" Key Vote NO on H.Res. 796 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 1625 On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and ask him or her to vote NO on H.Res. 796 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 1625. H.Res. 796 is the rule governing the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The underlying bill is a consolidated appropriations bill packed with unrelated legislative items that Congress has not been able to pass. We oppose the rule governing the underlying bill because of process by which leadership wrote the bill. We oppose the omnibus both because of the process and because it appropriates at the spending levels under the Bipartisan Budget Act. "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/top-10-reasons-why-mcconnell-schumer-spending-bill-bad-deal?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/scam.jpg?itok=VRrd9bM8 The Top 10 Reasons Why the McConnell-Schumer Spending Bill is a Bad Deal The bill would blatantly disregard the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 that requires Congress to adhere to budget caps – This bill goes above and beyond, busting the caps by nearly $300 billion over two years, more than twice that of the past two, two-year deals combined "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/support-no-congressional-vehicle-leases-act-hr-4510?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/mercedes-1327610_960_720.jpg?itok=gpyF39bn Support the No Congressional Vehicle Leases Act, H.R. 4510 On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and ask him or her to support the No Congressional Vehicle Leases Act, H.R. 4510, introduced by Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa). The bill would prohibit the use of congressional funds to pay for long-term or expensive vehicle leases for members of Congress. "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/support-no-congressional-first-class-flights-act-hr-4509?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/CX_First_Class_Suites_747.jpg?itok=yma5eM6M Support the No Congressional First Class Flights Act, H.R. 4509 On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and ask him or her to support the No Congressional First Class Flights Act, H.R. 4509, introduced by Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa). The bill would prohibit the use of congressional funds to pay for airline accommodations above the lowest fare of coach-class accommodations for members of Congress. "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/freedomworks-foundation-clean-power-plan-example-festering-problem-administrative-state?social=facebook_share" FreedomWorks Foundation: Clean Power Plan, an Example of the Festering Problem of the Administrative State FreedomWorks Foundation applauds President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on their announcement to repeal the Clean Power Plan (CPP). It is our organization’s intention to staunchly support this effort through our Regulatory Action Center, driving a grassroots campaign in support of this critical regulatory reform. FreedomWorks Foundation President Adam Brandon made the following statement: "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/want-taxpayers-fund-your-vacation-run-congress?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/Weekly_Fix_Blog01_1.jpg?itok=Un7_qtBg Want Taxpayers to Fund Your Vacation? Run for Congress. The fix is in. Did you know, members of Congress travel the world on your tax dollars? "http:\/\/www.freedomworks.org\/content\/best-part-time-job-america?social=facebook_share" http://fw-d7-freedomworks-org.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/thumbnail/s3/field/image/Weekly_Fix_Blog01_0.jpg?itok=R7f4sAin The Best Part-Time Job in America The fix is in. Did you know, Congress only works 33 percent of the year?	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11660
__label__wiki	0.976272	0.976272	You are here: Home»Editorials»Editorial»FR endorses Sen. Menendez in N.J. FR endorses Sen. Menendez in N.J. Written by Manuel Caballero From left, Bergenfield Councilman Salvador “Buddy” Deauna, Sen. Bob Menendez, Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro, Jr. and Bergenfield Council President Arvin Amatorio. The Filipino Reporter is endorsing the candidacy for re-election of Sen. Bob Menendez in New Jersey. Sen. Menendez is also endorsed by the three Filipino-American elective officials in Jersey City and Bergenfield — Rolando Lavarro, Jr., Arvin Amatorio and Salvador “Buddy” Deauna. Why Menendez? New Jerseyans are the best judges. Doug Quinn, from Toms River, supports Sen. Menendez because when he lost everything in Superstorm Sandy, Sen. Menendez never turned his back on him. — “Menendez came and helped my family. Sen. Menendez helped all storm victims. He introduced legislation to help reform the National Flood Insurance Program.” Pam, from Bayonne, “It’s only because of the Affordable Care Act — that Bob Menendez fought for extending — that me and my daughter now have insurance.” Jack, from East Windsor, supports Sen. Menendez because of the champion leadership he’s offered veterans. — “He’s been a tireless leader. I’ve been leading a veteran community here in New Jersey for 13 years and he has been a tireless leader for 13 years...” Justin, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, supports Sen. Menendez because of the dedication he has shown to veterans in New Jersey. — “I’m very proud of the work that Sen. Menendez has done for generations and generations of military veterans...” Some Filipino-Americans in Jersey City supporting Sen. Menendez. Nadia, from Bloomingdale, “I support Sen. Menendez because he has shown, through his voting record, that he supports me. He has voted to expand the ACA to over a million New Jersey citizens and really expand women’s health. He stood up for sensible, humane immigration policies and really been on the forefront to stand up for our immigrant communities.” Lisa, from Glen Rock, supports Sen. Menendez because he never stops fighting for women’s rights. “I support Sen. Menendez because he’s fighting for women’s rights...” From the candidate himself: “I have dedicated my entire career to making sure everyone has an equal shot at the American Dream — from fighting to grow our economy and strengthen our middle class to ensuring equal educational opportunities and quality, affordable healthcare,” Sen. Menendez told a labor union with 30,000 members that threw their support to him. Asked by FR what he could say about the attacks against him by his opponent in TV ads, Mr. Menendez said, “Those are lies. My opponent will say anything to gain political power.” Selfie of Sen. Menendez with FR’s Manny Caballero.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11663
__label__wiki	0.938097	0.938097	Home / News / Full Throttle Remastered has launch date Full Throttle Remastered has launch date Been to pray, but Double Fine has finally announced the date of Full Throttle Remastered. April 18 was the date chosen by the study of Tim Schafer to return to life is classic graphic adventures launched 22 years ago. A well-liked title but whose legacy has gone very unnoticed after the shadow of other great classics such as Grim Fandango or Monkey Island. However, this “remaster” an opportunity that many players can enjoy this singular title and return to the present day. This Double Fine has updated Full Throttle endowing it with new graphics, renewing the artistic style and updating the music and sound effects. An adaptation very similar to the one carried out at the time with Day of the Tentacle. But without a doubt, one of the aspects that has more value Full Throttle Remastered is the possibility of passing updated the classic mode. It may seem a triviality, but in order to maintain the historical legacy of a game, this is a very important factor, since it allows that the original essence of the game remains unchanged. One aspect that has not always been considered in remakes of classic games. Following the launch of Full Throttle Remastered remains to be seen if Double Fine are encouraged to adapt other great adventure games from LucasArts such as Sam & Max and The Dig. All these graphic adventures are part of the collective imagination and nostalgia for veteran players who certainly appreciate this type of remakes that bring back these great titles for children. Via \| Eurogamer Double Fine Productions Full Throttle Remastered PC PS4 PSVITA 2017-03-14 Tags Double Fine Productions Full Throttle Remastered PC PS4 PSVITA Previous According to SuperData, already more than 1 million Nintendo Switch have been sold Next New videos of Gran Turismo Sport, PS4 on PS Now games	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11676
__label__wiki	0.538981	0.538981	Blackguards – Review Tuesday, February 4th, 2014 Title Blackguards Developer Daedalic Entertainment Publisher Daedalic Entertainment Platform PC Genre Turn-based strategy, RPG Release Date 24th January, 2014 Official Site http://www.daedalic.de/en/game/Blackguards Let’s get something out in the open straight away: Blackguards is a deep and difficult son of a bitch. If you’re considering purchasing Blackguards to relax and have a merry jaunt through a fantasy world, I suggest you find something else. If you’re looking for cute elves and a happy sing-along with forest folk, look beyond Daedalic Entertainment’s turn-based strategy RPG, because this game means business and it’s taking no prisoners. Although, if it was going to take prisoners it would probably be for a crime they didn’t commit. This is how your adventure starts, as either a Warrior, Rogue or Mage, depending on how you’re feeling on any given afternoon. Do I want to hit things with a big stick and take lots of hits from big sticks? Do I want to throw tiny sharp sticks at people, and hope no-one has the good sense to come and hit me with a bigger stick? Do I want to abstain from sticks all together and just pretend I’m a mother-fucking sorcerer? Choosing your class, gender and hair-style represents the entire depth of the character creation in Blackguards, which, given the type and nature of the game, is quite a shame. Whatever your inclination, once it starts, you quickly get stitched up for a murder you didn’t commit and are slung in jail. As per every single RPG in creation, this prison has the security strength of a wet-paper bag, covered in jam, in a swamp, and you soon break out, along with the token dwarf and mage that also happen to be in prison at the same time, and who also happen to feel compelled to accompany you on your quest. Herein lies Blackguard‘s second problem behind the shallow character creation, in that I’d selected my starting class as Mage. I like magic, and figured that I could be a sort of rabbit-out-of-the-hat come Gandalf type of fellow. That in itself was fine but, fresh out of my jail cell, I was paired up with a Warrior class and another Mage. Don’t get me wrong; I wasn’t jealous that he was encroaching on my occupation, it was just that we were now very much lacking in the ranged department. Thankfully, we encountered an elf not too far into the story, but add into that the fact that being a Mage seems to be akin to picking Charmander as your starter Pokemon in the original Pokemon games and you can kinda see the problem: the game became rock hard because it just isn’t suited to starting with a magic-class character. Not be deterred by a challenge, I grabbed my stereotypically angry dwarf, my stereotypically cute elf, and stereotypically sex-pest wizard (possibly not a stereotype there), and off we ran to try and clear my name and take part in all manner of adventures. The game will take you across a nicely crafted overworld map, which features plenty of different locations for the main story and optional side quests. Blackguards certainly has a huge array of cities, forests, dungeons and caverns for you to explore, and each area boasts a different set of enemies and environmental factors for you to both travel through and fight in. If you’ve played the recent XCOM remake, then the combat arena for Blackguards is going to resemble something familiar. You move your characters across a hex-grid, allowing them one turn to move, and then one action phase after that, provided they don’t run into an environmental trap. Much like XCOM, you can sacrifice your action phase to move a greater distance, but this is redundant because this would only throw me closer to the enemy, and running for cover is pointless because of the poorly implemented line-of-sight cover system. I have no problem attempting to judge line of sight, but Blackguards’ camera only allows for movement left to right and pitching up and down. I can’t spin around the battlemap and make a certain judgement on whether or not I’m protected. There aren’t any visual clues to suggest if I’m in cover or not, so I tend to just take the damage and hope I can deal enough back before my vitality totally drains away. Once you’re done strolling around the combat arena, you might care to partake of some actual fighting. The combat in Blackguards is by no means the best I’ve ever seen in this type of game, and part of me wonders if the excellence of titles such as XCOM and Advanced Wars have spoiled turn-based strategy for me. The random number generator that accompanies all the combat choices within Blackguards does feel slightly off kilter. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate the unpredictability of these types of games, because I do. A good part of the fun factor when playing Blackguards is knowing that you’re no more in control than you are when rolling real dice and dealing with a real games master. The problem with having a pen and paper RPG transferred onto the computer is that you lose the transparency of having every action play out in front of you. If I roll dice in reality and turn up a fail three times, that to me is just bad luck. However, if it happens on the computer screen and everything is going on behind the scenes, you can get the impression you’re getting screwed over. The difference between Blackguards and other turn-based games is how often you feel like you’re getting screwed over. The answer, unfortunately for Blackguards, is with regular frequency. A 95% chance of hitting an enemy missed three times in a row, before thankfully landing on the fourth attempt, with my character on the brink of death. In those few minutes I experienced the strongest emotions of frustration and joy at a plethora of invisible numbers, and while that sounds great in theory, I’d much rather prefer there was a happy medium of enjoyment with just the occasional kick in the teeth. If you can remain blissfully ignorant of the random calculations taking place behind the scenes, the combat in Blackguards can be enjoyable. There is a certain satisfaction to winning each battle, which is partly down to the unpredictable nature of the number generator, and partly because each fight really feels like you’ve climbed a small mountain to succeed. A good portion of these battles have an optional objective or some extra problem to deal with, such as covering up spawning points or getting to a certain area of the battlemap in a set number of turns in order to save an NPC. These can be fun or frustrating, and that’s totally dependant on your playstyle. The frustration doesn’t stop at random combat additions, due to a couple of remarkably strange decisions by the developer. Firstly, I can’t move past a hex that is being occupied by one of my own party, which leads to some irritating situations, considering you don’t get a choice regarding move orders. I understand why you can’t just move past a hex that has an enemy in it; that would be daft. However, things take a turn for the downright stupid when someone gets knocked down in combat. If you floor an enemy in a fight, you can move past them using the hex they occupy – super, they’re knocked out, it makes sense. However, if someone in your party gets knocked down, you still can’t move past them. What the fuck is this? Are you worried about kicking them in the face as you move past, or just concerned you might ruin their state of unconsciousness? It’s incredibly frustrating and I can’t think of a single reason why it makes logical sense, other than to piss the player off. One redeeming aspect of the combat in Blackguards is the environmental traps you can trigger. Knocking down beehives, using boxes to block routes, and laying bear traps are just a few things you may do or encounter during play. These traps add an extra layer to the combat, although the enemy combatants usually just ignore them and take the damage. I hoped that dropping beehives to release a deadly swarm would deter the bad guys from the direct route, and buy me time to take them down from a distance. No, not at all; they all just ran straight through the swarm, taking various amounts of damage, and got within striking range of me. On the flip side, there is much fun to be had luring enemies into flammable gas clouds and then igniting them with a fire spell, so while the environmental dangers are not always taken into consideration by the brainless AI, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy using them. If you typically like tinkering with your character and their statistics, then there is also enjoyment to be had. Blackguards is bursting at the seams with character information and accompanying numbers. There are so many different options and routes to travel in terms of how your characters should evolve that you almost feel spoilt at times. Basic values, weapon talents, talents, spells and special abilities are the headers for your character sheet. This is where you spend your Adventure Points, which is basically your experience. There is a plethora of options to choose from when tweaking your character, and, given the expensive price behind some paths, role-playing fans will be hard pressed to make certain decisions about their desired route for the gang of would-be heroes. A very clever feature is that your special abilities tree acts a lot like the perks you find in other games but, unlike other games, you can’t go unlocking them any time you like. Instead, you have to find the specific trainers to teach them and, even then, they’ll be asking for a large amount of Adventure Points to do so. It keeps the systems balanced and means you’ll think twice about spending or saving vital experience. Graphically, there isn’t anything groundbreaking about Blackguards. The overworld map is nicely crafted, and the passing clouds as you look down unto the earth are a nice touch. That aside, it’s a pretty standard affair, with some nice character models, predictable spell effects and pretty backdrops. None of it is particularly amazing, but it does what it says on the tin and can’t be faulted for that. The same can, unfortunately, be said for the audio, with the combat tunes getting a little repetitive and possibly even stuck on loop, on occasions. The voice acting is pretty standard and, thanks to the subtitles, you could play the game muted and not really lose anything from it. That’s a sad thing to admit but it’s the truth. Everyone just sounds like they’re reading from the same sheet titled ‘Standard Fantasy Character Fifty-Seven”. Some better voice work probably could have sold the world to me better, but as it stands it sounds like everyone is just completing a tick-box exercise. This isn’t a small adventure and it is going to take you some time to plough through it. I kept the difficulty at a normal level, but still found the initial learning curve to be a real bastard, especially when fumbling about with the Mage character. If you want to be eased in as gently as possible, read the help guide and select the Warrior class. Dealing damage and soaking it up sounds like a no-brainer, but not having to rely on Astral Points for spells is a blessing. If you feel really brave you can select ‘expert’ mode at the start and tailor a character to your own chosen stats, rather than a pre-selected class in the ‘basic’ mode. Regardless of your choice, there are plenty of hours to be slung into this title, and I truly recommend that you do. For all its frustrating problems and points of concern, Blackguards is a good game. It features some enjoyable combat, a decent story and some solid character-building options. It’s just a shame that everything couldn’t have been polished a little further, and some annoying design choices revised to make this a more inviting product. An interesting world to explore Deep and challenging character building If you can look past the problems, the combat can be enjoyable… … but if you can’t, it will make you want to kill cute kittens Graphics and audio are very average The lack of a clear cut tutorial means that players have to read through a ton of text to understand a lot of the systems in play Blackguards is a good game. It has got some very enjoyable moments, there is plenty to experience and you can sink plenty of hours into its world. Equally, I can’t ignore its shortcomings, in the form of some truly frustrating combat, and lacklustre graphics and sound. I can recommend Blackguards; just make sure you come ready for a fight and with an extra calm spell. Our review policy Hacker Evolution Collection - Review Fable Heroes - Review Gemini Wars - Review DARK - Review Fire - Preview Mordheim: City of the Damned - Review Last five articles by Chris My friend, David. Meridian: Squad 22 - Review It Was Him or Me Ellipsis - Review Tags: character classes, Daedalic Entertainment, RPGs, turn-based RPGs There are no comments, yet. Why don’t you be the first? Come on, you know you want to! Earth Defense Force IA This game is so shit At least it is very short Like Jimmie Krankie by Richie	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11678
__label__cc	0.629779	0.370221	create lasting change Tradition and change are strange bedfellows. Traditions are everywhere: families have traditions, schools have traditions, churches and corporations have traditions. People worship, teachers educate, governors govern. Traditions acknowledge our accomplishments (educational). Traditions spark our imagination (vision). Traditions foster confidence. Traditions seep into the most mundane of our daily routines. To put it simply, tradition(s) adds value to our lives. But tradition is also a double agent, an evil genius, if you will. It can spark imagination, but it can also snuff it out. It can foster confidence but it can undermine initiative. Tradition can express meaning through shared beliefs or create mundane events that isolate our understanding. When it adds value, everybody loves it. When it becomes Dr. Evil, everyone despises it. Tradition(s) grows out of formative life stories. Most people love a tradition because they know the story that gives life to it. Remember when Hewlett Packard merged with Compaq? This was a battle of narratives: HP employees and board members knew change was imminent. How? They told and retold the HP story, the Hewlett Packard Way which served as a guiding force to its corporate mission, vision, and values. A merger with Compaq would mean a loss of this fundamental narrative. Alas, all traditions, it seems to me, have a limited life cycle. This means that at some point tradition gives way to change. Leaders know the value of change. But they also must also respect tradition. To Lead, consult, and manage change we must become experts at uncovering the narratives that spawned the tradition. When we understand this narrative we are then equipped to provide a new narrative; a narrative that respects the past, but fashions and tells a new vision that inspires new processes, new activities, new "traditions". To be a great leader, respect tradition while making room for change. Really, the bed is beg enough for both. And in point of fact, one can't exist without the other.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11682
__label__cc	0.555118	0.444882	There are 186 item(s) tagged with the keyword "Elections". 1. County and State Party Candidates Should Not Seek Endorsements from Politicians by Maricopa County Republican Committee Chairman Tyler Bowyer Many have seen in recent weeks a few endorsements from Public Office Holders of Candidates for those who wish to serve in County and State Party positions. I want to make a statement and say this is absolutely wrong. One of the primary reasons that the Republican Party exists is to hold Elected Officials accountable. Having our Party Officeholders beholden to Elected Officials through endorsements and donations is precisely what's wrong with the GOP today. It should raise many red flags of Party Candidates who seek these endorsements as it is akin to the adage of the "Fox in the Henhouse." This is terrible judgment both on the part of the candidate and the elected official. Tags: Elections, Republicans 2. Donald Trump elected president of the United States Tags: Trump, Republicans, Elections, American Values 3. You never need a late term abortion to save a woman’s life In the 3rd and final presidential debate, Hillary Clinton was asked why she is against a ban on late-term partial birth abortions. In light of her longstanding association with Planned Parenthood and the abortion business, her answer reveals an astonishing ignorance about the actual process involved in a late term abortion, or she's outright lying. In this brief segment Ms. Clinton states "I've met with women who at the end of their pregnancy get the worst news that one could get, that their health is in jeopardy if they continue to carry to term or that something terrible has happened or just been discovered about the pregnancy. So, you can regulate if you are doing so with the life and the health of the mother taken into account.” Here’s the reality. A late term abortion procedure takes 24-72 hours, just to dilate the cervix enough to dismember and remove the baby. A woman whose life is at risk would be dead before the abortion could be completed. On the other hand, a 1-hour emergency C-Section would most likely save the mother's and her baby's lives. In the following video, Dr. Anthony Levatino, who has performed over 1200 abortions, explains why “You never need a late term abortion to save a woman’s life.” He is now Pro-Life. Tags: Abortion, Pro Life, Elections, Planned Parenthood, Christianity 4. Hillary Clinton: Ghoulish Abortion Queen For years, Hillary Clinton has encouraged women to collude with and pay doctors to murder their own unborn children. In 2009, Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion corporation, presented U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton with the Margaret Sanger Award. In 2014, Planned Parenthood honored Clinton for her “commitment to womens health.” The sick irony is that Margaret Sanger, a noted eugenicist and horrible racist, deplored abortion. She never would have called it “womens health.” She would be horrified to know that monsters like Hillary Clinton are presented with an award in her name. Planned Parenthood didn't begin providing abortions until after Margaret Sanger was dead. She would not have tolerated what Planned Parenthood has become: an abortion empire responsible for stopping the beating hearts of over 7 million innocent, helpless lives. Sanger opened the first birth control center in 1916. She later founded the American Birth Control League, which evolved into today's Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Sanger spoke out repeatedly on preventing pregnancy, not abortion. Tags: Abortion, Planned Parenthood, Elections 5. Rigging the Election - Video I: Clinton Campaign and DNC Incite Violence at Trump Rallies Go to 10:20 to hear Zulema Rodriguez brag about shutting down the highway leading to the FOUNTAIN HILLS, ARIZONA Trump rally. Luke Johnson was on his way to church nearby and within seconds, he was caught, unable to move his work truck and trailer. A huge group of people ran into the road, and he couldn’t get across. He had no idea what was going on. Then, he started getting dozens of calls threatening his life. “People saying they were going to hunt my business down and find me and come after me and destroy my business.” It turns out people had seen his work trailer live on CNN and assumed he was part of the protest even though he wasn’t. Rodriguez also admits to inciting violence in Chicago, forcing Trump to cancel it for fear that people might get hurt. Thanks Project Veritas (James O'Keefe), doing the job the media refuses to do. Tags: Leftists, Media Malpractice, Elections 6. Jim O'Connor Announces Run for State Party Chairman of the AZGOP I have tremendous respect for Jim O’Connor. In the following press release, you will read about Jim's role in renouncing the National Popular Vote. I was one of the people he patiently educated regarding its problems. Ultimately, a group of us were able to convince our Senator, Sylvia Allen, to back away from supporting it. Jim is true to the Republican platform and has provided leadership in other areas as well, including the passage of HB2088, which protects students against surveys that gather private, personally identifiable information. He advised his representative in LD23, Heather Carter, "Our 444 Precinct Committeemen are reflecting the opinions of the 70,000 registered republican votes in our district overwhelmingly protecting the rights of parents and children. Please represent these and other republicans who desire to restrain government overreach." She voted in favor on reconsideration. Mr. O'Connor has stood firmly in support of legislation that honors parental authority and rejects federal control of education in Arizona. Tags: Arizona Legislature, Republicans, Education, Elections 7. Gilbert Watch Primary Voting Recommendations: August 30, 2016 As you complete your Primary ballot, please consider the following candidates for offices all the way from United States Senate to Town Council. Time hasn't allowed for the vetting of every office throughout the state. The suggestions you see here are based on voting patterns, leadership, and commitment to constitutional, conservative ideals. Tags: Arizona Legislature, Town Council, Elections, Arizona Constitution, Constitution, Congress 8. Sen. Ted Cruz Endorses Andy Biggs in Race to Replace Rep. Salmon Sen. Ted Cruz on Friday endorsed state Senate President Andy Biggs to succeed retiring Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.). Tags: Congress, Constitution, Elections, Families 9. Christine Jones: Serial Exaggerator, Phony It is beyond me why the voters in CD5 would want to be saddled with Christine Jones as their Representative in Congress. She’s clueless about the character and demographics of its citizens--she lives in CD9, not CD5. How do you “represent” citizens you know nothing about? CD5 is one of the most conservative, family-oriented districts in Maricopa County. After reviewing the history of Christine Jones, my head hurts. But not as badly as the perpetual migraine that she will inflict on CD5. Take away her paid handlers and well, think of a Conservative, and then take away courage, conviction, and good judgment. Jones has a history of contradicting herself to the point of absurdity. Add to this a shaky grasp of the Republican platform, high praise for Hillary Clinton, and a tendency toward self-aggrandizement. Christine Jones wants to be...Governor...Secretary of State... Mayor...U.S. Senator...U.S. Representative...Somebody! Her reason for not taking on her own district (CD9) defies logic. CD9 is currently represented by Democrat/Liberal/Leftist Kyrsten Sinema. Jones would be a conservative heroine if she had run in her own district and beat Sinema! In November 2015, Jones was asked if she planned to run against Sinema in 2016. She stated "Although (the 9th District) appears eminently winnable, pursuing a seat in Congress at this time is not the highest and best use of my time." See Christine Jones Won't Challenge Kyrsten Sinema. By April 2016, she decided to pole vault into CD5 and run against a solid constitutional conservative, former Senate President Andy Biggs. This carpet bagging didn’t sit well with the Republican Leadership of CD5. They quickly responded in an 4/8/2016 Intellectual Conservative article titled CD5 Republican Legislative District Chairs call for Local Representation as follows: Tags: Congress, Elections 10. Jimmy Lindblom and LaCinda Lewis Endorsed by Pro Common Core, Anti-Parent "Stand for Children" Stand for Children/Arizona has just endorsed Jimmy Lindblom, who is running for a Senate seat against Warren Petersen in LD12, and LaCinda Lewis, who is competing against Eddie Farnsworth and Travis Grantham in the House. A review of Stand for Children/Arizona's website indicates that this group proudly supports the entire Common Core agenda, aka Arizona's College and Career Ready Standards, including AzMerit. Stand is proud to have defeated a litany of anti-Common Core legislation, as well as other bills that parents have fought for, including the defeated SB1455. This bill would have acknowledged that parents know more than the State about what's best for their own children. These parents wanted to opt their children out of the unvalidated, secretive AzMerit. Stand would have none of it. See "Top Legislative Results." Parents and their children suffered verbal and emotional abuse at the hands of school administrators, teachers, other parents, and other students for daring to opt out of AZMerit. Remember? See Sen. Allen calls for schools to respect parents over assessment concerns, The Schools' War On Arizona's Children: Part 1, The Schools' War on Arizona's Children: Part 2 Online Charter Schools The Schools' War on Arizona's Children: Part 3 Emotional Child Abuse. Voters should be wary of groups that "sound" wonderful. Scratch the surface, and you discover how pro-Statist and anti-Family they truly are. Expect More Arizona is another such group. See Is Expect More Arizona in it for the Money? Tags: AzMERIT, Arizona Constitution, Arizona Legislature, Common Core, Elections	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11684
__label__wiki	0.882269	0.882269	Home Research > Members > 1754-1790 > ERSKINE, Sir Henry, 5th Bt. (?1710-65) ERSKINE, Sir Henry, 5th Bt. (?1710-65), of Alva, Clackmannan. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964 AYR BURGHS 29 Dec. 1749 - 1754 ANSTRUTHER EASTER BURGHS 1754 - 9 Aug. 1765 b. ?1710,1 2nd s. of Sir John Erskine, 3rd Bt., M.P., by Hon. Catherine St. Clair, da. of Henry, 10th Lord Sinclair [S]. educ. ?Eton 1725; L. Inn 1728. m. 16 May 1761, Janet, da. of Peter Wedderburn, Lord Chesterhall, S.C.J., and sis. of Alexander Wedderburn, 2s. 1da. suc. bro. as 5th Bt. 2 July 1747. Ensign 22 Ft. 1735, lt. 1736; capt. 1 Ft. 1743; dismissed Jan. 1756; reinstated as maj.-gen. with effect from June 1759; col. 67 Ft. 1760-1; col. 25 Ft. 1761-2; col. 1 Ft. 1762- d.; lt.-gen. 1765. Surveyor of the King’s private roads 1757-60; sec. of the order of the Thistle Apr. 1765- d. Erskine was the son of a Jacobite leader in the ’15, who dissipated his fortune and was compelled to sell his estate. Erskine joined the 22nd Foot commanded by his uncle James St. Clair, on whose generosity he was largely dependent during his early career. At the general election of 1754 he opposed Philip Anstruther, an old enemy, in Anstruther Easter Burghs. When Anstruther successfully appealed to Pelham for support, St. Clair wrote to James Oswald, 26 Jan. 1754:2 [Anstruther] has taken ample care to render both me and my nephew his implacable enemies ... he sent his agents to insinuate that as we were descended from Jacobite families we must be looked on as disaffected to his Majesty and his Government. This malicious insinuation ... I never will forgive ... I never will desist. I will endeavour to place my nephew in that situation where he may be able to show his zeal for the present happy establishment and his attachment to the present administration. Mr. Pelham knows I undertook to answer for him, and since he is now certain of a seat in Parliament, Mr. Pelham will find he will adhere inviolably to the engagements I entered into for him. In the constituency Sir Harry’s lively personality and courtly manners won him great popularity,3 and when Argyll declared in his favour his success was assured. Listed by Dupplin among Government supporters attached to Argyll, Erskine’s political attachments really lay elsewhere. While Argyll maintained good relations with Fox, Erskine fostered the alliance between Bute and Pitt, whom he greatly admired. He voted, 13 Nov. 1755, against the Address, and on 10 Dec. spoke in support of Potter’s motion against the subsidy treaties. In January 1756 he was dismissed from the army by order of the King. On 29 Jan. 1756 Pitt raised the question of his dismissal in the House:4 ‘You have just broken a brave officer, distinguished with marks of two wounds, and by the applause of the Duke [of Cumberland]; and who was cashiered for nothing but his vote in Parliament.’ After heated exchanges between Fox and Pitt, Erskine himself intervened: ‘He did not complain of his dismission: a civil or a military life was indifferent to him, yet he could wish if there were any other cause than his vote, that Mr. Fox would declare it.’ He spoke on 18 Feb. against the Swiss regiment bill, and again on 29 Mar.5 against Lord George Sackville’s motion for bringing over Hanoverian troops. In face of the King’s hostility the Devonshire-Pitt Administration could procure no favours for Erskine. George Dempster wrote on 26 Nov. 1756:6 ‘Sir Harry Erskine never will get into the army, but he is named for some civil employment.’ He received nothing. On 2 May 1757 he voted against exonerating the Newcastle-Fox Administration for the loss of Minorca; took a considerable part, as Bute’s representative, in the negotiations for a new Administration,7 and was listed by Newcastle at the head of the six Scots attached to ‘the last ministry or Mr. Pitt.’ Shortly after the formation of the Coalition, Bute secured for him the office of surveyor of the King’s private roads—this atonement for unjust and cruel treatment, wrote Bute to J. S. Mackenzie, he had demanded by express orders of the Princess of Wales who looked upon Erskine ‘as a sacrifice for his attachment to the late Prince’.8 Erskine was now established as one of Bute’s principal confidants. He took a leading part in the Scottish militia bill, as one of the six Members nominated by the Edinburgh committee to consult on its introduction,9 spoke strongly for it, 15 Apr. 1760, and was a teller in the division. ‘All Scotland’ he declared, ‘would come and demand it at the bar of the House.’10 Subsequently he received the thanks of the convention of royal burghs for his efforts. On George III’s accession Erskine was offered full restoration in the army, a regiment, a governorship, or, if he preferred it, civil employment—the King had promised ‘to restore him to his rank when he should come to the Crown’.11 Erskine chose the army, both for military honour and financial security. He wrote to Bute, 3 Nov. 1760:12 I have long looked forward to the late important event, as the only period that could restore me to it ... Officers who were younger lt.-colonels than me have been fortunate enough to have the command of armies ... and thence perhaps my Lord, my attachment to the military line of life has been increased. Nor has it been diminished by comparing that line with the line of civil employment ... Multitudes of competitors; paucity of offices; immense jealousy of those who rise ... the instability of human affairs, and my being born in North Britain, deter me from turning my eyes to that prospect ... When I was dismissed from the service, Lord Barrington told me by way of comfort, that whenever anyone was restored ... he was always restored to his former rank ... The Duke of Argyll who is conversant in army matters saw no difficulty in my being re-established. He hoped for the rank he might have expected had he remained in the army, but was unwilling to leave the decision to Ligonier, whom he considered prejudiced against him. Imagination flattered me with a military life, whenever his present Majesty should succeed to the Crown; in the prospect of that event I addressed myself to a young lady, assuring her that I would aspire to her hand as soon as I should be in such circumstances as to be enabled to support the expenses of a married state. Rather than give up Janet Wedderburn he was prepared to accept less than justice. As ‘favourite of the Favourite’ Erskine now became, as he styled himself, sous ministre to Bute,13 handling requests for favours and intervening in elections on behalf of Bute’s friends. He consulted Lord George Sackville on securing the Dorset interest for William Mayne in Canterbury, and advised Bute against antagonizing the Kent Whigs by supporting Sir Roger Twisden in the county.14 He supplied Bute with information about the Clive opposition in Penryn; recommended as election agent in Cornwall John Richmond Webb, who also consulted him on the choice of candidates for Exeter; and discussed with Pryse Campbell and his father electoral prospects in Inverness and Inverness Burghs.15 His chief concern however was the settlement of the Argyll-Bute dispute over Ayr Burghs in September 1759. He had given early warning of Argyll’s opposition to Bute’s candidate, Patrick Craufurd,16 and in the spring of 1761 was largely responsible for the compromise which led to the withdrawal of Sir Adam Fergusson in favour of Lord Frederick Campbell in the burghs, and the withdrawal of Loudoun’s candidate, Mure Campbell, in Ayrshire. While in Scotland for his own election, Erskine reported to Bute the defeat of the Argyll party at Edinburgh, and his own intervention in Stirling Burghs on behalf of his cousin, Robert Haldane.17 When Haldane offered to transfer his interest to someone acceptable to Bute, Erskine nominated Wedderburn, but explained to Bute that he had not committed him to support Haldane in his petition against the Bridport return. Shortly after Argyll’s death Bute informed Erskine of his intention to bring home Stuart Mackenzie from Turin. Erskine replied, 21 Apr. 1761: I was just going to sit down to entreat your Lordship to prevail on Mr. Mackenzie to return to Britain when I was honoured with your letter. Your Lordship knows too well the small extent of my abilities to be of use to you, but you know also the anxiety which I feel to do all in my poor power to endeavour to serve what it appears to me to be in your interest ... Gratitude ... and affection will ever prompt me not only to execute your orders but to prevent them by guessing at your inclinations. When Haldane’s Bridport petition was debated, 2 Mar. 1762, Bute’s friends were committed to its support. Walpole writes:18 ‘Sir Henry Erskine, a creature of the Favourite, had the indecency and folly to call the English party in the House of Commons a profligate majority.’ This so antagonized the House that Harris, Jenkinson and North, among others, abstained from voting.19 He again roused national feeling on 26 Mar. 1762 when he moved for a Treasury grant for a bridge over the Tweed at Coldstream, ‘from this amazing argument, the use it would be to draw cannon over’. Harris commented: ‘It went. Lord Bute had issued his mandate and the Treasury obeyed. To carry a cannon into Scotland—why not to import thistles into England—a mere job.’ Still, Erskine retained Bute’s full confidence. When on 14 June 1762 he reported that an ‘association’ had been formed against Bute consisting of Cumberland, Newcastle, Devonshire, Pitt, etc., Bute at once informed the King.20 When he complained of a ‘slight’ to his brother-in-law, Major David Wedderburn, and attributed it to the machinations of Townshend or Shelburne, Bute and the King were duly incensed.21 His interest was sought by naval and military acquaintances, by ‘Ossian’ Macpherson and the poet Gray, by his friend David Hume in his claim for half pay as judge advocate at L’Orient, etc. After 1761 Erskine had little direct contact with electoral affairs, but was always ready to recruit new ‘friends’ for his patron. In November 1761 he urged George Dempster to attach himself to Bute; in August 1762 he recommended Locke, a neighbour’s son, to Jenkinson as candidate for the Grimsby by-election; and in February 1763 passed on to Jenkinson a long letter from a correspondent on the management of the Isle of Wight boroughs.22 In November 1762 General St. Clair died, leaving his entailed estates to his heir, but ‘his ready money to Sir Harry Erskine’,23 who in fulfilment of the King’s long-standing promise succeeded his uncle as colonel of the Royals. Violently partisan in support of Bute’s Administration, he went so far as to oppose on 7 Mar. 1763 an address to the King on providing for half pay officers, on the ground that it implied ‘a sort of reflection upon the King’. He was called to order and ‘Mr. Pitt managed the point very properly and strongly against him’.24 Shortly before Bute’s resignation Erskine made a strong plea for the rehabilitation of his friend George Sackville. Erskine supported the Grenville Administration throughout the debates on Wilkes and general warrants, but deplored the breach between Bute and Grenville. In ill-health during the summer of 1764 he wrote from Spa to Jenkinson, 23 Sept.:25 I wished that your attempts for thorough conciliation had been attended with more success ... ’Tis with regret I perceive we are to open the next campaign in the same situation in which we were the last. There has been so much time for conciliation ’tis pity it has elapsed in so fruitless a manner. Before leaving England he had asked Grenville for any military governorship that should become vacant, and on 3 Jan. 1765 applied without success for the governorship of the ports of the north of Scotland. Prevented by illness from regular attendance at the House, Erskine again wrote to Grenville, 25 Mar. 1765, asking for the vacant office of secretary of the Thistle: ‘As it is a Scotch office ... my obtaining it cannot produce the least murmur from anyone back in England.’26 Grenville, who intended the office for Lord Fife’s brother, had a long talk on the subject with Stuart Mackenzie, with whom he was already at odds over Scottish patronage. When Mackenzie refused to commit himself, and when the King ‘spoke kindly of Sir Harry Erskine’ and gave him the appointment over Grenville’s protests, ‘a very improper and passionate conversation’ took place between Grenville and the King.27 This incident, which still further embittered Grenville’s relations with the King and Mackenzie, played a part in the Government crisis of April-May 1765. Erskine died at York 9 Aug. 1765 when returning from Scotland after his re-election consequent upon his appointment. Remembered as a faithful friend, a wit and a minor poet,28 ‘he was’, wrote Alexander Carlyle, ‘a truly honest man, but his views were not extensive nor his talents great’. Author: Edith Lady Haden-Guest 1. His e. bro. Charles was b. 7 May 1709, Sc. Hist. Soc. Misc. ii. 400. 2. Memorials of James Oswald, 330. 3. Letters of D. Hume, i. 190. 4. Walpole, Mems. Geo. II, ii. 159-63. 5. Newdigate’s ‘Debates’. 6. James Fergusson, Letters of G. Dempster to Sir Adam Fergusson, 13-14. 7. Letters from Erskine in Add. 36796 and Bute mss. 8. Undated (1757), Bute mss. 9. Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton to C. Townshend, 23 Feb. 1760, Buccleuch mss. 10. Walpole, Mems. Geo. II, iii. 280. 11. Dodington, Diary, 502. 12. Bute mss. 13. HMC Var. vi. 267. 14. HMC Stopford-Sackville, i. 45; Erskine to Bute, February 1761, Bute mss. 15. Namier, Structure, 311; letters from Campbell, Webb and Erskine, Bute mss. 16. Caldwell Pprs. ii(1), p. 120. 17. Erskine to Bute, 7, 13, 18 Apr. 1761, Bute mss. 18. Mems. Geo. III, i. 110. 19. Harris’s ‘Debates’. 20. Sedgwick, 160. 21. Erskine to Bute, 22 Aug. 1762, Bute mss; Sedgwick, 162-3. 22. Add. 38199, f. 187; Jenkinson Pprs. 126-9. 23. Oswald Memorials, 271. 25. Jenkinson Pprs. 153. 26. Grenville mss (JM). 27. Jenkinson Pprs. 398; Grenville Pprs. ii. 126. 28. Boswell, Private Pprs. xii. 27; xviii. 23.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11690
__label__wiki	0.824241	0.824241	Home Small Business VC Buzz - $83.5 Million in Today's Deals VC Buzz - $83.5 Million in Today's Deals By Mary Evelyn Arnold \| October 18, 1999 For the latest on cool Internet Start-Ups and their VC backers, point your browser to: http://www.internetVCwatch.com/ New in the News Cypress Communications, Onvia.com, Multi-Media Industries Corp., Onex Communications, NEC USA Cypress Communications Receives $53.5 Million in Financing ATLANTA -- Cypress Communications announced the closing of $53.5 million in private-equity financing to be used for national expansion purposes. Investors in this round of financing, the company's third, include current investors: The Centennial Funds, Alta Communications, Beacon Ventures and new investors: Nassau Capital, Gramercy Communications Partners, AEW Partners III L.P., Transwestern Commercial Services, and Latona Cycom Investment LLC. Atlanta-based Cypress Communications is a major building-centric provider of high-speed Internet, voice and video communications services for tenants in commercial office buildings. www.cypresscom.net Onvia.com Closes Additional $25M in Financing SEATTLE--Onvia.com announced the close of $25 million in a Preferred Series B financing led by GE Equity. Top venture capital firms Internet Capital Group and Mohr Davidow also contributed, both of whom were part of Onvia.com's previous financing rounds. This round brings Onvia.com's financing for 1999 to $48 million. The company completed a $12 million venture capital round in February, and a secondary debt round of $11 million in September. www.onvia.com Multi-Media Industries Announces Funding NEW YORK--Multi-Media Industries Corp. (OTCBB:MMIC) announced that it has received a letter of intent from Taurus International Investments Inc., Bradenton, Fla., that Taurus will finance the company to the extent of $5 million. Taurus International Investments is a venture capital and corporate finance management company specializing in raising capital from European investors for medium-sized listed companies. Multi-Media Industries, a development-stage company, is the holding company for Auctionfun.com, Randall Entertainment and Century Records. www.auctionfun.com TranSwitch Corp. and Onex Communications Partner to Develop VLSI Devices for Converged Networks SHELTON, Conn.--TranSwitch Corp. (NASDAQ:TXCC), a leading developerand global supplier of innovative high-speed VLSI solutions for communications applications, announced that it has entered into a strategic technology partnership and OEM agreement with Onex Communications Corp., a Boston-based company specializing in developing and marketing VLSI solutions for emerging converged communications networks. Onex Communications Corp. recently closed initial rounds of financing with a total of approximately $10 million. Three venture capital groups - Star Ventures, St. Paul Ventures, and Signal Lake Venture Fund - joined TranSwitch in the funding. www.transwitch.com NEC USA Establishes 'Venture Development Center' to Develop Venture Businesses NEW YORK-- As part of the implementation of a newly developed global restructuring strategy, NEC USA announced that it has established a Venture Development Center to advance the company's research and development efforts and establish new businesses capable of quickly bringing advanced new technologies to market. The newly created Venture Development Center will develop new business models and plans based on emerging technologies, seek out assessments and capital investments from venture capital groups, incubate new technologies as needed, and aggressively develop a series of new entrepreneurial businesses. It will be located at NEC's existing facilities in San Jose, Calif., and will operate as a separate division of NEC USA. www.nec.com Do you think YOUR cool company ought to be featured in a VC Watch column? Then go here ... https://www.flashbase.com/forms/VCWatch ... and tell us all about yourself.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11699
__label__wiki	0.62511	0.62511	DKV Trio Okka Disk 12042 Theres nothing like constant touring to make any ensemble tighter and its members more responsive to one another. Thats why established jazz combos of the 1950s and 1960s sounded so good. However at that time the often near miraculous timing, instant inspiration and embellishments that resulted from a well-received in-person engagement were often lost unless the band was lucky enough to be recorded on the road. One of saxophonist Ken Vandermarks many working units, the all-star DKV trio is a contemporary bands that recognizes the advantages of road work and on-the-spot recording. This exemplary two-CD set, recorded last year in Rochester, N.Y. and Kalamazoo, Mich., showcases how the three treat a mixture of original and classic free jazz material. Most instructive are how different versions of compositions by trumpeter Don Cherry sound in each city. Brown Rice for instance, is introduced with a bass solo from longtime Vandermark associate Kent Kessler in Rochester, and is dispensed with in slightly more than 4½ minutes, after its probed through the kaleidoscope of Vandermaks bass clarinet. Key pops and sonorous reverberations from the curved clarinet introduce the same piece in Kalamazoo, which stretches to 10½ minutes. Very soon it becomes a woodwind-string duet as Vandermark bears down on his horn and Kessler constructs circular patterns. When the forceful, steady beat of drummer Hamid Drake pushes the reedman to come up with one of the first recorded (literally) examples of honky-tonk bass clarinet, the tune is reconfigured as a straightforward romp. On the other hand consider The Thing. In both upstate New York and Michigan, with Vandermark on riffing tenor, it becomes a highly rhythmic foot tapper that sounds as if it would be more comfortable under the fingers of tough Texas saxists like Cherry bandmates Dewey Redman or Ornette Coleman, then played by the holistic trumpeter. More exuberant and in-your-face in Rochester, Drakes percussive pushing and prodding helps advance the piece, proving that his ongoing relationship with funk and world music is a plus for his improv work. About the same length as it is in Kalamazoo, where its used as a set closer, Rochesters Thing gives Kessler enough space to show off his arco technique and lead the trio into Brown Rice. Interestingly enough Vancermarks tenor tones introduce Awake Nu, the third Cherry line, with glossolalia straight out of Albert Aylers Ghosts. Meanwhile the other two lay down a rock solid bass lines and powerful drum strokes to update Gary Peacock and Sunny Murray the way the saxist does Aylers legacy. At nearly 21 minutes the Rochester version gives the other two what Aylers sideman never had — enough room to sound solo. Drake uses his space by introducing variegated cymbal and bass drum patterns and some well-placed rim shots, while apparently steel-fingered Kessler constructs a multi-string modulation that adds some equanimity to the proceedings. Why the reedist is double-timing an ascending line that sounds like an outside version of Shirley Elliss The Name Game immediately afterwards is a question to be pondered though. Antithetically, strains of Duke Ellingtons Take The Coltrane are coupled with Awake Nu in less than 7½ minutes in Kalamazoo. Elaborating the medley in full altissimo mode, at first Vandermark seems to be mixing Ive Been Workin On the Railroad with Ghosts while Drake hammers out an even speedier rhythm. This half free/half R&B treatment is the way Ayler, who did one memorable tour with Cherry, would also have played. And, if you get into it, in their own ways John Coltrane and Ellington also mixed and matched compositional and playing styles to fit their moods. Occasionally, with his many projects and bands in North America and overseas, it appears as if Vandermark is spreading his talents a little too thin. Yet, as long as he has musically stalwart peers such as Drake and Kessler to keep him focused, hell continue to turn out fine discs like these. — Ken Waxman Track Listing: Disc One: 1. Awake Nu 2. The Thing 3. Brown Rice 4. Good-Bye Tom B. 5. Lift Disc Two: 1. East Broadway Run Down 2. 3. Awake Nu/Take The Coltrane 4. Brown Rice 5. Red And Black 6. Love Cry 7. The Thing Personnel: Ken Vandermark (tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet); Kent Kessler (bass); Hamid Drake (drums)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11700
__label__cc	0.598253	0.401747	CD/DVD Review: Big Legal Mess Brings Us "The Life And Music Of Denny Lile" Louisville, KY singer/songwriter Denny Lile was a local hero on the verge of breaking through to the mainstream when drinking and depression ended that dream. Denny's only escape was music. He was in a number of bands through the late-sixties, early-seventies, before releasing his first solo album, "Hear The Bang" in 1973. The album has been compared to Neil Young's "Harvest," but never caught the attention of FM radio. The closest he came to fame was when country star Waylon Jennings recorded Denny's song "Fallin' Out" and made it a country hit in the late-eighties. Denny would not be able to escape his alcoholism and it caused his death in 1995 at the age of 44. On October 16th, Big Legal Mess will release Denny Lile's debut album for the first time on CD at the request of company head, Bruce Watson after discovering the buried gem. Accompanying the CD is a documentary DVD of the life of Denny Lile. It features interviews with some of Denny's former bandmates, producers, friends, family and other fellow musicians. The DVD digs deep into Denny Lile's musical journey, which returned him to Louisville over and over again, whether it was by choice or by chance. The CD consists of sixteen-songs, beginning with the title-song, "Hear The Bang," a wonderfully warm acoustic story that finds its way to your heart. His country aspects come through on "Oh Darlin'," while "Love Is On A Freight Train" is so gentle and calming that you wonder how Denny never made it big. His song writing simply amazes with "Rag Muffin" and "After All" as he had the talent and the voice to cross genres between country, folk and rock music. The album finishes with hard feelings of "Good-Byes And Other Sad Things" and the experimental psychedelic folk of "Cause You're Mine." To find out more about this new release "Hear The Bang: The Life And Music Of Denny Lile," please visit biglegalmessrecords.com. Posted by JP's Music Blog CD Review: New Instrumental Releases From Marbin, ... CD Review: The Tenors On Tour, Meridian Arts Ensem... CD Review: Cleopatra Records Boxes Up Three New Re... CD Review: A Couple Heavy Metal Halloween Releases... CD Review: Magenta Sings "Songs For The Dead" And ... CD Review: Chris Isaak And Shawn Mullins Return Wi... CD Review: NRBQ's Terry Adams Goes Solo To "Talk T... Book Review: Join In The Discussion of Bob Dylan's... CD Review: Vinnie Moore Showcases His Guitar Skill... CD Review: Billy Gibbons Releases His First Solo A... CD Review: New Music From East Coast Artists Viole... CD Review: New Heavy Metal Music Releases Rising F... CD Review: Exciting New Music From Some Top Underg... CD Review: The History Of Country Music Leads Us T... DVD Review: The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson Displays ... CD Review: The Kinks Find Renewed Fame With "Sunny... CD Review: New Music From Underground Rockers Ferr... CD Review: Discover New Progressive Rock Music Fro... CD Review: "Jeffology" Pays Tribute To Jeff Beck W... CD Review: New Music Arriving From Legendary Singe... CD Review: Tony Bennett Delivers "The Silver Linin... CD/DVD Review: Big Legal Mess Brings Us "The Life ... Concert Review: Five Finger Death Punch And Papa R... CD Review: Metal Blade Records Revisits Fates Warn... CD Review: New Indie-Rock Releases From The Goodni... CD Review: New Music From Indie-Bands Turbine, Oak... CD Review: New Music Arriving From Radio Free Hond... CD/DVD Review: Slayer Comes Roaring Back With The ... CD Review: The Supersuckers Are Left "Holdin' The ... CD/DVD Review: Jon Anderson And Jean Luc Ponty Joi... CD Review: Purple Pyramid Digs Up Live Show From G... CD Review: Concord Music Group Rolls Out Deluxe Ed... Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino Foxwoods Resort & Casino Toyota Presents Oakdale Theater Xfinity Theater Hartford The Palace Theater In Waterbury Redscroll Records Send Contact Information	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11704
__label__cc	0.652711	0.347289	THE K&D TIMES Where do we deliver? Where do we get our produce? From our operations, local farms and markets we travel all over to source the finest fresh produce. Kale & Damson is based in Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire. We operate out of a purpose-built chilled facility and is the ideal place to best serve our customers on a daily basis and efficiently work with suppliers and our growers. Further north into Lincolnshire you will find our growers for Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage, Potatoes and other seasonal delights such as Curly Kale and Cavolo Nero. We also get some of our herbs from this area. We supply a large customer base here including golf clubs, pubs, cafe’s and many restaurants. Kale & Damson prides itself in supplying the popular independent restaurants in and around Cambridgeshire. Being only a short distance from our operation it allows us to offer a very strong delivery service to the area. We also work very closely with seasonal growers around the city and towards the Fens where we source our Celery, Salad heads, Potatoes, Strawberries, Asparagus and Soft fruits; as well as Apples and Pears upon their season. We are also distributing to Bedfordshire daily with a regular customer base from the colleges, caterers, restaurants and surrounding eateries the area has to offer. Seasonal lines that are sourced from this area include many of our oriental vegetables like Pak Choi. We also source Chilies, Tomatoes, Cabbage and some other delicious produce from this part of the country. Continuing a high quality and service driven supply, we value our large portfolio of customers in Hertfordshire with regular Monday - Sunday deliveries. Local to the area upon seasons we work with growers on salad lines and niche produce for items such as Wild Garlic and Heirloom Tomatoes. We are in London on a daily basis supplying a selected number of customers and work closely with the markets the city has to offer, enabling us to take advantage of new trends that are up and coming and seasonal imports that are available too. In Paris we work directly with Rungis International Market in the south of Paris. It allows us to source the finest produce Europe has to offer in one central place, covering all categories of fresh produce. During seasons where we are unable to source certain produce locally we venture out and follow the sun to numerous countries across Europe such as Spain, Italy, Greece. For example, Italian Olives and Mozzarella balls. Our South American friends provide us with the best Avocados as well as Berries and Lemons when in season. Oranges, Grapes and Granny Smith Apples are just a few of what we have sourced from South Africa. Kenya has the perfect climate for crops and is where we source many of our Mange Tout and Beans from. If you’re a fan of the Kiwi fruit like we are its only appropriate to source them from the best place possible, New Zealand! When in season they also provide us with the tastiest Braeburn Apples. Israel delivers the juiciest Peaches and Figs when in season (and we’re unable to source from a local grower) - a definite must try. Tel: 01223 632100 Email: [email protected]	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11705
__label__wiki	0.958337	0.958337	Swatch sues Samsung over these cloned watchfaces Swatch Group has filed a complaint against Samsung Electronics and Samsung Electronics America, saying the two companies infringed upon its trademark on designs for downloadable smartwatch faces. The Swiss watchmaker said the South Korean companies’ watch faces “bear identical or virtually identical marks” to the trademarks it owns and uses on its brands which include Longines, Omega, Swatch, and Tissot. “This unabashed copying of the Trademarks can have only one purpose – to trade off the fame, reputation, and goodwill of the Swatch Group Companies’ products and marks built painstakingly over decades,” Swatch Group said in a filing to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Swatch has demanded a trial in the complaint which also alleges unfair competition and unfair business practices and is seeking more than $100 million in damages. It said it had launched the action in the United States because that was where its trademarks were registered and where apps for Samsung’s Gear Sport, Gear, S3 Classic and Frontier watches could download watch face designs that infringed its trademarks. Source: Independent Online	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11706
__label__cc	0.709672	0.290328	Economy & Trade, Global Geopolitics, Globalisation, Headlines, North America, TerraViva United Nations, Trade & Investment It’s the War, Stupid By Joaquín Roy Reprint \| \| Print \| Joaquín Roy is Professor Jean Monnet and Director of the European Union Center at the University of Miami MIAMI, Mar 14 2018 (IPS) - It is revealing that a ruler who did not serve in the military, nor enjoys any experience in war affairs, has a special inclination to use a vocabulary more typical of bloody clashes between states than in diplomatic relations. Donald Trump, both in his electronic messages and in his television addresses, adores the use of military terminology to illustrate his plans. He likes the word “war” to label his government program. Curiously, almost as a prelude to the surprising and apparent truce that can be put in place with North Korea, Trump has made a declaration of war “Urbi et Orbi”. The first salvo has been the announcement of the imposition of tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. In addition, he has presumed the qualification that trade wars are good. The alarm that has generated this decision has been widespread, with the threat of widening the ground to other products. The statements of response from the rest of the planet oscillate between perplexity and the start-up of protective measures of their business partners, friends and foes. Joaquín Roy Although Trump announced that his close neighbors, Canada and Mexico are forgiven, neither Trudeau nor Peña Nieto trust him at all. If mutual reluctance on both shores of Rio Grande is a permanent dressing of history, the apparent loyalty between Washington and Ottawa suffers from question marks that only the permanently installed courtesy barely manages to mask. Trump has succeeded in having the Mexicans pass on to the Canadians the lamentation attributed to Porfirio Díaz: “Poor Mexico (Canada), so far from God and so close to the United States.” The tottering NAFTA alarmed both partners and not even the promise of an improvement in conditions have managed to clear the threat of its disappearance. That is why the Canadians have endeavored to solidify the agreement with the European Union, just as the Mexicans have reinforced their own alliance with the EU, the strongest between Brussels and the Americas. The truth is that Trump’s tactic has confirmed his personal refusing of trade agreements and regional block alliances, stressing the option of unilaterality as a primordial strategy, presided by the claim of “America, first.” And not only is that such decision is obvious, but the language used is the one of confrontation, as a springboard to victory, cemented on the argument of superiority. If the European Union and China opt for retaliation with the imposition of tariffs on US products, consumers in Alabama, Ohio, and North Dakota, in addition to the classic Trump voters in Appalachia, will need to adjust the shopping cart. Perhaps this matters little to his family and wealthy Fortune 500 owners who have populated his administration, but those who depend on a salary at the end of the week will not be happy. They'll thank him in the election But the arsenal of the American president’s decision is not reduced to his personal conception and ill-disguised arrogance, but also hides a weakness and fear of losing re-election. In spite of the opposition of his wife Melania, Trump is not resigned to disappearing from the reduced political map to enjoy a solitary four-year mandate. It would be like descending to the level of Carter and Bush Sr, who were ousted by their opponents. Trump needs more help than his millionaire donors. He needs the little people who raised him to victory. He needs those who believe in the imposition of tariff rates and the construction of walls, more convincing than the one that seeks to raise before Mexico. They naively will vote again under the promise of job creation. In the event that he succeeds in his strategy, Trump will probably be slapped by history. He will remember that among the failures of the imposition of tariffs, executed as the simple squeezing of the trigger in a Western, often results in a shot on the foot. Historians still explain the case of the Smoot-Hawley decision, imposed in 1930. Instead of softening the effects of the Great Depression of the late 1920 ‘s, it reduced US exports by 61%. In an effect on the other side of the Atlantic, some experts even argued that the unfortunate decision helped the emergence of Nazi Germany and other Fascist niceties, in some countries hit by the growing economic war that preceded the bloody confrontation. If the European Union and China opt for retaliation with the imposition of tariffs on US products, consumers in Alabama, Ohio, and North Dakota, in addition to the classic Trump voters in Appalachia, will need to adjust the shopping cart. Perhaps this matters little to his family and wealthy Fortune 500 owners who have populated his administration, but those who depend on a salary at the end of the week will not be happy. They’ll thank him in the election. While it may be true that some practices of US partners and competitors are not exactly fair, the method that the most reasonable advisers suggest is negotiation and brokering within the World Trade Organization (WHO). Although Trump has heard that “war is the continuation of politics by other means”, Carl von Clausovitz himself could remember with the logic of realism that in the end no one wins the wars and that many lose them. Trump may be a collateral casualty of “friendly fire.” The author can be reached at jroy@miami.edu	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11707
__label__wiki	0.973122	0.973122	Constituency Profile: Jeffrey Donaldson retains his Lagan Valley seat for the DUP SUZANNE MCGONAGLE JEFFREY Donaldson's landslide victory in Lagan Valley saw the DUP politician win 60 per cent of the vote to comfortably hold his Westminster seat. As Northern Ireland's longest-serving MP, he said his party had been given "a resounding result" in his home constituency after he secured a record poll of nearly 27,000 votes. There were scenes of jubilation as Mr Donaldson increased his vote by more than 7,000 from the 2015 general election in a constituency that saw a turnout of 62 per cent this time around, up six percentage points. As a DUP safe seat and with Mr Donaldson regarded as one of the party's most high profile candidates, there was little change expected in the make-up of this mainly unionist constituency. Jeffrey Donaldson: "Perfect territory for the DUP". And doesn't his face show it. #ge2017 pic.twitter.com/3bYW1esvWU — Richard Chambers (@newschambers) June 8, 2017 And in his victory speech, Mr Donaldson said that while "some were predicting doom and gloom" for the DUP, "the electorate has given (the party) a resounding result" in Lagan Valley. He also spoke of his "great honour" to be returned as and MP with "my largest ever vote and my largest ever majority". But he urged politicians to "work together" over the coming weeks to restore power-sharing in the north. "We need to have a government in Northern Ireland, we need political stability, we need to have our voice and it is essential in these coming weeks that we find a way of restoring our government at Stormont and ensuring that Northern Ireland is properly represented in Brexit negotiations and in all the matters that affect us," he said. "We must work together and I pledge on behalf of the Democratic Unionist Party in this constituency, my MLA and councillors colleagues that we will work with other parties in Lagan Valley and in Stormont to restore devolution, to get a properly functioning government and to ring political stability back to Northern Ireland." For a full list of results click here. There was little surprise over Mr Donaldson's solid victory - Lagan Valley has returned a DUP or UUP candidate in every Westminster election since the seat was created in 1983. The incumbent has comfortably held the seat for the DUP since 2005. But there was disappointment for Ulster Unionist Party candidate and first-time Westminster challenger Robbie Butler, who fell a very distant second to Mr Donaldson. The former fire-fighter polled 7,533 votes. The SDLP vote rose slightly, with candidate Pat Catney - fresh from his shock win at the recent Assembly election in March - increasing the party's vote from 6.3 per cent in 2015 to 7.6 per cent this year. Alliance candidate Aaron McIntyre also saw his party’s performance dip, losing more than 500 votes from the last Westminster election, despite the larger turnout. Constituency Quick Links Belfast North Belfast East Belfast West East Derry Lagan Valley East Antrim Fermanagh & South Tyrone Newry and Armagh North Antrim South Antrim North Down South Down Upper Bann West Tyrone 09 June, 2017 06:00 News Belfast flight to Manchester forced to return to the airport Two people questioned over Pat McCormick murder	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11708
__label__cc	0.500538	0.499462	Manila Nostalgia Pictures and stories of the Manila we remember. ← Malate – Ermita District: Part 1 Malate – Ermita District: Part 3 → Malate – Ermita District: Part 2 Posted on July 10, 2013 by lougopal I wish to say that I have been overwhelmed and so grateful to all of my readers for their comments and wonderful stories they have shared. Each post retains its own comment section so I suggest you revisit the older posts and enjoy their stories as much as I have. In addition, at times I update the older posts with more information or photos I’ve acquired since being published originally. Some of you have asked to be put on a mailing list. Due to the large number of emails I would have to maintain, I decided to open a Facebook page where I will post notices of new blog articles. Also, you may upload your own photos of Manila to share with others. See the Facebook link on the right hand side of this page. You all have reminded me so much of the beauty of Manila and the graciousness of the Filipino people. Thank you so very much ! As I said in the previous post, my family and I lived in Malate on Remedios street in a side-by-side duplex from the time I was about 7, around 1952. I was the typical young lad in bare feet and shorts running around the neighborhood playing marbles with my friends and patronizing our local sari-sari store at the corner of Remedios and Dakota (Adriatica). I loved that neighborhood. The owners of the duplex, the Tamayo family, lived next door. Their children Tina and Marco were my best friends. Their dad was a ship’s captain who would frequently sail to Cebu. Here’s the “six degrees of separation” story. When we were doing interviews for our Santo Tomas documentary in 2004, I talked to Clif Forster, an internee whose dad, Charles Forster was the head of the American Red Cross in the Philippines before the war. Charles and Clifton Forster with Pres. Manuel Quezon-c.1943 When the Japanese started bombing Manila in December 1941, Clif and a ship’s captain arranged to evacuate the military wounded from Manila to Australia on the ship, Mactan. The ship’s captain was the same Capt. Tamayo that became our landlord 15 years later. Some say there are no coincidences in life. Clif Forster and Capt. Tamayo aboard the Mactan – c.1941 Charles Foster’s office in the Red Cross Building at the corner of Isaac Peral and Gral. Luna Red Cross Building – the same perspective after the Battle of Manila – 1945 We discovered TV ! My father used to go to the U.S. to buy jewelry for our store, Gem Gift Shop, on the Escolta. In early 1953, on one of his trips, he brought back a console TV and Hi-Fi set. It was a beautiful piece of furniture that included a turntable and radio. Well, all of us marveled at this new invention ! Young Lou in front of the TV console-c.1958 The only problem was, there still wasn’t any TV being broadcast until a few months after our set had arrived. At least once a day, we’d turn it on and watch the snow. Then in 1953, my mother’s former boss, James Lindenberg, started broadcasting on DZAQ-TV Channel 3 and we would watch “I Love Lucy” and “Father Knows Best”, “Tawag ng Tanghalan” and “Student Canteen”. Many of our neighbors would look in through our windows and watch the shows with us. Bolinao Electronics Corporation party. My mom is in the last row on the right, second from the end with her head sticking out. (click to enlarge) DZAQ-TV starts broadcasting – 1953 (click to enlarge) ABS Studio on Dewey Boulevard – 1961 In 1961, Bobby Ng hosted a show on DZAQ similar to American Bandstand that would feature local talent. One evening was called “American School Night” and me and my group comprised of Danny Marquez, Rick Catala, and Bob Franklin were invited to play along with R.J. (Ramon Jacinto) and the Riots. Danny, who played piano, was the most talented in our group. Here’s a photo of our band that included Ronnie Davis (far right) who wasn’t even part of our group but when he saw the picture being taken, he grabbed a guitar and sneaked into the shot. So…another six degree of separation story: 60 years later as I started writing this blog, Bobby’s brother, Larry Ng contacted me and is now helping me write stories for Manila Nostalgia. Small world, indeed ! American School Night at DZAQ-TV – 1961 Band Picture (left to right): Bobby Ng, Danny Marquez, Rick Catala, Lou Gopal, Bobby Franklin – and sneaky Ronnie Davis. Anyway, when I went back to Manila in 2004 absence of about 40 years, I felt the need to revisit my old Malate neighborhood just for old times’ sake. Of course it had changed but overall, it was still recognizable. Together with my wife and friends, Judy and Skip Haven, we hunted down the old duplex … and found it ! Or at least, half of it. The landlord’s half was there but the half we lived in was turned into a crab restaurant. The irony ? I don’t like crab. The crab restaurant is painted red – the other half of the duplex on the right. (left to right-Judy, Skip, and my wife Michelle) Dewey Boulevard (Roxas Boulevard) It’s hard to imagine Manila without our famous boulevard. Until 1941, Dewey Boulevard went from the Luneta south to Cortabitarte, passed the hotels, clubs and apartments, the American High Commissioner’s office, the Plaza Militar, large residences of corporate executives and the rich and famous, and included the famous Manila Polo Club entering from F.B. Harrison and opened up to a large, grassy field that included the horse stables (see photo below). Dewey was also used as an airstrip by both the Japanese and U.S. forces and then extended up towards Baclaran during the Fifties. PanAm Clipper flying over Manila – 1939 (click to enlarge) Dewey Blvd. used as an airstrip – 1945 The boulevard concept was conceived by Daniel Burnham as he was charged to design a plan to beautify and update Manila from the restrictive and old fashioned style of the Spanish colonial period. He envisioned wide-open spaces with palms and quick-growing acacias lining the sidewalks; something on the order of other cosmopolitan cities such as Buenos Aires or Paris. The original design was to build the boulevard on reclaimed land to about as far south as the Old Fort San Antonio Abad in Malate with a possible extension all the way to Cavite. Dewey Boulevard became the showpiece of Manila, not only to present the fabulous Manila sunsets but it was also famous at night for its nightclubs and casinos. Many a late night was spent at the Nile, Bayside, Viceroy, D’Wave, El Mundo and La Playa. Apparently considering this was to be a father and son night, my dad took me to a casino (I don’t recall the name) on Dewey, handed me a roll of coins and let me play the slots while he engaged in more serious pursuits at the dice table. I was about 12 years old. Luneta Rizal Park’s history began in 1820 when the Paseo de Luneta was completed just south of the walls of Manila on a marshy patch of land next to the beach during the Spanish rule. Prior to the park, the marshy land was the location of a small town called Nuevo Barrio (New Town or Bagumbayan in Tagalog) that dates back to 1601; it was cleared during the short British rule in 1762 to prevent sneak attacks from the patriotic natives. The area later became known as Bagumbayan Field where the Cuartel la Luneta (Luneta Barracks), a Spanish Military Hospital (which was destroyed by one of the earthquakes of Manila), and a moat-surrounded outwork of the walled city of Manila, known as the Luneta (lunette) because of its crescent shape. Luneta at sunset-1900 (click to enlarge) The following journal is about two young lads that take a tour of famous landmarks in pre-war Manila. It is taken from “Old Manila with Sammy” in the American Chamber of Commerce Journal, 1933 “There is a tennis club inside the park in the area also known as Bagumbayan, the place where the Spanish colonialists executed Filipino rebels, the most famous being Jose Rizal. Bagumbayan (Luneta) – 1930s Manila Public Tennis Courts – c.1913 (Insular Ice Plant smokestack in the distance) Reaching the corner we could go left onto the west boundary of Wallace Field along the unfinished extension of Calle M. H. del Pilar. This is the Ermita district of Spanish residents. Arriving at Calle San Luis if we looked to the right we would see the Luneta Hotel. Luneta Hotel on the left next to the University Club apartments- 1932 University Club Hotel / Apartments – 1941 Next to the Luneta Hotel is the University building and it advertised: “44 Rooms With Bath And Electric Refrigeration, Single Or En Suite, American Or European Plan Operated By The Luneta Hotel”. Daily rate for a single is $1.50 and the suite is $3.00.” Across Dewey Boulevard we would come to the Elks’ Club and next to it the Army & Navy Club. The renowned Manila Hotel lies to the north across the grassy expanse of Luneta Park. On the west bayshore side of Manila Hotel is the Legaspi Garden with its famous fifty-centavo one-liter “Largest Beer in Manila.” A U.S. Navy jetty is conveniently located at the bay side of Legaspi Garden. A steady run of navy craft deposit immaculately uniformed sailors onto the dock. It is something to watch the dressy sailors landing and later see the change when they return still inebriated, soiled, worn and weary.” Legaspi Garden by Pier 7 Legaspi Garden advertisement – click to enlarge Legaspi Gardens Legaspi Gardens, located next to Pier 7 on 25th Street and owned by the Schober family, was renowned as the famous hangout of the American military, its jukebox playing all day and into the night. Tenders came and went bringing new sailors to enjoy their hours of shore leave and taking others out to their ships – the mariners sometimes a little worse for wear. (Source: On the Road Home, John Russell Frank) Legaspi Gardens – view to Manila Bay It had a small boat landing on the bay for the U.S. Fleet to disembark upon. Sailors, soldiers and marines landed on that small platform and walked through the middle of the restaurant and garden complex that boasted the best tenderloin steaks and seafood in the Far East. Within the interior on the right, displayed the longest bar in the Orient and to the left, the restaurant. Upstairs was the massive dance floor and very obvious small cubicles where some clients would enjoy the seedier entertainment of night life. It was in 1940 that the government-owned Manila Hotel forced the Legaspi Gardens, its bitter rival around the corner on the Bay, to yield in a decade-long, silent but bitter and costly battle for (mostly American) patronage. William J. Schober of the “democratic and unpretentious” Legaspi Gardens threw in the towel and left, leaving the field to the “aristocratic and swanky” Manila Hotel. Still, the Manila Hotel faced competition of a sort from the Bayview Hotel and roof-top dining at the University Club, each of which offered comparable views of the fabulous Bay sunsets. (Source: The Manila Americans, Lewis Gleeck) The photo below is rather interesting. It shows the Army Navy Club, Elks Club and the Luneta Hotel however the University Club apartments had not yet been built. I’m guessing this was taken in the late 1920s. Note that the area to the right of the breakwater was later filled in and taken over by the American Embassy property. Overhead view of the Army Navy Club, Elks and Luneta Hotel, Bel Air Apartments Luneta Hotel The hotel has an exceptional Belle Epoque facade reminiscent of French renaissance architecture. Designed by Spanish architect Salvador Farre, it was completed in 1918 on 38 San Luis (T.M. Kalaw) street during a more genteel era as Manila emerged from Spanish colonialism. The tenants had a gorgeous view of the famous Manila Bay sunsets and Bagumbayan (Luneta Park) from its functional balconies, perhaps savoring coffee with their meriendas. According to one U.S. Army doctor who stayed at the Luneta Hotel before war broke out, “The hotel was very old, and hardly luxurious by American standards. There was a bath on every floor which at times was taxed to serve several men at once. Fortunately, all the occupants of the Luneta were men, so we did not stand on ceremony as we entered and left the bath. My floor, the seventh, had a bath with four showers, five basins, and five commodes.” from Parade of the Dead, John R. Bumgarner, M.D. Luneta Hotel Ante-chamber of a suite. In July, 1941, the army decided to convert the Luneta Hotel into a non-commissioned officers’ club. The following description appears to describe the hotel after renovations after the war: “The hotel was described as a quietly elegant and attractive family style hotel with a charmingly continental design. It used to boast of 60 rooms with private bath, two suites, telephone in all rooms, a restaurant, coffee shop and spacious lanais. It is the only building in Manila in the French Renaissance style. If you are observant, you will espy the whimsical gargoyles in the form of lions, crocodiles, griffins and other mythical creature as decorative supports of its balconies. The balconies themselves have delicate filigreed railings that add a touch of lightness to the solid concrete façade. The French-style mansard roof, the full length and dormer arch windows, the classical ornamentation gives a distinction and elegance sorely lacking in Manila today.” Methods and Strategies in the Rehabilitation of the Luneta Hotel, John Joseph T. Fernandez, MSArch. Other than the above photo, I’ve been unable to find any other pictures of the interior of the hotel. Perhaps one of my readers may offer something tangible. The Luneta Hotel has been restored by the Beaumont Holding group and designated as a National Historical landmark. Their website advertises that it is soon to open but alas, even the website doesn’t work. Luneta Hotel and University Club Hotel/Apartments -1930s Later version of the University Club building The neighboring high-rise was known as the University Club Apartments and was built some time pre-war. I can’t seem to find when it was built but I’m guessing in the early 1930s. It housed many American families and servicemen. It suffered some damage during the war but was restored and later became the Shelbourne Arms and then the Hotel Otani and finally demolished in the 1990s. Mehan Gardens Mehan Botanical Gardens Next door to the stylish art-deco Metropolitan Theater once stood a finely kept park of about 10 acres. Originally created as a botanical garden by Governor Norzagary in September 1858, it was named for John Mehan, an American officer who played a significant role in the system of Manila’s city parks. It contained a large variety of trees and plants as well as a small zoo. The photo below was taken in 1945 showing war damage to the Metropolitan Theater however it clearly shows the wooded area behind it which is where the Mehan Gardens was located. Aerial view of the Metropolitan Theater. The wooded area behind it was the Mehan Gardens and Zoo. c.1945 Laid in crushed coral, glistening white paths meander through the garden. You could see young lovers strolling hand in hand under the shady trees. Wooden park benches were spaced at regular intervals throughout. The ten-acre garden was bounded on the north by Calle Colgante, on the east by Arroceros Street, on the south by Concepcion and on the west by Calle Padre Burgos. The section of Padre Burgos that borders the park merged into Taft Avenue. Mehan Gardens – monkey cage “We have visited the garden many times to watch the comic behavior of native rhesus monkeys caged in a high enclosure blanketed with wire mesh. Besides the monkeys, the small zoo contains a few wild civet cats, an American black bear, a Russian brown bear, some wild deer, wild pigs and a tamaraw. The tamaraw is a wild buffalo indigenous to the Philippines, not found anywhere in the world except on Mindoro island. We had heard that placing a zoo in the garden came as an afterthought to the planners. That is why it had such a small collection of animals. It does have a magnificent collection of plants and trees. A metal tag identifies each tree by its native and scientific name.” Old Manila with Sammy” in the American Chamber of Commerce Journal, 1933 Unfortunately, most of the animals were eaten by the starving population during the end of the Japanese occupation and the park itself was destroyed during the Battle of Manila. Bay View Hotel-late 1930s The Bay View Hotel, has been standing since 1909 albeit not then known for its cuisine or comfort until Dr. Kneedler took over ownership around 1934. It still stands at the corner of Isaac Peral (UN Avenue) and Dewey Boulevard. My family used to have a small branch of our jewelry store in the lobby. The taller building on the far left is the Peralta Apartments. Advertisement for the Bay View Hotel (click to enlarge) “Dr. Kneedler’s Bay View Hotel, newly (re)opened, offered the “first real cocktail lounge” with whiskey sodas at 55 cents and Martinis at 60 cents.” (The Manila Americans, Lewis Gleeck) It was the first real competition to the government-owned, Manila Hotel. The Hilton Hotel (by Larry Ng) One of the prime examples of the postwar modernity in Philippine architectural styles, the Hilton was designed by architects Carolos Arguelles and Welton Becket who had also designed the Beverly Hilton Hotel and numerous other Hiltons, as well as the classical Jai Alai building on Taft Avenue, while the well known architect Arguelles had just completed the Philamlife Building across the street from the Hilton project. The Hilton Hotel Ermita Welton Beckett assigned his best interior designer Scollard Maas for the Manila Hilton. When he arrived, Maas was overwhelmed when he discovered that our local designers, contractors, artisans and suppliers were equal to the best in the world. Like Daniel Burnham and countless other visitors who came to Manila, Maas was struck by “the beauty of the city, the tropical atmosphere, the harbor, and most of all the sunsets which were indescribable.” The alignment of the hotel was such that one could view the sunset from almost every room on the western side. The owners of the hotel were the Delgados. When inaugurated in the 60s, the Manila Hilton became the centerpiece of Manila society. It became the talk of the town, such that there was even a restaurant in the hotel named Talk of the Town. Other establishments were Cafe Coquilla, Port Orient, Rotisserie, Barrio Hilton, and cocktail lounges Sultana, Harana and 1571, but the most famous venue to see and be seen was the Top of the Hilton. One of its cafes even had an aviary where native birds would fly and chirp while you had breakfast. My sister Jane Ng owned and operated the lobby shop that featured native handicrafts and souvenirs. Those were the glory days of the Manila Hilton. Army and Navy Club On the opposite side of the boulevard are the former Elks Building and the fabled Army and Navy Club where members of the elite hosted parties or watched plays staged by members of the American community. They both had their heyday during pre-war and Fifties eras. The Elks Club now houses the Heritage Conservation Society’s headquarters on the ground floor of the Museo Pambata. For over seventy-five years, the Army and Navy Club of Manila played an important role in the social life of the city. It was the scene of significant events in the history of Philippine-American relations. One of the first clubs established after the American regime, it began its existence inside Intramuros in 1898, then moved twice before entering its location at Luneta Park. The picture below is from its location occupying the block between Potenciano and Palacio streets, diagonally across from the St. Augustine Church. Army Navy Club close to the St.Augustine Church – 1900 In an article of the Cablenews American, April 11, 1911: “On the night of April 12, at six o’clock, the members of the Army and Navy Club will march from the old club site, which has been occupied for many years out Calle Palacio to Bagumbayan to the magnificent clubhouse on the Luneta extension. Magnificence characterized the big reception and hop to commemorate the official opening of the club. After the reception, the guests filled the corridors flashing with myriads of electric lights and decorated with flags and palms.” Aerial view of the dinner held at the Army and Navy Club during the radio broadcast of the anuual Army-Navy football game, Manila, Philippines, November 29, 1941. Army Navy Club – 1940 Army Navy Club – by the pool – 1950s (courtesy Gunter Prittwitz) A & N Club Pool – c.1957 (courtesy of Skip Haven) The photo above submitted by my buddy, Skip Haven, was during a swim meet. You can see the Luneta and the Manila Hotel in the background. Army Navy Pool – 1976 My wife and I visited the Army Navy Club in 2004. It was operating as a restaurant. The pool was still being used. The main building seemed to be deserted and in disrepair. Things change. Army Navy pool today (courtesy Skip Haven) High Commissioner’s Office (American Embassy) was originally the office of the U.S. High Commissioner during the period of the Commonwealth from 1935 to 1942. American High Commissioner’s Office (American Embassy) Pres. Manuel Quezon and Paul McNutt “On April 1, 1937, the U.S. High Commissioner, Paul McNutt, arrived in Manila with his wife and sixteen year old daughter. Since the relinquishment of Malacañang to President Quezon, there was no official residence for the High Commissioner, so McNutt moved into El Nido, the sumptuous Dewey Boulevard residence of Attorney E.A. Perkins, which had been the setting for the tragic domestic quarrels of the Perkins family a few years earlier.” Source: The Manila Americans, Lewis Gleeck, Jr. El Nido mansion owned by E.A. Perkins The High Commissioner finally got a home of his own in 1940. Designed by architect Juan M. Arellano, it was built on reclaimed land next door to the Army and Navy Club, which had been donated by the Commonwealth Government. It was a rather severe and solid structure in modified colonial style that squatted between the seafront Dewey Boulevard and the Bay. Those seeing it for the first time in the Fifties and Sixties could not imagine how stark and ugly the side facing the Boulevard looked. Whatever its esthetic quality, the High Commissioner had a house to live in – for a year and a half. The Japanese would then enjoy its borrowed luxury for three more years before General Yamashita would be tried and condemned there and the next American representative would not move back in until late 1947. The Manila Chancery has been designated an historic property by the National Historical Institute of The Philippines American Embassy-1960 Plaza Militar Just about opposite of where the Gaiety Theater used to be was a beautiful large residence called Plaza Militar. It’s gone now, filled with large buildings, shops and restaurants but before the war, this was a large tract of land leased to the U.S. military as a residence of the Department Commander, U.S. Army. Map of Ermita showing Plaza Militar (click to enlarge) It was used as the residence of the Commanding General of the Philippine Department and the members of the General Staff of the U.S. Army. It was formerly the headquarters of the Spanish Army staff , a sandy stretch containing the parade grounds and homes of the presiding Spanish oficiales. The later transformation to what evolved to attractive homes and beautifully kept lawns and shrubbery during the American occupation was quite a great contrast. Plaza Military-1935 “The Plaza Militar originally occupied both sides of M. H. del Pilar Street from Remedios Street to the Gaiety Theater, but later was reduced to only one side between M. H. del Pilar and Dewey Boulevard. Among the occupants of one of the homes in the plaza was Gen. Douglas MacArthur, before he was granted the penthouse of the Manila Hotel as a residence. The Zobel estate occupied the land between Plaza Militar and almost to Remedios Street. It was bounded on the west by Dewey Boulevard and often their horses would be taken for an early morning trot along the Manila Bay shore.” Source: Larry Ng Plaza Militar residence Plaza Militar showing Tranvia In the picture above, you can see trolley tracks along M. H. del Pilar and an oncoming streetcar trundling beside a calesa. The tranvia operated from downtown to the Luneta and southwards to M.H. del Pilar, crossing Remedios Street and the Remedios Church. The fares were five centavos for first class and three centavos for ordinary class. Fort San Antonio Abad Located on Dewey between San Andres (Quirino Ave.) and Vito Cruz (P.Ocampo) stands a mute sentinel overlooking the bay – divested of all the color and glory that it once was arrayed in the past. It was at this point that much of the attack in the city was concerted by both naval and land forces in the battle of August 13th, 1898, which led to the American occupation. It was built in 1854 to defend the rear approach to the city. The British had earlier occupied it during their attack of Manila in 1762. It was subsequently damaged during the Battle of Manila. The triangular fort has been restored with the construction of the new Central Bank complex and now serves as a venue for the bank and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. Ft. San Antonio Abad – west side 1898 The capture of the fort -1898 Fort Abad interior – 1898 Manila Hotel Some people say that if Manila had its “golden era”, it would be during the Commonwealth period, from 1935 to 1941. Albeit a short span, it was a light-hearted time of change from the old Spanish era to the more modern American mode of infectious, high spirits where lavish entertainment, great balls, and constant partying prevailed among the elite. Both wealthy Americans and Filipinos used the Manila Hotel’s grand facilities that were tailor-made for these functions. Due to its significant history in the development of Manila during the American period and after the war, I will be devoting an entire post with details of the Manila Hotel at a later time. Manila Hotel in the 1960s Join me for my next post: Malate – Ermita: Part 3, highlighting the Schools and Churches Once again, I welcome your comments, memories and photos to share. I would love to hear from you. Please submit your comments below or write to: manilanostalgia@gmail.com We’re on Facebook ! Click to access the Manila Nostalgia Facebook page. Cheers ! Lou Gopal 133 Responses to Malate – Ermita District: Part 2 ramon zaldarriaga says: The pictures and narrative are absolutely amazing. I used to live in the University Belt and would walk all over Manila, particularly Rizal Ave., and Escolta. You have brought back the Manila I used to enjoy. Thank you very much for such and excellent presentation. I look forward to more. Lea Bowie says: I echo Ramon Zaldarriaga’s remarks. Since I left Manila in the mid 60s (though returned to visit many times later) the picture in my mind of the Manila I loved and grew up in were just memories…this retrospect of a city that made me who I am, is especially poignant today, my birthday. Thank you Lou for bringing me back home! PS. My dad was Hal Bowie! lougopal says: For the benefit of our readers, Lea’s father Hal was a radio and TV pioneer in Manila Philippines that some of you may remember. In 1939, Hal Bowie inaugurated DZRH by signing the radio station on the air for the first time. He also had a weekly show for kids that featured games and showed old cowboy movies. He was known as “Cowboy Hal.” The Bowie family was interned at Santo Tomas and Los Baños internment camps. Lea was born in camp. After he passed away in 1974, Hal Bowie was posthumously given a special award for his long service in radio and television in the Philippines. Thanks so much for writing Lea. I’m pleased the article brought back some good memories of Manila. Happy Birthday ! Arabella Harmon says: Happy Birthday, Lea!! Thanks Lou for this very interesting presentation. BTW, my father was also in Santo Tomas. I miss the Manila we knew. Would that be Kenneth Harmon, occupation Clerk – he would have been 27 in 1944, billeted in Shanty SA-D-6 on the grounds of Santo Tomas. Gosh! where did you get that? I produced a 2 hour documentary on the plight of the civilians who were interned at Santo Tomas during the Japanese occupation. In doing my research, I came across a lot of documents which list all the internees at Santo Tomas, Los Banos, and Baguio camps. See my website at: http://www.santotomasinternment.com Larry Ng says: I worked in Station DZMB for about five years and it was my pleasure to have your Dad Hal Bowie as our station manager. He was a very versatile man, not only as manager but also a newsreader, sportscaster and emcee. Specially the latter when he was “Professor Quiz,” a sponsored quiz show we did by remote at the Lyric Theater, Escolta. BTW, I have a picture of you with your Mom and Dad at Los Banos Camp flanked by paratroops of the unit that stormed the camp. Your Dad was happily showing you off to the GIs. If you don’t have this pic let me know and I’ll send it to you! Katherine Fernandez Palacios says: Lea, I remember your dad. Your dad (family) was very close to my parents (family) Does Di’Mark’s sound familiar to you ? I am Kandy, the youngest of the 7 kids. My parents introduced pizza to the Philippines in 1957. Small world. Lou, I love your blog:) I ave such fond memories of Army Navy, as do a lot of people I grew up with. It was our special place. I will share this with them. Thank you. Lito Ligon says: Thanks again, Lou for all the write-up and pixes. I can easily relate to the Manila Hilton. My sister was asked to join a kiddie fashion show back then by a niece of the late Ms. Conchita Sunico. Ms. Sunico was in charge of fashion show lunches for the hotel back then. I can remember that the chef made so many ginger bread houses in varying sizes to be held as an exhibit at the lobby. I also read that Manila Hilton was built on a lot for a former protestant Church of St. John. The Red cross Building along Isaac Peral was a bonus for me. Read so much stories about it during the battle of Manila. How so many died at the wake of the battle. Doctors and nurses died at the height of their helping the fleeing victims of war. One victim had so much wounds, it was a miracle she survived it. She was a former golden star of the Philippine movies who was trapped during the devastation of the city. Will wait for the churches and schools. Thanks again. I am very curious of the Legaspi Garden? Was it near the Manila Hotel? A funny memory with the ABS building. My grandmother had two spinster sisters who were great fans of a local star. They were so much a fan that they went to that building to attend a local radio show with us in tow (my sister, cousin and I, still toddlers during that time). The host found the three of us so cute that we became part of the show and made to sing. Sweet memories! Irony of ironies, the building became the head office of the bank my dad worked for during the Marcos years. It was quite close next to Pier 7 on 25th Street. willy palarca says: Hi Lito! Regarding the lot on which the Manila Hilton was built and purchased from the “protestant Church of St John”, that must have been the site of the Episcopalian Church, the Cathedral of St John (now located just across St Luke’s Hospital at Quezon City). I was told that there was an Episcopalian Church in that area (TM Kalaw, formerly Calle San Luis, and Florida, now Ma. Orosa) but I just couldn’t pinpoint the site. I think the parsonage (an old all wooden structure that whose design was so typically Ermita-Malate: wide windows with screens) was along San Luis and eventually became an adjunct of the Central Methodist Church probably when St John’s transferred to Quezon City. Thanks for the reference. My interest is urban history and information like the one you supplied is of immense value especially when trying to figure out a city’s old landmarks. Lorenzo Ma. Guerrero III says: Lou, Like I said in my comments on the first article, we must have been neighbors in Malate. I lived in the corner of Tennessee and Mabini Sts. from 1953 to 1981. If you lived there between those years, then we were very close neighbors. Those were wonderful days in a great neighborhood and the nicest place to grow up in. We were close to the boulevard, the schools with all the pretty girls, (Assumption, St. Paul’s, Phil. Women’s Univ., Malate Catholic Sch., etc.), the moviehouses,(Gaiety, Paris, etc.), and of course, the red light district (although that was appreciated only in the latter days!). I miss the place, which of course, has today changed drastically. I can hardly recognize it any longer during the few times I pass by. One truly, can never go home again. Lorenzo Ma. (Peewee) Guerrero III Philip Flores says: we were all neighbors then having been born in 1959 when we lived at the corner of vermont and what is now bocobo Tomas Morato III says: My maternal Grandfather’s (Juan Riu y Planas) family lived in Indiana street before the war. His store (Riu Hermanos, established in 1928) was in Escolta and the cashier was my mother (Conchita, now 91). When the battle of Manila took place in 1944, my Grandmother (Felisa delos santos Cruz from Montalban) and her son, (Joaquin, 17, Lasalle student) were killed by an artillery shell. My mother, together w/ her Father, evacuated the area, carrying her 6 year old sister (Lourdes Riu-Andrews, mother of Bobby). Our family transferred to Quezon City after the war. In the early 60s, as a toddler, I too had the chance of going the only movie house in Ermita when the movie houses in Rizal avenue had no more parking spaces. We also went to the Acme supermarket, Casino Español, and the night paseos along Dewey blvd. riding the double decked bus. The streets in Malate were named after the unit/state of the United States Volunteer Army during their war against Spain and the Philippines. Isabel Guisande Coulter says: Interesting history lessons to be past on to Future generations. Enjoyed reading all the stories. Nicasio garcia Jimenez, Jr. says: Lou, you just granted my long-standing unexpressed wish to see two pictures I couldn’t find on the net: 1) The pre-war Red Cross office which I realize just now was right smack on that Isaac Peral and Gen. Luna corner. I have read much about the horrible stories there during Liberation; and 2) The old ABS studios on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay near the Baclaran boundary where I grew up as a kid getting tagged along by spinster aunts who watched the Channel 2 tv shows live until I was old enough to go on my own when KBS Channel 9 took over the facilities. Precious memories revived, many thanks again to you. Rodolfo Arizala says: Dear Mr. Gopal: Your Ermita District Part 2 brought back nostalgic memories to me. When studying preparatory law (Pre-law) in the 1950’s at Adamson University located at San Marcelino Street, I was boarding at the apartment of my auntie in Enriquez street, Paco, Manila. My cousins were students of PWU or Philippine Women’s University, so Dakota and Remedios streets you mentioned were familiar to me. When I studied law at the Lyceum of the Philippines, I used to walk towards Taft Avenue to get my ride in going to said law school. Your narrative and pictorials make the study of the history of Manila interesting and remind the readers the golden years of “Maynila’s” districts of Malate, Ermita and of course Dewey Boulevard now called Roxas Blvd. Ciano Lopez says: Homesick again! It happens every time!! A beautiful city and beautiful people!!!! Celso Ylagan says: Great photos of what was once the great Manila! I’ve shared these with my 2 grandsons and they enjoyed the uncluttered face of our city. Thank you! Eduardo Sanz says: NOSTALGIA !!! Brought back great memories of my growing up in Sampaloc and my student days in UST ! As they say … THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND. Yes, indeed beautiful city and beautiful people. Roxas Blvd. was our destination for a great time. Gil H. A. Santos (aka Guillermo H. A . Santos) says: The casino on Roxas Boulevard you were referring to in the above story must be the Continental Club owned and operated by Ted Lewin who was arrested and deported by the Diosdado Macapagal administration Macapagal’s Justice Secretary the late Ramon Diokno Jr was the prosector who hounded Lewin for corrupting Filipino government officials Gil Yes, I remember reading about Ted Lewin. Thanks for naming that casino. I wasn’t able to recall the name. Another mystery solved ! Skip Haven says: I’ll never forget my dad, Red, and a few of his buddies getting ‘arrested’ at the casino. SIANO BAITO says: JOSE DIOKNO Y WRIGHT WAS THE JUSTICE SECRETARY. HIS BROTHER, ANTONIO DIOKNO Y WRIGHT HAS A SON, RAMON DIOKNO Y TEODORO. Edwina Litton Ortigas says: Lou, thanks to you I have seen pictures o Manila that I have never seen before! Not only that but I also learned things about Manila that I never knew before. Thank you!!! David de Padua says: same here. edwina Wm Marvin Rose says: Another winner, Lou! I really like the way the photographs enlarge when you click on them…..Can’t wait for your next issue……….! Ed Crame says: More and more people are reading your excellent blog, and telling me about it, etc. I think it’s great, Lou, and its made me even more home-sick to visit my old neighborhood again. I used to live in Leveriza before/during the Liberation, then Sta Mesa and Tanduay post-war. As you know, went to La Salle through High School, left for the States in 1958. Still have a lot of memories and photos of pre-war days, and visiting my aunts who also lived in Malate, Remedios Street and vicinity. victorino p mapa says: Wonderful, wonderful articles. Pls include me in your mail list. I have written similar pieces and would like to share them with you. Again, much thanks and appreciation for what you are doing… Thank you. I do not have a mailing list. I do add photos and other details to previous posts so the best thing to do is just keep checking every once in a while. I would really appreciate reading your articles. Please send them to: manilanostalgia@gmail.com Susan Cañizares Plantilla says: Vic, Are you and Flor Manila residents now? leon Lazaga says: I lived in Kalaw Court off Remedios Street during the Occupation from 1942-1945. Behind us, on Florida Street lived the family of Teresita Crame. We ran around in the same teenaged crowd. Can you bring me up-to-date on this Crame family by using my email at zogmar@comcast.net. I fondly remember Lou’s nostalgic trip to the Remedios Circle, the Gaiety theater and evening snacks at the Aristocrat Restaurant off Dewey Blvd. Ruby Dalusong says: I enjoyed reading your posts. They bring back memories of yesteryears. My yaya and our driver used to take me and my siblings to Manila Bay where we waded in then clean and clear water. I learned a lot reading your articles. Thank you for sharing all these and I look forward to reading more of your future posts. Fe Y. Calixterio says: I enjoyed reading the write ups and looking at the pictures and recalling the days when I roamed the places. They bring pleasant memories and I was transported back to Manila with the grandeur of old. I still can identify a lot of places . Please write/post more, more and more. Thank you James Litton says: Ermita was almost thoroughly destroyed during the battle of Manila which waged from Feb. 3 to March 3, 1945. The post-war Ermita has hardly any resemblance to the Ermita we, who lived there before the war, knew. Calle Isaac Peral, which has now been renamed U. N. Avenue, was about the most beautiful street in all of Manila. It has broad sidewalks and acacia trees on both sides whose over-reaching branches formed a canopy from Taft Avenue all the way to Dewey Blvd. (Roxas Blvd. now). Every afternoon, water trucks would water the streets of Ermita to insure that it was clear of dust and debris. Ermita had broad sidewalks which have now disappeared. Most of the houses in Ermita were homes built in a style no longer seen now. The Spanish influence in this district was still very distinct. Many houses would have signs that read “Cuidado Por los Perros.” Doctors would be described in their shingles as “Medico – Cirujano.” Ermita was not rebuilt after the war. It was allowed to become a district known for its honky-tonk bars and decrepit stores and salons. James Litton has worked tirelessly for the erection of monuments to the memory of the WWII heroes. He is a lawyer and a hardworking member of the “Battling Bastards of Bataan” as well as the author of the book, “Battle of Manila Survivor”. Thank you for sharing your memories, Mr. Litton. Is there a way I could purchase your book ‘Battle of Manila Survivor’? I’m not into online buying so I could not purchase through Amazon. These books relating to pre-war Manila are very rarely found in commercial book stores. I’ve read Carmen Guerrero Nakpil’s ‘Myself, Elsewhere’, a book about her life in Ermita during pre-war. She was born in the 1920’s, a time when Manila was at its best. ramon infante says: Hi ! After seeing the pictures that ou have been sending, I wanna ask ” does anyone have a time machine?” mel silvestre says: WOW, amazing of what you impart to us , very informative and precised THANK YOU so much. Looking forward to your next information about the place where I was born 54 years ago. It is really great to go back in time where life is so easy and simple then and uncomplicated as compare today. God Bless MANILA!!!!! Helene Commans Hindriks says: I have only fond memories of old Manila and thank you so much for letting me re-live them through your photos and narrations I specially remember my Mamma taking my brother Frankie and I to sit by the seawall of Dewey Boulevard to breathe in the fresh salty sea air each time we had the sniffles And many many years later after a tennis game enjoying some drinks with friends at the “Anchor Bar” of the Army and Navy Club where everyone knew everyone else Madam, how are you related to the Commans-Quirino family? I remember Carlos as elder schoolmate at La Salle who later on became an accomplished musician in the 70s Oliver Nolasco says: Carlos Quirino was a former classmate. He was a member of the De La Salle Band and played the clarinet. Jay Gutierrez - Gen Manager - Malate Pensionne says: Lou, if you have or make this into a book, we will sell it in our gift shop for our tourist & local guest. It would make a great coffee table reading. I wish we (government & business & residential community) could have a concerted effort to bring back some of the beauty of what once was. If I make it into a book, you’ll be the first one I’ll contact. Thank you for your kindness. I hope people will finally realize what they are losing permanently before its too late. myles garcia says: What a nice trip down memory lane, Lou. Even though I grew up in San Juan, still we visited my paternal grandparents in Ermita and took in all those of the area. You left out 2 of my other favorite haunts of the area that are mere ghosts now as well: Country Bake Shop and the Tasa de Oro coffee shop. As Guerrero said, you can never go home again. Myles, please read Malate – Ermita Part 1 I cover the Taza de Oro in that one. I loved the hamburgers at Country Bakeshop. I remember it was along Padre Faura a few steps away from Acme Supermarket (on the right-hand side) when you are walking towards Dewey Blvd. Does anybody remember the Brown Derby and Fairmont Ice Cream along Taft Avenue in front of PGH? frank sityar says: Where exactly were the geographical boundaries of the “Ermita” district? Also, I’d like to augment your treasure trove of memories with a couple of my own. DZAQ TV, Channel 3, first broadcasted from the 4th floor of the Republic Supermarket Building on Avenida Rizal. I do not recall whether the Avenue Theatre was a part of that complex. The earliest on-air personalities were “Uncle” Vero Perfecto and Tita Munoz. I was fortunate to be a regular in a program fashioned after the U.S. “The Mickey Club”. In the P.I. (as the country was known then), it was “Uncle Vero’s T.V. Show”. Instead of M-I-C-K-E-Y, etc… theme song, “Hail, Hail the gang’s all here…etc…” was adapted. Re: Hilton….Managed by a dear boyhood friend of mine Roberto “Robbie” Delgado. Also, Dioscoro “Boy” Palacio, was regularly featured at 1571. I did not meet him then but he is, at 78, the musical director of my band, “Latitude”. He is a piano virtuoso and is the undisputed Dean of Filipino musicians in the Bay Area. Also a very good friend and favorite accompanist of Pilita Corrales. Finally, “Boy” is a veritable fountain of very interesting stories during those/them days. Finally, Bobby Ng also recruited “The Strads” to perform in his TV show. Two of the members of that group, Salvador Vaca and Bert Silos later became “The Everly Brothers” of the P.I. Bert is now one of the front acts for Latitude. I’m not certain but I believe Malate runs from Herran to Vito Cruz and over to Taft while Ermita goes northward to the Pasig. I remember the Strads well – they were a great band. Does your band Latitude have any recording links on the web ? I’d love to hear your songs. Thanks for sharing your memories ! Hi Lou, Try this….Bert Silos sings “Old Time Rock and Roll”, a song very appropo for this atmosphere http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55jtEZqIrjc Hendryxz Mercado says: I’m gladly sharing these links in determining current district boundaries of Metro Manila. Hope these help in reference to your query. http://www.openstreetmap.org/?relation=103706 Thanks for the maps and the effort of providing the discernible boundaries of the Malate and Ermita districts, respectively. You have scratched and “itch” I’ve had the better part of 50 years. Hello Frank, I hope this helps. Ermita starts at San Luis (TM Kalaw) and ends at Herran (Pedro Gil) south bound. Malate covers Herran St. to Vito Cruz. Wow! I used to watch Uncle Vero’s Kiddie Show every Saturday afternoon at Republic Supermarket Bldg. along Avenida Rizal. It housed the Republic Theater and next door was Avenue Theater. The only TV channel then was Channel 3 and we looked forward to watching Western Theater on Saturday early evenings. Everything you saw on TV was in glorious black-and-white.The TV commercials then were just slides and no animation. Too bad, Channel 3 would sign off at 9:00 p.m. Carmencita Asistores-Alvarez says: Lou, I enjoyed reading the Nostalgia of Ermita – Malate area. Although my family has always lived in San Juan…..we used to go to Malate Church every Sunday and that’s where we always went to mass. After mass we would go for lunch at one of the restaurants and sometimes go to the Army Navy Club to swim. Seeing those enlarged photos was like getting back to my childhood memories with my parents & siblings…..I love your stories and I agree….this must turn into a book. Happy Sunday from Canada!! Diana Limjoco says: Precious, precious history and personal insights once again! Thanks for bringing this old area back to life. My lola lived in a beautiful home in Malate and I have fond memories of that area. Thanks again. june p. dalisay says: Dear Mr. Gopal, Thank you very much for sharing these wonderful photos and memories! You have awakened the past and brought back history in our lives. I will tell my friends about your great blog! More power to you and your family! Marc Fournier Labutay says: Wished i lived during those grande times..Thank You Mr. Pal for sharing your knowledge..I only hear from Grandparents about Ermita and environs. My father used to work for PAL ticket office at the S & L bldg…Those were only times I saw Ermita, Senator Osmena had an office in that bldg..Thanks again. Sir, are you related to Frederick Fournier? He was a classmate of my cousin at La Salle grade school To Mr. Mabutay, the PAL Ticket Office was at L&S Bldg. close to Selecta Restaurant. javi brias says: I love these trips down memory lane, Lou. Great job and even greater pictures. Ricky Catala is a name I have not heard in ages. We used to hang around quite a bit in Madrid in the late 60s along with his brother Juan Miguel. The sad part of all this is, if you were to make a movie of Manila life between 1930 and 1970, you wouldn’t be able to film it because all those landmarks are gone. gerald muriel says: This BLOG is really a gem !!! Lito Paraiso says: Hey Lou, Not sure if you remember me. I live in San Diego now and I recognized the names of a few people, like Skip Haven, a wild and crazy guy and Ronnie Davis was my classmate. I lived in that area near St. Paul which I attended in my kindergarden years I don’t remember much. But I remember you were in our Vampires picture. I will send you whatever pictures I can find Lito Paraiso I do remember you Lito and the Vampires around San Lorenzo. Those were absolutely fun times for me! I would appreciate sending me whatever photos you have. Please contact me directly at: manilanostalgia@gmail.com Hi Lito, were you a La Sallite? I see Ronald Davies here in Daly City, CA once in a while. He was ahead of me in high school. He has gained a lot of weight but walks with a limp. I see him sometimes at a local supermarket which is just a block from my home. I’m not sure if he is still in the real estate business. Hey Lito, I remember you from De La Salle Taft. Ronnie Davis is now a realtor here in San Francisco, CA and last time I saw him he was walking with a cane. He was the only “American” boy who could speak Tagalog. Was Ronnie a PNT sarge? I remember our High School uniform with the PNT patch on the shirt sleeve and I would insert A and O in-between the letters PNT to mean “panot” for Mr. Lara our PNT commandant. LOL! Tammy Baker Monserrat says: Lou what wonderful compilation of info and pictures. Some brought back memories of 1955 when I arrived in Manila with my parents as we stayed at the Luneta Hotel for a few weeks before moving to a house in Quezon City. I used to look out the window facing Luneta Park and count all the yellow taxi cabs that went by. Manila was such a beautiful city back in the days. It would not be a coincidence that your surname happens to be the same surname that belonged to the owners/operators of Yellow Taxi and MY Taxi, Companies, would it? Hi Frank, no – my family has no connection to the taxi companies. Yellow Taxi was owned by the Monserrats. I still remember another La Sallite, Philip Monserrat. Benjy Nepomuceno says: Mr. Gopal, if I may call you Lou, The area around Malate and Ermita was part of the neighborhood that I knew from my post war school days at La Salle College. But in October 1944, I remember walking from school after being picked up by my two brothers (they were released from St. Scholastica) still in tears because I was the last one to leave Juan Medrano’s kindergarten class held under the chapel. We walked to PGH close to the house of Dr. Abriol and Maryknoll on Pennsylvania. We lived in Sta. Mesa. Our family sent out the calesa immediately to pick us up, past several “zonas” at San Marcelino, Ayala Bridge, Aviles and Sta. Mesa Boulevard. Much later after liberation, we crossed pontoon bridges to visit the south. All of the structures from Taft to the waters of Manila Bay were leveled. And La Salle was unbelievably pock marked with shells and bullet holes and burned walls. Your work is so precious, I still cannot choke back tears for the pearl of the Orient. Are you familiar with the massacre of 16 (of 17) Christian Brothers of DLS, one of the most heinous crimes committed during the battle of Manila in February, 1945? Was this an incident that you may have been aware of almost in real time back in the day? Yes, in doing my research for both my Santo Tomas Internment Camp documentary and these articles, I read about the massacres and tragedies that occurred during the Battle of Manila. My parents were living in Malate at the time and luckily survived. I was born right after the battle, in April 1945. Mr. Juan Medrano was the first Lay Teacher Emeritus if I’m not mistaken. He has that unforgettable picture at the south gate hallway I often saw as a child Mr. Juan Medrano was the substitute teacher who took over Mrs. Magdalena Estrada’s class when our picture was taken. (Google: Class Picture: De La Salle High School 1964). He always wore white. Remembering Mr. Medrano, If you wrote JMJ on the upper right hand corner of your test paper, you would get an extra 10 points from him. Carlos (Carlitos) Longa says: Your article and photos brings back a lot of memories of my college days in De La Salle College, Taft Ave. from 1962 t0 1967. Too bad that most of the landmarks are gone forever. Malate and Ermita are almost unrecognizable and every structure looks so dilapidated. What a pity!! Mai Garriz says: Mr. Gopal: Thank you for a wonderful walk down memory lane. My family lived in Gral. Luna and Padre Faura, both very close to Paco Park. I have nothing but fond, fond memories of growing up in that area and, even though Manila’s changed dramatically over the years, she will always be home to me. Can’t wait for your next segment. More power to you and your blog. Madam, are you related to Jose Luis Garriz? I remember him as my cousin’s former classmate at La Salle grade school. Maria del Carmen Garriz Oria says: Hola, Nicasio. Mai (Maitos) Garriz is my first cousin. Her father (“Tito Pete”) is my mother´s eldest brother (my mom was Pilar – aka Piluca – Garriz, married to Jesús – aka Jess – Oria). Yes, she has a brother by the name of José Luis (Josel) but I don´t know if he´s the one you´re referring to. Un abrazo, Menchu Oria Are you related to my classmate at the American School, Gammy Garriz ? I will save these blogs so I can go back every now and then. I love the pictures of St. Paul’s – that’s were I met Lea! Rose O'Donnell nee Schaffa says: Thanks for taking me down memory lane. We lived in Ermita for some time (can’t remember the address) because my mom owned a coctail lounge, The Black Sheep, just around the corner from the Filipinas Hotel. I remember the Captain of the Police Precinct was James Barber. Life was good! Rich Razon says: In the late fifties-early sixties we lived in a house on Dewey (Roxas) Blvd facing the bay, just a half block past Selecta. Every so often we’d cross the boulevard, jump over the seawall and take a dip in Manila Bay. I still remember seeing fish through the crystal clear water. Growing up in Ermita/Malate, we watched many, many movies at Gaiety- I’m wondering if anyone remembers Martin’s- the place across the theatre that served raisin bread.. toasted and buttered and served with arroz caldo or palabok. Another favorite were the early morning runs to Ferinos for steaming hot bibingka which in those days was back port area rotunda somewhere.. In the early seventies we moved to a house on Dakota a block from Remedios circle- we were there when Cafe Adriatico started, and all through the days when Remedios Circle was the happening place to be (my brother helped Larry with the Cafe Havana idea).. Great compilation, thank you for putting it together! (now about that time machine..) Hi Rich, you still remember Martin’s. We used to go there for hamburgers. Their burgers on rye were much different and much bigger than the hamburgers at Country Bakeshop. Martins was just across from Gaiety Theater. Panchito Puckett says: Am so lucky to have been born after the war and experience the beauty of Old Manila. I wish I had a Time Machine to bring back the Good Old Days! Thanks Lou for all the photos you shared with us all! Bo Razon says: Hello Lou, Thank you so much for this precious piece. I was born in a clinic on Herran St. in 1952. In 1959, we moved into a compound on Dewey Blvd., the corner house (beside Selecta, corner Romero Salas St.). This is where the happiest times of my childhood were spent-playing in the wide open spaces & lots along Dewey & Cuarteles St., crossing the street for the occasional dip in the crystal-clear waters of Manila Bay, watching cartoon movies at the Gaiety Theatre around the block, enjoying the freshly baked bread from Martin’s Bakery, mongo rolls from Sombrero Bakery on Mabini, macapuno & mantecado ice cream from Selecta, and on and on. In 1971, we moved to Adriatico St. (near Vermont) and while our family stayed on in Malate, I headed for the US. I am presently visiting my parents who still live in Malate, and I am looking around here in the present-day, waxing nostalgic for the halcyon days of my youth, heaving a big sigh. Thank you. Horacio Torres says: That clinic on Herran was Clinica dela Rosa. We lived on San Marcelino St. between Herran and California (Josefa Llanes Escoda) very close to the first Rustan’s and the famous Bungalow Restaurant. Dear Lou, Reading these articles written by you, makes feel at home again in my younger days. I remembered some of the places but not the pre-war era. When I was young, I walked a lot in Dewey BLVD. as my teacher called it ” Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. I walked going to Baclaran church, seeing all those beautiful scenery, the Sun set and the mighty ships of the American seven Fleet. My mom used to take me to Baclaran church to attend the Novena and after the services she would buy some letchon from the Vendors nearby the church, to take home for our dinner. ( ang sarap those letchon) LOL. Leaving in Florida, have some similarity to the Philippines, We had some Hurricanes(Typhoon) and plenty of tropical fruits. My last visit in the Philippines was 1970 but had lots of memories of the past (some are goods and some are Bad) . When I left in 1962 to the USA, the popular show, I watched at noon time was “Student Canteen”with Leila Benetez, Si calvo, I forgot his name and Eddie Ilarde. directed by Bobby Ng. Remedios then was hung around by Bacla ( Gay). LOL I walked a lot in Vito-Cruz, Singalong st. , Taft avenue. Pennsylvania st. nearby Capt. Ticong st. As you can see, I was going to Singalong Parochial school run by Spanish Capuchino priest. I played some weekend Basketball at the De la Salle college with some friends enrolled there. Thanks Lou for reminding of those old glorious days in Manila. The “calvo” would be the late Pepe Pimentel. There was another personality connected to Student Canteen and “Darigold” jamboree which followed SC. His name was Bobby Ledesma who is no longer with us. Thank you, for reminding me of Pepe Pimentel, He was a funny guy and missed those days show. salamat again. I also watched” The Parola boys, The Tionco brother and the Ricard duet and the evening show of “Tawag ng Tangalan”. The only things now I can say is “Those were the days”. That school you mentioned Singalong Parochial School has since been renamed St. Anthony School and still run by Capucin monks and Chartres Sisters….. 🙂 Hi, Philip Thanks for informing me for the new school name. Did you go in that school too? I spent 4 yrs. in that school. I saw in the T.V. news about the worst typhoon in the Philippines. Here in Florida, our parishes and the Pilipino community is gathering some relief to be sent there. I hope for the best for all of there. Robert Lim Miguel Crame says: Proud to be Filipino. So much history in those photos. Thank you so much for sharing. William T Torres says: I came to Manila to complete my college studies only in 1953 but could still relate to some of the names/places/events included in this “photo-history.” Thanks, for sharing! …Bill Torres Ernie Peralta says: You’ve covered the Malate nostalgia well. Our little post-war units were located at Tennesse/Nebraska corners and our neighbours were the Crames(Nando, to mention one). You have also mentioned a few media people such as Larry Ng…Don Lee the older of the siblings started thinking Australia about the same time as I did. As a young marketing guy in an American company, I spent a lot of my relaxing hours in the hotels you wrote about: Ato, the blind world-class pianist, attracted music afficionados at Hilton’s piano bar. Many expatriate execs would never miss the cocktail hour stories of Mayor Lacson at the Filipinas Hotel. What about that inimitable Taboy Gargaritano, left handed guitarist who had his own little musical “dive” in Ermita. Perhaps, the casino you mentioned, truly exclusive, was the “Key Club” owned and run by Ted Lewin whom everybody lovingly called Uncle Ted. Looking forward to your next sequel. Ernie Peralta Hey Ernie, great to hear from you. Don Lee still remembers you and your “mental ramblings” as well as the daily Caltex news he did over the Chronicle radio station at Aduana. As for me, I recall with great fondness those incredible Christmas light shows displayed on the Caltex office building in Padre Faura corner Pennsylvania for a whole month every Christmas season. If you’re free, I could pick you up in my Chevvy BelAire and invite you for a steak dinner at the Manila Overseas Press Club on Dewey, maybe play Liar’s Dice with the guys and then finish the evening at Taboy’s in Ermita. Cinco litros! solo otra vez, why not? Be sure to read Part 3 of Ermita-Malate now available! Really great to touch base with you Larry…say hello to Don and Nena. Have been in Brisbane since ’76 and was last in Manila in March for the 60th Anniversary of my graduating class in La Salle. I will make sure to catch up with you when I visit next, hopefully soon. As a single guy in those days I concentrated on what I considered a “musical crawl” nursing my martinis as I made my regular stops at the Black Sheep(remember pianist/singer Marnie’s raunchy songs?), Cafe Indonesia with Romy Posada’s Jazz ensemble with Lito Molina’s alto sax, Shangrila, Jungle Bar in Manila H., Nina’s Papagayo starring Ramon, and I could go on and on. Hope you will do some piece on the small but fantastic music venues we had and have. Would be nice to hear from you again soon. CALTEX OFFICE AT DAKOTA CORNER PADRE FAURA, FORMERLY, ATENEO DE MANILA SITE, AND, NOW, A PAL FACILITY. Jaime Fábregas says: Thank you for the photos! It just depresses me more when i see what Manila has become! Rose Marie Fructuoso says: Angelina (Angie) Gutierrez-Frey says: Mr. Gopal – no one else could capture our priceless & precious Philippine memories of the past the way you did ! How fortunate are we to have, like you, remembrances of this Pearl of the Orient. Please know that all parts (1,2 &3) brought to the eyes of many – and we all await your Parts 4, 5 & 6. More power to you, Mr. Gopal. Ever think of publishing these parts consolidated as one book? It will DEFINITELY be a best seller ! Here are some cheers for you, Mr. Gopal: Go !! Pal !! Angie Gutierrez-Frey José Miguel Razón y Albert says: José Miguel Razón y Albert: Beaverton, Oregon July 24- I am overwhelmed by so many beautiful, precious photos. It would be really great if all this could be “reconstructed” and perhaps the old, familiar sights my parents, grand uncles, grand aunts uncles and aunts and grandparents knew so well could be lovingly reconstructed to enhance PhilipppineTourism to add more flavour to what Manila was and could be. I worked at the Intramuros Administration: 1985-1987 prior to coming to the U.S. and I transcribed a lot of those old Spanish documents pertaining to Intramuros: I pored over lots of old photos and texts taken from the Archives of the Indies (Archivo de las Indias) during the Spanish Régime.. I wrote in longhand from the old Spanish to modern Spanish from archival texts. These wonderful photos you brought forth are of course “extramuros” or outside the Walled City; but I am convinced that the Philippines will benefit, when the flavour, ambience of those times could be recreated and presented in a physical revival of the Manila of old, the Manila that embraced the culture of Spain, and the American experience intertwined with our own. My co workers ask me why I stand out as”Spanish” in name,. language and aspect… and I can only tell them about the polygon-shaped fortress built in 1571 and the rest is “history”. Eso es una tarea de todos los manileños. Tiene que haber todavía un sin fin de recuerdos, fotografías, recortes de periódicos, anecdotas… en muchos hogares manileños…y en el extranjero. ¿Cuantas personas conservan todavía fotos de la boda o la primera comunión de algún familiar en donde aparece un altar hoy desaparecido, o un adorno arquitectónico, o una antigua puerta…? O de alguna costumbre ya desaparecida, o de la fabricación de algún producto tradicional filipino…. A veces la gente se olvida de que Manila era una ciudad internacional, no tagala. No era tampoco una ciudad española. Era tagala, española, mexicana, malaya, china (importantísima ), japonesa….Sólo que estaba en pleno país tagalo y que los habitantes hablaban español (-incluídos los británicos, americanos, alemanes, suizos, daneses, alemanes…-) Eso es lo que trae ser el mejor puerto natural de todo el Asia. Claro que en los años veinte Manila prosperó mucho -como prosperaron muchas ciudades- todas construidas en el mismo estilo internacional de la época. Pero hay algo que hace único en el mundo a Intramuros, y es su herencia hispano-mexicana, la fuerte luz tropical (uso de las balconadas con chapiz ) y los terremotos (torres bajas, casas con planta baja de piedra y la superior de madera y otros elementos ligeros…). Olvida la cultura: el humanismo cristiano traído por la Iglesia Católica y su adaptación a la sensibilidad asiática. Toda esa herencia se puede resumir en una sola palabra filipina: delicadeza. WONDERFUL stuff on what Manila used to look like….the Manila where I was born in 1956 and knew as a child up until 14 years of age (we left the Phil. in 1970, never to return again, at least not to live as a family but only for vacation). My dad – Jesús (Jess) Oria – joined the resistance movement against the Japanese when he was only 19 years old and didn´t see his family until 3 years later. They must´ve given him up for dead! My dad worked for Müller and Phipps (Chona Kasten was the wife of that company´s head honcho, Hans Kasten), eventually leaving that company to work for DANA Corporation based in Toledo, Ohio (where he now lives and will soon turn 90!). We lived in several places in Manila: Malate, then on Dungon Street, then in a compound on Balagtas Street and which – I think – was right next to the French Embassy back then?? We used to go to Patio Flamenco sports club, run by Mecca Trápaga. My dad was a member of The Executives band for many years. His close friends were Raúl Manglapus, Bobby Mañosa, Freddie Kaufmann, etc. My mother – Pilar (Pilu or Piluca) Garriz – had 1 sister (Conchita, married to an American called Irvin “Shorty” Charnock, former pilot….Tita Conchita sadly passed away last year in August) as well as 4 brothers (Pete, “Koken”, Larry and “Peachy”). The only surviving sibling is Tito Pete who lives in Mobile, Alabama with his wife, Angie. I have sent this website/blog to my dad as I´m sure it´ll bring wonderful memories of his Manila! Fond regards, Menchu Oria Jason Nalzaro says: Hi Madam Menchu, Good day! I hope this post finds you in good health. I would just like to check with you if you happen to remember or recall a filipina teen who once worked with your family in the late 60s named Mary Pigar? I’m her son and I remember her mentioning your mother and father’s name in one of her stories back in the day. She also mentioned a guy (or boy) named as Miguel and I’m not sure if he’s one your brothers. Apologies if i made a mistake and apologies to the readers if my post is not related to the blog/article. Regards and may you have great day ahead. Ernie Pancho says: Very interesting. Some of the places I could remember and some I don’t remember. Very imformative for us oldies who may have missed those good old days. I wished I could see the 1st Blog that you made as well as the rest and future ones. Keep up the good work. Maraming salamat and Vaya con Dios. Thank you Ernie. All previous posts are listed on the right hand side of the article. Hello Lou, Doing all these historical work must have taken you lots of researched. I applaud you on this, but I had a simple question to ask, What profession did you accomplished aside from the American School Philippines? I guess, a lawyer, journalist or what? Give us some background of yours like most of the writer. When I was in the U.S.Forces, working with the Intelligence, I never did run any last name of yours, sounds Polish or Indian name? Well, anyway, I appreciate what you are doing! As major in History, I learned much from you in regards Manila and the surrounding places. bye for now Robert/USN/FED/retired N. Pascasio says: I spent the entire morning reading all the entries on this blog. Thanks again for everything. I don’t know if you’re a drinking man, Mr. Gopal, but I would like to raise a bottle of San Miguel Pale Pilsen beer to your health. Looking through your journal, one can see how things change: fashions, streets, landscapes, architectural trends… but there are two separate photos in this particular article that show how that brown San Miguel bottle looks exactly the same all these years! Cheers! Waiting for more… Jose (Pepe) Gimenez says: Thank you Lou for sharing all these with us. Yourj Benig says: I FEEL PROUD TO OUR COUNTRY! And I’m amazed that many people from other countries lived in Manila before! ^_^ Hilton Hotel! WOW! That’s awesome! MANILA is truly a vibrant city. All I can say is WOW. O.O I’m speechless. Actually, I have Google Maps with me 😀 while reading your great stories about Manila, I try to locate it on the map and fortunately, some of them are still standing.. some of them are already gone. Ling Ngo says: Beautiful! I miss Manila now we live in Williamsburg, VA. You have connected more people by writing this interesting literary work. Thank you, Lou. Terry Teves Rabago says: Thank you so much for this very nostalgic piece which brought a lot of good memories to a lot of people. Looking forward to part 3. Pedro Goni says: You must be complimented for what you have accomplished, Lou. You have put together a wonderful site for ex-Manilans to visit and spend some time in memory lane. The pictures are great and bring back memories for all of us. With equal diveristy; I’m sure. Its good to know how many people who grew up in Manila remember it so fondly. If you read through the names there are so many Americans, Spanish and Mestizos, Chinese Filipinos, and of course Filipinos and other nationalities that went to school in Manila; all singing the same tune of what a wonderful time they had growing up in Manila. There is no better testament than one said after experiencing something and that most ceetainly applies to Manila. I recognize many names of people who have written in which in itself is impressive because of how scattered we all are all over the world. Given that I went to La Salle all my life makes me feel more at home too since the Old Alma MAter is mentioned quite freqently. One question for Lea Bowie; did you ever have a Sarsi with egg? Your Dad always made it sound so good on TV but my mind would never allow me to try it. Great site; we all have something in common that the rest of the world knows nothing about; Good Old Manila. Bob Blume says: Lou –a note on the ANC–Everytime I’m in the Metro I like to pass by the sorry old dame and recall the late 1960’s when I and fellow FNCB (Citibank) Port Area Branch junior officers would lunch at the spacious mens bar and play a game of cup dice–Preferred seats were at the big wooden round tables on the veranda shielded by tall banyan trees –or walk over to poolside for a burger and fries–on the way out buy a “Stars and Stripes” newspaper at the small shop located by the Club’s entrance –Ano Duchstein was the ever present ANC Manager-At the end of each month the ANC would send over to the bank your signed chits for payment-Let’s pray the ANC will be restored at some point as has been the case in other Asian lands with buildings of historic significance –Bob Blume/Villa Escudero Please include me in your distribution list of any future posting. I would be very interested to buy your book if an when you decide to do one. I thoroughly enjoy your work, you have brought back so many memories of my youth. onor says: Ola Lou, Though I’m not from Manila but from the fame ballad “Don’t you go oh don’t you go to far” city of the south, we do have something to share in common as I’ve worked at Escolta (PNB) & lived at Malate(Adriatico/Remedios NE cor., in the ’70s. My recollection of that decade, the bank celebrated its diamond anniversary. The Metro Opera across the river was renovated/restored to its former glory, though on a recent visit, its again closed & gathering dust. I saw Roger Moore’s James Bond movie, “The Spy who love at Me” at Lyric. Oceanic commercial is where my boss bought our wedding gift of silverware set. The Botica Boie bldg. @ Escolta/T. Pinpin. SW cor.,(now an empty/parking lot) was a Bank of PI Br. & where I kept my bank account since the tellers were more attractive looking. Historic Malate church is walking distance & so is Aristocrat w/c was 24hrs. For girls spotting one has to go to Taft & Herran, the school area. I’ve always wondered about the origin of Remedios Circle until recently I saw a Spanish era map of the 1890s indicating it was a cemetery of Malate church, circular, similar to Paco cemetery. There’s one more trip down memory lane in 1966 that I’d like to reminisced Lou or any of the readers here would know on what street was the old ABS-CBN studio at Dewey Blvd./Pasay City. Thank you for sharing your excellent work. From the Long Star State, Hasta llego. Hans Hoeflein says: We lived at 1196 M H Del Pilar. Right across from the Apostolic Delegation. When the Japanese made everyone whose place faced the bay move. Msgr Piani the papal Nuncio asked us to watch the place. My dad and I used to watch the air raids from the second floor. Once a bomb dropped in the Delegations yard and the Japanese made a big deal of it. During the battle we stayed at Remedios hospital until the last two days before liberation. Edgardo Olaes says: Good collection in photography! All of the above photographs, including post cards are among the rarest, except some pictures in the books found in few libraries. Kudos to the collector! amiel cornico says: hi sir , im working at pan pacific hotel at the corner of adriatico and malvar sts. i understand you used to live across the street . just wondering what the hotel location was during your time . many thanks Hi Amiel, I don’t remember the Pan Pacific Hotel around the Remedios area in the Fifties, sorry ! thank you sir for replying Pan Pacific hotel is at the corner of Adriatico and Gen Malvar Sts. opposite side of Dakota mansion along Adriatico and almost across Tau Yuan Restaurant on Malvar side. -amiel Whitegray Memories says: The late 1930s picture of the Bay View Hotel with the taller building to the left (or behind) that still stands today is the former Peralta Apartments, if I’m not mistaken, on Guerrero St. corner U.N. Avenue now renamed Alfonso Sycip Condominium. The Bel-Air, as in the previous articles, is between the then University Club (now Eton Bay Park) and the Miramar Hotel. From this angle, it could really be mistaken for the Bel-Air which I didn’t notice too until another reader friend told me. Anyway, this shot was taken from Roxas Boulevard corner or perpendicular to UN Avenue. lisa white says: Your write-up of Malate in the 50s to 70s? bring back memories….my family moved to Carolina St., cor. Remedios? (right behind MalateCatholicSchool were all my siblings and myself went to school–kindergarten to HighSchool) I went on to St.Paul College of Manila then went to the US. I appreciate your nostalgic article! We could have been neighbors… Dann de Guzman says: Lou thank you for creating this site, brings back a lot of memories. I remember walking the streets of Malate when I was growing up. My dad was a machinist at Fabar Motors, a garage and dealership for British Motor Corp owned by the Barredos and Borromeos. My mom operated the canteen inside Fabar in 1964-66 then moved to the assembly plant in Pasay City where they assembled the Mini Coopers. Fabar Motors was located in the corner of Adriatico and Malvar, I was 10 then and we used to lived in Caloocan near Morning Breeze and we used to commute by bus, before my mom bought a 1952 Olsmobile, to haul the food for the staff. Your reader Amiel was wondering what was in Pan Pacific Hotel during that time, that was Fabars dealership showroom where you see the brand new Coopers, Morris, Austins, etc, Fabar used to sell Studebakers and Packards after the war. I remember me and my brother watch the cars go by and identify them by models and brand. I used to roam around the dealership and dream about owning a Cooper someday, which I did in 1972, which was a 63. I now own a 69 Cooper here in Los Angeles which I have given to my son. Back in the 60s the pelloteros would bring their coopers to Fabar for a tune before the evening game, that’s how I remember seeing them since I can’t go to Jai Alai yet. Beside Fabar was Alex Chinese Restaurant where my dad used to go before my mom operated the canteen and I love his pancit canton and miki, whatever the ingredients he puts in there it’s yummy. Across Alex was another Chinese guy , I forgot his name that sells appliances from Clark and Subic like washing machines, freezers, refrigerators etc all 110volts , he’s very popular in the area. I didn’t know that Ramon Magsaysay Building was a military fort during the war, I used to go there to visit the Asian Library operated by the US embassy. I went to UP Manila(Padre Faura )in 71 and I remember the way it used to look back then, there was Erewhon Bookstore that I used to frequent since they carry all the motoring books and magazines, UP had several colleges in Padre Faura , it was the original location before they moved to Diliman, back in the days, college of engineering, medicine, dentistry, public administration used to be there where Dept of Foreign Affairs , Supreme Court used to be. I remember that my mom would ask me to go to the International Supermarket and buy groceries and I would stop by Lord and Lady across Assumption College to Check the latest fashion and the beautiful people that goes there, of course I was checking the girls from Assumption as well. I was fortunate to be invited there for a Student Catholic Action event while in college and what a beautiful campus it was, too bad they sold it to a hotel chain. There’s too much to tell about this place and I’m glad you have made this site to bring back the childhood memories. I was involved in trying to save my Alma Mater , Jose Abad Santos High in Binondo which we lost to Megaworld and Mayor Atienza, who doesn’t care about heritage and we will lose all of these in the hands of these oligarchs. Binondo is another place I remember well spending my high school days in 1967 into the height of the student activism of the 70s, I’m hoping President Duterte will stop this trend to restore whatever is left in Manila. Thank you again for sharing. Ramón García says: My great grandmother, Julieta Carpi Millán, married to Candido Pascual and later to Eduardo Gutierrez-Repide lived in a huge white house near the Malate Church. It was where the Aristocrat Restaurant is now. Might you have any pictures of that area before the war? This is the Pascual family- the siblings were: Mercedes (my grandmother); Maria; Isabel; Carmen; Jose; Ramon, Jesus. Amparito was the youngest (half sister), and daughter of Gutierrez-Repide. Might the names ring any bells? Shilla says: Hi Sir. I sent a request letter from GMA Network in your email. Please let me know once you received it. Thank you very much. God bless. Leave a Reply to frank sityar Cancel reply M90j1z Archives: Previous Posts Manila International Airport Mr. Albert Awad My misspent youth aka I Love Cars ! A Sindhi in Manila The Elks Club Emil Bachrach – Bachrach Motors Manila Hotel: The Golden Years My Alma Mater – The American School, Inc. Manila’s Public Transportation – a pictorial essay. Wack Wack Golf & Country Club Los Tamaraos Polo Club Los Baños Internment Camp Liberation – 70th Anniversary Santo Tomas Internees Liberated 70 years ago. Rizal Avenue – A street to love. A Day in Infamy La Estrella del Norte on the Escolta The Army Navy Club My Favorite Beer ! Brias Roxas Story Berg’s Department Store on the Escolta Riu Hermanos Heacock’s Department Store on the Escolta Our move to Makati The Manila Club Christmas In Manila Manila Polo Club: Early Years The PanAm Clipper Arrives in Manila The Jones Bridge and Otto Fischer-Credo Puente Colgante – Insular Ice Plant and Cold Storage La Fuerza de Santiago (Fort Santiago) Manila Observatory Hotel de Oriente Jones Bridge Manila Post Office The Metropolitan Theater – Art Deco Style The Jai Alai Building, a beautiful example of Art Deco in Asia. Escolta – a rich history. The Crystal Arcade – Art Deco at its finest ! Welcome Manila nostalgia fans ! Print this article or save as PDF file. Santo Tomas Internment Camp Documentary Manila Nostalgia Facebook Page	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11726
__label__cc	0.69771	0.30229	North Somerset Liberal Democrats Demand Better for North Somerset Sue Mason Ashley Cartman Wendy Griggs Thomas Gravatt Huw James Caroline Cherry Thomas Gravatt has lived in Clapton-in-Gordano since he was 4 years old and cares deeply about our villages. Now 22, Thomas is campaigning for better infrastructure in our area, particularly road improvements and the Portishead Railway link. After returning from University, Thomas co-founded a campaign putting pressure on North Somerset Council and others to get the railway project off the ground. The campaign successfully gathered more than 2000 petition signatures. He also helped to start the ‘Clean Our Lake’ campaign calling for the lake at the Portishead Lake Grounds to be dredged. Thomas wants to represent our area to get a better deal for the people here. He will fight to protect our villages and our environment and for better transport links. Vote Thomas Gravatt on May 2nd if you want to make our area even better than it already is. Thomas Gravatt's plan for our area Invest in our communities Thomas is keen to see more investment in our villages. New village halls, and improvements to existing ones, should be a priority. Important local services should be protected from cuts to funding. Protect our environment We live in a beautiful area and it is vital that we protect it. Any new developments should be suitable for the village they are planned for and infrastructure must be improved alongside them. Portishead Railway link Linking Portishead and Pill to Bristol with a railway would reduce congestion and improve air quality. The Conservatives have failed to make progress on this and our roads are poor quality as well. Contact Thomas Post: The Orchard, Clevedon Lane, Clapton-in-Gordano, North Somerset, BS20 7RH Email: thomasgravatt@outlook.com Clean our Lake! Fund the Portishead Railway Sign the petition: Fund the Portishead Railway #PortisheadBackOnTrack More Apprenticeships Published and promoted by and on behalf of the North Somerset Liberal Democrats, 12 Henley Lodge, Yatton, Bristol, BS49 4JQ. Tel: (01934) 838265.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11732
__label__cc	0.595248	0.404752	Same-sex marriage bill vote Friday will be a cliff hanger by Migrant Tales, under Enrique Tessieri Finland will vote Friday on the long-overdue bill that would make marriage legal between same-sex couples. A lot rides on tomorrow’s vote. In many respects, the outcome of Friday’s vote shows Finland to be at an important crossroads. Some analysts see the passage of the same-sex marriage bill not only as a victory for gays but for all minorities in Finland. At present, the social construct of the so-called white, heterosexual Finn is being seriously challenged by tomorrow’s vote as well as by our ever-growing cultural diversity. According to political observers, the vote is still too close to call. Read full story here. The debate on same-sex marriage has divided Finland. Even so, Evangelical Church of Finland Archbishop Kari Mäkinen said this week he supports granting homosexual couples the right to marriage. It’s highly probable that the historic vote Friday would not be a cliff hanger if it weren’t for the Perussuomalaiset (PS),* which are betting much of their political capital against the bill. In 2011 the PS won their historic parliamentary election victory by gaining 39 seats in parliament from 5 previously. Their election victory was based on hostility and mistrust of the EU, immigrants, refugees, cultural diversity and homosexuals. Friday’s vote will reveal a lot of things. One is whether we are a closed or open-minded society. The closed society, supported by the PS, is outright hostile to minorities and keeps such groups excluded by building fences of mistrust with the help of myths. The open-minded society is the new face of Finland in this century that cannot be stopped. That face and landscape comprises of minorities with equal rights. * The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings. Tags: Finland, homophobia, Perussuomalaiset, same-sex marriage Joonas November 27th, 2014 According to almost all polls majority of Finns support gay marriage. If the MPs are not changing their mind in tomorrow’s voting, it is going to pass quite easily. There are at least 101 MPs voting ‘Yes’ and about 20 who don’t want to say yet. True Finns and Christian Democrats are going to vote ‘No’.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11742
__label__wiki	0.820644	0.820644	Home Nation UP: 19-year-old ends life after failing in Class 12 exam Two more persons committed suicide in the state over alleged personal problems. Published: 30th May 2017 11:29 AM \| Last Updated: 30th May 2017 11:29 AM \| A+A A- Image used for representational purpose. MUZAFFARNAGAR: A 19-year-old student allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison for failing the Class XII examination at Kallerpur village in the district. According to the incharge of Kotwali police outpost Manoj Yadav, Shivani took the extreme step yesterday and was rushed to a hospital were she was declared dead. In another incident, a 30-year-old man allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison over some family dispute at Thana Bhawan town in Shamli district last evening, police said. Sonu was worried over some family dispute with his wife. He took the step when his wife started living at her parent's house and refused to return. In the third incident, a 60-year-old man allegedly jumped into a canal at Bhains village in the district yesterday, police said. Ved Prakash's body has not yet been recovered. According to his family, Ved was worried over his illness, they said. Stay up to date on all the latest Nation news with The New Indian Express App. Download now UP ends life failing Class 12 exam	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11743
__label__wiki	0.758507	0.758507	Home BREAKING NEWS Modi stacks RBI board with allies to turn heat up on governor Modi stacks RBI board with allies to turn heat up on governor Manoj Kumar and Suvashree Choudhury, Reuters A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) logo is seen at the gate of its office in New Delhi, India, November 9, 2018. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain NEW DELHI/MUMBAI – As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government turns up the heat on the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor to do its bidding ahead of next year’s general election it is getting the central bank’s board to take on a much more powerful role, according to government officials and board members. Now stacked with government nominees who can be counted on to support the administration, the board is being transformed from having a passive advisory role into a body that can exert pressure for policy change. Some economists fear it could threaten the bank’s independence. Two board members told Reuters that government pressure for easier lending policies is likely to become abundantly clear at Monday’s board meeting – the first to be held since the extent of a deep rift between the RBI and the government became public knowledge. With the election due by May, and voters concerned about weak farm incomes and whether enough jobs are being created, Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is keen to stimulate the economy and sees the RBI’s hawkish stance as a barrier, said government officials and BJP allies. The government has been pressing the Mumbai-based RBI and Governor Urjit Patel to accede to a range of demands that could help to boost demand. They include making it easier and cheaper for small businesses to borrow, easing lending curbs on 11 state-run banks which had debt and capital adequacy issues, and providing more liquidity to shadow lenders. They also want the government to have access to surplus reserves the RBI has built up – money that could be used for the administration’s populist programmes including boosts to rural wages, fuel subsidies and buying crops at a guaranteed minimum price. The RBI has hit back by questioning whether the government wanted to destroy its autonomy and warning that when this happened in Argentina in 2010, financial markets took fright. The Finance Ministry and RBI spokesmen declined to comment for this story. SPEARHEADING PUSH In the past week there have been signs of an uneasy truce as some government officials indicated they didn’t want Patel to resign and would allow some issues to be kicked down the road. But at the same time, Modi supporters have made it clear they want major policy change, and a senior finance ministry official said some government backers on the board had been given the green light to push hard at Monday’s meeting. Spearheading that push is new board member S. Gurumurthy, a confidante of Modi’s. He is an accountant and columnist who was until recently co-convenor of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, the economic wing of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the fountainhead of the BJP. In a speech last week, Gurumurthy lashed out at the RBI’s restrictions on bank lending, saying it was damaging the economy. “We are a bank-driven economy…in a bank-driven economy if you restrict the banks, you are restricting the economy, you are restricting the flow of funds into the economy,” he said. Under the colonial era RBI Act, the government can give the bank directions after consultations with the governor. That law establishes the primacy of the RBI board to do “all acts and things” subject to government directions. It also empowers New Delhi to dismiss any board member – including the governor. In practice, the government has never invoked those sections of the act. For many decades, RBI governors have enjoyed operational freedom, though they have traditionally worked closely with the government, said an official directly aware of such consultations. The board also doesn’t have direct influence over interest rate policy. In 2016, Modi agreed to establish a monetary policy committee to set interest rates based on whether India was meeting an inflation target. It consists of three RBI officials and three government-appointed members, with the RBI governor having the casting vote. “NATIONALIST VISION” Modi supporters are confident newly appointed members of the RBI board with a “nationalist vision” could over time press it to cut interest rates, transfer surplus funds to the government and ease bank lending curbs. The RBI board will seek more accountability from the governor, said Ashwani Mahajan, who is co-convenor of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch. “Now the RBI will be functioning in a more prudent manner looking at the specific needs of the country,” he said. Provided Modi gets re-elected, the RBI board could ensure a greater role for banks “in the social and economic transformation of the country”, he added. PACKED THE BOARD Modi has packed the RBI board in the past few months with people with links to his party and economists who favour greater government influence over the RBI. In August, Gurumurthy and Satish Marathe, a former banker who was in the student wing of the BJP, were named to the board. And last month, the government appointed retired bureaucrat Revathy Iyer and Sachin Chaturvedi, head of a Delhi-based think tank, while removing Nachiket Mor, who was close to RBI officials. It means that of 18 current members, five come from the government bureaucracy, two are finance ministry officials, and two have close links to Modi and the BJP. Four have a business background, and the other five are Patel and his four deputy governors. Previously, the RBI would usually propose new board members or the government would at least consult the governor before nominating members. Under Modi, there has hardly been any consultation, said one former official directly aware of the appointment process. In a sign of the marathon meeting that could be in store, the last board meeting on October 23 ran for eight hours, taking up only two out of 12 agenda items, one member said. The rest will be discussed on Monday, this person said. Previous articleAmid progress against California blaze, number of missing soars Next articleDeath toll continues to rise, while list of people unaccounted for surpasses 1,000 Yes, I would like to receive emails from DESI TALK Headlines!. Sign me up! By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: DESI TALK Headlines!, 115 west 30th St., New York, NY, 10001, http://www.newsindiatimes.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11744
__label__wiki	0.600056	0.600056	Newsquest Specialist Media is a dynamic and award-winning international media organisation with offices in London. We provide essential insight, analysis and opinion to business and consumer audiences in four sectors Insurance & Risk Management \| Classical Music \| Sport Newsquest Specialist Media is part of Newsquest Media Group – the UK’s second largest publisher of regional and local newspapers, and a wholly owned subsidiary of the largest newspaper publisher in the US, Gannett Company, Inc. Our corporate structure gives us the flexibility of a small company with the support and backing of one of the world’s leading media groups. We seek to employ the brightest, most talented and creative individuals to help us continue to deliver information and interaction that our audiences truly value and deliver on our company objectives: To be market leaders in the sectors where we operate \| to be a great company to work with and in \| to be recognised for innovation © Newsquest Specialist Media 2019 Contact \| Vacancies \| Terms & Conditions \| Privacy Policy	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11745
__label__wiki	0.775401	0.775401	About Nikki PLEASE NOTE MY CITY OF OAKLAND WEB SITE: www.oaklandca.gov/officials/nikki-fortunato-bas and EMAIL: District2[at]oaklandca.gov. *THANK YOU, Oakland, for our community victory!* Dear Oaklanders, I’ve lived in District 2 for over 20 years, in the Crocker Highlands neighborhood. I’m a lifelong community organizer and got my start in Chinatown, organizing Chinese immigrant garment workers to win their wages back. And, I’m a working mother who will do whatever it takes to keep our kids safe and make sure their future is bright. I share your love for Oakland's community, diversity, and rich cultural heritage, and I also share your fear that displacement, gentrification and growing inequality are threatening our very identity as a city. The #BBQBecky and #JoggerJoe incidents at Lake Merritt are wake up calls for all of us. We must come together to build an inclusive, just and equitable city, and we need independent leaders, rooted in our communities, who will take action. It starts with acknowledging that housing is a human right and prioritizing housing solutions for all Oaklanders. I’m running to bring bold, innovative and proactive leadership to make Oakland work for all of us. I will tackle the critical issues facing our city and District 2 and bring accountability to City Hall. I will listen and bring people together, and I will have the courage to stand up and fight for real solutions — just as I have as a community organizer. I’m guided by values I learned from my parents, both immigrants from the Philippines. Witnessing their struggles taught me the importance of integrity, honesty and fairness. I would be proud to be Oakland's first Filipina Councilwoman and give voice to our diverse Asian Pacific Islander community at City Hall. I got my start organizing in Oakland Chinatown 25 years ago, when I met brave immigrant women garment workers who were cheated out of their wages by a fancy dress maker. They showed me the meaning of justice by standing up for their rights, over four long years, until they won. Since then, I have been learning from and standing with women, immigrants, and communities of color to work for justice. For two decades, I’ve been an advocate for working people, leading the passage of policies in Oakland to create the building blocks for regional, state, and national change: Raising Oakland’s minimum wage with paid sick leave by passing Measure FF which won with 82% voter support. Bringing City government and developers to the table with community groups to secure a ground-breaking good jobs policy for the Oakland Army Base redevelopment, which is putting Oaklanders to work and exceeding its 50% local hire goal. Partnering with neighborhood and environmental groups on a Port of Oakland Clean Trucks Program to reduce diesel emissions and create healthier neighborhoods. I want Oakland to be a model city for all of us. My campaign has knocked on thousands of doors asking District 2 neighbors about their concerns and their vision for Oakland. My platform is the product of hundreds of conversations in people’s homes, in our neighborhoods, at farmers markets and City events, and with organizations that serve our communities every day. I look forward to working on these issues with you to advance our vision for Oakland. Prioritizing housing for all Oaklanders Establishing a community approach to policing and safety Tackling illegal dumping and other threats to quality of life Promoting a values-based City budget & thriving economy Preserving our cultural heritage & districts Protecting our environment and our residents’ health Please join me in my campaign to build an Oakland for all of us! To get in touch with me, email nikki[at]nikki4oakland.com. Forward for Oakland, A Recognized & Effective Leader Nikki's campaign is endorsed by numerous organizations, leaders and neighbors; see her endorsements here. She has the sole endorsement of the East Bay Express who said: "We think the former nonprofit leader is one of the smartest and impressive council candidates in this election. We also think she'll be stronger than [the incumbent] in pushing for tenant protections and tougher rent control in Oakland if Proposition 10 passes and will be a powerful advocate for affordable housing." Both her campaign and her professional work have been featured in the media; see her media page here. Nikki's leadership has been widely recognized. In 1999, she won the Mario Savio Young Activist Award for her work organizing garment workers and building the student anti-sweatshop movement. In 2012, the San Francisco Chronicle recognized her as a social justice Changemaker. This year, she is the recipient of Oakland Rising's Townie of the Year award. She recently left her position as the Executive Director of the Partnership for Working Families and previously served as the Executive Director of the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE). Credits: Logo by Innosanto Nagara. Photos of candidate, Bella Vista Elementary, Crocker Highlands Elementary by Brooke Anderson Photography. Photos of campaign launch in Chinatown and Lincoln Elementary by Hanh Nguyen Photography.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11746
__label__wiki	0.638916	0.638916	The media and entertainment strategic advisory group Noble Street was formed by DLA Piper to assist companies in the media and entertainment sector to raise capital, identify acquisition targets, or strategic partnerships, to allow them to take advantage of opportunities in this area. Our team has vast experience working with major US studios, talent agencies, international distributors, financiers and funds on both the buy and sell side of deals. Discover more valuable resources to help you ensure that you remain ahead of the competition in the media and entertainment market. Anthony Mosawi Anthony Mosawi is Head of Noble Street Limited, the corporate finance advisory services company launched by DLA Piper UK. Anthony began his career as a barrister in the UK, specializing in media law. Lord Clement-Jones Lord Clement-Jones is the former London Managing Partner of global law firm DLA Piper, former Chairman of its China and Middle East Desks, its former International Business Relations Partner and Chairman of Global Government Relations. 160 AldersgateLondonEC1A 4HT ©2019 Noble Street Limited	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11747
__label__cc	0.70936	0.29064	Naruto Saga » Kaze no Kuni » Kaze no Kuni Wilderness » The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] 1 The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:31 pm Akira Nekuro Akira continued walking through the ruined village of Sunagakure, while walking with Akisu. He had to admit that he he plans on summoning her often, due to the fact that traveling alone can be less than amazing. He peered over to her signature unamused face, unaware of his glance. Feeling the need to no more about this girl, which he felt obligated to being that she herself is from the Shinigami. “So…Akisu…how did you come across your companions to then take part in dealings of thievery, and illegal debauchery?” She glanced over with a face that spelled some subtle mixture of annoyance and suspicion. “What’s it to you?” Akira left out a little bit of a chuckle and responded: “No need for hostilities. From here on out, you and I are going to be comrades, so it wouldn’t do any harm in a little chit chat, would it? Besides. I would very much like to become your friend.” His face was being studdied by the smaller female, and a sudden bit of red covering her cheeks appeared, and then disappeared just as quickly. “All of us came from a continent far from this one. It was a wealthy place, and we all came from families of nobbles. All of us. We all went to the academy to learn how to fight, and that’s how we met and became friends.” “What was the cause of the transition from being nobble warriors to becoming bandits.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “Well…our small country was attacked by vandals and barbarians. Our warriors’ skills were no match for their sheer numbers. The burned everything to the ground, pillaged, killed…it was horrible. They locked us in at the capital on the shore…we couldn’t retreat. They blocked our ships at the sea, and had all of their men occupying the otter gates for miles and miles on end. We fought our hardest, but we were very much still kids. All of our parents were dead, killed, and almost everyone else in the city. In a last ditch effort, we stole some food from some shops, got on a dingy and snuck past them. Three days later we ended up on this continent. Looking for a means of survival, we took up becoming bandits. And then…well…we started having fun!” Her mood went from somber to cheery within an instant. “At first we felt bad but then we realized how fun it was and-” Realizing she had left her usual demeanor of being cold and reserved, she instantly reverted back to her usual composure, though a blush on her face. “So yeah…there you go. And this rest is pretty much history.” Akira smiled. He stopped to look at her. He took each of her hands, a look of surprise and protest appeared on her face, with, once again, a red blush. “I promise I will get you your friends back. I can feel it. The Shinigami wants all of you to be reunited.” “Look, you don’t need to bring my hopes up if-” Akira clasped her hands tighter, but only slightly so. “I know it. I can feel it. Your friends are going to come back. I swear it.” After studying Akira’s face, her’s being redder than ever, Akisu snatched her hands away. “Whatever….” The two continued to walk through the broken village, with Akira holding his good mood. 2 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Thu Jun 28, 2018 8:11 pm Orochi Risu A man laid down broken upon the glass ground amidst the ruins, his blood splattered across the hard and smooth surface in the form of a beautiful rose. The claking sound of high heels descending upon the glass made him open his eyes, beads of sweat running down his skin with every step which was taken by those heels. In pain and agony, the man tried to get onto his feet again, his bones cracking, his skin tearing and his muscles screaming in pain as he tried to do so. Alas, when he had finally managed to do the nigh impossible task of standing up again, he could feel slender fingers with perfectly manicured nails slathered with glossy black nailpolish slide over his skin with an icy, yet somehow gentle touch. His blue eyes looked down upon the woman who had been chasing him this entire time, who had managed to find him and follow him, even within these ruins of the former village hidden in the sand. He had tried everything to avoid capture, using traps, skills, weapons and his jutsu, but all seemed to be for nought, as this woman in the end still managed to crack down on him. Like how the tip of an arrow would hit its target, she had simply gone straight for him and he as the target, had no escape from the get go. "Why, how did you manage to get me so easily?" the man asked in desperation, his sunagakure headband glinting in the sun. The woman grinned slightly, her golden, snakelike eyes with a silver ring around them looking into his blue orbs filled with despair, doubt and defeat. "You simply had to realise from the beginning that no prey will ever escape my sight. Not now, not ever," With a simple flick of her wrist, she snapped the poor man's neck and dropped his lifeless body to the ground, where it slumped down like a sack of potatoes. However, as she did so, she looked up in the distance, hearing the faint sound of chatter and laughter. It appeared someone had entered her domain without any care in the world...which in a way was quite refreshing to say the least. With that in mind, she jumped up and vanished from sight. A moment later, she landed gently atop one of the few somewhat intact roofs near the couple of young people casually strolling through the village. With her black hair dancing in the soft breeze of the desert, the woman looked upon the two, the silver chains on her black armor glistening in the sun's light and as she made a single step towards the edge of the roof, she let down the high, stilleto heel of one of her boots upon the tiles beneath her feet, allowing a loud, clacking sound to resonate through the deserted ruins of the former glorious hidden village. "My my, what do we have here?" Crossing her arms, the woman jumped down onto the glass-covered ground a few meters away from the pair of young shinobi. "Is it lunchtime already? For what other reason should I find two little mice in my domain so casually strolling about, if not to be food to appease my amusement?" Not the monster you need, but the monster you deserve Lamya\|Jutsu list\|Locker 3 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Fri Jun 29, 2018 5:19 am “...and then we pulled down his pants, just to make sure he wasn’t holding out on us. And well…we had a little surprise. He doesn’t wear underwear.” Akira bursted into laughter. He had simply asked a few stories of her escapades as a bandit with her companions. Akira was able to gauge the connection between them. It was a so much more than friends causing trouble for the establishment. It was a true family. “So…do you know…by any chance…which one of them you can revive?” “Its going to be Yaki. She was the youngest among you. The Shinigami will provide me with Yaki, I can assure you.” “But how do you know?” “You have to have faith, my dear Akisu! Trust in the Shinigami.” “It seems pretty far fetched to me.” “And you speak with such skepticism even though you yourself have returned from the grave? Is the irony not lost on you?” She cocked her head back, and then realized her defeat. And as they walked, there was a loud noise, the sound of a clank. The two looked into its direction. Before them was a mysterious woman. “My my, what do we have here.” She let herself fall from the roof, landing on the ground with glass splashing from her feet. Akira went into the position of a ready stance. He looked over to give orders. He looked over to find her arms behind her back and her head tilted. “Wow…she’s pretty.” Akira jumped back by her reaction. But then a look of determination spread across her face. “Too bad I’m going to have to mess it up.” She reached for her black cutlass, and drew it, pointed it at her. “Be careful…something doesn’t sit well with me about her. Stay on guard.” “Yeah, sure, how about you just stand there twiddling your thumbs, while I handle this myself, mkay? Kay.” Baffled, and visibly angered by her remarks, Akira grew red and began to spew some abuse. Instead he was met with a running Akisu preparing to engage her opponent. “Since I am not in the mood to deal with you, I’ll just use this…” Akisu took a deep breath, and then exhaled while spinning, releasing a huge wave of wind. While The wave headed towards the lady’s direction, she formed the bird hand seal, and shot a torrent of wind needles from her mouth. “…and that for good measure.” Mice, insects, pests, disease...a plague, the weak were nothing more than a plague which needed to be put under firm check, under control of a superior being and she...yes, she was a superior being to all those who dared to step within her domain without care, without caution and without courtesy. “Be careful…something doesn’t sit well with me about her. Stay on guard.” The woman's eyes glinted a bit when she looked into the direction of the person who had uttered those words, her golden eyes surrounded by a silver ring looked at the two with a rather puzzled expression on her face. "How is it, that some of these weak creatures managed to survive this world?" Lamya's voice was calm and her bodylanguage showed that she had not a single thought of feeling threatened in this situation. Her left hand rose upwards towards her chin, grinning slightly at the two young children. "Verily, you must truly be out of touch with the world around you, to think that you are allowed to even dare and land a strike upon my being." As the wave of wind reached her, Lamya stood her ground, unfazed by the torrent of air passing by her and simply grinning softly at the girl who was making her way towards the Desert Snake. "Ugh...really, no questions, no greetings...just blindly attacking a person who you meet for the first time?" The woman lowered her hand slightly, suddenly snapping her fingers, at which point a thin, purple colored barier seemed to cut through the air and absorbed the impact of the incoming blast of air with relative ease before vanishing again. "Like I said...is this how you greet someone or are you just that stubborn to try and kill whoever dares approach you?" Dusting herself off, the woman turned her attention to the girl closest to her, instantly leaping towards her in a flash, raising two fingers towards the girl's throat with an arrogant smirk on her face. "You kids should really learn some manners, luckily for you I can help you with that," Cocking her other arm backwards, Lamya suddenly reached forwards with the intent to strike with her palm against the girl's stomach without displaying too much of her full force, holding back considerably, but perhaps still not too much to make any of her strength redundant. "Be a good girl and just shut up. Turning her attention now towards the young male in her presence, the woman smiled gently and let out a swift sigh. "Do you know how pointless it is to brandish a weapon against someone such as myself? Why don't you just put away your little potato-peeler and explain to me what you think you and your annoying little friend are doing here?" 5 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:27 am Akira watched as his undead companion’s attacks were completely shrugged off. She only stood there, not so much as a scratch on her. She was unscathed and both unfazed by the first attack. "Ugh...really, no questions, no greetings...just blindly attacking a person who you meet for the first time?" She then snapped her fingers, and a barrier of purple chakra blocked the incoming attacks. Taken aback by her ability to block her strongest Jutsu, Akisu clutched on her sword harder, gritting her teeth. “Do you refer to people who you meet as “Food”? Not your best pickup line lady!” After she dusted herself off, the pale lady jumped, appearing to disappear and reappear in front of Akisu. “How-” The lady trailed her index and middle finger to her throat. Her face sported an arrogant smile, one that angered Akisu to the core. "You kids should really learn some manners, luckily for you I can help you with that." She winded back her arm, her hand stiffened. She swiftly struck Akisu’s stomach. The girl’s eyes widened, her eyebrows slightly knitting. She then suddenly buckled her knees and held her stomach, falling to the ground, winching in pain. She looked back up at her, with a face of sheer anger.“Yo…you aren’t all that. Kisaki was so much faster and stronger…” And then she turned to Akira. His heart sank. He was not afraid of death. But the her beauty and display of power made his heart throb. His face started to feel hot, and his body stiff. "Do you know how pointless it is to brandish a weapon against someone such as myself? Why don't you just put away your little potato-peeler and explain to me what you think you and your annoying little friend are doing here?" Feeling flustered he looked around, before regaining his composure, he spoke in a fluttered voice. “We…I mean…pardon me, we were just stumbling through this area. And forgive us for the violence, but we have been attacked by bandits all day. They pollute these ruins with filth. I am on Suna because my Family and friends were recently killed by raiders, so I came to spread the holy word of Agari, and bring forth a new light to the meaning of death and what it means to die. For when such a life ends begins the next stage of absolute peace and eternal serenity, brought to us by the Shinigami.” Akisu’s eye's widened, and she got up from the glass covered ground, dusting herself off. “You…you worship the Shinigami!?” “Of course I do. The Shinigami is the one who has brought you back to life and who will bring your friends back to life. And I believe you need a bit of a rest.” Akisu exploded into a cloud of red mist, completely disappearing. 6 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:23 pm "Oh dear, you don't even know the full extend to my true power," The woman didn't even look at the girl when she stated that, simply keeping her attention firm on the young man who was standing a bit back. After all, he was most likely the one in charge and that made him more important than this weak excuse for a human that was trying and failing to agitate or challenge Lamya. So when the young man finally spoke up, rather than not granting him the right to explain himself, the Desert Snake simply listened to him in order to decide what to do with the two of them after they had the opportunity to make their arguments. When she heard that the very reason for being so on edge was due to being attacked by bandits, the woman simply smirked and tilted her head to the side. "Bandits? There are no bandits here," She clenched her fists and smiled, looking down upon those who came to Suanagakure and its nation, looking down upon those who had been once proud shinobi of the sand and certainly looking down upon those who thought to enrich themselves with petty crimes in those times of chaos and disorder. "All you'll find are insects, impudent little critters that have not the slightest idea on the pecking order in this place and thus need to be reeducated for that matter to get through their skulls." Not sure what the young man meant with this 'Shinigami' thing, the woman chuckled slightly, when she realized that these two apparently had a thing for Death itself. She had heard about people revering and worshipping death itself in one way or another, even the Sealer had a certain knack for that idea, but his was still different from theirs. The Sealer showed respect for Death, while they seemed to simply worship an aspect of it. "Death is boring, especially to those to who it is but a mere moment in their eternity," Lamya got up straight, dusted herself off and looked at how the girl that had dared to attack her suddenly vanished in a puff of red smoke, an occurance which certainly surprised her immensely. "A summon? A human summon...I thought something like that was impossible, or at least not like this...how interesting." As fast as she could, the Rogue shinobi moved from her position towards the young man, aiming to grab his right hand with the intention of at the very least refraining him from forming any seals, while placing two fingers underneath his chin . "Do tell me, how did you do that...how are you able to summon...humans," It was obvious that this was something interesting and intriguing to her, especially as Lamya's eyes looked rather feverish with obsession. "This is one unique skill you seem to have kid." 7 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:50 pm “Bandits? There are no bandits here.” Akira began to since a strange energy off her being. One of absolute dominance. Her clenched fist became a symbol of her status to "All you'll find are insects, impudent little critters that have not the slightest idea on the pecking order in this place and thus need to be reeducated for that matter to get through their skulls." Akira backed away a bit, for the first time in a very long time, he was feeling exposed. “Death is boring. Especially to those who is is but a mere moment in their eternity.” Akira angrily turned towards the pale white snake lady ready to give a long, heated, and passionate speech about the aspect of death. But when he looked at her once more, he held is tongue. With her realizing that Akisu had been summoned away, equal parts because she may get hurt and as disciplinary action of going against his orders. “A summon? A human summon…I thought something like that was impossible, or at least not like this…how interesting.” At that moment she vanished for a split second. She then reappeared once again, but this time in front of Akira. She then reached for his right hand. Akira’s face turned into a very bright red. She is…too close to my proximity… But then she placed two fingers under his chin, the same wa Akisu was. “Do tell me…how did you do that…how are you able to summon…humans.” She maintained eye contact with him. His heart was racing fast and hard. He stared back, enjoying the bliss of her hand touching hand. “I uh…uh…ummm. Its an ability unique only to my Clan, the Nekuro Clan. The Shinigami selects souls that are in His possession and allow us to summon them, because our Chakra are connected to His. With that, it gives us to summon people from beyond the grave.” Akira remained flustered as the woman remained close to him. His eyes went shut. So this is what its like to be under the spell of a seductress. I will not delay. I must hold my resolve. His attempts to combat her natural charm was was a loosing battle. He couldn’t help but feel hotter than he should be in the desert. After finally coming to his senses he eventually tried pulling away from the pail white woman. “Forgive me, I just find you to be quite...intimidating.” 8 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Tue Jul 03, 2018 3:31 pm Seeing how the young man backed away at first made it abundantly clear that her original show of power had at the very least shown him the difference between them, yet when she stood before him with her fingers tilting his chin slightly upwards. It seemed that her words had a particular effect upon him, but his also had a profound effect upon her. It seemed she had found someone belonging to a clan she did not know and with an ability which seemed far too interesting to pass up the chance of thoroughly investigating and studying it. "So you summon the spirits of the dead...hmm?" It was something rather intriguing, to know someone was able not to summon a variety of animals and beasts with which a contract had been made, but rather the spirits of fallen humans, literally allowing for something of an incredible advantage in combat, certainly when the summoned spirit was that of a great shinobi of ancient times. "So...your misguided beliefs in something called the Shinigami is probably how your clan explains or rather hides its ability's power. It is rather disappointing that people would go and believe in a death god, while not having seen the other side of this bleak existence," The Deser Snake gave the young man a rather stern and almost cruel look, pitying him for his misguided belief and his obvious ignorance to the fact that the person who stood before him was without a doubt one of the few who had seen the reality of death, only to shrug it off through sheer will or great power of their own. In her case, it was both...she had seen Death when reviving herself from the brink of death due to an extensive injury which had left her incapacitated for quite a while and the second time she watched the memory of a man who had been thought as dead, but somehow returned to the living in an albeit different form. "This shinigami you believe in was most likely once a powerful shinobi of great cunning, ability and renown. Most likely the first to utilize this strange ability of yours and thus earning himself such a grandious nickname." The woman cared little for the young man's confession, deeply in thought as she was, questioning everything about what she had heard so far and getting more intrigued by the young man's supposed ability with every passing moment. “Forgive me, I just find you to be quite...intimidating.” These words drew her out of her train of thoughts, forcing her to show a soft grin towards the young man, a single corner of her lips curling ever so slightly upward to inform the kid that he had no idea at all how little she had done to intimidate him just yet. "You truly are odd to say the least. Odd, but very interesting...so...I will allow you to tell me your name>." 9 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Thu Jul 05, 2018 8:42 am "So you summon the spirits of the dead...hmm?" Akira nodded. "So...your misguided beliefs in something called the Shinigami is probably how your clan explains or rather hides its ability's power. It is rather disappointing that people would go and believe in a death god, while not having seen the other side of this bleak existence.” "This shinigami you believe in was most likely once a powerful shinobi of great cunning, ability and renown. Most likely the first to utilize this strange ability of yours and thus earning himself such a grandiose nickname." "You truly are odd to say the least. Odd, but very interesting...so...I will allow you to tell me your name." “I assure you, ma'am, that the existence of the Shinigami is real. We obtained our unnatural abilities generations ago from the Reaper Death Seal. He appeared and linked Chakra to us.” Akira pushed away her hand from under his chin and backed away, brows knitted. Her spell on him has broken, feeling quite offended by her remarks. Akira was especially vexed by her facial expression. The look was nonchalante and cold. He took a step back. The look on her face led Akira to look at the rest of her, a sight to surely behold. His stomach began to flutter again, yet it stopped at the recollection of her being a hard nosed nonbeliever. The belief in the Shinigami he held something he held dear. “The Shinigami appears during the reaper Death Seal. The ritualistic Jutsu was sacred for my people, as it allows us to see the Shinigami. My father was a volunteer sacrifice. He went up in front of people and was sacrificed to the Jutsu, for those who are the target of it. And I can attest, the Shinigami was seen by us, the people who he gifted with this ability, and the user of the Jutsu and the target. The sacrifice.” Akira sighed. But it's fine. “I don't expect nonbelievers to understand. I should be on my way. I will try not to stumble across your territory again.” Last edited by Akira Nekuro on Sat Jul 14, 2018 3:02 pm; edited 1 time in total 10 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:58 pm Lamya's eyebrows started to arch upwards in disbelief. It seemed this young man was either seriously delirious or some sort of deep-seeded religious zealot. It was in a sense almost pitiful to see, if anything...the rogue shinobi had understood that there was no such things as gods, only strong shinobi claiming that title for themselves. If there were a few who were close enough to the very idea of becoming a god, she'd say those were shinobi the likes of Ayakashi, the demon witch of the mist, Hastur the War God and without a doubt her own uncle: Enaka, the Black Serpent of Avarice. "Believing in such fairy tales is nice when you are but a kid," The woman let out a rather chilling sigh, leaning slightly closer, all the while looking straight into the young man's eyes with her own silver-lined, golden snakelike orbs of hers. "Unnatural abilities...perhaps, but you see...I won't go spouting out nonsense that I gained some unnatural abilities from some fictional being in one's past. Not when it's not even unnatural at all, it's simply evolution." Raising up her arms and snapping her fingers, a surge of chakra welled up through her, turning her skin scaley, growing a two to three meter long tail and her finger nails growing extensively. Laughing a bit and turning all around for a few seconds, she quickly reverted back to her regular appearance again. "All we basically do is channel our chakra and use it to various degrees and shapes," raising a pinger and pointing towards Akira, the woman simply grinned and nodded. "What you are doing is simply a variation on that, you use your chakra in a unique way that is probably secret to only your clan or comes natural due to evolution, yet in the end it is nothing more than that. Interesting, yes...Unique, most definately, but unnatural...hardly. If you truly want something unnatural..." The Desert snake placed the palms of her hands together and seemingly meditated, when a shimmering film of chakra passed over her body and she opened her eyes again with a devious smile. "Than why don't you kill me once, right here and now...stab me through the heart, slit my throat, blow a hole in my chest. Do that and I'll show you something beyond even your 'Shinigami's grasp...me." 11 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Sat Jul 14, 2018 6:42 pm "Believing in such fairy tales is nice when you are but a kid.” Maikeru was seconds away from turning around and walking away. Mere seconds. But this woman continued to egg him on. "Unnatural abilities...perhaps, but you see...I won't go spouting out nonsense that I gained some unnatural abilities from some fictional being in one's past. Not when it's not even unnatural at all, it's simply evolution." The lady then raised her hand, and snapped her fingers. Her skin turned hard, and patterned into scales. Her fingernails grow longer, and Akira’s eyes grew wide as he aw that she grew a tail. He felt himself back away slightly. “Umm.” And with a second snap, she reverted back to her normal self. “All we do is channel our Chakra into various degrees of shapes.” She proceeded to point at Akira, who began to feel even uneasier that he did prior. He looked down at her finger and back up at her. "What you are doing is simply a variation on that, you use your chakra in a unique way that is probably secret to only your clan or comes natural due to evolution, yet in the end it is nothing more than that. Interesting, yes...Unique, most definitely, but unnatural...hardly. If you truly want something unnatural..." “You are a ridiculous non-believer! You mock my religion, you denounce my gift! You have yet to witness the true power the Shinigami can unleash! The Shinigami’s power was used to revive the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Hokage during the Fourth Great Ninja War. You are proving to be quiet insufferable!” She then placed her hands together. Something about it seemed methodical. Possibly more methodical than it really was. Akira’s knitted brow, let up a little. "Then why don't you kill me once, right here and now...stab me through the heart, slit my throat, blow a hole in my chest. Do that and I'll show you something beyond even your 'Shinigami's grasp...me." Akira clenched his fist. He was being taunted. He yeild back his fist and punched her right in the chest. It was only met with a small pat. Immediately demoralized his body drooped, his fist still connected to her chest. “I uh….as you can see I lack physical athleticism. "As far as I know, it was a single man who summoned those of whome you speak from the realms beyond, with a technique long forgotten...yet very similar to yours indeed, though I remember that it was without flaw, without limit and performed by the will and choice of mortal men," The woman laughed and as her lips curled, she showed the young man a cruel grin, as she felt quite content to rid this child of his ridiculous zealotry and religious nonsense which seemed to spur him even more. Alas, her grin soon vanished, when the young man's physical prowess indeed seemed to be far beneath the meassure of any decent shinobi. Yet, she realized that perhaps it was not entirely the child's fault, her own physique had just grown beyond the regular capacities of an ordinary human and had taken on heights of strength and constitution only a handful of people in the known shinobi world had attained. "Hmm, so much for you showing me the full extend of your power...rather disappointing. However, I guess you are just more of a chakra user and have a distinct lack of physical attributes due to this choice of life." Her left hand went down to her hip, opening the top of a small sheath and pulling out a deep, black obsidian scalpel, which shimmered with a dark, necrotic aura. The scalpel itself seemed to be doused in the blood of hundreds, the wailing screams of souls to be heard by any who actually would have any connection to the spiritual realm itself. It was a weapon older than its wielder, older than any of the people living these days, dating back to times prior to the shinobi world. With the black scalpel in hand, the Desert Snake looked at the young man and pointed the sharp edge at him, the tip of it only a single inch away from his face, before she suddenly flipped the blade in her hand, having the blade of the scalpel point towards herself. "I might have learned that I am no god, that I am but a human...however, there is one thing I can tell you," In an instant, she stabbed the blade into her chest, coughing up blood as it pierced through skin and bone, ripped through tissue and muscle to hit the most important muscle of all, the Gate of Death itself: her heart. "I have all the time this world has to offer...urgh...to obtain a power of a god, nay even beyond a god...heh, no matter how many times it happens, I have yet to find a way to remove the pain when it happens." The woman fell to her knees, her chest heaving and her breath becoming shallow as the husk that was her body began to become lifeless. Then she fell down, silent and without movement, bar a few twists and twitches. It took some time, the wind blowing around the corpse and the young man, whipping up sand and forcing it to get into the most hidden crevices of any body within its playing field. Time progressed and it almost seemed that nothing had happened nor would happen. It almost seemed as if Akira had found himself a religious zealot who was more mad about their beliefs than even he seemed to be, but after at least half a minute of the corpse not moving, suddenly the corpse began to discolor, turned slightly gray and began to convulse violently. Two fingers jutted out of the wound in which the scalpel was still embedded, grabbing the dark weapon in between them, the fingers pried open the wound and out came a full hand, a full arm and even a shoulder. The wound ripped open, the ribs of the husk snapped and cracked while skin and muscle got ripped apart. From out of this gapîng hole, the upper half of what appeared to be a living version of the corpse arose, smiling and glistening with a fluid one would never dare to analyze. "Death is a concept, a mere hurdle to overcome. Now tell me kid, do you think the shinigami you hold in such high regard...would ever get a grasp on someone who has managed to bend death to her will?" Slowly, the naked form of the woman stepped out of the hollow husk on the ground, her alabaster skin smooth and devoid of any blemishes. The sand felt soft under her feet and the breeze in the air refreshing. With a grin, this woman in peak condition and physical perfection bar the two twisted horns crowning her head, started undressing the prune of a corpse so she could get her own stuff back from it and when she was fully clothed and geared up again, Lamya turned her attention back to Akira, all the while pulling the zipper of her armor upwards towards her chest, halting for a moment to make sure her catsuit wouldn't snag between the zipper. "It's all just chakra, from the way we live, the way we fight to the way we die...it's all just us and the power we hold within ourselves. There is no shinigami, for would a god of death have let me perform such a feat as this, in which I effectively escape death without a single price to pay?" Touching the horns on her head, she frowned for just a moment, before smiling again. "Well...besides these things ofcourse." 13 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:07 pm "Hmm, so much for you showing me the full extend of your power...rather disappointing. However, I guess you are just more of a chakra user and have a distinct lack of physical attributes due to this choice of life." Akira, his fist still connected to her chest below her neck and collarbone, sighed. It was quite true. He had normally used chakra to create out of lightning and fire, to practice handling and commanding for when he summoned his actual gifts. He didn’t rely on his own strength or power often, and when he did, it was with the power of his Jutsu. He yanked his fist away when he found that she took out what appeared to be a small knife. One with dried blood on it. But then she turned the small, yet intimidating blade on herself. "I might have learned that I am no god, that I am but a human...however, there is one thing I can tell you..." To Akira, the woman was beginning to sound insane. But beyond that he was prepared to pray, as she appeared to be committing suicide. He knew the Shinigami would accept her blashphemous self. She shoved the blade into where Akira had punched. She had begun to cut deep into herself, the blade going towards her vital heart. "I have all the time this world has to offer...urgh...to obtain a power of a god, nay even beyond a god...heh, no matter how many times it happens, I have yet to find a way to remove the pain when it happens." She then fell down towards her knees. And then she became lifeless. Akira looked at her for a good long time. When he believed she was confirmed dead, he slowly closed his eyes, sighing, and began to pray an internal chant. Then he noticed something. The wound began to sputter. The pile of dead meat would turn grey and spasm violently. The body began to rip apart, as another one would proceed to take its place. Eventually standing in front of Akira was the woman who had died. He took a step back. Only in all her full glory. Akira’s face became red hot, and his nose began to pour blood, unbeknownst to himself. "Death is a concept, a mere hurdle to overcome. Now tell me kid, do you think the shinigami you hold in such high regard...would ever get a grasp on someone who has managed to bend death to her will?" She then began to take the close off of the disgusting husk. Akira would watch her redress herself, this time blood coming from his other nostril. "It's all just chakra, from the way we live, the way we fight to the way we die...it's all just us and the power we hold within ourselves. There is no shinigami, for would a god of death have let me perform such a feat as this, in which I effectively escape death without a single price to pay?" Touching the horns on her head, she frowned for just a moment, before smiling again. "Well...besides these things of course." Maikeru didn’t know what to do. This was a situation that greatly confused him. He stared at the lady, up and down, and then at the corpse. He wiped the blood from his nostril, performed a hand seal, and summoned Akisu back. She looked around to see the lady in front of her. “Oh, so back for round tw-...what the hell is that?” She was looking at the deceased body. She took out her scimitar and poked it. “This is kinda disgusting.” “She took out a little knife and killed herself...but then she reamerged from the body...where she was fully bare, in all her glory...and then she put her clothes back on…” “Hold on. She killed herself? And then came back? How’s that even possib...oh….maybe I definitely am not in a position to ask such a question like that.” Akira kept staring at the woman in front of him, after seeing such a display. He was in awe. He knew of people coming back to life without the use of the Shinigami, but this was something different. This lady was intriguing. She was powerful. Akira didn’t exactly know what he was dealing with. And he felt the urge to walk away before he gets hurt. 14 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Mon Jul 16, 2018 6:26 pm When being finally fully dressed, the horned woman looked at Akira with a devious grin on her face, knowing exactly what he had to be thinking at that point. After all, was this not the most in-your-face proof that she was beyond the Shinigami's approach, having the option to revive herself in such a way that she even transcended the concept of age. Lamya had turned thirty not all too long ago, not a birthday she celebrated, but nonetheless each time she used the shin saisei technique, she simply shaved off the years to the point where her body itself was in peak physical condition, rejuvinated to the best point in the time and thus history of her body's cells. The only drawback to this issue was the fact that she had to adjust to her body for some time after each use of the technique, allowing her to sort of ride her new form for a while to get used to it. Her grin quickly vanished when the young man in what looked like a moment of insecurity, most likely caused by the obvious signs of his...'hormones' working up after her extraordinarily "revealing" way of revealing her point to the zealous child, suddenly formed a seal and brought back what looked to be the girl which had vanished in a puff of red smoke earlier. Lamya knew that this was yet again a display of his strange summoning ability, which though similar in a sense to the kinjutsu known as Impure World Resurrection, had less flaws in its basic use and less rules to abide by it seemed. However, it seemed that this reemerged child was not entirely prepared for what she was seeing. “Oh, so back for round tw-...what the hell is that?” She was looking at the deceased body. She took out her scimitar and poked it. “This is kinda disgusting.” Those words rather annoyed the Desert Snake, as she drew closer to the recently resummoned girl and glared at the child in a cold manner. "One does not expect the foolish and the zealosly blinded children of this world to understand the true principles of society and the power within that society," Lamya's words, though veiled with by her intelligence, did not cover up the fact that her mind towards these "believers" of the shinigami had not changed a single bit. "Death is not finite, thus by death not being finite, the grasp and thus the power of your so-called Shinigami is not absolute and thus therefore proven to be flawed." Waving her hand a bit and yawning, the rogue shinobi suddenly chuckled at her own comment, practically expecting the girl to lash out again. Despite not having any desire to fight or event try to do so, she was still curious about the young man's summoning power and how it truly worked, but she couldn't help herself from dejecting his beliefs either. "Now than, since I've proven your shinigami to be nothing more than an old wives' tale. How about I introduce you to a more...grand world of power and abilities? In exchange, all I desire is to study this remarkable ability of yours and who knows...I might actually help you to become more adept at it." The desert snake wondered what the young kid would do, but rather than await an answer, she turned around and started moving away, no longer willing to listen to the prattle of a zealot and simply intrigued wether or not said religious fanatic would take her up on her word, if it wasn't now, she doubted he would forget her offer anytime soon anyway. "It's all your choice, but know that I will be waiting and watching as long as you reside in these lands, where I am god," No joke, no threat, just a warning to heed and a piece of advice to hopefully remember till the time came. there would be no blood that day, for Lamya had no reason to hurt or even attack this young man so far. Last edited by Lamya on Fri Jul 27, 2018 5:31 am; edited 2 times in total 15 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training] on Mon Jul 16, 2018 11:28 pm "One does not expect the foolish and the zealosly blinded children of this world to understand the true principles of society and the power within that society." Akira had his eyes only half open. He had begun to believe himself to be beyond this woman’s words. "Death is not finite, thus by death not being finite, the grasp and thus the power of your so-called Shinigami is not absolute and thus therefore proven to be flawed." Akisu, feeling challenged glared at the woman. “I’ll have you know I don’t partake in Akira’s weird worship or whatever. But there’s no need for you to be a-” “Akisu!” Akira shouted her name with a bit more force. It caught her off guard, and for a brief moment, she had thought about her actions, and then relented. She noticed how the pale lady wasn’t paying her any attention regardless, which immediately gets under her skin. "Now than, since I've proven your shinigami to be nothing more than an old wives' tale. How about I introduce you to a more...grand world of power and abilities? In exchange, all I desire is to study this remarkable ability of yours and who knows...I might actually help you to become more adept at it." Akisu’s eyes widened. Akira, unamused by her offer began to open his mouth. Before he could say a word, Akisu grabbed his arm and looked at the woman. “Excuse us for a moment.” Akisu pulled Akira away with much force and urgency to get a respectable distance away from her. “Take the offer.” Akira was naturally shocked by this. “I thought you had initially found the woman unpleasent.” “I did. And I do. But one thing that is undeniable is that she is powerful, and she can make you into less of a wimp then you are now.” “And why on earth would I take her up on that? I could simply gain power through my own means.” “Akira, please. She’s the quick and easy way. With her, you can summon the others. Pleeeaaase do this. For me?” She began to throw a dramatically saddened face at Akira. The face does nothing for Akira, however, he can not deny her logic. The woman was on an entire different level of strength than he had seen before. If he can master the Gift of the Shinigami, it's through her power, and if he can master it, he can gain more gifts. Akira agreeingly nodded, and began to walk towards the woman, summoning Akisu away. “I will still hold on to my faith in the Shinigami. However, I will partake of your offer. I am willing to become your sibling.” Akira gave a slight bow to her. 16 Re: The Desert Serpent [Nk/Private/Training]	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11752
__label__cc	0.548267	0.451733	The View From Nathan's Bus Death in Paris Venizia Speeches! Nathan Vass, 2019 Washington State Book Award Finalist Never in a million years. That's what I thought when we applied for this thing a year ago. A pipe dream. You apply for it for the same reason you apply for Ivy League colleges, the Green Card lottery, or Oscar-qualifying film festivals. It's not actually about achieving the summit of those anthemic heights. It's about being able to go to sleep at night telling yourself you tried. I like sleeping. Relishing the mundane is more important than making your pipe dreams. It's the trying of it that's the thing. We applied for this award, the most prestigious literary award that isn't national, because why not. Yes, we're the scrappy underdog book applying for something that usually only goes to authors with major New York publishing deals. But isn't that what underdogs do? We applied, designer Tom and I, and then we forgot about it and went about enjoying our daily lives. I carried on with driving and writing, writing and filming, filming and photographing... and somehow, here we are. I woke up to an email that went directly to my spam folder. And why wouldn't it, with lines like "You've been selected..." "We're delighted to inform you..." The very same happened when Seattle Magazine named me one of their 35 Most Influential People: "You've been chosen..." Ah, spam. The folder with either the least... and some of the most life-changing missives I receive. What can I say here, now, that I haven't said here (Wall of Fame), here (Seattle Mag), here (book talk), here (film crew), here (birthday), here (SAM tour), here (darkroom show) and elsewhere, when enormous accolades have been thrown my way, and all I can do is blush? You know I'm no good at this sort of thing. I'm good at writing about incredible things happening to me that I may or may not deserve, but I'm no good at actually receiving them. I'm better at just driving around in a city bus... I bow in gratitude to every judge, every twist and stroke of fate, to designer Tom and editor Jacqueline. I bow in gratitude not simply for the sake of the book and I, but because a vote for this book is more crucially a vote for a particular way of seeing. Of thinking about people. Of treating them a certain way, taking care and compassion. Contemporary politics would have us believe empathy is dead. The incredible support this lil' book of mine keeps getting, topped off (so far!) by today's announcement, stands as the perfect rejoinder. That's why this matters. To get to take part in such a statement, to reinforce the existence and value of kindness in our age, is profoundly humbling. All of which is to say– Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: Thank you. More about the Award and its other finalists here. Purchase the book online from Elliott Bay Books, here or from Third Place Books, here. No, it isn't available on Amazon. If you're a local bookstore, owner of any sort of mom'n'pop store or other small business, pay rent in Seattle, or are homeless, you don't need me to explain why. We've sold through three print runs in record time without needing to go there. We've been a consistent top 5 bestseller in the city's largest independent bookstore for months because we haven't gone there. Supporting the little guys just feels better, doesn't it? I am hugely grateful the demand for this book has been so high that we've been able to afford taking this route. We'll stay this course as long as we are able, and/or until the book shifts ownership. So, again: Thank you all! More about the book, including a KING 5 interview with yours truly and more purchase locations, here. Couch Intuition It was the most elegant piece of furniture I'd ever seen dumped at a bus stop. How exciting! "Hang on a second, I just need to look at this awesome chair," I explained to my companion inside the bus. It was midnight. You can do stuff like that during the witching hour, when things that don't make sense suddenly do. I skipped out of my nigh-empty vehicle. Just my friend and an oblivious smartphone-gazing youngster back there, who never even noticed me leave. His loss. "Look at this amazing chair," I practically squealed to the homeless woman sitting nearby on the regular bus shelter bench. I forget her reply, which was a cautious affirmative. She's always like that, a sweetheart sleeper who talks like your sarcastic but loving aunt. My thought was, who would pass up the incredible opportunity to sit in this thing? Would you sit on the regular bus bench if this beaut was right next to you? Or maybe do something silly like drive the bus right past without smelling the roses, as it were? I plopped down on the plush black leather and loved everything about it, giggling at the absurd angle of the recline– clearly some rear supports were missing, making things all the better. When it comes to comic value, shifting any chair to a forty degree backwards tilt is a major improvement. We were looking at the world's first mid-century modern La-Z-Boy. The woman explained that it'd been there all day. "That's fantastic," I decreed. "This is definitely the best bus stop in Seattle right now. Look at this thing!" I exclaimed to another passenger who was walking up, a young woman who rarely speaks but always smiles. She grinned, chuckling at my enthusiasm. "Here," I said. "I'm gonna angle it so that they can see the bus coming more easily..." Yes, it could've been wet. It could've smelled. It might've had chemicals or paraphernalia or stains or razor blades or animals... But it didn't. Sometimes what-ifs and paranoia are important, worthwhile. And sometimes they're for the birds. You've gotta go with your gut. Your intuition is the amalgamation of all of your life experiences, and it always knows more than your conscious mind does at any given moment. You can always reason yourself into doing something, and your emotions can always come up with cause for fear and holding back. Your gut is in between, and it's quieter and deeper than either. Wiser. Sometimes it knows that getting excited about a broken couch with a couple of chuckling strangers on a dark night will be just fine. Nathan on NPR: III Did you miss Wednesday's broadcast? It's all here. Host Deborah Wang and I chat about "who (really) rides the bus" in Seattle, and so much more. Click here for KUOW's page with a link to the full radio hour (fascinating stuff!), as well as a direct link to my piece; scroll down for my segment. Huge thanks to everyone at KUOW who put this together, to you who stop by the site and take an interest, to Metro for letting me be me, and to the peeps out there for being exactly who they are. For other interviews with me on NPR, various podcasts, television, and print outlets, click here. King Travis You would know if you’ve seen him. No one else here in Seattle, whether mentally stable, unstable, housed or employed or otherwise, has the happy-go-lucky gall to dress up like a king outside of Burger King. I don’t even know if the restaurant has anything to do with it. Travis stands out there most every day, like any number of folks you see at freeway exit ramps or major intersections. If you spend enough time in such places, you’ll notice a pattern: there’s often a second figure standing by in the wings, waiting for the first to vacate his position so he can “start his shift,” as it were. But nobody else panhandles in Travis’ spot. Who would follow a king? You’d be forever doomed to be second-rate. Look at that stubby smiling fellow, complete with flowing black cape and gold crown, sword and shield, a grin ever-visible beneath the appropriately regal beard. His sword remains sheathed, and instead of holding a sign he moves between the cars offering a gesture of prayerful supplication and a well-wishing smile. Like my older friends who don’t need to wear logos or slogans on their shirts, who simply are themselves and you have to talk to them to know them, his being, his life force, is his sign. I’ll open my driver’s side window for a brief chat at the light, or else tap the horn twice as I roll by. He always knows it’s me. Today, though, Travis was a mile or two further down the road, collapsed on the concrete expanse of Mount Baker Transit Center. I pulled up and opened the doors as other intending passengers came aboard. He cried out from his prone position on the ground. “I need somebody to help me up.” “Hey, Travis,” I called out. I stepped outside, toward him. “Okay, let’s see here.” I had to do something. You don’t just leave a monarch sprawled on his belly on the side of the road. Especially a benevolent monarch. “How’re we gonna do this. How about I reach under your arms like this, and then we’ll both stand up, okay? Let’s do this.” He’s a smaller guy. This was doable. “Okay there we go. Great. You got it. Now do you wanna go sit on that bench, or do you want the bus?” “I want the bus.” “Okay, let’s go get on this bus. But listen Travis, if you sit down on the bus, are you gonna be able to stand up again?” “I’ll stay standing.” “Great. Cool.” I wondered how long he had been lying there. I didn’t ask. “Hang on, lemme put my sword down,” he said as we settled inside. “Yeah, they say no swordfights on the bus…” After a chuckle he said with complete seriousness, “Nathan, thank you. Thank you. I’m so glad you came by.” Me, trying to brush it off: “I’m so glad I did too!” “I’m so glad it was you.” Actors try for sincerity that unvarnished. It was a simple sentence, but it answered my unasked question: he had definitely lain there for no small part of the afternoon. “I’m so glad too! And I’m glad I get to see ya! It’s an honor to have a King onboard…” I kept it in between a joke and earnest gravity, the better to let him lead. I like that he chose the latter. “Man, Nathan,” he mused, “I remember the first time I met you.” “Me too. You were just in from what, Texas, right, Austin?” “Yeah. You make me feel better every time I see you. Thanks for every single moment.” “You too, it brings me up every time I see you! And I love what you’ve come up with, being King and all. Nobody else out here has even thought of puttin’ together a cool outfit like that, havin’ some fun with it. You know?” “Hey, I’m trying to make Seattle happier one smile at a time!” “I think it’s down to just you and me doin’ that, but I think we’re doin a bang-up job!” “I think so too. I just don’t like fallin’, man.” “Yeah, fallin’ down’s no fun. Falling can be a bigger deal than people think.” “Yeah it is.” “But even a King needs a lil’ help every now and then.” “We gotta help each other out, right?” “You make me feel appreciated, Nathan.” “Right back atcha.” “I’m so glad it was you. I love you, brother.” “Love you too, man. I’ll see ya soon.” He stepped off on his own, slowly. You could say regally. Travis pulls off the king act so well because he’s humble. He’s an educated man, well-spoken and with a sizable knowledge of the law. He has reason to be proud, but he isn’t. The gaze of pride is inward, and as such it risks blindness. Travis walks with his eyes open. “That’s the king right there,” I said to whoever was in earshot, half to myself, as I drove away. I felt lucky to know the guy. A figure seated behind me called out in response: “yes sir!!” Two weeks later Travis’ longtime girlfriend would step aboard my 7. I don’t know her name. She’s almost pathologically quiet, but on this day, and for the first time in the four years I’ve known them, she would lift her eyes up to me and speak. She said, “Hey. Travis told me you helped him up onto the bus when he had fallen down.” The years of silence beforehand, knowing of her introverted character, vested the moment with enormous size. It was the type of sentence you worked on, rehearsed, you who for whatever reason don’t like speaking, find it hard to talk to strangers. But you did it on this occasion because it was important. “Yeah, I did,” I replied, my jaw slightly agape with wonder, still processing the fact that she had just spoken. “He’s a good guy.” “Yeah, he is. Thanks for doing that.” “Oh, of course.” I never heard her speak again. More NPR, plus Expanded Bookstore List Real quick– I've got a few upcoming stories I'm particularly excited to share, including a four-part series covering an event that turned out rather differently than I expected. Stay tuned. For now, I invite you to tune in to KUOW once again, tomorrow (Wednesday the 3rd) at noon!! You'll hear me on The Record then with what are hopefully some interesting tidbits both factual and anecdotal regarding who, really, rides the bus in Seattle. Deb, Adwoa and the KUOW crew went way beyond the extra mile this time to host me. If you knew the circumstances... I'm still falling down with gratitude. Show them and their terrific station your support by tuning in! Listen to previous appearances with me and a whole lot more here. Coming from NPR and new to my site? Hello! Here's a primer on my book, and here's a curation of popular posts from the past year! Welcome! Bookstore Location Updates Lastly- the book is now available at more locations. You'll find copies for sale at Third Place Books in -Lake Forest Park, -Seward Park, and -Ravenna (buy from Third Place online here!); Phinney Books; Elliott Bay Books (buy online here!); & Madison Books. Is your bookstore not listed above? Pester them about my book! I'm super excited to support any local bookselling enterprise that isn't, you know, named after a rainforest... Photo by Quinn Hallenbeck. Nathan You can find me (Again! Finally!) on the Great 7/49, in the evenings. What is this blog? Check out the explanatory first post, or read the front-page Seattle Times writeup here! Here's a one-page crash course with links and highlights: Nathan Vass 101 My Book is Finally Easy to Purchase! For New Bus Drivers: Thoughts, Tips, and Stories Only have time for one story? Try these. -The Day The Earth Stood Still -Fecal and Philosophical Matters -Le Park de Cal Anderson -Black Lives -Fighters and Lovers, In and Out of Time -Andy After Death -Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Great & Terrible 358 -I'M A LIGHT-SKINNED BLACK WOMAN! -Scroll down on this sidebar to "On the Street," below, for more highlights~ -My Seattle -Popular Posts from 2018, with Commentary -Nathan on the Elliott Bay event: Parts I, II, and III -Seattle Magazine / Third & Cherry -Pretty Sure I Don't Deserve This -How I Live Now -Escaping the Overlords: Nathan on Comcast -I Am Now Ten Years Old -Confession -Flowers in a Pool of Blood: Thoughts From an American in Paris -Paris, One Year Later: A Personal Perspective -The Transgender Ban -Nathan on the Las Vegas shootings: On Terror & Other Things -The Birthday That Almost Never Happened -Nathan Takes a Day Off: Part 1 (See Nathan Run); Part 2 (Nathan Gets Excited); Part 3 (Nathan Sounds Like Morgan Freeman) -Rad(iation) City -La La Land & What Los Angeles Means -Reparations -Names Nathan gets called! A list in three parts: 1, 2, 3 -Where and How it All Began -How I Write the Posts, and Why -Chaleur Humaine -A Story -What Not to Say -In Praise of Silver Hair -You're Been a Good Friend of Mine -...And a Splendid New Year! -Nathan Converses With His Colleagues: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Political: -The Great Male Detoxification Project -The Day the Music Died -Kindness In the Days of After -Understanding Love & Hate During Trump Nation -More than Health, More than Money -Seattle, Center of the Modern Universe -What We Did, Today -This Story Has Nothing to do With Donald Trump -Don't Be Scared of My Friends, Part I -Don't Be Scared of My Friends, Part II -The Music Isn't Dead (Yet) -Nathan Actually Talks Politics, Pt III: Keeping the Music Alive -Pulling Our Weight, Part II: Addressing the Homeless Laziness Question -Getting Some Diversity Off My Chest -The Veterans -Islamofriendia -Be at Peace, Mr. Garner. We Will Love the World For You -The Streets Regard Ferguson -How do You Change the World? Thoughts on Violence -Cowboys of the New Age: Status & Respect in the American Ghetto -A Boy Named Hamza: Thoughts on Hate in Three Parts -It Used to Sound Like This On film & art: -The Lie & How to See It: On Hate, Despair & Hope in Contemporary Film -Notre Thoughts -Addressing Despair: Nathan on First Reformed -How Evergreen Became Irrelevant -October 2018 show breakdown: all the deets -On Color Darkrooms -The Non-Bailers: Thank You to the Cast & Crew of Men I Trust, Pt I -People I Trust: Thanks to My Cast and Crew, Pt 2 -Nathan's Overlooked Films of 2016: Trailers, photos, analyses -A Bus Driver Reviews the New Bus Driver Movie! -My Films -Song to Song and Malick: The Cutting Edge -Nathan on Wet Lab Prints -Kehinde Wiley: The Morning After -Nathan the Friendly Hermit, Part I: Nathan Gets Pasty -Nathan the Friendly Hermit, Part II: Pastier and Pastier -Birdman, (a) Film of the Decade -Gone Girl: Fidelity & Subjectivity -On Gravity and Identity -Primary Colors with Music: Andrea Arnold's American Honey -Sicario: Why Visuals Matter -The Martian: On Intelligence in Pop Culture -About Elly -Best films of 2015: Trailers, photos, analyses -Selected writings on films released in 2014, 2013, and 2012. On the Street: -Eulogy for the Damned -The Great and Terrible Fifth & Jackson: An Ethnography -Decent Street: Kendrick, Gender, Lingo, & the Good Man Problem -The Shake'N'Bake: Parts 1, 2, & 3 -I've Been Sainted -The Hug -Dominique The Mystique -Deserve, the Concept and the Song -Gangsta Phone Strategy, Deep Breaths & Kindness Rising -Love, Deeply -It's Never Over Til It's Over -"I Love Everybody!" -The Joy of Bus Driving -The Knife's Edge Dance -The Soulful Stench -"Everybody Need to Quit Acting Hard and S**t" -The Mother's Day Apocalypse -Ode to Aurora -Ode to the 358 -Ode to the 7 (Cascade of a Thousand Colors) -"I BET YOU APPROVE UH GAY MARRIAGE" -The Question -By Himself -Appreciation -Banter in the Nighttime -The Nathan Train -The Benevolent Roar -Truthfulness, the Final Currency -Love is in the Air -Respect, Currency of the Street -Thought I Heard Something -Things I've Learned From the 358 -Surfing the Sparkling Wave -Saddest Music in the World -Rainier & Henderson, Baby! -Sheeeeeeyyiitt: Strategies for Day or Night -The Circle of Spelling and Life -AngryNice I (Love Through Frustration) AngryNice II: Tran Chimes In AngryNice III (We've All Felt It) -Love (Hurting From a Lack Thereof) -Hip to be Joyful -Future, Present, Past -Changing Awful -Harsh -The Nameless Heroes -The Break-Up -Tropic Of -Figuring it All Out in the Bullpen -First Day of School -Thoughts of Ourselves -Leaving Small Talk Behind -India -She Did It On a Monday -One Day, My Friend -I Am Now Two Years Old -The Harder Thing -Poker Face Practice -The Great Freeze For Bus Drivers! -The Swagger I Love: Thoughts on My Fellow Operators -A Love Letter for My Colleagues: Exercises and Stretches for Operators -What I've Learned From Other Bus Drivers -Rest in Peace, Breda Monster -I Don't Know What a Trolley is, Part I -I Don't Know What a Trolley is, Part II -Verbal	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11753
__label__cc	0.643293	0.356707	Museum to reunite Venus statue with head Conservators to piece sculpture together after decades of separation This image from the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University shows a Roman marble statue of Venus that was purchased by the museum at a Sotheby's auction this month. The museum plans to reunite the statue with its head. By Giovanna Dell'Orto	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11754
__label__cc	0.500635	0.499365	Episode title: 8003 Australian and UK airdate: 26/12/18 Writer: Jo Kasch Director: Chris Langman Guests: Liz Conway: Debra Lawrance Jane Harris: Annie Jones Delaney Renshaw: Ella Newton Regina Grundy: Timba Summary/Images by: Liam/Graham - Liz is upset about not having been invited to Bea's concert at The Waterhole - Valerie Grundy, the reclusive resident of No 34, has died – survived only by her dog Regina - Delaney tells Paul that Mannix died in the bush; if he helps her with Leo, no- one will find out - Paul tells Leo about Delaney's claims, and worries that he may have killed Mannix - Paul takes a car out to where Delaney says Mannix's body is, skids off the road and bumps his head - When Paul wakes, his dead father Jim appears in a CGI bauble, saying he can still be a better person - Paul begins digging in the ground, and is horrified to uncover what appears to be a human foot Susan is just about to enter the house, when she finds a parcel sitting on the doorstep. She goes inside, calling out for Liz – but there's no response. She opens the parcel, and is shocked at what she finds inside… Paul's Penthouse A bewildered- looking Paul is gazing into the bauble Jane gave him, in which the apparition of Jim appeared to him. Leo is with him, and he asks if he's sure the body in the bush was Mannix's. PAUL: Well, who else can it be? All the details match. LEO: Alright. Well, we'll deal with it. We'll shift his body somewhere. Delaney can't get away with blackmailing you like this! Leo tells Paul to let him fix this – as it wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for Leo ratting out the Renshaws in the first place. PAUL: It's too risky to move the body – I mean, what happens if we get caught by the police? Or worse, the Renshaws? That's not gonna be good for you, is it? Besides – I am the one who did this. LEO: But you weren't the one who stabbed him. PAUL: It doesn't matter! I'm the one who left him out in the middle of the bush without any medical assistance. No, he is dead because of me. So, no matter what happens, that is on me. Jane comes in, surprised that Paul missed the concert. He says he was away longer than he thought. JANE: You were with Jim this whole time? PAUL: Yeah, I… guess I just needed to see him, hey? Jane notices Paul is holding the bauble and, assuming it fell off the tree, takes it and goes to replace it. Meanwhile, Paul looks sick with guilt. Liz asks Susan why she's not her ‘usual effusive self' tonight. Susan hesitates, before taking out the package she found on the doorstep and showing it to Liz. The package contains a photo album, full of pictures of Finn Kelly, including as a child. LIZ: How creepy! So, who would've dropped this off? SUSAN: I dunno. It was left anonymously. I don't know whether it's meant for me, or the girls, or for all of us. LIZ: Well, what if it's a warning? That there's gonna be another attack? SUSAN: Well, that's an overreaction! LIZ: Well, yeah – tell me when somebody dies! (…) And also, maybe this is a bit more directed at you, cos you were the one that pushed him. SUSAN: Thanks, Liz (!) Possibly. Yes. Susan announces that she's going to drop the album into the police station tomorrow so that they can follow it up. She asks Liz not to say anything to Bea and Elly – there's no point worrying them until there's something concrete to go on. Liz agrees. Paul fetches Leo a whisky and joins him to sit on the balcony. Leo notices that Paul seems to have a headache; Paul explains about his ‘minor accident' in the car, and that he hit his head. At first he insists everything's okay, then… PAUL: You know what? Something really strange happened, Leo. This is gonna sound crazy, but, for a moment, I thought I saw Dad. LEO: … PAUL: Well, you know, I've been thinking about him a lot lately. About if he'd be proud of me, about the man I've become. You know, I just started to feel like I was getting to a good place. LEO: Yeah. You're someone who'd do anything for your family. PAUL: Yeah, those I haven't driven away. Paul worries that Delaney could turn him in. Leo insists she won't, if they can find a way to get some more leverage. PAUL: Oh, no, Leo, I am sick to death of scheming my way out of situations. That has been my MO all my life, and look where it's led me. LEO: Okay, then – what do you want to do? PAUL: I dunno, I dunno – I just need some time to think. Lassiter's Lake Aaron is taking Val Grundy's dog Regina (‘Reggie') for a walk, accompanied by Piper and David. We learn that Clancy and Reggie have been struggling to get on at the Sharma- Rebecchis', so Aaron and David have taken Reggie off their hands for the time being. Piper also explains there's been no luck finding Val's next of kin; and even if Toadie does find them, they may not want the dog. AARON: I would take Reggie off your hands in a heartbeat – if only Mark wasn't such a… Mark. They all fawn over the dog, until Delaney shows up, recognising David from Sydney. He seems surprised and pleased to see her, and they hug. She's surprised Leo hasn't told David that she's in town. David introduces Reggie, Piper, and Aaron as his husband. DELANEY: Married? Oh my gosh, that is fantastic! I knew there had to be a reason you never hit on me! Delaney rushes off, but makes David promise to catch up properly before she goes. Piper looks suspicious – and once Delaney's gone, asks how they knew each other. David explains that Leo used to work at one of her dad's clubs. PIPER: Oh, but you two seem really close? DAVID: Well, Leo adored her. And they were always together. I couldn't help but get to know her. Piper looks even more suspicious. Harold's Café Terese arrives, and finds Leo ordering a coffee at the counter. She mentions he was tossing and turning last night, wondering aloud if it's anything to do with whatever's going on with Paul. Leo is evasive, and Terese reminds him that he can talk to her, about anything. LEO: It's just this Delaney stuff. It's just gotten all complicated. TERESE: What? I thought you said she was leaving? LEO: I know… and look, I can't go into detail, okay? I just need you to trust me, and I need to figure out how to handle what's come up. Terese wants to help, but Leo replies that he needs to work it out on his own. Terese grudgingly agrees, and he kisses her, promising to call her later. Bea is receiving messages of support from fans after her successful concert at The Waterhole. Susan sings her praises too – but Bea is surprised when Liz then starts gushing about how wonderful she was, given that she asked Liz not to be there! LIZ: Oh, alright – I listened from inside Harold's. I know you didn't want me to be there, but I just couldn't bear the thought of missing out, that's all. BEA: And you liked it? LIZ: You were incredible… And I'm… I'm sorry I made you doubt yourself when you were young. BEA: Okay. LIZ: Okay? Is that all I get? I'm trying to say sorry here. Susan asks if Bea has thought of writing her own songs. Bea says she has been doing ever since she was a kid. Liz is surprised, and says she'd love to hear them. Bea's not sure, saying they're pretty personal, and heads off to get a shower. Once Bea's gone, Liz complains to Susan that Bea seems hell- bent on keeping her at arm's length – before launching into a criticism of Susan for failing to tell Bea that “some maniac” has left pictures of Finn on the doorstep. Susan looks conflicted. Lassiter's Complex In the courtyard, Delaney overhears Terese telling Piper that there's something on Leo's mind, but that he won't tell her what. She sees Terese and Piper hugging before going their separate ways. Delaney saunters over to talk to Piper, who reveals that Terese is her mother. DELANEY: Wow! Yeah, this is awkward, then. Look, I'm probably the last person you want to talk to right now. But I'm honestly so glad Terese has someone to lean on. PIPER: Excuse me? DELANEY: Well, it was never my intention to hurt Terese, okay? Me and Leo have just always had this connection. We've always known we're Meant To Be™. PIPER: Sorry – do you actually think there's something going on between you and Leo? DELANEY: Yeah. Well, that's why you were hugging Terese, isn't it? PIPER: Look, I don't know what you think is going on. But Leo and Terese are very much together. He'd never do anything to hurt her. Piper walks off, leaving Delaney looking worried. Bea is about to head off to see Xanthe, but Liz asks if she wants to play her one of her songs instead. LIZ: I meant it when I said I'd love to hear one. BEA: Yeah, I meant it when I said they're personal. Bea's about to leave, but Liz decides to use the package Susan received as leverage to help her earn Bea's trust. LIZ: Susan told me not to tell you, but it just doesn't feel right, knowing something when you don't. She retrieves the package, explaining someone put it on the doorstep last night, and that it's full of photos of Finn. Looking through the album, Bea looks upset, and Liz feigns empathy, comforting her. LIZ: Oh, darling! Oh, you've gone white as a sheet! David has good news for Aaron when he comes in – he's sweet- talked Mark, who is Not In This Episode™, into agreeing that Reggie the dog can live with them! Aaron is thrilled not to be parted from Reggie, and kisses David, declaring him ‘the best husband'. Aaron prepares to give the dog a tour of the house, adding… AARON: … Don't forget, you have to stay out of Uncle Mark's room! That's a no- no. DAVID: As is drinking out of the toilet bowl. AARON: Erm, David – Reggie is a lady. Piper is filling in Terese on what Delaney said to her before. Terese concludes it's a case of wishful thinking on Delaney's part. TERESE: Leo said he was very direct when he turned her down. PIPER: Look, don't get me wrong – I really like Leo. But is there any chance that he wasn't completely straightforward with you about Delaney? TERESE: Look, I'll admit the whole thing is a little strange. PIPER: Yes, right? Like, before she got here, he said that she was this ‘sweet kid'. And from what I've seen, Mum, she's neither of those things. And, like, he completely downplayed how much he knew her. David told me that they were super- close (…) TERESE: He wouldn't cheat on me, Piper. PIPER: I didn't say that he would, Mum. But I'm just saying that you shouldn't put up with him keeping secrets from you, either. TERESE: Yeah, I need to find out what's going on. Susan comes in, and is annoyed to find Liz showing Bea the photo album of Finn. Liz claims that the worry of it had been playing on her mind, and it just tumbled out. Susan explains to Bea that she didn't want her to have to face Finn again, even in this form. Bea says it's fine – she was shaken at first, but it's been ‘weirdly therapeutic'. BEA: Seeing him like this, young, makes me realise that… he's just a boy who grew to be a messed- up man. A really messed- up one. But human – he wasn't always a monster. LIZ: Now, see, I think this is progress! Maybe I did the right thing by showing her. SUSAN: It's hard to imagine this happy little boy grew up to do such awful things. BEA: And these photos – they're so normal! LIZ: Excuse me – there is nothing normal about this at all! Some sicko dropped it on the doorstep to frighten us, so who knows what's gonna happen next? Susan says it's time to take the photos to the police – they'll all feel safer knowing who left it, and why. Leo catches up with Delaney, who challenges him on why he hasn't broken up with Terese yet. LEO: It's complicated. DELANEY: It's really not! You end things with her and begin them with me. LEO: I need more time. DELANEY: Look, you and your dad might think I'm this kid who won't do what I say I will. But you're wrong. Leo, I love you too much to tell my family what you've done to them. But letting the cops know what your father did to Mannix… Leo suggests they talk it through over dinner tonight, but Delaney's sick of talking. DELANEY: I want action. LEO: Laney, what's going on? These threats, the way you're acting – you never used to be like this. DELANEY: Well, maybe I wasn't as afraid of my family as I am now. Seeing what they've done. I didn't think they were capable of doing things like that. LEO: Your dad and uncle would never hurt you. DELANEY: Leo, I need you. I mean it. Being with you is the only thing that makes me feel safe. LEO: But it won't make you happy. I don't love you. So you've got to stop trying to force me to. DELANEY: That's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to make you remember how you used to feel about me. But I can't do that while you're with that woman. LEO: You mean Terese. Who I do love. DELANEY: For now. You know what you need to tell her – or you know what will happen to you and your father. Aaron thanks David for securing Reggie as the newest member of their family. DAVID: I know Regina can't make up for your diagnosis. But I hope she helps a little. AARON: No, she does – she helps a lot. I've always wanted a little fur- baby! DAVID: And you know, the door's always open when you want to talk about baby- babies as well, right? AARON: … Yeah. No, I do, I do. Just not yet. DAVID: Yeah, that's okay. Take your time. I'm right here when you are ready, though. Jane notices the bruise on Paul's forehead; he explains that he had a minor bump in the car. Terese arrives, asking to speak to Paul – so Jane makes herself scarce to get a coffee. TERESE: I'm worried that Leo's keeping something serious from me. And I had this demented thought that maybe you're the person to ask. PAUL: Why? TERESE: Because the two of you were acting cagey yesterday. And because ever since Delaney turned up, things have been weird. You see, she wants to be with him. But he told me that he set her straight. You know what – I hate the fact that I'm having to ask you this. But do you know if there's anything going on with her and Leo? PAUL: No, of course there's not! TERESE: Don't lie to me. PAUL: Look, it's not what you think. I promise you that. Truly. Believe it or not, I want what's best for you two. We cut to the garden, where Leo is looking upset while reading a Christmas card from Terese. ‘So excited to spend many more special occasions with you. All my love, Terese.' Paul continues speaking in voiceover. PAUL: I'm sure that he will tell you everything when he can. You've got to trust me on that. Terese replies that Leo told her to trust him, too. TERESE: Let's just hope it's not a case of like father, like son. PAUL: Leo's a far better man than I'll ever be. More of Leo looking upset in the garden. Bea offers to come with Susan to the police station to take the photo album, but Susan tells her just to enjoy her day. Xanthe turns up looking for Bea – on her way in, she's found an envelope in the bushes, addressed to Susan. SUSAN (reading): Please call me – we need to talk about… Finn Kelly. There is a name in the card, Shaun Watkins, with a phone number. Bea wonders if it was the same guy who left the album – Susan realises the card must have blown off in the wind. They show Xanthe the photos, who suggests they call Shaun Watkins to find out what's going on. Susan thinks there's no harm in doing that before they go to the police. SUSAN (on the phone): Hello, this is Susan Kennedy, you wanted me to call you? Leo is loading his cases into a taxi when Terese arrives home. She again implores him to tell her what's going on, but then sees the cases – he's moving out. LEO: I can't do this. TERESE: Do what? LEO: This. Us. I thought I could make it work, but, well, Delaney being back, it's changed things. TERESE: Are you serious?! LEO: I've been trying to fight it. But we had this Moment™ in the sauna. It was minor, but it showed me that her and I, we… TERESE: You told me you loved me yesterday! LEO: And I do… in a way. But, what her and I have, it's different. TERESE: What you have? A moment? Leo, this is ridiculous! LEO: … Truthfully, I've always been attracted to her, and her being back, well, it's brought back all those Feelings™ for me, so… TERESE: I don't believe you. LEO: I love her, Terese. I have for a while, and… I want to be with her. And I'm sorry I've hurt you, and I've been dishonest, but… it's just the way it is. Terese shakes her head in disbelief as Leo drives away. Coming up on Neighbours - Liz tells Elly she's just trying to help, but Elly makes it clear she doesn't want it - Chloe tells Mark she's worried she'll never find someone who looks at her like Elly looks at him - Chloe looks jealous as Elly and Mark dance at a party - Terese tells Leo that what they had doesn't just disappear - Terese and Ned see Leo kissing Delaney on the lips. Susan Kennedy Paul Robinson, Leo Tanaka Susan Kennedy, Liz Conway Finn Kelly Piper Willis, Aaron Brennan, David Tanaka Delaney Renshaw Leo Tanaka, Terese Willis Bea Nilsson, Susan Kennedy, Liz Conway Piper Willis, Delaney Renshaw Liz Conway, Bea Nilsson Aaron Brennan, Regina Grundy, David Tanaka Piper Willis, Terese Willis Bea Nilsson, Susan Kennedy Leo Tanaka, Delaney Renshaw Aaron Brennan, David Tanaka Paul Robinson, Jane Harris Paul Robinson, Terese Willis Leo Tanaka Bea Nilsson, Xanthe Canning Terese Willis	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11756
__label__wiki	0.954543	0.954543	Location:Home > news > with many expressing their disapproval using the Twitter hashtag #KimOhNo. She also appeared to hav with many expressing their disapproval using the Twitter hashtag #KimOhNo. She also appeared to hav business Celebrities clothing and accessories Business and industry sectors economy and trade Entertainment Kim Kardashian West backs down over 'Kimono' lingerie range Name drew accusations of cultural appropriation Amy Woodyatt, CNN, and Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN, and Lianne Kolirin, CNN Posted: Jul 02, 2019 01:06 AM CDT Updated: Jul 02, 2019 06:26 AM CDT Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images LOS ANGELES - Japan is to dispatch patent officials to the US next week to discuss the uproar over Kim Kardashian West's "Kimono" branded underwear, it was announced on Tuesday. On Monday, the reality TV star backed down over plans to launch a "Kimono"-branded lingerie line, after the naming of the new range prompted accusations of cultural appropriation. In a statement published on Twitter, the Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko acknowledged that Kardashian West would be renaming her brand, but said that he would nevertheless be sending officials for a meeting at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 9. Japan would be monitoring the situation in future, he added. In a press conference on Tuesday, the minister said he wanted a "careful examination" of the issue and that the executives would be sent to "properly exchange views", Reuters news agency reported. "The kimono is regarded around the world as a distinct part of our culture," he added. "Even in America, kimono is well known to be Japanese." On Monday, Kardashian West said a statement published on Twitter and Instagram that she would be launching her brand under a new name "after careful thought and consideration." On June 25, the reality TV star announced the launch of a new line of flesh-colored shapewear called "Kimono." The launch met with an immediate backlash from people of Japanese heritage around the world, with many expressing their disapproval using the Twitter hashtag #KimOhNo. She also appeared to have trademarked the word "kimono" -- according to Business Insider, a search of the online database for the United States Patent and Trademark Office revealed that Kimono Intimates Inc. applied to trademark a specific font version of the word. Originating in the Hakuhō (Early Nara) period (645-710), the kimono is an ankle-length gown with long, wide sleeves and a V- neck. With neither ties nor buttons, it is tied left over right across the chest and secured at the waist with a broad sash called an an obi. San Francisco-based Yuka Ohishi, who tweeted about the controversy, told CNN: "I was not very pleased by companies using the word kimono to market beach cover-ups and robes. And then Kim Kardashian went to a whole new level by simply using the word as a pun. Her line is not at all inspired by the Japanese kimono, pays no respect." The mayor of Kyoto, Daisaku Kadokawa, wrote an open letter to Kardashian West urging her to "reconsider" the line. "We think that the names for 'Kimono' are the asset shared with all humanity who love Kimono and its culture therefore they should not be monopolized," Kadokawa wrote. In her statement Monday, the reality TV star responded: "My brands and products are built with inclusivity and diversity at their core and after careful thought and consideration, I will be launching my Solutionwear brand under a new name. I will be in touch soon. Thank you for your understanding and support always." She said she named her products "with the best intentions in mind." ，wine，food Pre： but they were able to identify the man as Jimenez. He was arrested Wednesday after detectives spoke Next： advertise rivalry scene and late improvement. To extend the worth and deals volume of Microfiber Un kimono means thing thats worn protested when her practice permit was revoked by the Myanma have shown that mishandled tensions between a couple tend to I WANT MY UNDERWEAR : BUSINESSMAN TAKES EX SMALL HOUSE TO COU 2019 11:41 AM CDT Oprah Winfrey speaks onstage the Women in with many expressing their disapproval using the Twitter has digital media and boxed items. It can be fixed near a wall	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11758
__label__cc	0.620262	0.379738	The Four Paws Hotel & Day Resort By Cheryl Dennison on November 1, 2017 My Day At The Four Paws Hotel & Day Resort in Grand Blanc, it really is a dog’s life! Dog owners from all over entrust the compassionate and caring staff there to take care of their beloved canines while they are at work or away on vacation. And according to Owner Michelle Goetz, a day at Four Paws is anything but dull, “It can be loud – very loud!” she exclaims with a smile. “There’s a lot of barking, but it’s fun and full of love.” A self-described dog lover, Goetz became acquainted with the business when she took her own dogs there when it was Paw Palace, owned by Heidi McAra. Goetz says she was devastated when she found out that McAra was closing the facility and consolidating it with her Fenton location. “So, I bought it to keep it going!” she exclaims. “The first six or seven months were tough, but I have a great staff and we’ve really grown quite a bit.” Goetz took some time out of her busy schedule to chat with My City Magazine about a typical day at The Four Paws Hotel & Day Resort. The day begins bright and early as staff prepares for guest arrival. Overnighters are taken outside for a potty break and breakfast is started. On average, about 60-70 dogs come for day care. “We officially open at 7am,” Goetz states, “but we will accommodate an earlier drop-off, if needed.” Meals can be provided, but most owners bring food from home and leave feeding instructions. Staff members, who are called Leads, feed the dogs and give them any required medications as directed by their owners. Lead Assistants help with distributing meals and clean-up. After breakfast, the dogs have a little time to relax in their own individual rooms until play groups are formed, explains the owner. 8-11:30AM It’s morning playtime. Age-specific play groups are formed, with smaller and larger breeds separated. Indoor areas are designated for romping around, and an outside play area where they can roam (weather permitting), play fetch and chase each other, and swim in kiddie pools when it’s hot outside. Play Attendants are on hand to supervise each group. This is relaxation time for the canines. “We dim the lights and put on some music,” Goetz reports. “They know it’s time to lie down and relax. They need to de-stimulate after the morning of play.” Dogs that require lunch are fed at this time. Meal times vary for the canines, as some only eat once or twice a day. Most eat twice per day, but high-energy dogs and pups may get fed as many as three to four times, Goetz explains. The pooches enjoy an afternoon of play, but it’s at a slower pace, says Goetz. “This is when they get a little more one-on-one attention from the Play Attendants,” she adds. Pet owners can choose to have the unique “Pet Concierge” service – a dedicated staff member will send photos of their pup having fun playing during the day. This is the busiest pick-up time for the day. Dinners are served to the overnight guests that require it and medications or food modifications are taken care of during this time. This is closing time for the doggie day care, but staff is there as late as 11pm for dogs that are boarding. “Yappy Hour” is an add-on service that is offered, when pooches can receive special services such as massage, or a peanut butter filled Kong treat before bedtime. Overnighters are taken out for a nightly potty break and then, it is lights out. A special bedtime tuck-in service is offered when lullabies are played and the dog gets tucked in for the night by staff. According to Goetz, there are no staff members on site from 11pm to 6:30am, unless there are special circumstances such as a dog needing to have insulin. “Arrangements are made for staff to come in later, if needed,” she says. Although day care services are the bulk of the business, grooming and spa services are also available at The Four Paws Hotel & Day Resort. Overnight or extended boarding is more popular in the summer months and during the holidays. Just about every breed of dog can be found playing at Four Paws – a Great Dane, Goldendoodles, Bulldogs, Labs, Golden Retrievers and Yorkies (to name just a few). Goetz was very excited when they recently added a new member to the Four Paws family: a gorgeous, Dalmatian puppy with brown spots. Owning the doggie day care has been life-changing for Goetz. “It’s the best thing that’s happened to me,” she admits. It not only allows her to be around lots of dogs, it also gives her the opportunity to spend time with her family. “I love this work. The dogs become like a big family here, and they are so full of love. We build relationships with the dogs. This is the best place for me to be.” Photography by Eric Dutro Previous ArticleBringing Art to Youth in Detention and Their Work to the Public Next Article Who is Jon Fett? Spicer Orchards All About Family Life at Southview Farm Where Will Marc Be Next? ABC12 Morning Reporter Marc Jacobson	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11764
__label__wiki	0.670327	0.670327	HOME HOT NEWS NEWS OPINION OUR JERUSALEM SERIES PRESS ACTION ARAB PRESS Moskowitz Prize for Zionism, 2013 Daily Alert « Kosovo is already here ZOA: Israel Must Not Release Terrorists, Especially Samir Kuntar » In The Wake Of President Bush’s Visit To Israel… By: Marcy Oster Wednesday, February 20, 2008 When Karnei Shomron resident Audrey Gerberâ€™s son, Noam, got married last spring, she looked forward to having the young couple living nearby â€“ popping in to say hello, joining them for Shabbat meals and becoming part of the very same community in which Noam had grown up. The young couple looked forward to joining the other young couples and families already living in Karnei Shomron. They anticipated taking over leadership positions in the shul, the schools and the communityâ€™s charitable organizations. But finding a small affordable starter rental proved impossible for the young couple. With about 100 young people from Karnei Shomron getting married each year, all the available places had already been snapped up, leaving not just the young Gerbers, but dozens of other home-grown couples seeking any available housing in the area. After living in the senior Gerberâ€™s basement for several months, the young couple found a mobile home in a near-by community â€“ also in the Shomron. But they have not given up the hope of returning to the community where they feel truly at home. But right now, the chances of achieving this are slim. New housing construction has been frozen by the government, even within the municipal boundaries of the 30-year-old community in the heart of the Shomron. The actions of the Israeli negotiators and government officials at the recent Annapolis â€œpeaceâ€ conference has made it clear to the Gerbers and their neighbors that if they want there to be a Karnei Shomron for their children to live in, then they are going to have to do it themselves. One of the quickest and most effective ways to find housing for these young families is to erect a mobile home site. Since such housing is temporary, it is less affected by the building freeze. In addition, the young couples, often in the middle of army service or university studies, do not have lots of money to devote to housing and may welcome the opportunity to save while renting a mobile home. The community has contracted with the Amana Settlement Organization, which helps communities in the Shomron erect housing quickly and easily, to bring up to 50 mobile homes to a lovely wooded area in the center of the community. Plans include erecting a playground for the young children that will be part of this new neighborhood. Audrey and her husband Phil moved to Karnei Shomron in 1985 from the United States, when the streets were still just muddy pathways, new houses were going up all around them, and the wait for a private telephone line was a year or more. Most of their neighbors were in the same stage of life. They helped each other make brissim for their newborn sons; they walked their children to kindergarten together and then waited at bus stops through elementary school. They took turns babysitting so each couple could have some private time, or attend a meeting without having to pay a sitter. Most of these families live in the same houses that they built more than 20 years ago, and they now celebrate weddings and throw neighborhood sheva brachot for the same children whose diapers they used to change. Meanwhile, as the young couples reluctantly look for other communities in which to settle, the kindergartens of Karnei Shomron have fewer and fewer children, as do the elementary schools. Without an infusion of younger families, these decades-old institutions may have to close their doors. â€œI donâ€™t understand how the United States Government can ask, and how our government can agree, to stop allowing us to build new homes within our own community, within our own municipal boundaries,â€ Audrey Gerber states. â€œWe are not just a bunch of tents perched on a hillside. We are a living, breathing community. â€œAnd communities such as ours need our young people to come here. Not just because it is a motherâ€™s right to want to live close to her kids and future grandchildren, but because they are the future of Karnei Shomron.â€ Karnei Shomron is home to about 7,500 residents: grandmothers and newborns; religious, traditional and secular; native Israelis and immigrants from around the world. The Neve Aliza neighborhood, founded in 1982 as an aliyah project for immigrants from North America, is home to some 200 English-speaking families, and continues to be a desirable destination for recent immigrants. Karnei Shomron Mayor Herzl Ben Ari has been trying to work within the system, meeting with government officials and the army, seeking compromises that will help the community and not put it at odds with the elected government. But he has very little to show for his efforts, he says, and Annapolis has made him lose hope. â€œAll we heard from Annapolis were promises of retreat and withdrawal,â€ said Ben Ari, whose family immigrated to Israel from Iran in the 1970s. â€œJerusalem was put on the table for the first time in history. â€œOur response to Annapolis must be one of growth, of confidence in the viability of communities in Judea and Samaria, communities like Karnei Shomron.,â€ he adds. Steve and Mindy Schwartz have headed efforts to bring new, young families to Karnei Shomron, planning Shabbatonim to introduce families to the community. Because of their efforts, dozens of young families, many originally from the United States, have made their home in Karnei Shomron. Some started out in rental properties and are now building their own homes, others continue to rent, hoping that new lots will eventually be unfrozen. But for as many families that came to live in the community, an equal number were disappointed because they could not find adequate housing. â€œIt is frustrating to me that I have worked very hard to bring new families here, and now that we have generated so much interest there is no place to put them,â€ says Schwartz. Yet he is hopeful that supporters of the Shomron living in North America will be able to help Karnei Shomron to quickly erect the mobile home neighborhood. Mayor Ben Ari is also certain that Jews around the world will step up to help the community. â€œI know we are one of many Israeli causes out there and that there is someone visiting an American Jewish community every day looking for help,â€ he concedes. â€œBut today, we are THE project. Putting up this new neighborhood in Karnei Shomron is the response to Annapolis, a way for Jews around the world to make their voices heard, clearly, saying that we have a right to build a Jewish state on our land.â€ A mobile home costs $30,000, and Amana has agreed to finance most of that cost, leaving a shortfall of $7,000 for each mobile home constructed. To participate in this project please mail a check, with Karnei Shomron Mobile Homes in the memo, to Friends of Israeli Communities, Box 50833, Colorado Springs, CO 80949. Your donation is tax-deductible under U.S. law. This entry was posted on Sunday, February 24th, 2008 and is filed under news. VISIT US NOW ON FACEBOOK Sponsored by Cherna Moskowitz	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11765
__label__cc	0.738241	0.261759	Home » Business » Top 10 Most Expensive Yachts for Charter in the World Top 10 Most Expensive Yachts for Charter in the World Wednesday, March 14th 2012. \| Business If you’re rich enough you can charter this most expensive yacht. No matter how much you have, most of the yachts on the Power & Motoryacht 100 are for private use. If you must have a yacht holiday, there are plenty of candidates available. Yacht chartering is the practice of renting, or chartering, a sailboat or motor yacht and travelling to various coastal or island destinations. This most expensive yacht is usually a vacation activity, but it also can be a corporate event. 10. Leander – €420,000/$566,463 Most Expensive Yacht Leander M.Y. Leander G is a luxury yacht built by Peene Werft in 1992 and the most expensive yacht for charter. The yacht is owned by NCP millionaire Sir Donald Gosling. She is presently the world’s 60th-largest superyacht. The yacht Leander inspires pride. She is still the most beautiful super yacht in the world with her blue hull, canoe stern and perfect proportions and the most expensive yacht for rent. 9. Utopia – €450,000/$606,925 Most Expensive Yacht Utopia Utopia has several unusual areas that make her distinctively different. Connected by a sweeping staircase, her sun and upper decks are two of the most attractive terraces afloat. Sunbathe, dine or just relax under umbrellas that can shade any section of the deck. Utopia’s master suite occupies the entire upper deck, extending through a private lounge onto an outdoor dining terrace. 8. RM Elegant – €455,000/$613,737 <img class="size-full wp-image-2482" title="Most Expensive Yachts RM Elegant" src="http://www.mostcostly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Most-Expensive-Yachts-RM-Elegant.jpg" alt="Most Expensive Yachts RM Elegant" width="490" height="193" srcset="http://www.mostcostly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Most-Expensive-Yachts-RM-Elegant.jpg 490w, http://www.mostcostly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Most-Expensive-Yachts-RM-Elegant-300×118 cialis acheter ligne.jpg 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px” /> Most Expensive Yacht RM Elegant RM Elegant is registered as a passenger vessel and is SOLAS certified to take up to 30 passengers at sea. RM Elegant’s huge deck space and choice of public areas make RM Elegant a popular choice for corporate charter and for large private groups. The Dining Room provides the perfect setting for formal dining for 30 guests. There is individually-regulated air-conditioning throughout the yacht. The 32 Crew have their own entrance & facilities. 7. Christina O – €455,000 /$613,737 Most Expensive Yacht CHRISTINA O Christina O encapsulates the legend that was Aristotle Onassis. As a result of an extensive re-fit, this magnificent most expensive yacht defines a new category in luxury yachting. Christina O is one of the only mega yachts capable of accommodating up to 36 guests in 19 staterooms, in full compliance with SOLAS, US Coastguard and Public Health regulations. 6. Kismet – €550,000/$741,921 Most Expensive Yacht Kismet Motor yacht Kismet is a combination of Art Deco and inspired design offering select charters in the Caribbean and Med. Built in 2007 by Lurssen, she offers her guests a range if salon and deck lounges ideal for relaxing and entertaining. Kismet was designed for a passionate art-collector and her dramatic exterior conveys well the masterpiece guests will find once they step onboard. Among her artistic highlights is a main-deck lobby where black granite floors, a mirrored ceiling and central glass elevator steal the show. 5. Turama – €630,000/$849,695 Most Expensive Yacht Turama The Turama is uniquely equipped to make your special occasion even more memorable. From the moment you arrive on board, you will be pampered by our highly trained staff, always with the universal language of the smile. Wherever you cruise you will find the time to explore, relax or simply enjoy being alone at sea. You can stop for a quiet swim, visit ports, take excursions or tour historical sites – all meticulously designed to meet your personal requirements and arranged by our specialist teams. 4. Alexander – €630,000/$849,695 Most Expensive Yacht Alexander Motor yacht Alexander is an elegant and uniquely designed superyacht allowing discerning guests to cruise in classical elegance. Originally built in 1965 by Lubecker Flender Werke, she was converted in 1998 to her present luxury giga-yacht status. The 122m yacht accommodates 80 guests in 40 cabins and boasts an attentive crew of 60. Full of exciting entertainment options, Alexander features a disco bar, 27-seat cinema, children’s playroom and beauty salon among her extensive list of amenities. 3. Constellation – €658,000/$887,459 Most Expensive Yacht Constellation Yacht Constellation offers you the ultimate experience in luxury and style while enjoying a crewed motor yacht charter. The creators of this magnificent 298ft. motor yacht better known as a super yacht or super-yacht have spared no efforts in designing the ultimate corporate luxury mega yacht. Step aboard and enter a world of ultimate luxury, style and state-of-the art technology while on Constellation. 2. Alysia – €661,500/$892,180 Most Expensive Yacht Alysia At 280ft, Alysia is one of the world’s most expensive yacht and largest yachts for charter. She has unquestionable presence with her sleek hull, at the same time towering but welcoming. Access is easy via passarelle or the wide teak swimming platform. Once on board life unfolds over five spectacular decks. The thirty-six potential guests are looked after by the crew of thirty-four and there is room to entertain at the most lavish level. 1. Indian Empress – €700,000/$944,106 Most Expensive Yacht Indian Empress Providing 95 metres of sheer opulence, Indian Empress is dedicated to just 12 guests with a crew of 30 on hand to satisfy every need from a deep Reiki massage to pink champagne on the verandah. An entire deck is devoted to the master apartment that includes a private lounge, full-beam bedroom, additional double and twin bedrooms, a gymnasium, sauna and steam room in this most expensive yacht. tags: most expensive yacht, most expensive yacht charter Related For Top 10 Most Expensive Yachts for Charter in the World Top 10 Most Expensive Items on Amazon The Most Expensive Commercials in the World Top 5 Most Expensive E-books in the The Most Expensive Commercials in t Top 10 Most Expensive Ebay Acquisit	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11771
__label__wiki	0.636277	0.636277	Scout's Take: OLB options who will be better than what the Titans already have By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special contributor NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans are looking to replace two well-respected and longtime veterans and leaders in the linebacker room. Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo retired after the 2018 season and consistent OLB and former first-round draft choice Derrick Morgan is a free agent. Both players were largely ineffective as pass rushers in 2018, but still provided the ability to be a force in the run game and demand the respect and attention from offensive blocking schemes. The veteran presence allowed the inside linebackers to create pressure and provide sack numbers. The team now will be relying heavily on 2018 second-round draft choice Harold Landry, who showed flashes during his rookie year. Landry came into the league with one very successful pass rush. His outside speed rush with excellent balance and bend around the edge proved to have success early in the season, but opponents advance scouting caught up to the young pass rusher and was largely ineffective for the remainder of the year. Login to Read the Full Story Membership includes access to everything on the site – articles, videos and potentially podcasts. You’ll be welcome to private Periscope sessions where only members can ask questions, have a spot on a private Facebook page where we can discuss everything and get priority placement in mailbag posts. PaulKuharsky.com will provide analysis and insight on the Titans and the league that simply can’t be found elsewhere, plus occasional rants from me on non-football stuff I come across. View Plans and Signup Today	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11776
__label__cc	0.584665	0.415335	Role of public-private partnership The following article was first printed in The Daily Express Tribune, August 24, 2015. We are all rejoicing at the recent phenomenal rise in the number of broadband users in Pakistan after the launch of 3G and 4G mobile broadband. Mobile broadband users have risen from 1.9 million in June 2014 to 13.5 million in June 2015, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The rapid uptake also confirmed that once people get the taste of broadband internet they want even higher speed. That is already a big challenge. Those of us who are in this field know that with such rapid increase, unless some issues are addressed, the quality is soon impacted. The biggest among those issues is the bottle-neck of the backhaul. How the network works The signal that you send or receive via the 3G/4G towers travels to/from the far-end to the towers over the backhaul network. All the backhaul networks in Pakistan were designed to carry voice signals over microwave links. As the towers are being upgraded to deliver 3G/4G broadband signals, the low-capacity backhaul (also called middle-mile) networks of yesterday are only going to work well as long as the load of 3G/4G users remains relatively low. With time, not only the number of users will increase but individual users will also start consuming more bandwidth, and that is when the quality would start deteriorating. There would be capacity issues on the side of the last-mile too, but those can be addressed by the mobile operators through introduction of new mini cell-sites, and by off-loading the data-load on to WiFi hotspots. It is to address capacity issues at the far side of the towers that things become a little bit more complicated, mainly because microwave links can only be expanded up to a limit. Optic fibre cables The possibility of transmitting enormous amount of bandwidth is now available only due to optic fibres. Today’s optic fibre cables are crisscrossing the oceans connecting continents and countries around the world. Pakistan started with the deployment of optical fibres both in the long distance and metropolitan areas in order to connect exchanges with each other in the 1980s. Despite the fact that the country has three local optical fibre cable manufacturing plants, the overall penetration in the country has been lacking. We have only 5% towers connected with optic fibre backhaul. For comparison, in Thailand the ratio is nearly 90%. In metropolitan areas, optic fibre cables are laid in forms of rings called ‘metro fibre rings’. This is because the intelligent electronics makes it possible for data to flow unhindered from another direction if the fibre is cut at any one place. These fibre rings connect the users with the national/international fibre backbones. Local broadband service providers are particularly important; as they are actually small entrepreneurs who crop up if inexpensive bandwidth becomes available, for instance, from a fiber ring passing nearby. They use unlicensed WiFi spectrum to deliver inexpensive broadband to households and small businesses within their localities, because the marginal cost of rolling out WiFi services on top of a metro fiber network is rather low. In short, optic fibre rings not only provide high bandwidth to 3G/4G towers, but also stimulate entrepreneurship in the last-mile, which, in turn creates employment opportunities. On the African continent this year, metro optic fiber services have been announced in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria. In Uganda, under the ‘Project Link’ Google has invested in laying 100 km metro fibre in Kampala, that is accessible to all last-mile service providers without discrimination. We too, need similar fibre rings for the reasons explained above, despite the fact that we already have PTCL fibre buried in our cities. PTCL fibre rings do not cover enough parts of our cities and the company itself is in the last-mile business. A decade ago an umpteen number of privately owned last-mile DSL service providers tried to ride on the then newly “unbundled” copper cables, in competition to PTCL last-mile services. Since PTCL was also their wholesale metro bandwidth provider, gradually all of them went out of business. I do not blame PTCL that its ownership of metro fibre actually acts as an entry barrier for smaller last-mile service providers. Unfortunately, PTCL cannot become that ‘carrier of carriers’ that we need today. That is why a neutral entity is needed that owns and operates metro fibre through which access to broadband becomes available to all those who desire. But to do something on these lines, is it within the resources of the government? Particularly when the government has many more pressing socio-economic needs to attend to? This dilemma could perhaps be solved by employing the Public Private Partnership (PPP); a mechanism by which the government utilises the private sector efficiencies to deliver services which would otherwise have been provided by the public sector. Instead of the public sector procuring a capital asset and providing a service, the private sector invests to create the asset through dedicated standalone business, and then delivers the service while charging the users of the service to recover the investment profitably. The selection of the private sector service provider is done through competitive bidding. The bidders are required to give commitments regarding quality standards and the tariffs that they would charge the users. On its part, the government could chip in with free Right-of-Way, which is of great value in any such enterprise. PPP Policies on the federal and provincial levels already exist. Federal, provincial, or city governments could take up such a venture. Public consultation process may be launched to elicit opinions of stakeholders and general public before the necessary detailed framework is created. Before going full scale for its implementation, the framework should be put to test in a small pilot city. The writer is former CEO of the Universal Service Fund and is providing ICT consultancy services in several countries of Africa and Asia. Posted on October 5, 2015 October 15, 2016 Author adminCategories Blog About Parvez Iftikhar Its my passion that each & every person should be able to enjoy the fruits of ICTs - rich or poor, far or near. Using skills & expertise developed as CEO Universal Service Fund (USF) & earlier as Country-Head of Siemens Telecom in Pakistan, I work as ICT consultant advising governments in Asia & Africa on ICT Policy & Regulatory issues, particularly Universal Access/Service. I offer these services directly, as well as thru international organisations like ITU, USAID, CTO, World Bank, ADB etc. © Copyrights 2016, All Rights Reserved, Parvez Iftikhar Home \| Blogs \| Articles \| Gallery \| Certificates \| Contact	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11782
__label__wiki	0.883259	0.883259	A.J.S. Rayl • January 28, 2004 Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Continues Progress in 'Rehab;' Opportunity Returns "Phenomenal" Images Challenger Crew Remembered While the first Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, continues to make progress in 'rehab,' members of the science teams are marveling at the images Opportunity is sending home. The latest pictures from Opportunity reveal in better detail the striped and cracked layers of rock in the outcropping of bedrock just 26 feet (about 8 meters) away from where the second MER rover came to a stop last Saturday night. The outcrop at first glimpse appeared to be rather large and imposing, something that initially concerned some engineers who wondered about Opportunity's ability to navigate up and over or around them. But as the pictures continued to stream in, especially the first images taken by the PanCam, the scientists had a chance to more closely examine the rover's immediate surroundings. They found "pretty phenomenal" detail, noted Jim Bell, lead scientist for the PanCams the images were projected at the daily news briefing. And, with that detail they discovered that the outcrop was composed of "tiny rocks," as lead scientist Steve Squyres described them. "The thinnest layers we're seeing are a centimeter -- the thickness of your finger -- so they are very small features," Squyres said. "The highest point is a foot. That means this will be significantly less threatening to the rover, significantly easier to access, because you can drive right up on it." Once the science teams get the chance to check out this formation up close with Opportunity's payload of instruments, they will in all likelihood be able to reconstruct the geologic events that formed the various layers, according to both Squyres and science team member Andrew Knoll, of Harvard University. While the science teams, obviously, have no way of knowing yet what the composition of the rocks in the outcrop is, they do have two primary working hypotheses. One holds that this bedrock was formed by falling volcanic ash; the other proffers they were formed by sediments deposits carried there by water or wind, or both. "We should -- with Opportunity's unique payload -- be able to distinguish between those two hypotheses," offered Knoll. This outcropping of bedrock "blew away" the science team -- as Squyres put it -- not only because it is the first bedrock ever found on Mars, but because it could possibly, quickly reveal whether water played a role in its formation, and perhaps reveal whether Meridiani Planum ever boasted an environment capable of sustaining life as we know it. If they do turn out to be sediments, water will have been almost certainly involved, Squyres noted. "I doubt these are windblown deposits," he said. Water would be appear in this case to be more likely, Knoll agreed, than wind. Still, a "key Issue" is the duration or persistence of the water. "We have known for sure from orbital images that there has to be role for water . . . [that's] a big question that we hope Meridiani will address -- is it alright to have water for short bursts or do we need persistent water for thousands, millions of years?" expounds Squyres. "In that regard, both Gusev and Meridiani are interesting places to go, because the entering hypotheses were -- what we see at Gusev and the iron at Meridiani -- could be consistent with persistent water.." "This lighter unit [of rock] is very widespread and covers thousands of square miles just beneath the surface [of this fine-grained, dark red gray soil] at Meridiani," Knoll added. "Any kind of mechanism we think about has to be one that is not only reasonable in terms of what we can see at the level of this crater we've plunked into, but has to apply to a much larger area," he pointed out. "We think these are very old features simply based on the distribution of large craters in the area -- although the terms old and young on Mars come with lots of uncertainty -- but certainly the features we're talking about [are] billions, maybe multiple billions of years of age," added Knoll. The images alone, of course, as amazingly crisp and clear as they are, will not be able to reveal how the outcrop was formed. "We're probably going to get tantalizing hints from a distance, but the beauty of it is that we can go there," Squyres enthused. "And when we get close, we're going to do a very good job of characterizing what's there. It's going to be fascinating beyond words to get up close and personal with this thing. We're about to embark on what could be the coolest geological field trip in history." The science teams also hope to determine the relationship between those light-colored rocks layers and the dark soil that covers most of the surrounding terrain. The hematite that was first identified from orbital studies, and which lured them to Meridiani in the first place, may be present in the dark soil, many of the scientists theorize now. Other new show detailed impressions left in the dark, fine-grained soil left by Opportunity's airbags as the spacecraft was rolling to a stop in the small crater where it now sits. "These marks are telling us about the physical properties of the material," noted Jim Bell, lead scientists for the PanCam. Some scientists believe that these dark granules, which cover most of the crater's surface, were pressed down into an underlying layer of powdery, lighter red material when the airbags hit. Others contend that the dark granules are agglomerations that crumble into the finer, lighter material when disturbed. After roll-off, that soil near the lander will be Opportunity's first target for close-up examination with her microscopic imager and the Mössbauer Spectrometer and the mini-thermal emission spectrometer, two instruments that can measure the composition. The soil at Opportunity's landing site appears to have different properties than the soil at Spirit's landing site, Bell pointed out. In addition to returning images, Opportunity is going through the process of unfolding itself and getting ready to stand up and prepare for egress. So far, she has untucked her front wheels and latched her suspension system in place, critical steps in the preparation to drive off the lander and onto this Martian pay dirt. "The mechanisms really performed flawlessly," offered MER team member Rick Welch, activity lead for preparing the rover for roll-off, said earlier today. Overnight tonight, the team plans to try tilting the lander platform down in the front by pressing the rear petal downward to raise the back. "What we want to do is lower the front edge by about 5 degrees," explained Welch. if all goes well, Opportunity will pull straight forward and drive straight off, as early as overnight Sunday-Monday. Mission Manager Jim Erickson was pleasantly adamant in saying "We are going to go through the steps and get the rover off when it's ready to get off. We're taking a lot of care with what Jennifer [Trosper] is finding on Spirit to make sure we're not going to duplicate those issues . . . [and] have same problem as Spirit." While Opportunity has successfully deployed and tested her high-gain antenna she is losing some of her battery charge each night, because of what appears to be a drain by an electric heater at the shoulder joint of her robotic arm, Erickson informed. A thermostat turns on the heater whenever the air temperature falls to levels that the rover is experiencing every night. The heater is not really needed when the arm is not in use, but ground control has not been able to activate a switch designed to override the thermostat, he explained. Engineers are working now to confirm the diagnosis, determine the ramifications of the power drain, and propose workarounds or fixes. NASA has announced plans to name Opportunity's landing site in honor of the Space Shuttle Challenger's final crew. The area in the vast flatland called Meridiani Planum, where Opportunity landed last weekend, will be called the Challenger Memorial Station. The seven-member crew of Challenger was lost when the orbiter suffered an in-flight breakup during launch Jan. 28, 1986, 18 years ago today. Challenger's commander was Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and the mission pilot was Michael J. Smith. Mission specialists included Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka and Ronald E. McNair. The mission also carried two payload specialists, Gregory B. Jarvis and Sharon Christa McAuliffe, who was the agency's first teacher in space. Challenger's 10th flight was to have been a six-day mission dedicated to research and education, as well as the deployment of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-B communications satellite. It exploded just after launch 18 years ago today. As for Spirit, Mission Manager Jennifer Trosper said: "We are working to get complete control of the vehicle, and we still aren't there yet." Engineers working on Spirit's Anomaly Team have completed their analysis -- of initiating the same problem in a testbed simulator of the rover's electronics -- and the results supported the primary diagnosis of a glitch in management of the flash memory, reported Trosper. As a result, the team is continuing to carefully select data files to delete from Spirit's flash memory and is still considering sending up new software to help restore her to good health. They are trying, however, to save as many of the science files that did not get sent down when Spirit suddenly stopped and 'froze' in place last Wednesday, January 21. Included in those data files is the science collected on the first-ever collaborative study of the Martian atmosphere, completed when the European Space Agency's Mars Express, using its set of instruments to take measurements while looking down toward Spirit from its vantage point about 186 miles (300 kilometers) above the landing site, as the rover looked up with its Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer, Mini-TES. The information collected from that collaboration would present a more accurate 'picture' of the Martian atmosphere at that place and time. The files held for now in her flash memory also include early data collected by Spirit's Mössbauer Spectrometer and its Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer of the rock, Adirondack, that the rover was studying when things went awry. Even in a worse-case scenario, all the data Spirit's flash memory now holds could be, collected again. "The rover hasn't gone anywhere," Squyres said. And, Mars Express will pass again over the site. Spirit's A-Team has also determined that the high-gain antenna on the rover is most likely in working order, despite earlier hints of a possible problem. That is especially good news since that antenna is used for direct-to-Earth communications. All in all, the team is progressing and Spirit is making good progress, Trosper said today. If everything with her rehabilitation goes as it has for the last couple of days, the robot field geologist could be back to her field duties collecting science by next week, and roving a week or so after that. Read more: Opportunity, Spirit, mission status, Mars Exploration Rovers Home > Explore > Space Topics > Space Missions > MER Updates > 2004 A.J.S. Rayl Contributing Editor for The Planetary Society Read more articles by A.J.S. Rayl	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11784
__label__cc	0.69783	0.30217	What Changed, America? President John F. Kennedy, speaking before the United Nations Sept. 25, 1961. What changed, America? Why are our leaders afraid to show this strength and stand up to evil any longer? What happened to such strength and the determination that we once had to fight for our freedom and retain our liberty? The Democratic Party once stood strong and proud, ready to face foes head-on and defeat them. Now, so many leaders from that Party prefer appeasement, blaming our country and the opposing Party for Terrorist attacks. Many Republicans too seem to have grown weary and prepared to walk away and hope for safety and security. Our freedom and liberty has become little more than a political tool to use to win elections, at the cost of the lives of our Brave Young serving in the Military. Warren Kozak, in his Wall Street Journal article where I discovered this obscure clip said, “Those words spoken by our 35th president are not part of the usual JFK repertoire, like his inaugural address or his Oval Office speeches. But they may be more significant because of where we find ourselves today. His message serves as a beacon—because we hunger for this clear and bold direction since our present leaders seem to lack the will that Kennedy projects. So we lean on our past to find the courage we require today: A president standing alone, a man meeting his responsibilities.” On September 20, 2001 just days after the horrific attacks on our nation by terrorists, President George W. Bush said in part, “I will not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. I will not yield, I will not rest, I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people. The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.” He also said, “But our resolve must not pass. Each of us will remember what happened that day and to whom it happened. We will remember the moment the news came, where we were and what we were doing.” What happened, America? How did we let our resolve wane? How did we lose the desire to remain free? When did we decide allowing groping of our children and elderly by TSA agents gave us security instead of targeting those who continually attack us? A terrorist picked up on America’s lack of resolve and was expressed in 1996 by Osama bin Laden in citing the U.S. retreat from Somalia in 1993, “You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew. The extent of your impotence and weaknesses has become very clear. When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature they will like the strong horse.” Bin Laden underestimated the resolve of President Bush. Did he correctly estimate the lack of resolve in the American people? Posted by LewWaters at 10:52 AM Nick Rowe said... The communist movement happened in America. They took over the Demon Rat Party after the older, conservative, patriotic Democrats either retired, died, or became Republicans. Our problem is that we stopped firing them, jailing them, deporting them, and killing them. No other nation on the planet has ever allowed treason and sedition to become confused with legitimate, moral dissent. Now the communists run our universities, most of our mass media, most government agencies, large swaths of the financial industry, and many formerly conservative philanthropic organizations. They control the flow of information, and thus the direction of thoughts. It's as if they used George Orwell's warnings in 1984 as an instruction manual. They learned that telling people what they really believed was a losing strategy, so now they constantly lie. When they are amongst their own kind, are drunk, or tired, they slip up and reveal their true nature. They learned to use populism, euphemisms, and incrementalism to get what they wanted. They used class envy and dependence on government to foment hatred and fear. They divide us, so they can conquer us. They call this division "unity in diversity. If you told people you were a Nazi, you would be instantaneously ostracized. But tell people you are a socialist, and there is a stunning tolerance for ideas which contradict the founding principles of our nation. Since when is it socially acceptable to identify yourself with an ideology that is directly responsible for the deaths of 100 million people, and directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths or oppression of billions of others? What do 3.5 million fleeing Vietnamese tell you about the Vietnamese communists? Why did tens of thousands of Chinese and North Korean POWs refuse repatriation during the Korean War, while only a couple of dozen UN soldiers refuse to come back to us? How many people risk their lives in rickety boats to move 90 miles from Florida to Cuba? Why weren't West Berliners climbing over the Berlin Wall to get into the East? It's truly amazing that people with good intentions and well functioning brains can delude themselves into believing that a political-economic model that has failed everywhere it's been tried will somehow work if the right people implement it. And the right people are always THEM. THEY are the people they've been waiting for. How Many Jobs Did Al Gore’s ‘Mistake’ Cost Us? 2011 TSA Pin Up Calendar Geriatric Terrorists Thwarted By Exam Gloves And R... Note to Incoming Republicans: Don’t Forget, Jobs, ... What Has Been Sorely Lacking in the American Gover... WHY NO PRESIDENTIAL SALUTE BY OBAMA AT MEDAL OF HO... Liberty Milestones: Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address David W. Hedrick’s ‘the Liberal Clause’ Destined f... Jaime Herrera Goes Back Home to DC, Hedrick Just G... Obama, “The God of all Things?” Beware the “Hounds of Whinerville” How Nice, Pelosi “Receptive to Republican Ideas” 1998 Tobacco Settlement Unconstitutional? Governor Gregoire Disappointed Voters Didn’t “Help... Obama Commemorates Mumbai Terrorist Attacks, Forge... Really Governor Gregoire? PURPLE HAZE – LATELY THINGS JUST DON’T SEEM THE SA... Liberty Milestones: November 4, 1980, Ronald Reaga... Just a Democrat Being a Democrat	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11793
__label__cc	0.749644	0.250356	Collaborative Mapping: Using place-based storytelling to connect with our Great Lakes Sunday, February 3, 2013 - 19:00 to 21:30 Join Paul Baines (founder of the Great Lakes Commons Map) to see and hear how we can use maps, digital tools, and storytelling to shift into a new possibility for water stewardship. Open source technologies, collaborative practices, and a commons ethic are the connecting elements of this work and it's time for this project to be shared and shaped by more people - like you. Going far back enough in history, the impossible has already happened. The Great Lakes are the earth's largest surface fresh water body and are now toxic, invaded, dying, and dropping. The amount of water in this watershed is so massive, it takes 350 years for water to fully flow through it's west-to-east basin (Lake Superior to the St. Lawrence Seaway). On top of new and increasing impacts, most of the existing damage has happened in just 2 generations. Is it possible to change this new norm? Are the existing values, policies, and actions part of the solution or part of the problem? A paradigm shift is needed, but how do we name and built it? Maps tell stories and stories give our lives meaning and direction. So how do we transform the maps? The Great Lakes Commons Map was inspired by the work of many other water warriors who are re-imagining and re-indigenizing our relationship with the Great Lakes. Join us at the Academy for an overview of this project and a collaborative and curious discussion. www.GreatLakesCommonsMap.org Academy of the Impossible 231 Wallace Avenue Toronto , ON open source digital storytelling collaborative stewardship paul baines Great Lakes Commons Map paul@greatlakescommonsmap.org Thank you for reading this story… More people are reading rabble.ca than ever and unlike many news organizations, we have never put up a paywall – at rabble we’ve always believed in making our reporting and analysis free to all, while striving to make it sustainable as well. Media isn’t free to produce. rabble’s total budget is likely less than what big corporate media spend on photocopying (we kid you not!) and we do not have any major foundation, sponsor or angel investor. Our main supporters are people and organizations -- like you. This is why we need your help. You are what keep us sustainable. rabble.ca has staked its existence on you. We live or die on community support -- your support! We get hundreds of thousands of visitors and we believe in them. We believe in you. We believe people will put in what they can for the greater good. We call that sustainable. So what is the easy answer for us? Depend on a community of visitors who care passionately about media that amplifies the voices of people struggling for change and justice. It really is that simple. When the people who visit rabble care enough to contribute a bit then it works for everyone. And so we’re asking you if you could make a donation, right now, to help us carry forward on our mission. Make a donation today. We welcome your comments! rabble.ca embraces a pro-human rights, pro-feminist, anti-racist, queer-positive, anti-imperialist and pro-labour stance, and encourages discussions which develop progressive thought. Our full comment policy can be found here. Learn more about Disqus on rabble.ca and your privacy here. Please keep in mind: Tell the truth and avoid rumours. Add context and background. Report typos and logical fallacies. Be respectful. Respect copyright - link to articles. Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble. Use oppressive/offensive language. Libel or defame. Bully or troll. Post spam. Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11800
__label__wiki	0.947378	0.947378	Robert Wilhite Born: 1946, Santa Ana, California Education: 1970, Univ. of California, Irvine, B.A. 1970-1971, Univ. of California, Irvine, Graduate Program 2000, Calif. State University, Northridge, M.F.A. Selected Exhibition History: One person Exhibitions: 2014, Bob’s Your Uncle Bar, Kunstverein, Amsterdam 2013, Earth’s Pillars (Sound Sculpture), presented at The Artists club Coffre Fort, Brussels, Belgium 2011, The Robert Wilhite Store for Art and Design, Kunstverein, Amsterdam, NE. 2011, Musical Drawings and Sculptures, Gallery Neuartig, San Pedro, Calif. 2009, the Bomb, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas 2007, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas 2002, Off- Main Gallery, Los Angeles, Calif. 1998, Huguette Caland Studio, Venice, Calif. 1996, Calif. State Univ., Northridge, Calif. 1988, Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa. 1987, Stephen Wirtz Gallery, San Francisco, Calif. 1985, Delahunty Gallery, Dallas, Texas 1984, Diane Brown Gallery, New York, N.Y. 1982, Asher/Faure Gallery, Los Angeles, Calif. 1980, College of Creative Studies, Santa Barbara, Calif. 1976, Broxton Gallery, Westwood, Calif. 1973, Newspace Gallery, Newport Beach, Calif. Selected Group Exhibitions and Performances: 2015, Fox, Henhouse, and the Crow, 2015 Brussels Art Fair, Belgium 2013, IGLU , the play by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite performed at The Rufino Tamayo Museum Theater, Chapultepec Park, Mexico, D.F. Sponsored and presented by the JUMEX Collection, Mexico, D.F. 2013, Reading of : Espahor ledet ko uluner!, by Guy de Cointet Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France 2013, Group Exhibition, Grazer Kunstverein, Palais Trauttmansdorff, Burggasse 4, A-8010 Graz, 2012, Chinese Cocktail, A Concert , Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Theater, Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles, Calif., Pacific Standard Time Performance sponsored by X-TRA Magazine and Getty Grant, Curated By Shana Lutker and Aram Moshayedi 2011, IGLU, a play by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite, Harold M. Williams Auditorium, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Pacific Standard Time Performance. 2011, 5-Lite, Larry Bell- Laddie John Dill- Robert Irwin- Ed Moses- Robert Wilhite MK2 Projects, Los Angeles, California Pacific Standard Time Exhibition. 2011, Civic Virtue, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, Calif., Pacific Standard Time Exhibition. 2011, Best Kept Secret, UCI and the Development of Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1964-1971, Laguna beach Art Museum, Laguna beach, Calif. Pacific Standard Time Exhibition. 2011, 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Dallas, Texas 2010, IGLU, a play by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite, If I can’t Dance, Frascati WG, Amsterdam 2010, IGLU, a play by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite, STUK, Leuven, Belgium 2010, IGLU, a play by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite, Paying A Visit To Mary, curated by Maxine Kopsa, Aldrich Museum, Conn. 2009, The Beat Goes On, Barry Whistler gallery, Dallas, Texas 2009, Inaugural 09, Barry Whistler gallery, Dallas, Texas 2007, Reno7, Barry Whistler gallery, Dallas, Texas 2007, Box-Fan-Blots, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas 2007, Group Exhibition, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas 2006-7, Making Words With Things, Centre regional d’ Art Contemporain Languedoc-Roussillon, Sete, France 2005, Coast to Coast, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas 2004, Guy de Cointet, Who Is This Guy?, MAMCO Museum, Geneva, Switzerland 2004, Group Exhibition, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas 2003, Group Exhibition, Barry Whistler Gallery, Marfa, Texas 2001, "Designs for Living", Palos Verde, Calif. 2001, "Art in the Circle”, Manhattan Beach, Calif. 2000, Public Library, Boulder, Colorado 1999, Bill 1999, "One String Quartet", Al's Bar, Los Angeles California 1999, Turner Gallery, Venice, Calif. 1991, "Artists Chairs", Gallery of Functional Art, Santa Monica, Calif. 1987, "Chair Exhibition", San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, Calif. 1985, "Donald Judd/ Robert Wilhite", Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, Calif. 1985, "Furniture and Fashion", Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, 1985, "Future Furniture”, Newport Beach, Calif. 1985, "New Music America" Los Angeles, Calif. 1984,Group Exhibition, Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, Calif. 1984, "American Craft Traditions", San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, Calif. 1984, "Furniture Furnishings: Subject and Object" Rhode Island School of Design, R.I. Curated by Scott Burden 1983, "Directions 1983", Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C. 1982, Alumni Faculty Exhibition, Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, Calif. 1982, "Sonic Art", Calif. State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, Calif. 1981, "With More Than One Sense", Los Angeles County Art Museum, Los Angeles, Calif. 1981,"New Music Festival", San Francisco, Calif. 1981,"California Woodworking", Oakland Art Museum, Oakland, Calif. 1980, "Furnishings by Artists", Otis/Parsons Art Gallery, Los Angeles, Calif. 1980, "Mach One", Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, Santa Barbara, California, Sponsored by the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum. 1979, "Parallelogram", PS1, Long Island City, New York 1979, "Parallelogram", Intermix, Los Angeles, Calif. In conjunction with "Sound" at LAICA, Los Angeles. 1979, "Visual/Musical Permutations", University of California Irvine, Irvine, Calif. 1979 "Sound", Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Calif. Curated by Robert Smith and Robert Wilhite 1978, "Forms For Sound", San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, Calif. 1978, "Art for the Childrens Museum", Baxter Art Gallery, Pasadena, Calif. 1978, "100+", Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Calif. 1978, "Chinese Cocktail", San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, Calif. In conjunction with "Forms For Sound" exhibition. 1978, "Hypno-Disc", Franklin Furnace, New York, New York. 1977, "Ramona”, a collaboration by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Sponsored by Some Serious Business. 1977, "Sculpture", Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, in conjunction with "Live From L.A." exhibition, Curated by Chris Burden 1977, "IGLU", The Theatre Vangarde, Los Angeles, Calif., Collaboration by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite, Sponsered by Otis/Parsons, Los Angeles, California 1977, "Cigar", 80 Langton Street, San Francisco, Calif. Collaboration by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite 1977, "Ethiopia" Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, Calif. Collaboration by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite. Sponsored by The San Francisco Art Institute, The Univ. Art Museum, and Diana Fuller. 1977, "Ethiopia", Univ. of Calif. Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Calif. Collaboration by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite 1977, "Live From LA" Curated by Chris Burden. LAICA, Los Angeles, Calif. 1977, "Works From Ethiopia", Cirrus Gallery, Los Angeles, Calif. 1977, "Southland Video Anthology", Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, Calif. 1976, "Beyond the Artists Hands", Calif. State Univ. Long Beach, Long Beach, Calif. 1976 , "Sequence Photographs", Broxton Gallery, Westwood, Calif. 1975, "Group Show", Newspace Gallery, Newport Beach, Calif. 1976, "Ethiopia", Barnsdall Park Theatre, Los Angeles, Collaboration by Guy de Cointet and Robert Wilhite. Sponsored by Cirrus Gallery 1976, "Buckeroo-One For All", Broxton Gallery, Los Angeles, Calif. 1976, "Fire Paintings", Floating Wall Gallery, Santa Ana, Calif. 1975, "San Francisco Chronical Concert", Los Angeles, Calif. 1975, "Los Angeles Times Concert", Los Angeles, Calif. 1975, "Marine Flare", Newport Beach, Calif. 1975, "L.A. Whitewater", Los Angeles River, Los Angeles, Calif. 1974, "Empire State Building Glider", New York, New York. 1974, "Drawings", Newspace Gallery, Newport Beach, Calif. Public Art Commissions: 1985, "Gyro / Cone" sound sculpture, Pershing Square, Los Angeles, Calif. Commissioned by the New Music America Festival 1985. 1983, "Jade Garden"' Artist Apartment, Created in collaboration with David Ireland, Washington Project for the Arts, Washington, D.C. Funded by a matching Grant from the National Endowment For The Arts. Fellowships and Grants: 1986, Artist Fellowship Grant, National Endowment For the Arts. 1981, Artist Fellowship Grant, N.E. A. 1979, Artist Fellowship Grant, N.E. A. 1977, CETA Grant for Art In Public Places. Teaching Experience: 2013, Werkplaatz Typographie, Arnhem, Netherlands 2013, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2013, HEAD , (Sound Sculpture) Master Workshop, Geneva, Switzerland 2012 Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 1989-2000, Santa Monica College of Design, Art, and Architecture, Santa Monica, Calif. 1999-2000, Calif. State Univ. Northridge, Northridge, Calif. 1980, Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, California 1979, Otis-Parsons School of Design, Los Angeles, Calif. 1979, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, Calif. 1978, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, Calif. 1977, Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara, College of Creative Studies, Goleta, Calif. Additional Accomplishments: 1968-69, 3 meter NCAA Division II, 3 meter diving champion. University of Calif. Irvine.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11817
__label__wiki	0.877985	0.877985	(Photo: The Nation) The PM pledged action after Reuters reported Thai officials' involvement in human-trafficking; instead, the Navy is taking reporters to court Earlier this month Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thailand would cooperate with the United Nations and the United States on any investigation into Thai immigration officials' involvement in human trafficking. The pledge came after Reuters reported that immigration officers were taking Rohingya refugees from Thai detention camps and selling them to human traffickers waiting out at sea. The UN and US gave weight to the Reuters report when they asked Yingluck to look into it, gaining a positive response from the premier. The news seems to offer respite from Thai authorities' longstanding practice of turning a blind eye to the Rohingya question, sometimes even pushing them back out to sea to face uncertainty and even death. Eight years ago Thai marine officials were caught on tape towing Rohingya boat people back out to sea. A subsequent investigation found that the action had sent the refugees to their deaths. But it didn't take long to realise that Yingluck's pledge over this issue didn't mean much. Preoccupied with the political turmoil in Bangkok and lacking leadership, her government has decided to put the case on the backburner. Never mind that human lives are at stake. The Rohingya are stateless Muslims who live in Rakhine on the western border of Myanmar. Up until 1982 they were considered citizens of that country. Clashes between Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhists erupted last year, forcing nearly 150,000, mostly Rohingya, to flee their homes. Since then, anti-Muslim campaigns led by extremist Buddhist monks have ratcheted tensions higher, forcing tens of thousands of Rohingya to flee Myanmar by boat. Many have ended up on the southwest coast of Thailand, better known as a holiday paradise for foreign visitors. But the sand, sea and sun isn't so much fun when refugees fleeing persecution are arriving by the boatload. The local Phuketwan news website on December 26 reported the harrowing ordeal of 139 Rohingya found hiding in a rubber plantation just north of Phuket after 22 days at sea. They told of how they had been handed over by the Myanmar Navy to smugglers, who had killed 12 among their number and savagely beaten others. The arrival of Rohingya refugees is a source of embarrassment for Thailand, whose authorities are renowned for window dressing rather then getting to the roots of the problem, any problem. In line with that mindset, the Thai Navy last week filed a lawsuit against Phuketwan journalists who followed up on the Reuters report. "The Thai navy's lawsuit is a reckless attempt to curtail journalists' reporting on alleged human trafficking by its officers," said Brad Adam, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Unless the government withdraws the case, its impact will be felt far beyond those reporting on abuses against the Rohingya - and could have a choking effect on all investigative reporting in Thailand." If convicted, Phuketwan's Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian each face up to five years in prison and a fine of Bt100,000. The Reuters journalists who broke the story could also face similar charges. If the Navy thinks this lawsuit will restore its tarnished image, it needs to think again. If it really wants to improve its reputation, the Navy needs to launch a thorough investigation into the allegations. It's not too late. But the longer the authorities wait, the dumber they look.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11820
__label__wiki	0.66078	0.66078	Democrats: Campaign Finance Admission Should ‘Disqualify’ Incoming Congressman Rep.-elect Ross Spano’s Republican primary opponents are outraged, too Posted Dec 6, 2018 8:38 AM Emily Kopp House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to meet one-on-one Resolution vote forces House Republicans to pick a side on Trump’s racist attack Democrats condemn Trump’s racist tweets, congressional Republicans mostly silent Florida Republican Rep.-elect Ross Spano and his wife Amie are seen after the drawing for House offices last month. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) Revelations that GOP Rep.-elect Ross Spano violated campaign finance law by taking out personal loans and directing approximately the same amount to his campaign should disqualify him from serving in Congress, Florida Democrats say. Spano “knew exactly what he was doing when he took personal loans and used them as campaign funds, which is against the law,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement earlier this week. “This matter needs to be fully investigated, and appropriate actions taken.” The freshman Republican acknowledged transgressing rules against straw donations in a letter from his attorney to the Federal Election Commission dated last week. Spano borrowed $180,000 in four installments from June to October at an interest rate of 5 percent. The candidate lent his campaign committee $167,000 in personal funds over roughly the same period. Spano accepted $75,000 from a lender on Oct. 29, eight days before the election, and directed $70,000 to his campaign on the same day. The loans far exceed the $2,700 limit on contributions from individuals to federal candidates. Spano expects to fully repay them by the end of this week, according to the letter to regulators. The loans only came to light on the eve of Election Day through a financial disclosure form Spano submitted 3½ months after it was due, facing questions from the Tampa Bay Times about the missing filing. That delay casts doubt on the assertion made in the letter that Spano “believed he was acting in full compliance of the law,” critics say. Whether Spano knowingly broke the law is a critical question, because while the FEC can impose lighter penalties through an expedited “sua sponte” procedure when candidates proactively report violations, commission regulators may consider whether the violation was a mistake or “knowing and willful.” Spano "took the proactive step to voluntarily disclose this information in an effort to rectify the situation as quickly as possible," spokeswoman Sandi Poreda stressed in an email Monday. Despite the doubts surrounding the claim that Spano believed he was acting lawfully, he will likely be successful in seeking resolution through the FEC's expedited process. “I’m not aware of a ‘sua sponte’ complaint that has been rejected,” an FEC spokesman said. The new information about Spano's loans, and the possibility that the member-elect will be sworn into office with no punishment more severe than a fine, outraged his former campaign opponents. “Had I known that the remedy may be to say I got bad advice and ask for forgiveness, I bet I could have found some sugar daddy that needed a friend in Congress to ‘loan’ me a wad,” former Republican primary opponent Neil Combee told Florida Politics. His former opponents question how Spano, once a candidate for state attorney general, could have been unaware of the law. “He blames it on misguided advice from his treasurer, but his name is on the checks ... once he gets a ‘hall pass’ from this transgression, who will Spano be beholden to?” said Danny Kushmer, another Republican primary opponent who went on to endorse Spano in the general election. “Unfortunately, I did not know to what extent he was willing to go to win.” Watch: Bush 41, Awkward Moments and Tumultuous Tariffs — Wednesday in Washington Topics: 2018 democrats elections house legal-affairs politics republicans Campaign Finance Campaigns democrats Elections Florida House media Republicans Washington POLI	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11821
__label__wiki	0.656549	0.656549	Top Q&A on the Sterling Ranch Development Posted on January 31, 2011 by Chad Bergman Here are the principal questions members of the public are asking about Sterling Ranch: Q: Will there be recreation centers and pools that my family can use in Sterling Ranch? A: Yes. Recreation centers and pools will be open to area residents for approximately the same fees incurred by Sterling residents. Q: When will the high school and middle school be built in Sterling Ranch? A: When Douglas County Schools determines that Sterling has enough new residents to justify news schools, the high school and middle school will be built. Q: How will Sterling affect property values? A: With the new amenities, property values in surrounding areas will increase faster than in Denver, according to research by Metro Study, a group that conducts real estate research. Q: What kind of new jobs will Sterling bring in the next few years? A: Sterling will bring 20,000 development-related jobs over the next 20 years, including architects, engineers, land-use planners, builders, construction managers and workers, excavators, electricians, plumbers, interior designers, landscapers and more. Q: How many permanent jobs will Sterling create? A: 9,000 permanent jobs over the next 20 years, including teachers, administrators, medical workers, retailers, police, fire, sports-related workers, civic employees, maintenance workers, software and light industrial workers. Q: How will Sterling prevent sprawl? A: Seven unique villages will be built in the contours of the land, each surrounded by open space. There will be no building on key ridges. Q: How much of the land will be preserved for open space? A: 37%–1,250 acres-will be preserved for open space, wildlife corridors, parks and Community Supported Agriculture. This is land never previously open to the public. Q: Is it true that Sterling Ranch will be twice as dense as Highlands Ranch? A: No. Sterling’s compact villages will not only allow 37% open space but will be comparable in density to Roxborough Village. Q: How will Titan Road be able to handle the traffic? A: Area residents will have multiple roads to exit the community going east. The multiple options will disburse traffic in the Chatfield Valley. Sterling Ranch opened an Information Office four months ago on the second floor of the Roxborough Marketplace, across the hallway from the Roxborough Neighborhood Library. Members of the public can view the latest plans for the 3,400 acre proposed community from 10 AM to 2 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and also from 6 to 8 PM on Thursday. Online at Sterling Ranch Tags: 2011, answers, colorado, Littleton, questions, ranch, roxborough, sterling 2 comment on “Top Q&A on the Sterling Ranch Development” Jared Martinez says: Will sterling ranch have it’s own market place something similar to roxborough’s Market place? yes, there will be town center which will encompass many businesses. There are maps online at http://sterlingranchcolorado.com/ and some maps at the visitor center and RE/MAX edge in the marketplace.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11823
__label__wiki	0.590766	0.590766	SACRED FOOLS All Shows Calendar Past Productions Directions Members & Staff Get Involved About Mission Diversity/Cultural Inclusion Education & Outreach Press Awards Contact Us Mailing List Search Ten Tops An Exhilaratingly Eclectic Open Stage Next: Wednesday, May 1, 2019 @ 7:30pm (Performer Signup @ 7pm) Optional Theme: "Firsts" Hosted by Ed Goodman Tickets: FREE! Ten performers get up to seven minutes each to do anything they want, from sketch comedy to dramatic readings to dance. (Well, almost anything. No pyrotechnics, no glitter, no expression of bodily fluids, and... no stand-up comedy.) All ten slots already filled up by the time you arrive? Sign up for the CHARISMA ROUND! Charisma Round performers get THREE minutes each. (Are you SURE you don't want to perform? If you change your mind during the show, you'll have a chance to jump into the Charisma Round after all the signups have gone!) Performing in the Broadwater Plunge (entrance at 6324 Santa Monica Blvd.) The Plunge is a 21+ venue - I.D. required "I'm pleased to have encountered a night in which I didn't know what to expect, and was, every time, genuinely surprised and always entertained." -L.A. Splash TEN TOPS returns on Wednesday, May 1 in the Broadwater Plunge! The theme this month is "Firsts." You can use that theme to inspire your performance... or not. King of Meats Producers - Aaron Francis , Ed Goodman & Corey Klemow Logo Design - Curt Bonnem Logo Photography - Mandi Moss Model - Leigh Wulff - Sacred Fools Company Member L.A. Splash The Triumphant One Night Only Return of Ten Tops at Sacred Fools Ten performers take the stage for seven minutes each to sing, dance, recite or read original material to a Los Angeles audience who, most likely, has been exposed repeatedly to mediocre improv theater. It is sometimes painful and often predictable. I'm pleased to have encountered a night in which I didn't know what to expect, and was, every time, genuinely surprised and always entertained. I haven't come across a variety show that tops the Sacred Fools organized open mic night for format or content. The participants in the December 6th One Night Only Return of Ten Tops deserve wild applause. I hope for the One Night Only Return of Ten Tops to return for one night only again and again. Each performer for Ten Tops signs up prior to the event either via the Sacred Fools website or when they walk in the door the night of the show. Several members of the evening's cast were old friends from old times, and previously affiliated with the Sacred Fools Theater. The Ten Tops, "One Night Only Return," was a sort of reunion show for visiting host Jenifer Hamel, who recreated Yoko Ono's "Cut Piece" for her seven-minute portion of the program. Ms. Hamel also assured me that the "One Night Only Return" might mean they'll see how it goes and decide if they can do it again. Ten Tops ceased to exist with any consistency when it became glaringly obvious that the number of willing performers greatly outweighed the number of eager audience members. The small Sacred Fools Theater was nearly full for Ten Tops, and the fourteen pieces were each well received. More than ten people made it to the stage, but I think the form is to be loosely followed. The point here is the creative material. The floor is open, and as the woman at the ticket counter said, "We don't have programs because we don't know what's going to happen." An original rap happened. Hilarious monologues concerning Catholicism and Kinko's happened. The improv group Actual Size sang a happening tribute to karaoke. A man brought his dog on stage and demonstrated her well-trained tricks. A woman spread towels on the floor and read from a trashy romance novel. Another woman sang a Weird Al Yankovic song. Listing these pieces in a printed program would certainly detract from the joy of having them unfold spontaneously on a bare stage. Ten Tops is both a forum for goof-offs and for purveyors of serious performance. It's possible that Ten Tops success on its one night return might have to do with its infrequency. Performers aren't as stretched as they might be if they had to produce and deliver on a regular basis. Maybe the notion that this Ten Tops could be the final Ten Tops lends itself to the enthusiastic spirit infecting everyone in the room. I was in the room and discovered a lively gang of talented performers sharing their art with a supportive crowd. I suppose that can happen in a room where anything is encouraged to happen - before the buzzer goes off, of course. -- Amanda Page © 2004 L.A. Splash SoCal.com Americans believe with all their hopeful heart that they have talent. All they need is a platform to display what they have and undoubtedly the world will be a better and enriched place to live. The wonderful people at Sacred Fools Theater like to give those individuals a chance to showcase their talents. Think of it as the NBC hit America's Got Talent the stage version. As the saying goes, you have to see it to believe and even then, it is incredible what is seen. Ten Tops returned to Sacred Fools on Monday, July 24 with the intention of turning ordinary folks into stars, at least temporarily. The dynamic team of Pogo Saito and Jenifer Hamel hosted the evening's theme, "A Picnic of Performance." Along with watching ten acts, which varies from dance, song, acting and whatever else god gave them the gift to do, Saito and Hamel provided cool slices of fruit, a choice of cucumber or egg salad sandwiches and homemade fans for comfort. Ten brave souls get 7 minutes to shine. A kitchen timer carefully monitors them. Hamel steps up first doing free style poetry depending on what an audience member picks from her bag of tricks. She makes a witty ode to "Hello Kitty" when a piece of fur is chosen and does a song about Kleenex when tissue is picked. From then, the audience becomes the star and anything goes. Frequent performer Richard Levinson played a little guitar while singing the patriotic ditty, Winner of the Middle East War. Actress Teresa Willis performed works from her one-woman show on various topics. She spoke about the day she discovered her then boyfriend was a racist, tells the awful truth about Hollywood living and a personal favorite for women and some drag queens, can relate to about beauty supplies. There were some interesting acts like the guy who did a stand up on e-mails, the Italian who casually tossed dollar bills on the ground while his buddy translated that cash does not rule. Okay, sure. Hostess Pogo did a loving tribute to her grandmother Ardella, who lived for country music and beehive hairdos, and the all time favorite was the guy who played a mute Jesus on the cross. I'm not kidding. It is one of those things you have to see to believe and even then, you will doubt it. Fresh from his role in the play Hercules on Normandie, spoken word artist In-q delivered two of the most best rhymes, God Doesn't Make Mistakes and a an updated spin on the nursery rhyme Jack & Jill. His strong command of wordplay is the most original and best ever I heard. Whenever you speak from heart as he did, the audience cannot help but to fixate their attention on this talented artist. Sometimes you don't have to talk to be heard. The comedic duo Ten West brings back the classic vaudeville act to the new century. Jon Monastero and Stephan Simon performed various entertaining skits, a throwback from the gold ol' days when comedy ruled. They heavily used their facial expressions and body to speak. The results were laugh-out-loud funny until your sides hurt. Ten Tops makes a return appearance on Monday, October 30 in time for Halloween with a new theme: "Be Real Scary." The performance event takes place once every three months which you aspiring talents have time to polish, or not, your seven minutes of fame. -- Mary Montoro Ⓒ 2006 SoCal.com © 1997-2019 Sacred Fools Theater Company \| 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038 \| Contact Us \| Search Banner photo by Shaela Cook Photography	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11826
__label__wiki	0.939748	0.939748	Legacy Portfolio Videos & Webcasts GP Advisors GP Advisors (Bermuda) Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of GP Investments, Ltd. The firm is responsible for the identification, execution and monitoring of all investments pursued by Spice Private Equity. GP Investments GP Investments is a leading private equity and alternative investments firm. Since its foundation in 1993, GP Investments has completed investments in more than 50 companies and executed over 20 equity capital market transactions. GP Investments has a consistent and disciplined investment strategy, targeting established companies that have the potential to grow and be more efficient and profitable, becoming leaders in their industries. The firm currently has offices in São Paulo, New York, London and Bermuda. GP Investments’ Team MEMBER ROLE TIME AT GP EDUCATION BRIEF BONCHRISTIANO CEO 26 years BA: Oxford Mr. Bonchristiano is a former partner at Johnson Associates, a consultancy firm based in London, and worked for Salomon Brothers in London and New York. GAMBOA Managing Director 15 years BA: USP MBA: MIT Mr. Gamboa worked at Gradus Management Consultants. He served as a board member of Fogo de Chão, Submarino, ALL, Hypermarcas and Gafisa. FREITAS Managing Director 14 years BA: ITA MBA: Harvard Mr. Freitas worked at Roland Berger for five years. He was a member of the board of directors of Gafisa, Telemar and Tempo and is a board member of BR Properties. JUNQUEIRA Managing Director 11 years BA: USP MBA: Wharton Mr. Junqueira worked at Accenture. He served as a board member of Magnesita, BHG and BR Towers. BOSCOLO Managing Director/CFO 9 years BA: USP MBA: Wharton Mr. Boscolo worked at Boston Consulting Group. He served on the board of Magnesita, Sascar and BRZ Investimentos and is a board member of Leon Restaurants. PEDRETTI Managing Director 22 years Post-graduation (Law): PUC MBA: IBMEC Ms. Pedretti is the head of GP Investments’ legal department since 2001. She holds a MBA in financial and capital markets. GP Investment's - Board of Directors GP Investment’s Board of Directors MEMBER ROLE EDUCATION BRIEF LAMBRANHO Chairman of the Board BA: UFRJ Msc: UFRJ Mr. Lambranho worked for 12 years at Lojas Americanas, where he was CEO and, from 1998 to 2003, served as a board member. He also served as co-CEO of GP Investments from 2003 to 2013 and as a board member of RHI Magnesita, BRMalls, Estacio, Farmasa, BR Properties, among others. BONCHRISTIANO Board Member BA: Oxford Mr. Bonchristiano is a former partner at Johnson Associates, a consultancy firm based in London, and worked for Salomon Brothers in London and New York. GAMBOA Board Member BA: USP MBA: MIT Mr. Gamboa worked for Gradus Management Consultants. He served as a board member of Fogo de Chão, Submarino, ALL, Hypermarcas and Gafisa. VINTON Independent Board Member BA: Harvard Mr. Vinton was a senior VP at JP Morgan Chase and, from 1995 to 2009, was the chairman of Electra Partners, an international fund management company specialized in private equity. WRIGHT Independent Board Member BA: Oxford Mr. Wright is a director at Merifin Capital Group, an European investment firm, and serves as Chairman at EMAlternatives. He headed the global private equity activities of Dresdner Kleinwort. Swiss Security Number: 915.331 \| ISIN: CH0009153310 \| Ticker-Symbol: SPCE Reuters: SPCE.BN \| Bloomberg: SPCE:SW Powered by MZ	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11832
__label__cc	0.716323	0.283677	Revised 2.5-liter Boxer Engine with New 6-Speed Manual or CVT Subaru Legacy / Overview / Revised 2.5-liter Boxer Engine with New 6-Speed Manual or CVT The 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i models are powered by a revised 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Boxer engine, teamed for the first time to a new 6-speed manual transmission or the available new Lineartronic™ CVT. The CVT is standard in the Legacy 2.5i Limited, where it is also equipped with a manual mode and steering wheel paddle shifters. The 2.5-liter engine, which is available as PZEV-certified, is modified for 2010 to improve performance, responsiveness, and economy. The engine delivers 170 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm and 170 lb.-ft. of peak torque @ 4,000 rpm. The i-Active Valve Lift System (AVLS) ensures a broad torque curve and smooth response at all engine speeds, while also helping to improve fuel efficiency. All Subaru Legacy models for 2010 feature a larger fuel tank, now 18.5 gallons vs. 16.9 gallons in the previous model, to extend driving range. Whether teamed to the new 6-speed manual transmission or the Lineartronic™ CVT, the roomier 2010 Legacy provides quicker acceleration and lower fuel consumption than comparable 2009 Subaru Legacy models. Either transmission helps make the Subaru Legacy more responsive in everyday driving. Subaru has adopted a chain-type CVT, the world's first longitudinally mounted CVT system for AWD production vehicles. It employs smaller pulley cores, which helps make the unit compact and can help provide better fuel efficiency compared to belt-type CVTs. Unlike a conventional automatic transmission, which uses fixed gear ratios, a CVT provides infinite variability between the highest and lowest available ratios with no discernable steps or shifts. The CVT continuously and smoothly adapts to performance demand, helping to keep the engine in its most efficient operating range. Because a CVT does not shift gears, the driver enjoys smoother performance in all driving situations. The selectable manual mode of the Lineartronic™ CVT uses six pre-selected steps to allow the driver to "shift" manually using steering wheel paddle controls. Non-turbo models Non-turbo models 1) Connector 2) Clip 3) Clamp 4) Air intake boot 5) Clip 1. Unplug the connector that is attached to the top of the air cleaner case. 2. Detach the connector cable from ... WRX in the Market Though all-wheel drive is proliferating, not much of it has hit the compact-car class, and the WRX finds itself floating around the $25,000 mark — a good $8,000 cheaper than the VW R32 (basically ... Brake system warning light WARNING ● Driving with the brake system warning light on is dangerous. This indicates your brake system may not be working properly. If the light remains illuminated, have the brakes insp ...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11834
__label__wiki	0.992615	0.992615	Incumbent Officials in Caraga still loyal to Lakas Philippine Star Majority of the incumbent local officials in the five provinces and 70 municipalities in Caraga Region who have already filed their respective COCs remained loyal to President Arroyo’s administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD, except with the Barbers and Casurra groups who affiliated themselves with the Nacionalista Party. While two of the Amante political clan bigwigs – incumbent Agusan del Norte Gov. John Amante and his sister, former Agusan del Norte governor and Rep. Maria Angelica Amante filed their COCs under Lakas. Their Butuan City mayoralty bet, Dr. Ferdinand Amante’s group filed their COCs under the Liberal Party. Lakas stalwarts – re-electionists first district Surigao del Norte Rep. Guillermo Romarate Jr. and second district Rep. Francisco Matugas who is vice president for Mindanao for Lakas-Kampi-CMD filed their respective COCs. Matugas’ wife, former Department of Education regional director Sol Matugas filed her COC for Surigao del Norte governor under Lakas. Majority of the 27 municipal mayors and vice mayors of Surigao del Norte filed their respective COCs under Lakas. The remaining filed their COCs under Nacionalista Party. Meanwhile, former senior superintendent Cesar Mancao filed Monday his COC in the first district of Compostela Valley under the Aksyon-Demokratiko of the Liberal Party. “I think I am the best alternative to win in this elections given my credentials,” Mancao said in an earlier interview. Accompanied by his family, other relatives and supporters, Mancao filed his COC before the Comelec office in the town of Nabunturan, hoping he would be able to defeat incumbent board member Maricar Apsay and lawyer Ferdinand Lopoz for the said congressional slot in Compostela Valley. Compostela Valley Gov. Arthur Uy, who is running for re-election, said Lakas-Kampi-CMD would be behind the candidacy of Apsay against Mancao. It came as a shock to all media present after the filing of COC of his eldest son Irvin Alcala, 32, when Rep. Proceso Alcala (second district-Quezon) announced in that he trusts his son to continue his legacy of serving the people with utmost sincerity and dedication. Alcala said he believes that any government position is not permanent but should be given away to those who deserve it. He said he is not turning his back against the people who he said, he owed his political career but to give chance to younger people who are more capable of doing more than he had accomplished during his stint. (philstar.com)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11836
__label__cc	0.731283	0.268717	Spell building Creating Interesting Spells I love systems that generate interesting spells, but I really like spells that are very different. After a couple thoughts, I'll share my very rough draft system. The first part is similar to ACKS, but using addition instead of multiplication. The second part is where I try to make something different. The goal is not to re-create the standard OSR spell book, the goal is to encourage players and referees to create unique (or at least uniquely named) spells. On an OSR blog years ago, I read about a spell that uses campfires to teleport as an emergency exit. You didn't know where you would appear; you may walk out of a campfire of your sworn enemy. I want to make spells like that, but feel the need for some kind of random table or generator to make something that feels different. Yet, there is a part of me that takes comfort in something more methodical and/or procedural. I want to know that summoning a blue dragon is a higher level spell than summoning two orcs. Transforming into titan should be the stuff of arch-mages, not 8th level wizards. Still, where's the fun in finding out how to summon flumph or two? I want to summon black tentacled trees that hurl themselves at a foe only to explode into a million splinters that surround the victim and trap them inside the trunk when it reforms. Where are the spells that hurl screaming skulls or cause a black ziggurat to erupt from the ground to have a huge skeletal figure on a six-legged horse emerge to uttering a centuries old curse? For the math/procedural side of me, I worked out a way to create some straightforward create an object spells. I also worked out a simple summon creature set of spells. I have notes somewhere for damage spells, protection spells, and transformation spells. For the next few posts, though, I plan on providing an OSR Boring Spell as a template to do some crazy things with. To make the spells interesting, I want to apply a series of tags inspired by my study of classifiers. As I looked at various languages, the classifiers covered a weird range of objects. There is a classifier for objects shaped like coins. Another one for things that come in small rectangular boxes. In Thai, I found over 100 classifiers and those were the most common ones. Using these classifiers as weird descriptors, I began to think of more evocative spells. By evocative, I mean they feel like magic and not like plug and play spells from D&D. Here is an example slightly modified from something I posted on G+: I start with a spell that does 6d6 damage to an area at a range of 240 feet. Under my system, this is a 4th level spell. If I can add four tags to the spell, I can get it down to 3rd level. Colors and energy types can be used to describe the spell, but can't be a part of the four to lower the spell level. Example tags that can be part of the four include: Stedu: objects with heads or shaped like heads. Xanto: having to do with elephants Orne: things in pairs Xance: having to do with the number five or hands Ciska: Sentences or inscriptions. Julne: having to do with nets Siclu: having to do with whistles our whistling Some other tags just to add flavor: Fargi: pertaining to fire Blaxun: pertaining to the color green With these tags, you could create a spell that launches ten flaming green whistling heads at a spot determined by the spellcater doing 6d6 fire damage to all within the impact area. The tags used are: stedu (heads), xance (five), orne (pairs), siclu (whistling). These lower the initial spell to third level. For flavor, fargi (fire) and blaxun (green) were added. Still with me? Well here's where I open up for feedback. Below is a link to all the tags/magic words I have so far. The plan is to take a boring spell and apply at least four of these tags to create interesting spells. The Google doc is editable, so feel free to add. Just make sure to write your name so I can give you credit. editable magic words google doc More as this develops. Man it feels good to post again. 🙂 Tagged classifier, magic, magic system, Spell building, spells, Swords and Wixardry Spellbuilding Part 1 – Simple Conversion The first part of the spell building system covers situations like finding a really cool spell that seems difficult to quantify or that you do not want to breakdown and rebuild. It is a fairly simple system to use spells from any OSR system, or retroclone OGL content. Before starting on that, here are the basic mechanics of the spell building system. The system adds point values based on effect, range, duration, and any possible areas affected by the spell. The total is the spell's difficulty rating. Success in casting a spell is determined by rolling 1d20 + Intelligence score + Magic-Users's level to equal or exceed the magic-user's Saving Throw + difficulty rating. At the referee's discretion, a difficulty rating can be converted to a spell level for use in Vancian spellcasting. Like Cleric spells, converting a difficulty rating to a spell level is reversible. This may seem like a mouthful, but to help with ease of calculation, I put Intelligence score + Caster Level on the character sheet. You'd think this wouldn't be a big deal, but it seems to make calculation easier. Since the Saving Throw already appears, it is just a matter of looking up the difficulty rating in the spell book. In this post, I'll be taking OGL spells from various places and converting them to a difficulty rating. Simple Conversion to a Difficulty Rating Use the table below to convert spells to a difficulty rating: S&W Spell Level Cantrips† 7 †Cantrips cannot do any damage. Using cantrips assumes the use of Tim Brannan's Cantrips for Basic Level Games system. The difficulty rating in the table above is the midpoint for a spell level. Feel free to adjust the difficulty rating up or down by up to 2 points. In other words, a second level spell can have a difficulty rating from 13 to 17. In looking for spells to serve as good examples, I looked for OGL spells from the LInks to Wisdom section on spells. First, let's take a look at the Dreadcube (click the link for a full description). It is listed as a 7th level spell, so the new difficulty rating for this spell would be 34. It has multiple effects, so normally, I'd adjust the rating up, however, these effects can also potentially harm the caster, so I'll leave it where it is. OGL Link for Dreadcube For those that wonder about the odds, let's take a magic-user with an INT 13 (the minimum score required to cast a 7th level spell). We'll say that the magic-user is at 14th level. The M-U will roll 1d20 + 13 (Intellegence score) + 14 (Caster Level) to be greater than or equal to 5 (Saving Throw at 14th level) + 34 for a total of 39. The magic-user will have a 45% chance of successfully casting the Dreadcube. That seems a bit low, but 13 is the minimum Intelligence to cast a 7th level spell. Most Magic-Users for my players have an INT of 15 or 16 at least. Just for the sake of comparison, a 14th level Magic-User with an Intelligence of 15 attempting to cast this spell has a 55% chance of success. Here's another favorite of mine from the Space Age Sorcery pdf, Pretervolve. (click on the link to download the free version). It is listed as Level 5, so the difficulty rating is 27. Seeing as there is a permanent effect after the spell wears off, I'd add a point to make the final difficulty rating a 28. Again for the odds, we'll say that a 9th level Magic-User with an INT of 13 will cast Pretervolve. The M-U will roll 1d20 + 13 (Intellegence score) + 9 (Caster Level) to be greater than or equal to 7 (Saving Throw at 9th level) + 28 for a total of 35. The magic-user will have a 40% chance of successfully casting the spell. Again, many characters will have a higher INT score. A 9th level Magic-User with a 15 Intelligence score has a 50% chance of success. Section 15 of the OGL for the Pretervolve spell is: Space-Age Sorcery, Copyright 2013, Hereticwerks; Authors James Garrison, Eric Fabiaschi, Porky Here's another favorite, the Auric Devourer (read the post for the full description). It is listed as 1st level, so I convert the difficulty to 11. Since the description states that it is easy to cast, I'll bump it down to 10. I'll come back to this spell another time when going through the building system itself, because it mentions other factors that will be covered later. It has a listed casting time and an area of effect. Really quickly, a 1st level Magic-User with a 13 Intelligence will have a 50% chance of success to cast this spell. Lastly, let's mention the Cantrips. They are not necessary at all, but I mention them here because they add something fun. Using the table, Blackflame starts at a difficulty rating of 7, and I'd leave it at that. Looking at other cantrips in the list, I would probably make Flavor a rating of 5. The key to using cantrips is that they cannot do any damage. Regardless of difficulty rating, any spell that does damage must be at least a 1st level spell. A 1st level Magic-User with a 15 Intelligence (to represent most player characters), will have an 85% chance to cast Flavor and a 75% chance to cast Blackflame. Using Difficulty Ratings with Class Okay, I can turn a spell level into a difficulty rating. Now what? How does this work? At this point, you could use the Spell Point system I mentioned to track the ability to cast spells. The cost of casting the spell is the spell level. Casting a spell deducts from a character's Mana and when Mana is zero, no more spell for you. For your conveience, here is the table for Mana per level. Level Mana If the referee prefers, the traditional spell slot system can also be used. Another alternative is to say that a Magic-User can attempt to cast a spell in his spellbook until it fails. If the Magic-User has Sleep in the spellbook, he can cast it until the dice betray him. For low level magic-users, this means that they can likely cast more spells per day, but it removes the need for bookkeeping. Next time, we'll look at building spells based on effect, range, duration, and other factors. Tagged magic system, Spell building, spell points, spells, Swords and Wixardry The Next Big Project I don't know how far I will get on this, but I'm posting about it as a prod to get into the habit of writing instead of thinking. For that reason alone, there will be no kickstarter. In fact, it will be free. Seriously, though, the big project is a big book of magic for Swords & Wizardry. The book will include alternate options for magic, classes, spells, rules for spell research as well as magic item creation. Much of the alternate options for magic are already written, so that is not the difficult part. The rules for magic item creation are really straight-forward, but I haven't tested them, ergo, they may not be as straight-forward as I believe they are. The big challenge is finishing the spell building system. Backing up a bit, here are some things to know about the material in the book: Brace Yourself: There Will be Houserules I have changes that range from modifying the odds for learning spells for characters that spend money to allowing scroll creation at 1st level. One example of a house rule is that everyone can use slings. The main reason is to provide a magic-user an alternative to throwing knives. One of the implications of that small house rule is that since many magic-users may use a sling, magic stones for slings become a type of magic item that appears from time to time. Since everyone uses a sling, these stones are quite useful. Priests of Different Mythoi This was bound to happen for me. In my head, the priests of Mitra have to be different from the priests of Asura. What would a priest for the God of Magic look like? How does a God of the Harvest send an "adventuring Cleric" into the world? In 2e, Cleric spells were grouped into spheres which later became domains. Since the document will be OGL, I feel like I need to use the word domains even if I think "Spheres" in my head. Maybe I'm just getting old. These domains are part of what makes one priest different from another. Another distinction involves alternatives to turn undead. Some variations are as simple as Turn Demons or Turn Orcs. Other variations are based on spell effects like Remove Fear or Protection from Evil 10' Radius. My favorite one at the moment involves the ability to provide healing that does not change the target's hit points. This includes spells like Cure Insanity or Ability Score drain, but not any of the Cure Wounds spells. New Mechanics I generally do not like to introduce new mechanics. I prefer to reuse ones that already exist. One favorite is a take on the Turn Undead table - variations of that appear in an alchemist type of class and in the psionicist class. Yet, with the emphasis system aimed at creating more unusual spells, new mechanics open themselves up to all kinds of options. One of these options is a new type of magic item that allows you to permanently or temporary alter your magic-user's choice of emphases. My favorite is a spell that allows the caster to "borrow" an emphasis from its target. I also have my own take on a spell point system. There is no subtraction involved. The saying goes that necessity is the mother of invention and I needed a system that was faster for my kids. Wizards' Forms of Magic The most powerful form of magic for wizards is Eldritch Magic. This is magic as presented in the S&W Complete rules. This means so-called unbalanced spells and spellbooks, spells as semi-living things in the wizard's brain, and all other kinds of Vancian goodness. The second most-powerful form is Academic Magic. This is what "standardizing" magic looks like. Practitioners can create new spells with a greater degree of certainty, but lose the ability to re-create all the spells used by Eldritch Wizards. For example, an Academic Wizard can create a spell that sends a magic bolt at a target for 1d6 damage. The Academic Wizard, however, will not be able to match the range (240') of the Eldritch Wizard nor the ability to generate multiple bolts per level. For an Academic Wizard to generate a Magic Missile like spell, complete with a level-based effect on the number of missiles created, he or she would generate it as a second or third level spell instead of a first level spell. The third most-powerful form is Everyday or Common Magic. This includes minor cantrips and illusions. These spells also include simple things like Mending objects, adding a foot to a length of rope, adding a spice to a dish and more. Don't let spells with minor effects fool you, shortening a length a rope can have deadly consequences. Did You Have to Do Psionics? Yes I do. Eldritch and Academic Magics are available only to those that have the gift. Either a person can cast these types of spells or they cannot. For a person that wants to learn magic, but doesn't have the gift, the options are to either become a Cleric or make a deal with a supernatural power (i.e. become a Witch). Psionicists, called Disciples of The Path have found a different way. Clerics denounce disciples as atheists and heretics. Wizards consider them unsophisticated and crude. Witches consider them a hated enemy. Those that choose the Path, however, know that their powers equip them to deal with extraplanar forces malevolent and benign. There will be more spells and a handful of new creatures. As mentioned earlier, there is a spell building system. In addition to various player options, I hope to include many NPCs, including some that do not conform to any set of rules. (Bwa ha ha). There should be a whole slew of new magic items as well as artifacts. My hope is to provide something that may add a bit of spice to everyone's game. Wish me luck, I'll need it. 🙂 Tagged class, hewcaster, magic, magic item, magic system, psionicist, Spell building, spell points, Swords and Wixardry, Vancian Magic Using a Conlang/Relex Generator	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11839
__label__wiki	0.93186	0.93186	West Metro 507424902 New accuser steps up, says man charged in Bloomington hotel stranger rape assaulted her in 2000 Charges in similar 2000 case in California were dismissed before trial. By Paul Walsh Star Tribune Prosecutors who have charged a traveling businessman with raping a woman he met in a Bloomington hotel will call a witness willing to testify that he carried out a similar attack against her in a California motel more than 18 years ago. Jimmy J. Hortiz, 42, of The Dalles, Ore., has been in the Hennepin County jail since being charged more than three months ago with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and third-degree assault in connection with the attack in the early hours of Nov. 30 in the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington. The woman, who was 27 at the time of the Bloomington assault, told police soon after the incident that Hortiz was a stranger who raped her and rendered her unconscious several times, the charges said. Earlier this month, prosecutors informed the court and the defense that if the case goes to trial, they want Judge Kerry Meyer to allow a woman to testify that Hortiz raped her in a Red Roof Inn in the San Francisco suburb of Burlingame in the summer of 2000 while he was a guest there on a business trip. Securing the woman’s testimony will not only “prove defendant’s motive [and] intent” but show there is a “common scheme” in the 2000 case and the 2018 rape in the Bloomington hotel room, according to a filing by Assistant County Attorney Rachel Kraker. The criminal complaint said the woman was with a group drinking in the Bloomington hotel bar and next remembered being in a room with Hortiz. She said he undressed her, became “extremely angry” and started choking her. He also punched the woman, grabbed her by the hair and shoved her head into a dresser, the complaint added. A hospital exam revealed a black eye, bruised hands and choke marks on her neck. She also had other injuries consistent with sexual assault. The woman had on clothing that was not hers: a large men’s T-shirt and mismatched socks, the charges continued. She did not know where her clothes were. She said she later learned she was wearing her attacker’s clothing. Meyer could hear details from the California case as soon as April 15 during an evidentiary hearing before ruling on admissibility. Hortiz is represented in the Hennepin County case by the public defender’s office. A representative for that office declined to comment on the prosecution’s effort to have the woman from the California case tell her story at trial. Doubt in California While the prosecution’s court filing said with certainty that Hortiz “committed an act of sexual battery” against the woman in the California hotel, the charges were dismissed by a judge soon after a pretrial hearing. Hortiz’s attorney in the California case, Steve Chase, said this week that his client testified during that pretrial hearing and Judge Barbara Mallach “found Jimmy’s testimony to be credible. ... Case dismissed, and Jimmy was released to go home to Missouri. I remember being quite impressed with him and his version of events.” The San Mateo County prosecutor on the case, Sean Gallagher, stopped short of validating Hortiz’s testimony, but he said it left him thinking “we were not going to be able to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.” And while he said agrees to this day that the case should have been dismissed, Gallagher added, “A decision not to proceed to trial doesn’t mean I thought he was innocent.” Gallagher said he doesn’t recall the specifics of the allegations from more than 18 years ago, but he would be limited in what he could say because the details are now part of the Minnesota case. In the Bloomington rape case, the woman told the Star Tribune soon after Hortiz was charged that he “was trying to kill me. I became unconscious four times. … All I wanted to do was get on the other side of the hotel [room] door.” She said Hortiz kept threatening to kill her; she believes he should also be charged with attempted murder. “I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what set him off,” she said. Hortiz’s employer, Cardinal Glass in Hood River, Ore., said it was disturbed by the allegations in Hennepin County and fired him. Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota. pwalsh@startribune.com 612-673-4482 walshpj Charges: I-94 semi driver was viewing porn on phone when he fatally hit hwy. worker • West Metro St. Louis Park reinstates Pledge of Allegiance on unanimous vote • West Metro Mom tells of 18 years of terror • West Metro This boat don't float • West Metro Storms flood streets, down power lines; more possible later in week • West Metro	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11843
__label__wiki	0.655272	0.655272	WhoTalk: Peladon Commentaries Starring: Katy Manning & Toby Hadoke A distant feudal society battling between its noble historic past and the possibilities of a future with the Galactic Federation, formed the setting for two of the most fondly remembered serials of the Jon Pertwee era. The Curse of Peladon, and its sequel The Monster of Peladon, introduced viewers to a plethora of new monstrous creations, including the hermaphrodite hexapod Alpha Centauri and the furry beast Aggedor. They also reintroduced the towering green Martian invaders, the Ice Warriors. This collection contains a complete commentary track for The Curse of Peladon, and two selected episodes from The Monster of Peladon. Moderated by actor, comedian and cult television enthusiast Toby Hadoke, this release features Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Ysanne Churchman (Voice of Alpha Centauri), Nick Hobbs (Aggedor), Wendy Danvers (Amazonia), Sylvia James (Make-Up) and Marcia Wheeler (Production Assistant).	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11860
__label__cc	0.644074	0.355926	« and-a-pidgey-in-a-wepear-tree: faranae: blue-pixiedust: woodelf68:… Natural migraine Relief Massage » ECU convention 2018 congress proceedings ECU convention 2018 congress proceedings Budapest, Hungary. 25-27 May 2018 Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2018 O-01 Short or long-term treatment of spinal disability in older adults with manipulation and exercise: a randomized clinical trial Michele Maiers 1 , Jan Hartvigsen 2 , Roni Evans 3 , Kristine Westrom 1 , Qi Wang 3 , Craig Schulz 3 , Gert Bronfort 3 1 Northwestern Health Sciences University, Bloomington, Minnesota, USA; 2 University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 3 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Correspondence: Michele Maiers Study Objectives Back and neck pain are persistent and associated with disability and loss of independence in older adults. Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and supervised rehabilitative exercise (SRE) are both recommended treatments for spine pain in adults, often in combination with one another. It is unknown whether long-term management with these therapies is superior to shorter-term treatment. This study compares the effectiveness of short-term treatment (12 weeks) versus long-term management (36 weeks) of back and neck related disability in older adults using SMT combined with SRE. Methods and Material This randomized clinical trial was approved by an Institutional Review Board and conducted at a private healthcare university. Participants were 65 years of age and older, community dwelling, and self-reported both back and neck disability > 12 weeks in duration. Individuals were randomly assigned to receive either 12 or 36 weeks of SMT + SRE. Co-primary outcomes were changes in Oswestry and Neck Disability Index after 36 weeks. Secondary outcomes included self-reported pain, improvement, medication use, self-efficacy, and quality of life at weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, 52 and 78. Change in objective functional measures from baseline were measured post-intervention. Linear mixed models were used to compare between group differences in an intention to treat analysis Results 182 individuals participated (91 to each group). Both the short-term and long-term groups demonstrated significant improvements in back (-3.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.8 to -2.0 versus -6.3, 95% CI -8.2 to -4.4) and neck disability (-7.3, 95% CI -9.1 to -5.5 versus -9.0, 95% CI = -10.8 to -7.2) after 36 weeks, with no difference between groups (back 2.4, 95% CI -0.3 to 5.1; neck 1.7, 95% CI -0.8 to 4.2). The long-term management group experienced greater improvement in neck pain at week 36, self-efficacy at week 36 and 52, functional ability and balance. On average, the short-term group attended 10 SMT and 4 SRE sessions; the long-term group attended 19 SMT and 9 SRE sessions. Conclusion For older adults with chronic back and neck disability, extending management with SMT + SRE from 12 to 36 weeks did not result in any additional important reduction in disability. Statistically significant differences in favor of long-term management were found for improvement in neck pain and self-efficacy, as well as functional measures of balance and physical performance. These findings may be important for healthy ageing and spine care in the elderly, and warrant further investigation. O-02 Capturing movement patterns in children using a novel 3d motion capture approach Steen Harsted 1 , Anders Holsgaard-Larsen 2 , Lise Hestbæk 1,3 , Eleanor Boyle 1 , Henrik Hein Lauridsen 1 1 Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 2 Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 3 Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark Correspondence: Steen Harsted (sharsted@health.sdu.dk) Background Studies on medial and lateral knee displacement during functional movements have until now mainly been investigated in healthy or osteoarthritic adults with regards to later injury, prevalence of pain syndromes, or progression of arthrosis. However, aberrant knee movements in children may predict musculoskeletal complications later in life. Thus, feasible and valid methods for quantifying this are needed. The main kinematic of interest when assessing aberrant knee movement is frontal plane knee motion. This can be estimated directly in 3d (“true” knee varus), or indirectly either in 2d projections, or as ratios such as knee to hip separation distance (KHR). KHR is a measured as the distance between the knees divided by the distance between the hips. Marker based motion capture systems are the gold standard for quantifying knee kinematics but these systems are stationary, time consuming and costly, and thus only available in very specialized settings. Contrary, markerless motion detection technology is significantly less time consuming, portable and cheaper, and the technology may have matured to the point where the accuracy of the kinematic outcome measures may be applied in health care and research. Methods We determined the concurrent validity of measuring among others the knee valgus and KHR using a portable, markerless 3D-motion capture system, “The Captury”, against a 16 camera marker-based system, Vicon, in 14 children aged 3 to 5 years. The 14 children were recorded simultaneously by the two systems while performing a standardized series of 3 squats and 3 standing broad jumps. These movements were chosen based on their regular use in clinical practice and in motor control assessment of children. We determined the concurrent validity by estimating among others: limits of agreement (LOA) and root mean square errors (RMSE). Results Our preliminary analyses find knee varus agreement to be low (LOA [-19.7° to 42.25°], RMSE = 6.40°) while KHR may have sufficient agreement (LOA [-0.46 to 0.39], RMSE = 0.09]) to be used in clinical practice. More results will be presented. Discussion This study provides preliminary evidence of acceptable concurrent validity of some lower extremity measurements in pre-school children made by a markerless motion capture system. This can have major implications for future evaluations of movement patterns, both in research, clinic and screening programs. O-03 Effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low back pain: results from an individual participant data meta-analysis A. de Zoete 1 , S.M. Rubinstein 1 , M.R. de Boer 1 , M.W. van Tulder 1 , M. Underwood 2 , J.A. Hayden 3 , L. Buffart 4 , R. Ostelo 1 and the Back Pain IPD consortium* 1 Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 2 Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; 3 Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 4 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Correspondence: A. de Zoete Back pain IPD consortium: G. Bronfort, N.E. Foster, C. Maher, J. Hartvigsen, P. Balthazard, F. Cecchi, M.L. Ferreira, M.R. Gudavalli, M. Haas, B. Hidalgo, M.A. Hondras, C.J. Hsieh, K. Learman, P.W. McCarthy, T. Petersen, E. Rasmussen-Barr, E. Skillgate, Y. Verma, L. Vismara, B.F. Walker, T. Xia, N. Zaproudina Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42015025714 Keywords: Low back pain, Spinal Manipulative Therapy, Individual participant data This abstract won 2nd Prize, but the text of the abstract is not available for publication. O-04 Is effectiveness of Chiropractic Maintenance Care moderated by psychological profile? A secondary analysis of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial Andreas Eklund 1 , Irene Jensen 1 , Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde 2 , Alice Kongsted 3 , Iben Axén 1 1 Karolinska Institutet, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Stockholm, Sweden; 2 Institute for Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 3 Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark Correspondence: Andreas Eklund Study objectives The overall aim of the study was to explore the potential effect moderation of the effectiveness of Chiropractic maintenance care (MC) by psychological subgroups identified by the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI). The specific objectives were to investigate if the MPI subgroups had different outcomes in total number of days with bothersome low back pain (LBP), and the total number of visits during the study period. Methods and material This project is a secondary analysis of a pragmatic, investigator and assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial with a two-arm parallel design and 52 week follow-up period. The two treatment arms were, MC with the aim of preventing future episodes through regular visits, or control, where they were recommended to contact the clinician promptly only when symptoms returned. At the first visit, patients were classified into one of three distinctly different psychological/behavioral subgroups, Adaptive Copers (AC), Interpersonally Distressed (ID) and Dysfunctional (DYS). Number of days with LBP was collected weekly using an automated SMS system and number of visits were collected from the patient medical record. Results In total 252 subjects completed the trial and were included in the final analysis (Control: 162, MC: 166). A positive effect of MC (number of days with LBP) was overserved in the DYS group (-31.6; p: 0.061; 95%CI: -64.7, 1.5) and ID group (-15.4; p: 0.568; 95%CI: -53.3, 22.5) and a negative effect of MC in the AC group (10.3; p: 0.425; 95%CI: -25.0, 45.7). When the analysis was performed with a combined ID + DYS subgroup, the effect was both large and statistically significant (-25.4; p: 0.046; 95%CI: -50.33, -0.41). Within the AC subgroup the MC intervention resulted in a higher number of visits (3.64; p: <0.001; 95%CI: 2.0, 5.5) whereas within the ID and DYS subgroups the difference was smaller (1.71; p: <0.201; 95%CI: -0.9, 4.3 and 1.02; p: 0.588; 95%CI: -1.6, 2.9). Conclusion Patients should be considered for MC if they report high levels pain severity, marked interference with everyday life due to pain, high affective distress, low perception of life control and low activity levels and/or dysfunctional behaviors. Patients who, on the other hand, report low pain severity, low interference with everyday life due to pain, low life distress, high activity level and high perception of life control are likely to not benefit from MC and should be recommended care only when they experience a relapse of pain. O-05 Motor control and musculoskeletal health in kindergarten children Henrik H. Lauridsen 1 , Steen Harsted 1 , Lise Hestbæk 1,2 1 Research Unit for Clinical Biomechanics, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 2 Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark Correspondence: Henrik H. Lauridsen (hlauridsen@health.sdu.dk ) Background It is well established that spinal pain originates early in life, and that back pain in adolescence increase the risk of similar pain significantly in adulthood. However, the age of onset of spinal pain is still unknown, and knowledge of spinal and extremity complaints and their consequences in preschool children is scarce. Danish preschools have had an increasingly strong focus on motor skills improvements, as research suggest that motor skills are important for children’s general development. Given that inappropriate use of the musculoskeletal system may increase the risk of overuse and traumatic injuries, and that motor skills interventions have shown to decrease the risk of traumatic injuries among adolescents, a potential benefit of improved motor performance on musculoskeletal health in preschool children should be investigated. This work package is part of the MiPS study DK, and will establish five main purposes in children and adolescents aged 3 to 15 years: The incidence/course of back-, neck- and extremity-disorders Potential patterns of development of musculoskeletal disorders The influence of motor performance, movement patterns, strength, physical activity and parental socio-economic status in preschool on musculoskeletal health Normative data for movement patterns in childhood The predictive value of motor performance assessment and other early potential predictive markers to predict musculoskeletal health Methods We have designed a natural experiment including a cohort study. All children attending public preschools in Svendborg Municipality are invited to participate. Data from test rounds at baseline, 6, 18 and 30 months will be collected including fine and gross motor skills and movement patterns. Motor skills will be measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, and movement pattern analysis will assess the drop vertical jump and the standing broad jump tests using a portable three-dimensional high-speed motion capture system (The Captury Live system). Complaints from the musculoskeletal system will be reported using bi-weekly parental SMS-track inquiring about the child’s musculoskeletal pain. Results Baseline and 6 months follow-up data has been collected on 865 children aged 3 to 5 years. We expect to present typically reported problems, including age and sex related incidence figures of the cohort at baseline. Discussion and conclusions The project will bring new insights into the debut of musculoskeletal problems, how these problems develop and the type of musculoskeletal problems children from three to 15 years of age experience. This may enable recognition of risk patterns which are important for preventing future chronic musculoskeletal conditions. O-06 Migraine and Tension-Type Headache in former colicky babies treated by chiropractors: a prospective cohort study Jan Hoeve, Kathrine Sund Chiropractie Staphorst, Staphorst, The Netherlands Correspondence: Jan Hoeve (janhoeve@chiropractiestaphorst.nl) Background Within the headache literature recent publications point to an intimate relationship between infantile colic and later migraine [1]. A Finnish prospective cohort study of apparently untreated former colicky babies revealed 23 % migraine at age 18, versus 11 % in former non-colicky babies [2], compared to15 % in the general population [3]. In the present study we prospectively explore relationships between infantile colic and the development of adolescent migraine in a cohort of former colicky babies who at the time had been treated by chiropractors.. Methods Colicky babies, who had been treated when they were less than 12 weeks old by means of a gentle chiropractic method ( J-Tech reflex instrument, zero setting and tangentially applied), were contacted some twenty years later and evaluated for migraine and tension headache. Migraine screening was performed using ID migraine [4]. Results Out of a total of 442 individuals who were treated between 1993 and 2001, we managed to contact 269, 182 (68 %) boys and 87 (32 %) girls. Migraine was reported by 12 (5%), six boys and six girls, 7 (3%) had migraine with aura and 5 (2%) without aura. In 8 individuals the migraine had started at the onset of puberty, in 4 the migraine had a distinct familial relationship. In 1 almost daily chronic migraine without aura had started already by the age of 3 (Table 1). Tension type headache was reported by 42 (16%) individuals, 25 (60%) boys and 17 (40%) girls. In 12 individuals the headache had started at the onset of puberty (Table 2) . Discussion The prevalence of 5 % for migraine in our cohort of treated babies is 80% lower than the prevalence of 23% reported by Finnish researchers for a cohort of untreated former colicky babies. Underlying relationships between infantile colic and migraine are discussed. Conclusions Early chiropractic treatment directed at relieving occipital/upper-cervical dysfunction may be an effective way to prevent a migraine pattern from getting established at a very young age, thereby preventing the development of migraine later on during childhood and adolescence. Consent to publish All individuals who were contacted gave their informed consent to include the information provided in the present study and to publish the result. References [1] Gelfand, A. A, Goadsby, P. J, Allen, I. E. The relationship between migraine and infantile colic: asystematic review and meta-analysis. Cephalalgia 2015; 35(1): pp.63-72. [2] Sillanpaa, M, Saarinen, M. Infantile colic associated with migraine: A prospective cohort study. Cephalagia 2015; 35(14): pp. 1246-51. [3] Stovner, L.J, Andree, C. Prevalence of headache in Europe: a review for the Eurolight project. J. Headache Pain 2010; 11(4): pp. 289-99. [4] Lipton, R.B, Dodick, D, Sadovsky, R. et al. A self-administered screener for migraine in primary care: the ID migraine validation study. Neurology 2003; 61(3): pp. 375-82. O-07 Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in clinical practice for non-malignant pain: a realist review and theoretical framework Michelle M. Holmes 1 , Felicity L. Bishop 1 , David Newell 2 , Jonathan Field 3 1 Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, UK; 2 AECC University College, Bournemouth, UK; 3 Back2Health, Southsea, Hampshire, UK Correspondence: Michelle M. Holmes (m.m.holmes@soton.ac.uk) Background The use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) has increasingly been incorporated into routine chiropractic practice. Research to date suggests that PROMs may affect the process and outcome of care. The theoretical basis underpinning the use of PROMs in clinical practice remains underdeveloped; much of the published research has focused on the impact PROMs may have in clinical practice with limited research to understand the potential mechanisms behind any effects. The aim of this realist review was to identify the processes by which PROMs might influence health outcomes in routine clinical practice for non-malignant pain. Materials and Methods An electronic search was carried out of relevant databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. The review examined reviews, letter, editorials and commentaries in order to identify theories and critical pieces of literature exploring how PROMs feedback might work in routine clinical practice. Text from 61 relevant papers was included and coded inductively. Codes were examined for patterns; to form a preliminary conceptual explanation of the processes and mechanisms of actions when using PROMs. Findings were reviewed in relation to formal psychological theories and empirical literature, and a theoretical framework was developed. Results The review suggests that PROMs may affect patients through various processes: incorporating increasing clinician knowledge, facilitating patient-doctor interaction, provision of patient-centered care, monitoring, informing strategies to improve care, therapeutic relationship, patient satisfaction, patient behaviour and factors which influence clinicians’ use of PROMs. The developed a novel theoretical framework: The Patient Reported Outcome Measures Pathway Theory (PROMPT). Conclusions The findings of this realist review highlight a series of processes by which PROMs may influence patient outcomes within the context of treating non-malignant pain. PROMPT provides a valuable foundation to guide future research on the use of PROMs within chiropractic care and the processes by which PROMs may influence health outcomes within the chiropractic context. O-08 A comparison of the effectiveness of manual therapy, exercise, and medical intervention for the reduction of subjective symptoms of dizziness in adult patients with cervicogenic dizziness: a systematic review and meta-analysis Marc W. Sanders, David Newell, Johan Ramsoskar, Kim D. Kristiansen, Greg Pearse, Trym Buvarp, George Rix Department of Research, AECC University College, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK Correspondence: Marc W. Sanders (marcwsanders@gmail.com) Background Cervicogenic dizziness is diagnosed through a process of exclusion and should include symptoms of dizziness and/or disequilibrium together with neck pain or stiffness [1,2,3]. Numerous authors have suggested that a variety of manual therapy interventions can have an effect on cervicogenic dizziness [1,4,5,6]. New studies have been identified since previous systematic reviews that show additional favourable evidence. Objective To compare the effectiveness of manual therapy, exercise and medical intervention for the reduction of subjective symptoms of dizziness in patients with cervicogenic dizziness. Design A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised (RCTs) and non-randomised controlled trials (non-RCTs). Methods The following data sources were searched, screened and extracted: Cochrane Central register of controlled trials (The Cochrane Library 2016, issue 3), MEDLINE (June 1963 to March 2016), CINAHL (October 1993 to March 2016), PEDro (up to 2016), Index to Chiropractic Literature (up to 2016) and AMED (March 1981 to March 2016). Methodological quality was assessed using the Maastricht-Amsterdam grading system and Downs and Black grading system for randomised and non-randomised controlled trials respectively. Three of the authors assessed the quality of evidence using the GRADE approach; disagreements were resolved via discussion. A meta-analysis was performed for the subjective outcome measures of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) dizziness, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and frequency of dizziness. Results Of the 1563 studies identified, twenty-two studies were eligible and included. Six of which were randomised controlled trials and sixteen of which were non-randomised controlled trials. A total of 1093 participants were involved across all included studies. The overall risk of bias was deemed low for all the randomised controlled trials. Of the non-RCTs assessed by the Down and Black criteria, there were no excellent papers. Two papers were graded as good, six as fair, and eight as poor. The randomised controlled trials used in the meta-analysis all showed a reduction of VAS dizziness, DHI, and frequency of dizziness across the 180 participants with a mean reduction of 25.79 (large effect), 17.38 (medium effect), and 1.26 (large effect), respectively. However, the quality of the evidence assessed using GRADE was rated as very low, low, and very low, respectively. Conclusions There is evidence to suggest that manual therapy and multi-modal therapy including exercise shows an improvement compared to other interventions including placebo for reducing VAS dizziness, DHI, and frequency of dizziness in patients with cervicogenic dizziness, however it is of a very low, low, and very low quality, respectively. Trial registration We thank Professor Gordon Guyatt for his support with GRADE quality assessment. References [1] Reid SA, Rivett DA. Manual therapy treatment of cervicogenic dizziness: a systematic review. Man Ther. 2005; 10:4-13. [2] Malmström E, Karlberg M, Melander A, Magnusson M, Moritz U. Cervicogenic dizziness – musculoskeletal findings before and after treatment and long-term outcome. Disabil Rehabil. 2007; 29:1193-1205. [3] Hain TC. Cervicogenic causes of vertigo. Curr Opin Neurol. 2015; 28:69–73. [4] Lystad RP, Bell G, Bonnevie-Svendsen M, Carter CV. Manual therapy with and without vestibular rehabilitation for cervicogenic dizziness: A systematic review. Chiropr Man Therap. 2011; 19:21. [5] Reid SA, Callister R, Snodgrass SJ, Katekar MG, Rivett DA. Manual therapy for cervicogenic dizziness: Long-term outcomes of a randomised trial. Man Ther. 2015; 20:148-156. [6] Moustafa I, Diab A, Harrison D. The effect of normalizing the sagittal cervical configuration on dizziness, neck pain, and cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility: a 1-year randomized controlled study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2016; 53:57-71 O-09 How much pain reduction matters for neck pain patients undergoing chiropractic treatment? B. Wirth, C. Schäfer, B.K. Humphrey, C. Peterson, P. Schweinhardt Department of Chiropractic Medicine, University of Zurich/University Hospital Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland Correspondence: P. Schweinhardt Background Knowing the degree of pain reduction that is meaningful to patients is important to define therapeutic goals in clinical practice and treatment trials. Across different pain conditions and treatment modalities it has been shown that a two-point decrease or a 30% reduction on a numerical pain rating scale (NRS) is associated with clinically meaningful improvement (Farrar et al., 2001; Ostelo et al., 2008). However, it is unclear whether a similar pain reduction is required for neck pain patients undergoing chiropractic treatment to achieve clinically meaningful improvement. In addition, it is unknown whether this relationship depends on the time elapsed since start of treatment and/or on pain chronicity. Methods In a prospective observational study, 850 neck patients (299 male, age = 41.5 ± 13.8 years) completed the NRS before chiropractic treatment and the NRS and the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. According to previous literature, the two highest PGIC-categories (“much better” and “better”) were defined as clinically relevant improvement. The raw and percentage NRS-changes related to clinically relevant improvement were calculated for each time point. One-way ANOVAs (post-hoc Bonferroni) were conducted to compare NRS changes (absolute and percentage) required for clinically relevant improvement at different time points and to compare percent NRS changes required for clinically relevant improvement between acute, subacute and chronic patients after 3 months. Results The percentage of improved patients increased from 55.5% after 1 week to 72.9% after 1 month, 77.8% after 3 months, 78.3% after 6 months, and 80.9% at 12 months. NRS changes in the improved patient subgroup steadily increased with time elapsed since start of treatment up to three months: mean raw NRS changes were -3.13 (2.6) after 1 week; -3.81 (SD 2.5) after 1 month; -4.28 (SD 2.6) after 3 months; -4.36 (SD 2.5) after 6 months and -4.3 (SD 2.5) after 12 months (F(4,2488)=17.47, p<0.001). Similarly, percent changes in the improved patient subgroup increased from -47.73% (SD 55.18%) at 1 week to a maximum of just over -70%; already achieved at 3 months and stable at 6 and 12 months (F(4,2488)=24.88, p<0.001). The mean percent NRS-changes associated with clinically relevant improvement after 3 months differed significantly between the acute patients (-79.55%, SD 33.8%), and the subacute patients (-67.14%, SD 45.2%), as well as the chronic patients (-61.95%, SD 43.5%) (F(2,522)=10.66, p<0.001; post-hoc Bonferroni: all p-values 55 years of age) with low-back pain who visit a chiropractor with a new episode of low-back pain. Participants are to be recruited from the private practices of chiropractors in The Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. Treatment will Outcome measures The following primary outcomes are to be measured using self-report, validated questionnaires: 1) pain intensity (11-point VAS), 2) low-back pain-specific functional status (Oswestry Disability Index), 3) self-perceived recovery (7-point Likert scale), and 4) EQ-5D-5L. Follow-up is to be conducted at the end of the second visit, and at 6 weeks and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Implications of this project This project is modelled after the BACE study (BAck Complaints in Elders), which is currently being conducted in primary care in The Netherlands, Australia and Brazil. BACE is supported by an international consortium consisting of world-leaders in research of low-back pain. Aligning ourselves with this consortium represents a unique chance for chiropractic. P-09 An initial investigation of the use and understanding of the terms Troy Magowan, Peter McCarthy Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK Intro Certain terms used by chiropractors to define their own, or others, practice methodology have also had the unfortunate consequence of creating potential schisms in the profession. Such a situation can be exacerbated by a lack of clear accepted definitions; therefore, it is important to define such terms appropriately. Terminology that fits this category includes those words related to treatment protocol methodology for the patient who has achieved or is close to full recovery. The aim of this study was to consider use and definition of the terms Maintenance and Wellness. Study objectives To uncover the current perception of UK chiropractors regarding the meaning of the terms “Wellness care” and “Maintenance care” and how these methodologies are integrated into clinical practice. Methods A mixed methods study was used, involving a questionnaire comprised of both closed multiple choice questions and qualitative style open ended questions was created using the website SurveyMonkey. The questionnaire was then distributed electronically to 1225 Royal College of Chiropractors members and made available for 2 weeks. The chiropractic undergraduate research module ethics group at University of South Wales approved this study. Results 128 completed questionnaires were received (10% of surveyed population). Of these 4% reported using a strict Wellness care model, 49% used maintenance care only and 43% reported using a combination of both in their practice. Regarding definition of the terminology: Wellness care was perceived as treatment aimed at asymptomatic patients with the objective of “optimising body function”. Whereas maintenance care was considered to target supporting a symptomatic or chronic pain patient by maintaining the improvements achieved during the initial treatment period. There was some agreement on both the aims of the treatment as well as the frequency. However, a number of responses also represented strongly polarised remarks. These remarks highlighted the large emotional component associated with the use of these terms by a small proportion of the population responding to this survey. Conclusion This data shows that there is some consensus among UK chiropractors regarding their understanding of the terms Maintenance care and Wellness care. Unexpectedly, a large proportion of those responding used both methodologies. This study produced evidence in support of both the need for, and importance of clearly defining the terminology used by chiropractors from the perspective of uniting the majority and reducing the emphasis of the vocal minority. P-10 Incidence of intersegmental cervical joint motion dysfunction in patients with Tinnitus as their co-morbidity Peter McCarthy, Manuel Cabrera School of Health, Sport and Professional Practice, Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK Correspondence: Peter McCarthy Determining whether manual palpation can reveal diagnostically relevant information about visceral disease has been subject to much debate. Although neurologically plausible, reliability of palpation has been questioned. Tinnitus refers to the perception of a sound not being generated by an external source. The term tinnitus derives from the Latin Word tinnire , meaning to ring. Accumulated evidences suggest that tinnitus-related neural activity is more complex and multimodal than previously thought, however, where there is sensory input there should be some resulting change in motor output. Indeed, a relationship has been reported between tinnitus and Cervical Muscle Tenderness, TMJ Dysfunction even myofascial trigger points in the neck musculature. Objective : to determine if there is a relationship between the prevalence of intersegmental joint restriction across the Cervical spine and the presence of Tinnitus (as a co-morbidity). Methodology : A retrospective study compared the cervical spinal restrictions as mapped and noted in Welsh Institute of Chiropractic (WIOC) Clinic files by the Senior Student Clinicians between patients complaining tinnitus as a co-morbidity and those that did not. Files were included only if the patient had signed consent for their information to be included in such anonymised, secondary data analysis; had reported cervical palpation and either had or did not have tinnitus as a co-morbidity. Approval was granted by the chiropractic undergraduate research ethics subgroup. Data was coded in relation to the presence or absence of noted restriction in intersegmental motion. Chi squared analysis was used to compare groups. Results : A total of 1537 files were searched generating 103 with tinnitus; of these 23 were discarded (incomplete) resulting in inclusion of 80. Random sampling from within the non-tinnitus population produced a control group of similar size (n=80). A statistically significant increase in noted restricted motion was found in the test group across the segments C2/3 (57.5% and 76.9%, control and test respectively: p=0.038). Conclusions/Recommendations: It may be possible to use this approach to detect differences in segmental motion, which relate to the presence of neurologically linked to sensory input from dysfunctional organs. P-11 A novel approach to improving breastfeeding rates and enhancing clinical education: a mixed-methods investigation of a student-led interprofessional breastfeeding clinic Amy Miller AECC University College, Bournemouth, UK The importance of breastfeeding for the health of the mother and infant are clear. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continuation of breastfeeding alongside solid foods until two years or beyond. Despite best efforts, only 1% of infants are exclusively breastfed at six months of age in the UK. In order to provide support to mother-infant dyads to breastfeed, and to provide interprofessional clinical experience to students, Bournemouth University and AECC University College created a student-led interprofessional breastfeeding clinic (ISLBC), run by midwifery students and chiropractic interns. Interprofessional education is supported and recommended by the WHO as a means to develop a collaborative practice ready workforce, and student-led clinics are one way to provide interprofessional education. There is some low-level evidence that chiropractic care supports breastfeeding. It has been noted that intervention at birth is associated with breastfeeding difficulties and premature cessation. Intervention at birth has been suggested as a mechanism of injury in the neonate, negatively impacting on feeding mechanisms and biomechanics. Additionally, there is some evidence for an interprofessional midwifery and chiropractic intervention in preserving breastfeeding in dyads who are at risk of early cessation with multiple breastfeeding problems. However the research to date is not definitive. Objectives 1. To compare breastfeeding outcomes and experiences of mothers who attend a student-led interprofessional breastfeeding clinic with mothers who receive routine care 2. To explore a student-led interprofessional breastfeeding clinic as a means of developing students’ clinical knowledge and skills, and supporting interprofessional education. Methods The first objective will be assessed using a 2-arm prospective cohort study measuring feeding outcomes at six and twelve weeks of age, one group recruited from the interprofessional student-led breastfeeding clinic, the other group will have no intervention beyond their routine care. Interviews with a sample of the mothers in the prospective study will explore the maternal experiences of breastfeeding. The second objective will be explored via focus groups with the students involved in the clinic, and focus on their learning in this setting. Impact Results from this study will be used to inform future use of this clinic, and future research. This study will be used to clarify the role of chiropractic care within the wider team supporting breastfeeding, which is a crucial public health issue facing infants in the UK. P-12 Is there an association between birth type and area of musculoskeletal complaint in the neonate? Amy Miller AECC University College, Bournemouth, UK Introduction Increasingly, parents present their infants to the chiropractor. Throughout the chiropractic paediatric literature, certain demographics are persistently different to the general population. Intervention during birth is one factor which is commonly over-represented in chiropractic paediatric populations, and has been used to describe the mechanism of injury in this age group. Birth intervention has been associated with cranial deformation, torticollis and breastfeeding difficulties. The aim of this study is to gain a more detailed understanding of specific birth interventions in infants with specific musculoskeletal problems, and identify any association. Methods A cross-sectional study utilised chiropractic intern report of specific birth type, feeding difficulties and musculoskeletal complaints in a cohort of infants presented to an interprofessional breastfeeding clinic. Descriptive data and risk ratios were used to highlight common presentations and determine associations between birth type and area of musculoskeletal involvement. Results In this cohort of 301 infants presented to an interprofessional clinic with breastfeeding difficulties, 83% had intervention at birth. The most common feeding complaints were difficult attachment, pain during feeding, and unilateral feeding preference. The most common areas of musculoskeletal involvement were thoracic, cervical and SCM. Any type of assistance at birth increased the risk of baby being unsettled at the breast by 1.62. Induction increased the risk of cervical spine involvement by 1.86 compared to unassisted delivery. Emergency Caesarean deliveries had a 1.71 increased risk of unsettled feeding and cervical spine involvement compared to unassisted deliveries. Ventouse delivery increased the risk of thoracic spine involvement by 1.34, and unsettled feeding by 1.38, compared to unassisted delivery. Forceps deliveries increased the risk of difficulty attaching to the breast by 1.49, and cervical spine involvement by 1.30. Discussion This study is the first to our knowledge which highlights specific birth interventions as risks for specific musculoskeletal problems. Given these musculoskeletal problems, it may be appropriate that chiropractic care forms part of the infants’ healthcare. The sample size is relatively small, the study is observational, and relied on intern report. Conclusion There are significant limitations to this study. However, it provides a starting point in a previously unexplored area and hence has implications for further research. Infants who undergo assisted birth experience multiple feeding difficulties and multiple areas of musculoskeletal complaint. Forceps and emergency Caesarean deliveries appear to pose additional risk, and it may be appropriate that chiropractic is part of routine assessment for these infants. P-13 Self-reports of spinal stiffness compared to physical measures of spinal stiffness Jones Nielsen, Casper Nim, Søren O’Neill, Jan Hartvigsen, Greg Kawchuk University of Southern Denmark, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark Correspondence: Jones Nielsen Study objectives 1) Examine the association between scores of the Lumbar Stiffness Disability Index (LSDI) questionnaire and objective, physical measures of stiffness at the L3 segmental level in patients with persistent non-specific low back pain (nsLBP); 2) Assess if physical measures of stiffness in the lower back in these patients change following a series of spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) over 2 weeks. Methods and material 15 participants were recruited from a multidisciplinary Spine Center located in Middelfart, Denmark, after being thoroughly examined by a clinician specialized in spine disorders and diagnosed with persistent nsLBP. All participants received spinal stiffness testing as well as completing the LSDI-questionnaire at baseline and at follow-up after 2 weeks. All participants received four sessions of SMT at the Spine Center. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to examine the association between the LSDI-scores and measured stiffness. A paired-samples t-test was used to determine differences in stiffness. Results We found a moderate negative correlation between the LSDI-score and the Global Stiffness of L3, r s (13) = -0,567, p < 0,05 ( p = 0,027). Participants were less stiff at follow-up compared to baseline in the L3 segment following SMT (4,652 ± 0,720 N/mm versus 4,877 ± 0,858 N/mm), although the mean difference of -0,224 (95% CI, -0,837 to 0,390) N/mm was not statistically significant, p = 0,447. Conclusion A negative association was found between the LSDI-scores and the measured stiffness at the L3 segment. A reduction in spinal stiffness was found following spinal manipulation over a 2-week period, however the difference was not statistically significant. These results are preliminary and the results may change, since more participants will be included. At the next round of data analysis, outcomes of another questionnaire (the Lumbar Spine Instability Questionnaire) will be added and correlated to measures of stiffness to gain further insight in subjective notions of spinal stiffness. Additional lumbar levels and different types of measured stiffness will be analysed as well. P-14 Effects of chiropractic manipulation on subchondral bone status, cartilage and synovial membrane in an experimental model of osteoarthritis in rabbits Arantxa Ortega-De Mues 1 , Francisco Miguel Conesa 2 , Ricardo Fujikawa 1 , Arancha Mediero 2 , Paula Gratal 2 , Francisca Mulero 3 , Gabriel Herrero-Beaumont 2 , Raquel Largo 3 1 Madrid College of Chiropractic-RCUEMC, Madrid, Spain; 2 IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-UAM, Madrid, Spain; 3 Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain Correspondence: Arantxa Ortega-De Mues This abstract is not included here as it has already been published [1]. Reference [1] Conesa-Buendía FM, Fujikawa R, Mediero A, Gratal P, Mulero F, Ortega-De Mues A. Changes in subchondral bone status, cartilage and synovial membrane in response to chiropractic manipulation in an osteoarthritis model. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2018 Apr 1;26:S319. P-15 The use of Facebook as a formative peer assessment tool Jacqueline Rix AECC University College, Bournemouth, UK Introduction In healthcare teaching institutions, students are required to learn a number of practical diagnostic and treatment tasks. These tasks are psychomotor rich skills, each with a theoretical and cognitive component. In order for students to learn a psychomotor task, feedback is desired. This study aims to investigate a different method of supplying the student with feedback through the use of Facebook as a platform for peer-feedback and discussion. Methods The study was a mixed method study. All students enrolled onto year one MChiro at the AECC University College were invited to participate in the study. The first 13 students (10% of the cohort) to email their interest were enrolled onto this pilot study. Pedagogical support for participants was given and a Facebook invitation to the private Facebook Group was sent. Participants were encouraged to post videos of themselves performing psychomotor tasks to gain feedback from their peers, as well as to post research articles, pictures or questions regarding pathologies appropriate to a first year level. In semester one, the researcher was an equal partner in Facebook participation. In semester two, the researcher withdrew from participating, but remained as an observer. At the end of each semester, participants were given a questionnaire to complete and a follow up semi-structured interview was done with questions based on Facebook participation. Participant summative assessment results were compared to Facebook Group participation. Results Eleven participants completed the study. The average age was 26.5 (9.7) which was significantly different to the remaining cohort. In semester 1, 55% of participants posted videos; 100% of participants received feedback. In semester 2, 45% of participants posted videos; 100% of participants received feedback. 100% of students found the Facebook page useful. Students in the study had significantly better summative marks in reflective essay writing, however were equal with the remaining cohort in the theory assessment. Participants who participated in the Facebook page significantly outperformed participants who did not participate in the Facebook page in the semester two practical assessment. Conclusion Students did use the Facebook Group and found it useful, participation was low and it was seen by some students as an additional chore, rather than the learning environment it was intended to be. That being said, students may not have used it in the way the researcher envisioned, but reported that they did learn from the FB group and would use it again in future. P-16 Comparison of HVLA lumbosacral manipulation and sham manipulation on running time and horizontal jump among amateur soccer players Resat Coskun 1 , Bülent Aksoy 2 , Doruk Turhan 3 , Mehmet Toprak 2 1 Arel University, Istanbul, Turkey; 2 Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey; 3 Altinbas University, Istanbul, Turkey Correspondence: Resat Coskun (resatcoskun@arel.edu.tr) It was aimed to investigate the effects of high velocity low amplitude (HVLA) manipulation, sacroiliac and lumbosacral manipulation on sprint, hurdle race and jumping performance among amateur soccer players who were diagnosed with asymptomatic dysfunctions in sacroiliac and lumbosacral joints. Before and after application, 20 meters of sprint and 20 meters of hurdle race time and horizontal jump distance were measured. We measured sprint and hurdle race times with a timer and video recordings. 30 patients were included in the study. We divided them in two groups as 15 individuals in each group and made a random selection of patients. One-time sham manipulation applied to the control group while one-time chiropractic HVLA lumbosacral manipulation applied to the experiment group. 20-meter sprint score in control group decreased from 3.49 seconds to 3.46 seconds. Total variation is 0.03 sec. In the experimental group, the 20-meter sprint score decreased from 3.44 seconds to 3.22 seconds. The variation recorded is 0.22 seconds. When we compare sprint values, the experiment group has a statistically significant advantage over the control group (p 0.05). The horizontal jump distance in the control group increased to 268.80 cm from 266.93 cm. The score increased from 261.13 cm to 267.80 cm in the experimental group. There is an increase of 6.67 cm. When comparing the horizontal jump values, there is statistically significant difference on the experiment group over the control group (p 0.05). First leg evaluation of left hamstring strength 59,34 kg and the final assessment recorded was 41.96 kg. There was a decrease of 17.38 kg (p> 0.05). In the experiment group, the initial assessment of the right hamstring strength is recorded as 34.68 kg while final evaluation was recorded as 43.29 kg. An increase of 8.61 kg was recorded and found statistically significant (p <0.05). The initial evaluation of the left leg hamstring strength was 35.96 kg while final evaluation was recorded as 43.64 kg. An increase of 7.68 kg was recorded and found statistically significant (p <0.05). Keywords: chiropractic, manipulation, HVLA, sacroilliac, lumbosacral, hamstring P-18 Neck function in male rugby league athletes: a comparison of age and professionalism Bianca Zietsman, Fatma Bosnina, Niall Tilley, Pia Helminen, Daniel Morgan, Peter McCarthy University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK Correspondence: Bianca Zietsman Introduction Rugby is one of the most popular contact sports known worldwide, played by both males and females of all ages. Since it is a complex and high demanding sport, injury rates can be significant. The most common rugby league injuries appear to be those to the head and neck. Active Cervical Spine Range of Motion (ACRoM) has been shown to decrease following acute trauma and repeated low grade injuries. This study aims to compare the neck function in terms of ACRoM between male rugby league athletes at different levels of professionalism and age. Methods and material We used secondary data analysis of data gathered previously to compare ACRoM of 43 professional rugby league players (Twenty one from the National Australian Rugby League Team: mean age 27.05 years, s=3.08; Twenty two from the fully professional London Broncos team: mean age 24.4 years, s=4.24), Fifteen semi-professional players from South Wales Ironmen (mean age 25.4, s=4.93), and Fourteen junior rugby league players from colleg y cymoed (mean age 18, s=1). ACRoM in Flexion-extension (sagittal) coupled movements were chosen to be measured using a cervical range of motion device (CROM). This ethical approval was granted by the faculty of life sciences and education ethics committee of the University of South Wales. Results There appeared to be no correlation between players’ age and their ACRoM. There was a significant difference between the three levels in terms of flexion and total sagittal movements (Flexion: 57.65±13.65; 49.20±15.83; 65.73±12.22; P = 0.007, total sagittal: 116±18.7;111.13±18.72; 128.20 ± 19.81; P = 0.045, for professional, semiprofessional, Junior in both ranges, respectively). However, there was no difference between the extension movement ranges (59.26±9.93;61.93±16.52; 62.47 ± 12.63; P = 0.589, for professional, semiprofessional, Junior, respectively). Conclusion These results suggest that although there was no correlation between sagittal ACRoM and age, junior league players have the highest sagittal ACRoM, while the semi-professionals have the lowest. P-19 Elite male athletes: comparative study of neck function (ACROM) Bianca Zietsman, Chirstopher Bagsworth, Niall Tilley, Pia Helminen, Daniel Morgan, Peter McCarthy University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK Correspondence: Bianca Zietsman Although elite athletes performance is highly monitored and controlled, there are aspects of elite level performance which can be ignored 1 . One area of relative neglect we have reported on previously is that of cervical spine function 2 . This area is pivotal in head positioning and as such even minimal dysfunction might compromise performance. Here we report variations in cervical spine function across a range of elite male athletes. Protocol used is the same as that described previously in Lark and McCarthy, 2007. A cervical range of motion device (CROM) 3 was used to measure ACROM following a warm up procedure. Ethical approval was granted by The Faculty of HSS Ethics Committee, University of Glamorgan, written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. These findings confirm that playing elite contact sport such as rugby, both union and league and ice hockey is associated with a large decrease in ACROM. This suggests that these groups have a similar risk of degeneration to the vertebral joints as 60 year old “normals”. Helmet wearing sports such as American Football and Ice Hockey appear to have an altered head position to the groups. Research into preventative methods needs to be considered. Notes Award Winning abstracts – sponsored by the European Centre for Chiropractic Research Excellence (ECCRE): • 1st Prize: Michele Maiers et al. – Title: Short or long-term treatment of spinal disability in older adults with manipulation and exercise: a randomized clinical trial • 2nd Prize: Annemarie de Zoete et al. – Title: Effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low back pain: results from an individual participant data meta-analysis • New Researcher Award: Steen Harsted et al. – Title: Capturing movement patterns in children using a novel 3d motion capture approach Declarations Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Publisher’s Note	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11864
__label__wiki	0.911254	0.911254	SPlit? Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav expelled his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for six years for alleged anti-party activities, putting the state ruling party on the brink of a split ahead of assembly elections next year. Also expelled for six years on the same grounds is the patriarch's cousin Ram Gopal Yadav, a Rajya Sabha member. The rift in the party with Mulayam and brother Shivpal Yadav on one side against the chief minister and Ram Gopal had come to the fore after separate election candidate lists were released by both camps. Mulayam's decision to expel his son and cousin, came within hours of Ram Gopal calling an emergency national convention, or Aapatkalin Rashtriya Pratinidhi Sammelan, of SP on January 1. Pimpri Chinchwad in Smart Cities Mission A pleasant surprise awaited Pimpri Chinchwad when Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted “Good news for Maharashtra! Thank you Hon @narendramodi ji & @MVenkaiahNaidu ji for including Pimpri Chinchwad too under #smartcity Mission!“ Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad had been clubbed together in the proposal sent by the state government to the urban development ministry . Pune was among the ten cities selected in the Smart Cities Mission. The other cities were Navi Mumbai, Nashik, Thane, Greater Mumbai, Amravati, Solapur, Nagpur, Kalyan-Dombivali and Aurangabad. However, there was no mention of Pimpri Chinchwad. After this exclusion, there were angry reactions from political leaders and activists. In September, the general body approved a resolution at a special meeting for inclusion of Pimpri Chinchwad in the Smart Cities Mission. The proposal was sent to the state government and later forwarded to the urban development ministry . District guardian minister Girish Bapat had said that the state government will consider a special package and additional funds for Pimpri Chinchwad. In October, a delegation led by former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar along with mayor Shakuntala Dharade and elected office-bearers met Venkaiah Naidu for inclusion in the list. 2016's IPO kitty highest in 6 years A combination of smart pricing, introduction of companies from newer sectors to stock market investors and the push by private equity investors to exit investments helped 27 companies together raise nearly Rs.26,500 crore through initial public offers in 2016. The total fund raised from IPOs during the past 12 months was nearly double the 2015's figure. Also, it was close to what was raised during the previous five years put together. In addition to the nearly Rs.26,500 crore through IPOs on the main board of the stocks exchanges, 2016 also saw Rs.495 crore raised through the SME platform and another Rs.13,000 crore through offer for sales by listed entities. In comparison, in 2015, Rs.13,614 crore was raised through IPOs, Rs.260 crore through SME platforms and Rs.35,566 crore through the OFS channel. Merchant bankers pointed out that unlike in several IPOs in the past, the current breed of promoters is willing to leave something on the table for investors who are buying their shares in these offers. Positive market sentiment and investors' bullishness about India's growth story also helped Exits by private equity investors also helped this strong surge in IPOs this year. Merchant bankers said in 2017, based on the IPO pipeline, some of the companies that are expected to hit the markets include NSE, BSE, SBI Life, UTI Mutual Fund, SIS, Continental Warehousing and CDSL. Telecom major Vodafone is also contemplating to go public. In addition, a large number of SMEs and OFS are also expected to come to the market in the next 12 months. Markets 2016 Sensex closed the year with 2% gain at 26,626 points with metals, basic materials and oil & gas stocks leading the charge, while telecom, pharma and IT stocks pulling down major indices. It was a slightly better year for nifty on NSE which closed 3% higher at 8,186. The year started with the meltdown in China due to a series of negative economic news, which was followed by a sharp slide in the sensex on the Budget day . However, after that it saw a seven-month rally to a peak of 29,077. Then sensex was range-bound as volatility across global markets took its toll. 2016 will be remembered as one of those years when markets proved almost every expert wrong. It also witnessed several unprecedented events. First was Brexit, which was predicted by very few. As most analysts expected the markets to go down after Brexit, it did exactly the opposite and leading global indices picked up gains. The next unprecedented event was the US presidential election win by Donald Trump at a time when every pollster and analyst had predicted a win by Hillary Clinton. Again, analysts said markets will go south but it went north with Dow Jones index almost touching a never-seen before level of 20,000. Demonetisation was another which no one expected. This one, however, weighed on investor sentiment and market witnessed several volatile sessions as brokers, analysts and economists tried to fathom the impact of the government move on the economy and the market. Compared to 2015, the year turned out to be a better year in terms of foreign fund flows into stocks but worse for the bond market. In 2016, FPIs (foreign portfolio investors) net bought stocks worth about Rs.20,600 crore, compared to Rs.17,800 crore the previous year.In the bond market, net selling was over Rs.43,600 crore compared to a net buying figure of Rs.45,600 crore in 2015. The year witnessed retail investors continuing to demonstrate relative maturity with investments through the mutual fund route. Despite several phases of extreme volatility, retail investors didn't rush to redeem their investments in any major way . In addition, investments through the systematic investment plans (SIPs) rose steadily through months. Latest data from Sebi showed that till December 27, mutual funds had net pumped in over Rs.44,400 crore, compared to about Rs.72,200 crore in 2015 and Rs.24,000 crore in 2014. In the bond market, helped by RBI's decision to cut rates as inflation cooled, and also helped by easy liquidity , the benchmark 10-year gilt yield fell sharply from 7.47% at the start of the year to 6.1% in early November. However, as RBI tightened liquidity as there was a deluge of bank deposits post demonetisation, the gilt prices rose sharply to close the year at 6.51%. India, Singapore amend tax treaty India and Singapore have amended a decade-old double tax avoidance agreement (DTAA) that will allow the tax department to impose capital gains (tax) on investments routed through the island nation and plug a possible misuse of benefits. Earlier this year, the government managed to get Mauritius and Cyprus to amend tax treaties that allowed it to impose capital gains tax and check alleged round tripping of funds into the country some of which was said to be black money . In recent years, Singapore had emerged as a key source for foreign investors from across the globe to route funds into the country and in some cases it was the top originator of investments. Between April 2000 and September 2016, Singapore accounted for 16% of inflows with Mauritius topping the list with 33% of flows. The latest move by the government seeks to bring parity although there are agreements with countries such as the Netherlands, France and South Korea where some additional benefits are available.Tax experts, however, said with the general anti-avoidance treaty in place, misusing these treaties would be tough. Under the amended treaty with Singapore, capital gains tax will be imposed at 50% for two years starting April 2017. Switzerland will begin sharing with India from 2019 information on all investment or accounts maintained in its banks post-2018. China backs Terror Chief @ UN India reacted sharply over China formally blocking its move to sanction Jaish-e-Mohammad chief and Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar at the UN Security Council, calling it the “double standards“ of the world community's fight against terror. China used its veto to block India's proposal just a day before the expiry of Beijing's “technical hold“ on it. Notebandhi to transform economy: Urjit Patel Short-term disruptions in certain segments of the economy and public hardship notwithstanding, demonetisation will transform the economy and impart “far-reaching“ changes going forward, according to RBI governor Urjit Patel. In a statement issued as part of the Financial Stability Report (FSR), Patel said that the withdrawal of Rs.500 and Rs.1,00 notes will result in greater intermediation, efficiency gains, accountability and transparency through increasing adoption of digital modes of payments. The FSR is a half-yearly exercise carried out by central banks across the world to identify weak links in financial systems and see how they impact various players under stress test conditions. According to the RBI's stress tests under the baseline scenario, the gross non-performing asset (GNPA) ratio may increase from 9.1% in September 2016 to 9.8% by March 2017 and further to 10.1% by March 2018. While the report warns of a temporary loss of growth momentum (expected to slow down to 7.1% as against the 7.6% projected earlier), it expects the impact of demonetisation on cash-intensive sectors to be only transitory. The RBI is sanguine about domestic risks, but it has raised concerns of trade slowdown and uncertainty in financial markets globally , notwithstanding resilience to outcomes of the Brexit referendum and the US election. Coastal Road update Replant mangroves that are damaged during construction, develop green belt and fit construction equipment with mufflers and exhaust silencers to minimise sound pollution. These are some of the conditions laid down by the state’s green authority while approving one phase of the coastal road in Mumbai. After the ambitious Rs.12,000 crore coastal road project was split in two parts, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has given a go ahead to the southern stretch (Princess street flyover to Bandra) of the road, but not without laying down 12 conditions before recommending the southern stretch to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). Meanwhile, civic officials said all the conditions have already been met and approval from the MoEF is awaited. Last month, instead of waiting for clearance for the entire 29.2-km-long stretch — Princess Street flyover to Kandivli — the civic body submitted two separate applications, one for the south and another for the north phase of the coastal road. While approving the road, the MCZMA laid down conditions such as re-plantation of mangroves, to ensure no fishing activity is hampered and that green belt development is implemented as mentioned in the environment management plan. To further ensure that there is no noise and air pollution, the MCZMA has mandated that all the construction equipment must be fitted with mufflers and exhaust silencers and dust suppression measures must be taken during construction. The civic officials have termed these conditions as doable in comparison to those conditions and recommendations that were laid down in March when the entire proposal was submitted. Earlier, the civic body was instructed by MCZMA to plant five times the destructed mangroves, to look at Tram service as an option to Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and keep aside 2% of the project cost for mitigation measures. While plantation of five times the mangroves destructed has been relaxed this time according to the Centre’s notification, there is no condition of Tram services. Also, mitigation funds have been retained. Viral Acharya named RBI deputy governor Viral Acharya, a 42 year-old professor at the Stern Business School of New York University, was named deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Acharya, a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology-Mumbai who has a Ph.D from Stern School of Business, New York University, will oversee the important monetary policy department and research, the central bank said a statement. The monetary policy department at the RBI was headed by Urjit Patel until he became RBI governor in September. The department is now under deputy governor R. Gandhi, who is also part of the monetary policy committee (MPC). Acharya will replace Gandhi in the recently formed MPC. The position of the head of monetary policy has traditionally been occupied by an economist. Hinjewadi metro route update The Maharashtra government has approved the detailed project report (DPR) for the 27 km Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route. Five days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the bhoomi pujan of the first phase of the Pune metro which will run from PCMC to Swargate and Vanaz to Ramwadi. Guardian minister Girish Bapat said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved the DPR for the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar route at a meeting of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) in Mumbai. The route will benefit people working in the IT park in Hinjewadi. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had drawn up the report which has details of allocation of the channel, location of stations and expenses. Over two lakh people work in the IT park in Hinjewadi and about 1.5 lakh vehicles travel every day to the IT park in addition to over 885 buses. NSE files for IPO National Stock Exchange (NSE), India's largest bourse in terms of trading turnover and volumes, has filed the long-awaited draft prospectus with the markets regulator to go public through an IPO that could be worth about Rs.10,000 crore. This will be the country's largest IPO in the last six years since Coal India's Rs.15,400-crore offer in November 2010, the largest ever in the country . A total of 11.14 crore shares, translating to about 22.5% of NSE's equity capital, will be sold. This will give it a valuation of about Rs.45,000 crore (a little over $6 billion). A fine for holding old notes after December 30 The Union Cabinet cleared an ordinance on demonetisation of old Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes, making their possession, transfer and distribution a punishable offence after December 30. There will be specified fines ranging from Rs.5,000 to Rs.50,000 for continued possession of the demonetised notes. The fine will be a multiple of the number of notes found in possession beyond the permissible limit--10 for souvenirs and 25 for the purpose of numismatics. The penalties have been set out to prevent exploitative distribution of old money as wages and payments to the poor.While seen as a measure for extreme situations, the government feels making possession of the currency an offence is necessary to prevent two types of notes of the same denomination (Rs.500) being in circulation at the same time. The ordinance, which has been sent to the President for assent before it is notified, has a provision for certain categories of people to deposit the old currency with specified branches of the RBI till March 31, 2017 with explanatory notes.The condition has been added to the earlier provision on depositing notes till March 31. Sources said RBI was expected to issue a notification delineating categories of individuals who would be allowed to deposit old notes with its branches after December 31. Any payment towards tax, surcharge, penalty and deposit under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) can be made in old bank notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 only up to December 30, the finance ministry said.The PMGKY, which commenced on December 17, is open for declarations up to March 31. Privatisation is back! In the second strategic sale approval in over 12 years, the Union Cabinet cleared the sale of India's first pharma company, Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BCPL), as well as Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd (HAL) after selling off their surplus land. The Cabinet also approved the closure of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. These will be the first privatisations since the sale of Jessop and Co under the NDA government headed by PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003-04. BCPL and HAL are among the public sector units that Niti Aayog has identified for sale of government's majority stake to private companies. The government is targeting Rs.56,500 crore in disinvestment proceeds this fiscal. Proceeds from sale of land, which would be done through open tender, will go towards meeting liabilities of the companies, including paying for VRS for employees, according to a government statement. Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) will also be implemented in the four loss-making units. Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Works Ltd, the previous avatar of BCPL, was set up in April 1901 by eminent scientist and entrepreneur Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray . The government of India took over the management of the company in December 1977 and nationalised it in 1981, renaming it Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BCPL). From its factory at Panihati, near Kolkata, BCPL makes anti-malaria tablets Chloroquine and Paracetamol, among a host of other drugs and industrial chemicals. HAL was the first drug manufacturing company to be set up in the public sector by Government of India with active cooperation of WHO and UNICEF. Kraft: Made in India Of Foreign Tourist arrivals.... A total of 8.91 lakh foreign tourists visited India in November this year, a growth of 9.3% over the same month last year, indicating that demonetisation move did not impact the tourists footfall adversely. Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during November 2015 was 8.16 lakh, while it was 7.65 lakh in November 2014. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism during the month of November were Rs.14,474 crore as compared to Rs.12,649 crore in the same month last year, recording a growth of 14.4%. The US accounted for highest share of tourist arrivals followed by the UK and Bangladesh in November 2016. FTAs during January-November, 2016 were 78.53 lakh, recording a growth of 10.4% as compared to 71.14 lakh during the corresponding period last year. FEEs from tourism in January-November were Rs.1,38,845 crore, witnessing an increase of 14.7% as compared to the Rs.1,21,041 crore during the corresponding period last year. Magnetic Maharashtra Gujarat's Biotech Policy 90% of scrapped notes back in system Of the Rs.15.4 lakh crore worth of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes that were scrapped as a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's November 8 declaration, as much as Rs.14 lakh crore has been deposited in banks. The value of scrapped currency exceeded the government's expectation that as much as Rs.3 lakh crore will not be returned as this would be part of black money hoards. This also means that expectation that RBI will be able to give a substantial dividend to the government will be belied. While the value of deposits indicates that ways were found to deposit unaccounted money, the government expects to gain tax revenues from large deposits above the prescribed Rs.2.5 lakh per individual limit. The government also sees gains from small savings that were kept in households being deposited in bank accounts that make these funds productive and safe. The government has announced a scheme that provides for a 50% penalty for voluntary disclosure of deposits in excess of allowed limits with 25% of the funds to be placed in a fund for welfare of the poor for four years. The government expected that such disclosures will also add to revenues even as money become available for more productive use, eventually leading to cheaper funds. Tax to GDP levels Foreign Tourists to Get Sim Cards The home ministry's new year gift to its foreign tourists from 161 countries will be a pre-loaded sim card at 12 major airports of the country after home minister Rajnath Singh formally launches the scheme this weekend. The ready-to-call sim cards will be available to foreign tourists arriving at airports in Panjim, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jaipur, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Lucknow, Delhi and Varanasi to start with. The move is aimed at projecting India as a global tourist destination among foreign travellers as well as addressing the security concerns by equipping the tourists with mobile phones to make calls in case of any distress. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will launch the initiative planned in association with BSNL this weekend by distributing free pre-loaded Sim cards to foreign tourists arriving in India on e-Visa. Government tweaks Cruise Policy As a part of the government's ambitious Rs.12 lakh crore Sagarmala project, the shipping ministry is busy identifying five cruise circuits each for international, domestic and river that can be developed immediately . Some of the cruise circuits are likely to be India-Sri Lanka-Maldives-Seychelles, India-Dubai, India-Singapore and India-Maldives. Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said he was confident that Mumbai alone will see the arrival of 100 cruises.Goa, Cochin and Mangalore could have 60 each and 11 more could be docking in Chennai in the next one year. More than 100 cruise ships usually reach five major Indian ports every year. Though some global cruises had sailed from India in 2007 and 2009 making Indian ports their “home port“, their runs were short-lived. Inadequate infrastructure and no clear cruise policy were the major reasons for this. The government in the past two years has made several changes for cruises docking in Mumbai such as providing certainty of berth, priority to cruise ships over cargo ships, 40% discount in port charges and new standard operating procedures for easing immigration, health, customs and security clearances. Moreover, tourism ministry is also providing financial assistance to ports for cruise tourism infrastructure. Ken-Betwa project gets green nod The National Board for Wildlife has given its much-awaited clearance, paving the way for work to begin for linking Ken and Betwa rivers, which will benefit six districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in terms of meeting their irrigation, drinking water and electricity needs. Since the project requires diversion of forest land of Panna Tiger Reserve, it was required to be formally cleared by the board. The clearance has finally come with certain conditions which include integration of nearby sanctuaries including Rani Durgavati and Ranipur with the Panna Tiger Reserve to compensate for the loss of tiger habitat and complete ban of fresh mining lease in the area. The board also wants the National Tiger Conservation Authority to take care of the landscape plan for the area with the help of state forest department and Wildlife Institute of India. Though the Rs.9,000 crore project had got the Union Cabinet's clearance in July 2014, work could not begin as the mandatory clearance from NBWL got stuck amid objections from environmentalists and wildlife conservationists. The Ken-Betwa ILR project will transfer surplus water from the Ken river to the Betwa basin through a 221 km canal. The concrete canal will pass through Jhansi, Banda and Mahoba districts of UP and Chhatarpur, Panna and Tikamgarh districts of MP. The Ken-Betwa link is one of the 30 inter-linking of river projects, conceived by the Centre. The project had got a green signal from the Supreme Court following the tripartite MoU involving UP, MP and the Centre. Though nearly 8,650 hectares of forest land including part of Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh will be submerged due to implementation of the Ken-Betwa project, the MoU had factored in the issues of larger benefit to the water-starved region of both states. 76% of Indians not on Internet India may have the world's second largest internet user base, but connectivity remains out of reach for nearly 950 million citizens, said an Assocham-Deloitte joint study. India currently has about 350 million internet users, second only to China. Internet penetration is increasing in India and the access to affordable broadband, smart devices and monthly data packages are required to spread digital literacy to make their ends meet, the study said. Existing government infrastructure assets should be further leveraged for provision of digital services at remote locations, it said. The study said digital literacy needs to be increased by providing institutional trainings in schools, colleges and universities. It pitched for accelerating partnerships with global technology leaders and using the workforce trained under `Skill India' to impart trainings. An integrated approach between Digital India and Skill India needs to be constructed to design programmes and impart training, it said.The report called for incentivising private sector players for developing infrastructure, providing services and promoting digital literacy as part of the Digital India programme. Besides, integration of local language and technology is also required to drive digital literacy . The report said fear of cybercrime and breach of privacy have been deterrents in adoption of digital technologies in the country . Agni V test fired successfully Agni V, the nuclear capable ballistic missile was successfully test-launched today off Odisha coast! The missile, an Inter-continental ballistic missile is set to give a big and formidable boost to India’s strike capabilities. With a range of over 5,000 km, the indigenously-developed Agni 5 has the lethal power to strike China. The Agni-V missile is India’s most advanced and potent weapon and deterrent against enemies. Today’s trial is the fourth developmental trial and the second canisterised-based one of the long range missile. The first test of this missile was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second test was carried out on September 15, 2013 and the third on January 31, 2015 from the same base. The surface-to-surface Agni 5 missile is about 17-metre long, 2-metre wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes. The missile can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. The first two test launches happened in an “open configuration”. The second canister-based trial assumes great significance since it would give the defence forces the ability to transport the missile on a truck and fire from wherever required. With Agni V’s induction in the coming years, India will become the sixth country in the world to have a missile with over 5,000 km range. The other countries are China, Russia, the US, France and US. Unlike other missiles of Agni series, the latest one ‘Agni-V’ is the most advanced having some new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. India has at present in its armoury of Agni series, Agni-I with 700 km range, Agni-II with 2,000 km range, Agni-III and Agni-IV with with 2,500 km to more than 3500 km range. After some few more trials, Agni-V will be inducted into the services. Lot of new technologies developed indigenously were successfully tested in the first Agni-V trial. The redundant navigation systems, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System had ensured the Missile reach the target point within few metres of accuracy. The high-speed on board computer and fault tolerant software along with robust and reliable bus guided the missile flawlessly. PM in Mumbai Apart from laying the foundation stone of mid-sea Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial, PM kickstarts a slew of infrastructure projects for Mumbai, giving his party a perfect launchpad to start its campaign Masterfully appropriating a Shiv Sena icon in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray, snubbing the rival Cong-NCP by launching the Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial project, and flagging off a clutch of infrastructure initiatives for Mumbai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched BJP's campaign for the 2017 civic elections. Addressing a mammoth rally at Bandra Kurla Complex, Modi said that despite the opposition to demonetization, his government's battle against counterfeit currency, corruption and black money would continue. He said vested interested tried to mislead people by spreading rumours, but people stood by him despite difficulties. He said elections are often seen as the barometer of popular sentiment, and the BJP's win in the local body polls in Maharashtra sent out a message to the whole country that people were not disenchanted with the decision. Prime Minister paid rich tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji. He said the Maratha king was a multifaceted personality who was not just brave and fought valiantly against the Mughals, but laid down tenets of good governance and fair administration. At the BKC rally, supporters of Shiv Sena and the BJP had a slogan shouting match, but it was quickly controlled before it could turn ugly. Earlier, Modi along with Chhatrapati Shivaji's descendants Udayan Raje Bhosale, Sambhaji Raje, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray travelled in a Coast Guard hovercraft to the proposed site for the Shivaji Memorial in the Arabian Sea. He immersed water and soil collected by BJP workers from rivers across Maharashtra into the sea at the site and performed a jal pujan. CM Fadnavis later said that Shivaji Maharaj had performed jal pujan to lay the foundation of the Sindhudurg fort 352 years ago on December 24. Ever since BJP's stupendous performance in 2014 Lok Sabha as well as assembly elections, the saffron partners have constantly bickered over several issues in their game of one-upmanship. Both the parties have time and again suggested that they would go solo in the civic polls. The Devendra Fadnavis government had invited Chhatrapati Shivaji's descendants Udayan Raje Bhosale, and Sambhaji Raje to share the dais with the PM. A special stage was also erected for members of royal families from Maharashtra. Descendants of Angre, Jadhav, Jedhe, Deshpandes, Pasurkar, Mohite, Potnis, Bhosale who were part of Raja Shivaji's army were present. They were very happy to be invited for the programme. Modi began his visit to Mumbai by inaugurating the new campus of the National Institute of Securities Markets at Patalganga. He said his government will not shy away from taking difficult decisions in national interest. “This government will continue to follow sound and prudent economic policies, to ensure that we have a bright future in the long-run. We'll not take decisions for short-term political point-scoring. We'll not shy away from taking difficult decisions, if those decisions are in the interest of the country.“ PM in Pune Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pune Metro project amid mobiles flashed by hundreds of people, while criticising the Congress government for delaying the initiative for 15 years even as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar showed his displeasure for not being allowed to utter a word, although invited to share the stage with the governor, chief minister and other ministers and MPs. Modi has given full credit to the “double engine“ (the BJP governments in the state and Centre) to start the Pune Metro project. In his speech at the College of Agriculture ground at Shivajinagar, Modi talked on the issues of urbanisation and demonetisation. During the programme, Pawar was seen shaking hands with Modi, but he showed disappointment with his gesture for not being invited to speak to the thousands of people. After Modi's speech, he did not even stand up despite requests of Union cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari and Pune district guardian minister Girish Bapat. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed to people to light up their mobile flashlights as a gesture to Modi for his approval of the project. The crowd gave a standing ovation and flashed their cellphone lights. Fadnavis said, “Now, we are working on the Shivajinagar and Hinjewadi Metro routes. We will complete all procedures for it by March and inaugurate this project by the PM in April 2017.“ Aadhaar Payment App Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming up with an `Aadhaar Payment App' that could silence digital payments critics as the new app would do away with plastic cards and the point of sale machines once believed to be essential for a less cash society. The app, to be launched on December 25, would also eliminate the fee payments for service providers like card companies such as Mastercard, or Visa, which has been a stumbling block in merchants switching to digital payments making it affordable to even merchants in remote villages, said people familiar with the development. All that it needs is an Android phone with the merchant. How does it work? Merchants need to download the Aadhaar cashless merchant app on their smartphones connected to a biometric reader, which is currently available for Rs.2,000. The customer will then feed his or her Aadhar number in the app, select the bank through which the transaction will take place, and the biometric scan will work as a password for the transaction to be authenticated. “This app can be used by a person to make payments without any phone,'' said Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey. Almost 40 crore Aadhaar numbers already stand linked to bank accounts that is half the adults in India. The government, along with the regulator and payments companies, are working to ensure that the objective of making digital payments a reality across the country. IDFC Bank along with UIDAI and the National Payments Corporation of India developed this app which would be launched at the national level. The new technology was showcased on December 19 to finance minister Arun Jaitley and the information and technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Even though card payments made its way into Indian merchant establishments two decades ago, the acceptability has been poor due to the nearly 2-3% charges that merchants used to levy and the 2% charges the card companies like Mastercard or Visa used to levy. Furthermore, the lack of connectivity made it impossible for millions of merchants in the hinterland to adapt the card payment methods. Meanwhile, almost 109 crore of the 120 crore Indians who are registered on the Aadhar platform are expected to benefit from the new app. Somewhere in Uttarakhand.... Somewhere in Himachal Pradesh.... The Jung ends Najeeb Jung has quit as Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, with nearly 18 months of his tenure left. One of the few gubernatorial appointees of the UPA retained by the Modi government, Jung in a statement released by his office said that he will return to his first love, academics. According to sources close to the LG's office, Jung had been thinking of quitting for some time now. “It was a personal decision and he wants to go back to academics,“ a media spokesperson in the LG's office said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his surprise over the resignation. The LG's spokesperson said that the resignation had nothing to do with the acrimonious relationship the LG's office shared with Kejriwal.The LG's office and Kejriwal have been at loggerheads over authority and governance of the capital, with the CM alleging that Jung used his veto to strike down several Delhi government decisions on the Centre's instructions. It accused Jung of being hand-in-glove the Centre and deliberately transferring officers from Delhi to derail AAP projects. The latest tussle was over the appointment of Chief Secretary MM Kutty. Jung also set up a special committee to scrutinise 400 files that included orders passed by the Delhi government. While the AAP Cabinet deemed the committee illegal, it submitted the report to the LG's office in November. Jung received vindication when the Delhi High Court, last August, upheld the primacy of the Lt Governor in administering the NCT government. It ruled that the LG would be the administrative head and that the elected government could issue notifications only after consulting him. Kejriwal challenged the order in the Supreme Court, which during a recent hearing mentioned that the Delhi government should have some powers. The final hearing is scheduled for January 16. Incidentally, the Delhi high court on Thursday ruled against the LG's decision to hold back salaries of contract staff members of the Delhi Commission for Women claiming that the appointments were illegal and ordered the government to release salaries held for two months. Open Your Own Jan Aushadi Kendra Of Connected aircrafts.... It's called the “connected aircraft“ and essentially it means an aircraft that allows internet access so passengers can check their mails, update their profile or do whatever it is that they do on ground, while in the air. By 2019, quite a number of Indian carriers would have taken delivery of connected aircraft, said a study by a travel IT solutions provider . One of the long-term goals for the airline industry is ensuring that passengers can have a truly connected journey from departure to arrival. “The so called `connected aircraft' are starting to enter the global fleet and this will really pick up over the next 10-20 years as older aircraft are replaced with new generation ones,“ said the survey . “Our survey shows no airlines in India are yet operating connected aircraft. However, they recognise the potential for enhancing passenger services and by 2019, around half will have taken delivery of some connected aircraft, although still somewhat below the global level of 66% of airlines,“ said the SITA passenger IT trends survey . In India, the authorities have not yet granted permission to airlines to allow Wi-Fi connectivity onboard. New generation aircraft open the door to providing passengers with a multitude of new connected services. I-T turns up the heat A CBDT press release said the I-T department had conducted its fifth cycle of data matching, which identified an additional 67.54 lakh people. The I-T department is cracking the whip on 68 lakh people who had carried out high-value transactions in 2014-15 but did not file I-T returns for the relevant assessment year, i.e. 2015-16. The department is in the process of sending notices to these non-filers to account for their transactions and pay taxes as applicable. Non-filers can access details of their transactions by logging on to the e-filing portal with their PAN, the CBDT said.The PAN holder will be able to respond electronically and retain a copy of the submitted response. I-T raids top TN babu's home In a huge embarrassment to the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu, Income Tax officials carried out raids at the residence of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao and 10 other locations, including Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. The raid at Rao's home and that of his kin, at Annanagar and Thiruvanmiyur here, began at 6 am, with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) protection. Officials recovered Rs.30 lakh in new currency, 5kg of gold and several documents showing financial transactions between Rao and an industrialist. The search comes close on the heels of I-T department's seizure of Rs.130 crore cash and 171 kg gold from raids at the premises of industrialist J Sekhar Reddy and his associates just over a week ago. Documents recovered in these searches had allegedly pointed to close links between the industrialist and Rao's son. A 1985 batch IAS officer, Rao was appointed the state's top bureaucrat in June this year. Sixth largest in the world now.... For the first time in a century, the Indian economy has overtaken the United Kingdom's, and is now the world's sixth largest by GDP, after the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and France, reports Foreign Policy magazine. India's fast economic growth and the UK's post-Brexit slump is are behind the change. In February, India surpassed China as the world's fastest growing economy. And in October, the International Monetary Fund predicted India would retain that title for the foreseeable future; its GDP is projected to increase by 7.6 per cent through 2017. The UK is projected to grow by only 1.8 per cent in 2016 and 1.1 per cent in 2017. Since it voted to leave the European Union in June, which could entail leaving the EU's lucrative common market, Britain's economy and currency has struggled. India's economy benefitted from a commodities price slump through large trade gains. Somewhere in Uttar Pradesh.... The Purvanchal Expressway, the next dream project of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav after Agra-Lucknow Expressway, got a lion's share of the supplementary budget tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday. The government earmarked Rs.1,000 crore out of the total supplementary demand of Rs.1,683 for it. The government has already sanctioned Rs.3,000 crore for the project in this year's state budget. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will be laying the foundation for this expressway in Lucknow on Thursday. The total tentative budget of the project is approximately Rs.20,000 crore, including Rs.7,000 crore for land acquisition. The final budget for the 356-km Lucknow-Ghazipur Expressway, however, would be approved by the cabinet on Thursday. The foundation-laying ceremony will take place near the statue of former chief minister late Chaudhary Charan Singh opposite Vidhan Bhawan on Thursday . “Nearly 2,500 hectare of the total 4,000 hectare land required has already been purchased from farmers on the model of the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and in the next few months remaining land would also be acquired,“ said Navneet Sehgal, chief executive officer of the UPEIDA. “Purvanchal expressway will trigger economic activities in eastern region of UP as well as connect farmers and traders of the region to the national and international markets,“ the chief minister had said earlier. Like Agra-Lucknow expressway , the Poorvanchal Expressway will also have a special airstrip for landing fighter aircrafts in case of emergencies and war-like situations and world class traffic control systems and plantation with 3.6 lakh trees. Sehgal said tender process is in the final stage and bidders will be allotted work for the project which has been divided into eight stretches of an average 44 km each. The Lucknow-Ghazipur expressway , which would not be the country's longest expressway as the recently completed Agra-Lucknow expressway is only 302 km and is being developed on the EPC (engineering procurement and construction) mode and would be funded entirely by the state government . The expressway will start from Chand Sarai village in Lucknow and culminate at Haidariya village in Ghazipur.It will also be linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency , Varanasi through a 13 km link road. The districts that would be covered by this expressway are Lucknow, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur. Apart from wayside amenities and toilet block in every package, eight major bridges, eight ROBs (railway overbridges), 117 minor bridges and 127 minor bridges on service road will be constructed. Somewhere in Punjab.... IDS disclosures may come down to Rs.55,000 cr The total disclosure of unaccounted income under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS) is likely to be revised downwards to around Rs.55,000 crore, with less than expected tax coming in as the first instalment which was 25% of the total tax obligation and some declarations being found bogus. The government received a little over Rs.6,700 crore by November 30 under IDS, which was far less than expected as the total disclosure was in excess of Rs.67,000 crore, according to revised figures released by the government. The four-month IDS window closed came to an end on September 30 and allowed tax evaders to disclose their unaccounted assets with a flat tax and penalty of 45%. As per the original disclosures, the Centre was expecting to net more than Rs.30,000 crore in tax and penalty . But, after receipt of the first instalment, the Centre estimates that the total disclosures would come down substantially. A senior income tax official said some of those who paid the tax by November 30 had fulfilled their entire 100% tax obligation. As per the scheme, 25% tax and penalty was to be paid by November 30, the next 25% by March 31and the remaining 50% by September 2017. One of the biggest disclosures of around Rs.10,000 crore made by a Hyderabad businessman turned out to be bogus, besides two other big disclosures which were invalidated by the I-T department. In a few instances, the department found that business rivals had filed fake disclosures about each other. The I-T official said the total disclosures may come down to Rs.55,000 crore or even lower as the department was investigating some cases in which tax had not been deposited. In more than 700 search and survey operations since November 8, the I-T department found unaccounted income of over Rs.3,300 crore, which included seizure of more than Rs.500 crore in cash and jewellery . At least Rs.92 crore was seized in new currency notes of Rs.2,000. The I-T department has constituted a seven-member committee to formulate a standard assessment procedure through e-scrutiny so that common taxpayers are not inconvenienced and the department maintains transparency and accountability . Nirbhay missile test fails Another test of the much-touted `Nirbhay' land-attack cruise missile, designed to carry nuclear warheads to a strike range of 1,000 km, failed on Wednesday . This was the subsonic missile's fourth test since March 2013, all of which have more or less failed to achieve test parameters. The missile had to be destroyed in mid-air after it deviated from its flight path along the coast in Bay of Bengal soon after launch from the Integrated Test Range at Balasore off the Odisha coast around noon on Wednesday. While the missile's first test in March 2013 had completely failed, the second one was dubbed a “partial success“ in October 2014. But the third test in October 2015 and the one on Wednesday failed miserably . DRDO may have come a long way in developing ballistic missiles like the Agni series, but it continues to flounder in the field of cruise missiles. The armed forces already have the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles but they have been developed with the help of Russia, have a range of only 290 km as of now and carry only conventional warheads. The Nirbhay, a stealth missile in the making for almost a decade now, was meant to fulfil the armed forces' demand for nuclear-tipped land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) versatile enough to be fired from land, air and sea. The missile was said to be a counter to Pakistan's `Babur' LACM. 4G footprint expands India's top telecom service providers are fast-building their defences to ring-fence their customer base in the face of a no-holds-barred onslaught by Reliance Jio, which with free data offers and Pan-India presence are pulling in users by the millions. Bharti Airtel, India's number one telecom operator, said it has completed its pan-India 4G footprint by launching high-speed broadband services in Assam, starting with Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, matching Reliance Jio in presence. Vodafone, the country's number two telecom operator, launched its 4G services in Nagpur, with a promise to make it available in more towns and cities across Maharashtra by March.The launch expands Vodafone's 4G footprint to 12 circles spread across the country. Airtel has rolled out its 4G services in Assam using TD LTE technology in the 2300 MHz band.The telco will also deploy FD LTE technology in 1800 MHz band in the coming weeks, the company said in a statement Tuesday. Airtel also launched new plans for its pre-paid users, wherein a subscriber will get 10 GB 4G data at Rs.249 with any new 4G handset, effectively offering 1 GB data for as low a price as around Rs.25. With the launch in Nagpur, the Maharashtra circle, Vodafone now has 4G presence in Kerala, Karnataka, Kolkata, Delhi & NCR, Mumbai, Haryana, UP East, Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Assam and North East circles. The telco has planned 4G launches shortly in Goa, Punjab, UP West, Chennai and Tamil Nadu. With the launch, the telco is offering free SIM upgrade to 4G with 2 GB data free with every 4G SIM upgrade. It is also offering a data pack starting at Rs.8 for 30 MB. It will also give existing users double data on buying greater than 1 GB packs and all 4G RED customers. The launch offer also gives free three-month access to Vodafone Play, Live TV channels and 4G Mi-Fi that supports Wi-Fi connectivity for up to 15 devices. The telco will allow 4G international roaming across 25 countries including the UK, the Netherlands, Germany , Hungary and Spain. It will include more countries in the near future. Last month, Vodafone India rolled out an aggressive 4G expansion plan, saying it will launch services across eight more circles by March, which will expand its presence to 17 service areas and narrow the gap with market leader Bharti Airtel and new entrant Reliance Jio Infocomm, as these circles will contribute over 90% of Vodafone India's data revenues. Cashless Madhya Pradesh Delhi Metro Phase IV Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is already connecting the dots for its fourth phase of expansion in the capital. Phase IV , which has got in-principle approval of the Delhi government, will have six corridors, of which one will connect Phase III and Phase II lines. Among them, the planned Janakpuri (West) to RK Ashram corridor will be a link between not only the two Phase III corridors, currently under completion, but also the Phase II Blue Line system.This 28.92-km-long corridor will have 25 stations and will connect the two existing corridors lying parallel to the Ring Road and Outer Ring Road: Janakpuri (West) to Botanical Garden and Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar. These are being constructed in the ongoing Phase III. In Phase IV , the Janakpuri (West) station will turn it into an interchange point. The line will go to the Majlis Park station. This will complete a ring comprising the two corridors. Besides providing easier connectivity among the various corridors, this Phase IV line, with its nine interchange stations, will effectively link vast tracts of the city . Importantly, it will provide access to the Blue Line, which runs from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre, with a branching off to Vaishali. The Janakpuri (West)-RK Ashram line will have stations beyond Mukundpur Majlis Park, going to places like Azadpur, Ashok Vihar, Derawal Nagar, Rajpura, Pulbangash, Sadar Bazar, Motia Khan and RK Ashram Marg. Azadpur, Pulbangash and RK Ashram stations are already in the Delhi Metro network.While Azadpur is part of the Yellow Line (HUDA City Centre-Samaypur Badli), Pulbangash is a station on the Red Line (Rithala-Dilshad Garden). The RK Ashram station is on the Blue Line. Delhi government officials said that the project had been granted in-principle approval.The state government, however, needs to give the project the final approval, following which the plans for Phase IV will be forwarded to the central government for clearance. Both the Centre and the Delhi governments are joint partners in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, which is constructing and running the metro system.Once approvals come in, the modalities for the funding will have to be determined too. Sources said that the initial plan is to start work on the project by 2018. Air Traffic Surges 22.5% in November Continuing the growth trajectory, domestic air traffic surged 22.45% to 89.66 lakh passengers in November as low fares and introduction of new routes and services in the winter schedule of the local carriers helped them fly more passengers.All Indian airlines together had transported a total of 73.22 lakh passengers in November 2015. However, seat factor, which is a measure of how much of an airline's passenger carrying capacity is used or average percentage of seats filled in an aircraft, in November almost remained flat compared to October 2016. Budget carrier IndiGo continues its domination in the domestic market, having flown 37.73 lakh passengers during the month and cornered 42.1% market share in this period.As against this, Jet Airways together with its subsidiary JetLite clocked 17.3% market share by carrying 16.54 lakh passengers in the period. Air India stood a third with a market share of 12.9%, having flown 11.57 lakh passengers while budget carrier SpiceJet cornered 12.8% of the total domestic passenger traffic in November, having flown 11.48 lakh passengers during the period. Another budget airline GoAir managed to get just 8% of the market pie as it ferried 7.20 lakh passengers in the previous month. With a load factor of 95.5% , low cost carrier SpiceJet saw the maximum occupancy in its aircraft in the month. Rival IndiGo ranked fourth in terms of number of flight cancellations, after new entrant Air Carnival, regional carrier TrueJet and budget carrier GoAir, as it failed to operate as much as 1.46% of its total flights in November 2016. Masood charged for Pathankot attack The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet against Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar and three others for the January 1 attack on Air The Force Station Pathankot, detailing the conspiracy hatched in Pakistan. The NIA chargesheet says that the conspiracy was “not limited to Masood Azhar“, hinting at the hand of Pakistani authorities. It also named his brother and his deputy, Abdul Rauf Asghar, Shahid Latif of Gujranwala, Pakistan, and Kashif Jan, the main handler of the four killers. Training camps in Pakistan and POK were set up for recruitment and training of terrorists, who underwent extensive motivational, physical, military and tactical training regimen before they were radicalised and prepared for jihad,“ says the NIA chargesheet on the attack on the Pathankot airbase. Seven security personnel, including Lt Col Niranjan EK, were killed, while 37 others were injured. All four attackers were killed. The chargesheet will be used by India to push its case for imposing UN sanctions against Azhar -released in 1999 in exchange of a hijacked Indian Airlines plane -that China has so far opposed. The chargesheet, filed at a Panchkula court, says JeM terrorists in Pakistan were monitoring the attack, with Kashif Jan watching TV channels and receiving chats from different persons on its status. The attack was code-named `nikaah' (wedding) and attackers were called `baraati' (wedding guests). Azhar and the rest have been charged under relevant sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as well as IPC. The NIA filed the chargesheet without any response from Pakistan despite repeated requests. The Facebook chats of Kashif and his aides reveal chilling details of how they shared congratulatory messages after Indian soldiers were killed. Among Kashif 's chats that NIA accessed, there's one by one Iqbal gloating, “Kya kaifiyat hai, kya nazare hain; bahut hi umda (what circumstances, and what sights, beautiful... applause),“ he tells Kashif. In another chat, Mohammed Zia asks about the situation in Pathankot to which Kashif replies, “Nazare khatam hue, baraati ghar gaye (the scenes are over, and the wedding guests are home).“ The NIA also charged that the terrorists wanted the Indian government to know that JeM was behind the attack. The terrorists brought along hand-written notes, one in English and another in Urdu, disclosing the purpose of the attack. “Jaish-e-Mohammad Zindabad.Tanghdar se le kar Samba, Kathua, Rajbagh aur Delhi tak Afzal Guru Shaheed ke jaan-nesar...tum ko milte rahe.. Allah AGS 25-12-15,“ the note read, praising Guru as a `martyr' known from “Tanghdar to Delhi“. The chargesheet seeks Azhar's prosecution along with his brother Rauf Asghar and others. According to a witness, two of the terrorists who reached the airbase used codenames `Major' and `Alpha' while talking to their handlers on the phone. The chargesheet also puts to rest speculation about number of terrorists involved in the attack as it talks about the presence of only four fidayeen. The NIA chargesheet submitted in a Mohali court, revealed that even as terrorists hit the Pathankot airbase earlier this year, their handlers in Pakistan were on Facebook. They found social media to be a safe way to get minute-by-minute updates of the attack between January 2 and 5. Going digital.... Congratulations.... On the same page.... Mumbai Coastal Road update Amazon launches Prime Video Indian Super League Finals 2016 RBI tries to boost Digital Payments Meanwhile, somewhere in Venezuela.... SC sets aside J-K court ruling Mid-sea Shivaji memorial update New Chiefs appointed Petrol, Diesel prices up 5-judge Constitution bench to look into legality o... Prime Minister's Garib Kalyan Yojana Govt to link all savings accounts with Aadhaar num... The Fed Effect Tracking CPI Trade statz Rupee watch Added security features for passports SC bans sale of liquor along all highways Domestic air travel grows @ 22% Karnala will lose 4 acres of forest WPI dips to 3.1% Pakistan & Russia get cosy Isro satellites saved 10,000 lives in TN Current Account Deficit Narrows to 0.6% of GDP CPI cools further Somewhere in Chandigarh.... Agni V 80% of old notes now back in banks Of the biggest victim of Partition.... India & Indonesia Four digit flight numbers mooted Cyclone Vardah kills 6, plunges Chennai into darkn... Cyclone Vardah expected to hit Chennai India Aims to Join Top 50: Ease of Doing Business Cyclone Vardah China and Nepal Factory output dips 1.9%: October 2016 Digital payments soar New trucks to have AC chambers Demonetisation: 1 month on Plastic Money Savings DigiDhan Crude Oil: Statz Of Bonded Labourers.... Demonetisation: Random snapshotz Towards a less cash society Pune metro rail project gets go-ahead Highway ki Baatein Resourcesat-2A launched Blueprint for Ulhas river clean-up ready	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11868
__label__cc	0.723943	0.276057	Board index Entertainment Sports Official Wrestling Thread Section for all you die hard sports enthusiasts to get together and talk about your favorites teams. freezespell Location: Here at Anime Alley, living my dreams through other people AND showing off the mother of my child. Contact freezespell Re: Official Wrestling Thread Postby freezespell » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:29 am http://www.wpxi.com/news/20411616/detail.html I mean outside the ring. Kami-sama wa sono hitori no ko wo tamawatta hodo ni kono yo wo aishite kudasatta. Sore wa miko wo shinjiru mono ga hitori mo horobinai de eien no inochi wo eru tame dearu. "I'm gonna go cash an Over/Under 69 with Jenn Sturger. Laters." -@NFLcommishFAKE "You don't burn out from going too fast. You burn out from going too slow and getting bored." -Cliff Burton "Honestly, If I wanted to see King Hippo dance, I'd play Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!" -The Miz Big thanks to Littlewolf for the sig! BrothersElric Location: Bountiful, Utah Contact BrothersElric Postby BrothersElric » Fri Aug 21, 2009 10:07 pm freezespell wrote: It would be nice to see them come back so we won't have to see the same damn main event over and over again but I would expect to see some sign of The Undertaker this Sunday at SummerSlam. I'm also predicting that CM Punk will beat Jeff Hardy to regain the World Heavyweight Championship. Oh curse not having My TV Network..... Much like with H.B.K. I haven't heard anything pertaining to The Undertaker since Wrestlemainia, but I had no idea he had been out of action for so long..... Sure would be awesome to see him back again as well. Now if I just had access to Smackdown so I actually COULD see him back again.... ;_; You're probably right about Punk winning the World Championship back though. Which is a shame, because I'd much rather see it in Jeff Hardy's hands. Even though I haven't gotten much of a chance to see him in action I've really, really loved what I have been able to see from him, enough to probably be amongst one of my favorites. ArizUtaku Inside the Head of a Geeky Loner Last.fm profile Flickchart profile Psycho 101 Location: Hiding in your fridge eating your cake. Contact Psycho 101 Website WLM Yahoo Messenger Facebook Postby Psycho 101 » Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:10 am Did I call it or what? At Summerslam guess who literally pops up out of the ground? The Undertaker. So nice to have him back. Instagram \| Twitter \| Goodreads \| Flickr Stream \| MAL Profile \| Sake Room \| Psycho's Figure Collection Postby freezespell » Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:43 am freezespell wrote: Unfortunately, we won't be seeing any of Edge at least until WrestleMania or, at the earliest, the Royal Rumble because of a torn achilles tendon. Those kinds of injuries are possible career enders, kinda like the back injury that almost ended HBK's career back in '98. At least we have that headhunter Randy Orton to boo and get bored with until Edge gets back. Did I call that one or what? Postby Psycho 101 » Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:34 am Yes, yes you did. I was hoping though honestly instead of focusing on Shaemus he'd kick the Miz's ass. God the Miz is annoying.. Even for a heel. "I'm the Miz!!!!! And I'm RETARDED!!!!" That's what he should say. Soul Tsukino Contact Soul Tsukino Postby Soul Tsukino » Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:33 am The rumble match this year was interesting. I call it the efficiantcy rumble. At no point were there more then five guys in the ring. No one really lasted a long time, and by the end the undercard card guys were all gone. To the point without a lot of deawood guys lumbering around the ring for 20 minutes. It has it's good points and bad. What I'M keeping my eyes on is the WWE's next project, WWE NXT. How they are going to set it up and run things intrests me. The Sailor sun Fan fic Collective http://www.soultsukino.info Celebrating 10 years of the Series Postby freezespell » Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:15 am Soul Tsukino wrote: What I'M keeping my eyes on is the WWE's next project, WWE NXT. How they are going to set it up and run things intrests me. This really is the first I have heard of the new project and it's almost a shame that it has to come at the expense of a brand that has become a shell of a shell of a shell of a shell of what it used to be. I could never really get used to that platinum ECW Championship belt anyway. As far as how they're going to run that new WWE NXT, my expectations are not really that high. It'll probably be the same cookie cutter way they present Raw and SmackDown to us. Postby BrothersElric » Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:37 am Psycho 101 wrote: I was hoping though honestly instead of focusing on Shaemus he'd kick the Miz's ass. God the Miz is annoying.. Even for a heel. "I'm the Miz!!!!! And I'm RETARDED!!!!" That's what he should say. Oh yes, I would have loved to see that. I'm just waiting for the day when one of my favorites will come around and whoop that guy. Cena isn't particularly a favorite of mine, and to tell you the honest truth, I actually don't really like MVP all that much. I'd love to see somebody like Edge or Triple H or Undertaker, or possibly even H.B.K. go in and humble the crap out of him. I gotta hand it to you though freezespell, I actually had your prediction in mind when that happened. That was definitely quite the awesome twist of events, I must say. Postby Psycho 101 » Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:25 am Now if only Edge would bring back Lita with him........ Postby freezespell » Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:21 am I would watch religiously if Lita came back. I still have her picture hanging up on my wall. Postby freezespell » Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:04 pm Here it is, the end of ECW. I guess with that, here's my official ECW Memorial post. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to mourn the loss of a brand that had such promise when it first arrived just a few short years ago, but as time went on, it became clear that it would not only become a shell of what came before it, but it would also almost become a mockery of the original. In its short time on the airwaves, it has produced several big names in the wrestling business that have gone on to bigger and better things, but over time, its sole purpose for existing appeared to be nothing more than a feeder brand to Raw and the renamed Smackdown X. Its last ECW Original left the company late last year and it never really recovered after that. For most of its existence, it was ECW in name only. It was like an old person with Alzheimer's. It was there, but it really wasn't. A couple of days ago, it was finally able to die a death it probably should have died a long time ago. When we think of ECW, let's not think of the mockery that was given to us by a senile wrestling promoter who forgot what he was doing a long time ago, but rather, let's think of the original ECW that had us yelling creative chants such as, "This is Bullshit!", "You Both Suck!", "You're a Crackwhore!", "Change the Channel!", and one of my personal favorites, "Show Your Tits!" Goodbye, ECW, even though the REAL ECW died nine years ago and also, tune in to WWE NXT this Tuesday night at ECW's old time slot on Syfy. This... was not extreme! Postby freezespell » Tue May 18, 2010 11:48 pm Did you guys watch Raw last night? Bret Hart won the U.S. Title!!! I thought that was very awesome!!! (Pun may be intended!) Postby freezespell » Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:00 pm I guess I better revive this thread and give my thoughts on what has happened in wrestling over the past few months: Kane is the World Heavyweight Champion: This is something that has been long overdue for several years now. I mean, he is definitely world champion material and should have been champion years ago and had more runs with the title. Now if only they can get around to putting the belt on Christian one of these days... Hulk Hogan is a heel in TNA: Saw it 15 years ago back in WCW and the first time was better. Too bad it came at the expense of Kurt Angle's career. He was one of my favorites. The Nexus: I will go on record and say that this is the best WWE storyline they have crapped out in the last 5-10 years. Now that John Cena is a reluctant member of the group, it just makes it even better. I have never been this enthusiastic about cheering for a heel stable since the nWo. Postby BrothersElric » Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:21 am freezespell wrote: Kane is the World Heavyweight Champion: This is something that has been long overdue for several years now. I mean, he is definitely world champion material and should have been champion years ago and had more runs with the title. Now if only they can get around to putting the belt on Christian one of these days... Agreed in both Kane's and Christian's cases. That's why I'm especially disappointed that Christian didn't win Money in the Bank this year at Wrestlemania, as interesting as it was to have Swagger pull off the shocker. One of these years I'm telling you...... I've got to say, ever since that brutally fierce Orton/Tripple H rivalry that got me into the WWE in the first place a couple of years ago things have been really quite uninteresting until now. The whole thing with Shawn Michaels' obsession with beating Undertaker and his eventual retirement was a good watch but Nexus really does have me every bit as excited to watch RAW now as I used to be again. As does the annonymous general manager thing as well actually. It's been really fun trying to figure out who he/she is and every week I keep wondering how much closer we are to unveiling his/her identity. Postby Psycho 101 » Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:25 am I thought the Orton/Cena rivalry was just as good too. Better then that crap with Batista. He's a great heel but they made him into a whiny bitch. Not an "animal" like in the past. Have to say as a long time Taker fan I am LOVING having Paul Bearer back heh. I read a "where are they now' article on him at WWE.com and the WWE paid for gastric bypass for him as a way to get him back. He saves it saved his life. He looks so normal without the dyed hair and "creepy" look heh. I am enjoying the Nexus bit as well but you know it will end. Sooner or later they will have Cena win as he is the face and heart of the WWE now. They're going for a more PG rating now and Cena fits that. Though I do miss my dear Stone Cold and the PG-13 atmosphere heh. Honestly I want the Raw manager thing to just end. Just announce it's Shawn Michaels and get it over with. I know it's him. I'll bet money. As far as TNA....half that roster almost needs to retire. I loved them both but 2 prime examples are Hulk and Flair. Just let it go. Am upset Mickie James went over there and left WWE. Was one of the few Divas I liked on WWE. Now I'm left with Natalya and Eve. Liking Eve less now that she's R.Truth's token dance hoe. Postby BrothersElric » Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:27 pm Psycho 101 wrote: I thought the Orton/Cena rivalry was just as good too. Better then that crap with Batista. He's a great heel but they made him into a whiny bitch. Not an "animal" like in the past. Yeah, the Orton/Cena rivalry was great, but the Orton/Tripple H rivalry had so much intense storyline behind it that it really kept me watching week in and week out. That and I got too much of a kick out of The Game chasing him down with a sledgehammer all throughout the locker room and even his own home, heh heh heh. You're absolutely right about Batista though. Undoubtedly my least favorite thing they've ever done with this show as far as I've been watching. Batista used to be one of my favorites because he was just that cool and then he had to go out in the awful way he did. Such a shame, really. That's been my initial thought as well, but he's also alluded to it possibly being Stone Cold as well with his "Give me a hell yeah!" bit. Plus that and for all the reasons it could be Shawn Michaels I believe it could just as easily be Tripple H making a comeback from his "injury" as well. As for the Nexus, yeah, it's one of those situations where I figure Cena will undoubtedly come out in the end. I just think he's in a situation right now where you really have to wonder exactly how the heck he's going to do it as well, because he's really backed in a nasty corner here. Mickie James is on TNA now!? Really!? Sad day! Her and Beth Phoenix were pretty much the only reasons for not changing the channel whenever the divas came on at one point! Speaking of which, I wonder what ever happened to the Glamazon. Her and Mickie were just cool, cool divas. Postby freezespell » Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:52 pm Yeah, she was the guest referee in that fatal 4 way match for the TNA Knockout Championship at Bound for Glory. BrothersElric wrote: Yeah, the Orton/Cena rivalry was great, but the Orton/Tripple H rivalry had so much intense storyline behind it that it really kept me watching week in and week out. That and I got too much of a kick out of The Game chasing him down with a sledgehammer all throughout the locker room and even his own home, heh heh heh. Does this look familiar? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uiKQW0ply0[/youtube] Postby BrothersElric » Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:10 am ^Yeah, somehow Tripple H's sledgehammer all of a sudden looks pretty underwhelming compared to that, heh heh. Yet another reason to make me wish I had been on the bandwagon during the good 'ol days of the attitude era. THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO THE MONDAY NIGHT RAW!!!! Postby BrothersElric » Wed Feb 16, 2011 6:25 pm Psycho 101 wrote: THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO THE MONDAY NIGHT RAW!!!! I'm sure I'm not the only one who got a kick out of watching him smack Michael Cole around like his little ho, heh heh. This show, heck, this whole company has been seriously in dire need of a real badass like The Rock lately. It seems like all of it's greatest ones have just up and left on the drop of a dime over the past year or so and it's been kind of dull without them. Plus that and he's one of the main superstars I really wish I had been into the WWE back in it's heyday to have gotten the chance to watch. Return to “Sports”	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11870
__label__wiki	0.739023	0.739023	Notes from Underground by Roger Scruton (Czech history, Communism, samizdat) "...attempts at difference had the opposite effect to the one intended. For they emphasized that, in the midst of this randomness, you saw only the one identical expression: eyes staring into the distance, and lips held firmly shut as though against some pervasive infection Our people had collectively solved their shared problem, which was how to keep the mask in place, while showing that it is only a mask. People collaborated in the great deception, so as not to be deceived." Scruton's book examines Prague life under the unrelenting pressure of communism, and it's desire to create sameness and eradicate personal opinions and choices. Seen most in the world of literature, where writers were commonly arrested and jailed, sometimes executed, the lack of freedom of expression was so controlled as to prevent personal thoughts. Just the idea of waving at someone insinuated a further connection, a nefarious plan under way. The police were calculating and cold in their efforts to cool any uprisings by suppressing everything written, even harmless works of literature. In result, much more harmful (to Communism at least) works were perpetrated in secret in opposition to the force of evil. Dissident authors and writers wrote secretly, as their work (or even having it in possession) could land them into jail. But they did not quit, and if anything, while its exposure may have been limited to the literary few, it probably saved them mentally. The novel begins with a woman being arrested who was secretly known for copying dissident works into books. Her son involved, she takes all the blame and is jailed. Lost for what to do, he himself a writer as well, wanders the underground (both literally and figuratively) trying to figure out what to do. Soon he meets an attractive woman who leads him on a path to produce his literature but with a theory: become famous in the outside world so much that Czech officials can't touch him without political repercussions. But who is she, and what is her intentions? "A curious thought entered my mind: that she had quite separate lives. The thought no sooner occurred than it became a knife of jealousy. The girl who cultivated dissidents, what was exploring the world of the samizdat, who was in some strange way excited by the opportunity to recreate me as a hero and a martyr, was the holiday version of another being entirely." Filled with beautiful and nuanced sentences, the novel contrasts the barbaric stomping out of words with the subtlety and pleasure of well-written prose. The author contrasts these so clearly that one can't help but feel the tension between the political forces at play and the hearts behind the written word. It's not idealistic, some of the samizdat writers were jerks too, not to be trusted and often arrogant. But their opposition, in whole, to the entire movement to destroy them only makes them more fascinating. Scruton's writing is unusual. A narrator who thinks wisely and yet makes naive assumptions, who loves and yet distrusts; a complicated man in every sense. Advance review copy provided by Amazon. Labels: Czech, dissident, literature, Prague, samizdat Notes from Underground by Roger Scruton (Czech his...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11873
__label__cc	0.510317	0.489683	When the World Chelsea Dingman Dingman_Chelsea_When The World.mp3 shows us that it’s incapable of mercy, we stay up all night and practice how to be merciful when it’s still ninety degrees and the constant heat is an assault no different than living on the sun. By fall, when hurricane season recedes, we’ll think we’re all right. We’ll notice the death toll in Istanbul & Bangladesh & Baghdad and think we’re fine. The world, allowing us thirty-degree mornings, frost stiff on the grass. We’ll pull bed sheets over the palm trees, so they don’t die from the cold, as a man shoots his wife and leaves her body in the yard, a block away, and we’ll know death isn’t half- way across the world while we’re cleaning the grout and filling up the car. Perhaps the only mercy that matters on this wild Gulf shore is when I ask what you remember of snow, of digging the car out of a ditch after we spun out on a highway, slick with black ice, and you respond with your hands in my hair like wind that’s the same everywhere. It’s what we don’t say that makes us stay. When love isn’t something done to us in the absence of mercy, but the sun threading the lanai after months of rain. Selling Death On the Water Taxi across the Potomac After Rehab Chelsea Dingman's first book, Thaw, was chosen by Allison Joseph to win the National Poetry Series (University of Georgia Press, 2017). Her second poetry collection, Through a Small Ghost, won The Georgia Poetry Prize and is forthcoming from the University of Georgia Press (February, 2020). She is also the author of the chapbook, What Bodies Have I Moved (Madhouse Press, 2018). Her work is forthcoming in The Kenyon Review, The Iowa Review, and The American Poetry Review, among others. Visit her website: chelseadingman.com.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11886
__label__cc	0.638744	0.361256	Fancy Dan Background Real Name: Daniel Brito. Marital Status: Single. Known Relatives: None. Group Affiliation: Enforcers I. Base Of Operations: New York City. Height: 1,58m Weight: 70kg. Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle \|\| []).push({}); Powers and... Grim Ghost These are older notes, so they don’t quite use the more modern format. And they precede by years the 2010 Atlas/Seaboard revival attempt. History Matthew Dunsinane was a firearms dealer back in colonial America, 1743. But business became poor. So in order to maintain his... (Defenders) Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle \|\| []).push({}); Powers and Abilities While he has no overt superhuman powers, Manslaughter is a deadly threat to almost anyone, superpowered or not. He’s an extensively trained fighter and assassin, and is extremely skilled with... (Ophelia Sarkissian) Background Real Name: Ophelia Sarkissian. Random note: A fine example of comic book naming – “Ophelia” sounds like “ophidia” (the zoological suborder of snakes), and the last name was presumably picked as a semi-common family name with “hiss” in it. The... Scourge of the Underworld Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle \|\| []).push({}); Murderer unknown Prior to his death, the Scourge who was first seen in 1985 claimed to be the son of a Hollywood movie director famous for his westerns. He also said that he was the younger brother of the Los... (Lancaster Sneed) Background Real Name: Lancaster Sneed. Marital Status: Single. Known Relatives: Sir Denis Nayland Smith (uncle). Group Affiliation: Masters of Evil V (non-core member), former MI6 agent, former operative of Fu Manchu, former member of the Golden Dagger Sect, of Oriental Expediter Limited and the... Background Real Name: Unrevealed. Marital Status: Presumed Single. Known Relatives: None. Group Affiliation: None, but had 3 henchman Mr. Thibsy, Mr Selby, and Roy (who all looked like they stepped out of The Maltese Falcon). Base Of Operations: Mobile. Height: 5’11” Weight: 250 lbs. Eyes: Blue?... Background Real Name: Unrevealed. Marital Status: Unrevealed. Known Relatives: None. Group Affiliation: Dr. Sun’s organization, probably a Chinese triad. Base Of Operations: Variable, mostly China. Height: 6’9”? Weight: 255 lbs? Eyes: brown? Hair: None Advertisement (adsbygoogle =... Death-Stroke Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle \|\| []).push({}); Background Real Name: Eric (last name unrevealed). Marital Status: Single. Known Relatives: None. Group Affiliation: Nguyen Ngun Coy’s Crime Syndicate. Base Of Operations: San Francisco. Height: 6’1” Weight: 180 lbs. His... Daddy Longleg Unfortunately, he doesn’t know which of the beakers contains the formula and drinks them all. He starts to grow and is delighted, until he realizes that he is not only getting taller, but also increasingly more spindly. He stops around 13 feet, “a freak” with a consuming desire to avenge...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11896
__label__cc	0.504251	0.495749	From NASA The outcomes of the well-known NASA Twins research, carried out from 2015 to 2016, have been revealed Thursday in Science. The built-in doc – together with the work of 10 analysis groups – reveals fascinating, shocking and reassuring knowledge on how a human physique has tailored to the intense atmosphere of house and has recovered. The Twins research offers the primary built-in biomolecular view of how the human physique responds to the atmosphere of spaceflight and offers a genomic springboard to raised perceive the way to preserve the well being of the crew throughout human expeditions to the Moon and Mars. NASA retired astronauts Scott Kelly and his equivalent twin brother, Mark, participated in NASA's human analysis program. Mark offered a baseline for commentary on Earth and Scott offered a comparable check case in the course of the 340 days he spent in house aboard the Worldwide Area Station for shipments 43, 44, 45 and 46. Scott Kelly grew to become the primary American astronaut to spend nearly yr in house. "The Twins research was a milestone within the understanding of epigenetics and gene expression in manned spaceflight," stated JD Polk, head of well being and security. of drugs at NASA headquarters. "Because of the dual brothers and a gaggle of investigators who’ve labored tirelessly collectively, the precious knowledge collected within the Twins research has offered a greater understanding of the necessity for customized drugs and its function in defending well being." astronauts in the course of the exploration of deep house. Moon and the journeys on Mars. " Dwelling and dealing in house requires human perseverance. Future missions will concentrate on exploration at higher distances from the Earth; on the Moon then on Mars. These missions will imply that people will keep in house for lengthy intervals of time. For these objectives to be achieved, NASA astronauts should be capable to obtain most productiveness even beneath probably the most troublesome situations. Credit: NASA Key findings from the NASA Twins research embrace discoveries associated to modifications in gene expression, immune system response, and telomere dynamics. Different modifications famous within the built-in doc embrace damaged chromosomes reorganizing into chromosomal inversions and a change in cognitive perform. Most of the findings are in line with knowledge collected in earlier research and different ongoing analysis. Scott's white cell telomeres, biomarkers of ageing on the finish of chromosomes, have been longer in house than shorter after returning to Earth, with the common size of telomeres returning to regular six months later . In distinction, his brother's telomeres remained secure all through the interval. Since telomeres are vital for the steadiness of mobile genomics, extra research on telomere dynamics are deliberate for future one-year missions to find out if outcomes will be repeated for longer-term missions. A second key discovering is that Scott's immune system responds appropriately in house. For instance, the influenza vaccine administered within the house labored precisely as on Earth. A totally functioning immune system throughout long-duration house missions is crucial to guard the well being of astronauts towards opportunistic microbes current within the spacecraft atmosphere. A 3rd vital discovering is the variability in gene expression, which displays a physique's response to its atmosphere and can assist to know how gene expression is said to the dangers to the physique. well being related to spaceflight. In house, researchers noticed modifications in Scott's gene expression, most of which returned to regular after six months on Earth. Nevertheless, a small share of genes associated to the immune system and DNA restore didn’t return to baseline after returning to Earth. As well as, the outcomes recognized key genes to focus on to observe the well being of future astronauts and ultimately develop customized countermeasures. "Quite a few physiological and mobile modifications happen throughout an area flight," stated Jennifer Fogarty, chief scientist on the NASA Johnson Area Middle human analysis program in Houston. "We solely touched the floor of information concerning the physique in house. The Twins research gave us the primary built-in molecular imaginative and prescient in genetic modifications and confirmed how a human physique suits and stays sturdy and resilient even after spending practically a yr aboard the Worldwide Area Station. Information collected throughout built-in surveys, such because the NASA Twins research, can be explored within the coming years. " The NASA Twins Examine, a part of the record-breaking mission in a yr, centered on 10 investigations to advance NASA's mission and profit all of humanity. Scott has participated in quite a lot of biomedical research, together with analysis on how the human physique adapts to recognized hazards, similar to weightlessness and spatial radiation. In the meantime, Mark has been concerned in parallel research on Earth to assist scientists examine the consequences of house on a physique as much as the mobile degree. The outcomes symbolize 27 months of knowledge assortment. The Twins research established a collaborative analysis framework that can function a mannequin for future biomedical analysis. NASA's senior researchers and analysis universities throughout the nation have launched an unprecedented sharing of knowledge and discoveries. Supported by 84 researchers at 12 websites in eight states, knowledge from this advanced research has been built-in right into a single, complete research, offering probably the most complete and built-in molecular view so far on how a human responds to theft. spatial. Though vital, it’s troublesome to attract conclusions for all people or future astronauts from a single check topic within the house flight atmosphere. "To our information, this crew of groups carried out a research of unprecedented scale in any respect ranges of human biology: from molecular analyzes of human cells to the microbiome, by means of human physiology and cognition. Mentioned Craig Kundrot, director of Area Life. and the Analysis and Purposes Division within the Bodily Sciences at NASA Headquarters. "That is the primary report of this extremely built-in research that started 5 years in the past on the first assembly of the investigators. We sit up for publishing extra analyzes and follow-up research with future crew members, as we proceed to enhance our skill to reside and work on the planet. house and to enterprise on the Moon and Mars. " The distinctive features of the Twins research have created an revolutionary analysis alternative in genomics, propelling NASA right into a area of analysis on house journey involving a area of research referred to as " omic ", which integrates a number of organic disciplines. The long-term results of analysis, similar to the continuing telomere investigation, will proceed to be studied. NASA has developed a rigorous coaching course of to arrange astronauts for his or her missions, together with a well-planned way of life and work regime within the house, in addition to a wonderful rehabilitation and coaching program. reconditioning on their return to Earth. Thanks to those measurements and to the astronauts who carry out them tenaciously, the human physique stays sturdy and resilient even after spending a yr in house. For extra info on the NASA Twins research, go to: https://www.nasa.gov/twins-study Twitch launches a free karaoke sport referred to as Twitch Sings	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11900
__label__cc	0.688258	0.311742	Home > News > WFW advises CMBFL on US$180.4m sale and leaseback of 15 dry bulk vessels WFW advises CMBFL on US$180.4m sale and leaseback of 15 dry bulk vessels Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) has advised CMB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd (“CMBFL”) on a US$180.4m sale and leaseback transaction with Star Bulk Carriers Corp (“Star Bulk”), a Nasdaq-listed global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation of dry bulk cargoes. The funds obtained by Star Bulk under this new five-year capital lease of US$180.4m entered into with CMBFL were used to part-finance the cash portion of the consideration with regards to Star Bulk’s acquisition of 15 dry bulk vessels from Norwegian shipowner Songa Bulk ASA. Founded in 2008, Shanghai-based CMBFL provides financial leasing solutions to large, medium, and small businesses across China. It is a subsidiary of China Merchants Bank, the first share-holding commercial bank wholly owned by corporate legal entities in China. The WFW Hong Kong Maritime team advising on the transaction was led by Partner Christoforos Bisbikos, supported by Senior Associate Katherine Huang, Legal Assistants Nicole Chan and Kathleen Wan. The team was also supported by Athens Associate Konstantinos Mexias, assisted by Paralegal Katerina Dimitriou, and New York Partner Daniel Rodgers, who advised on the Marshall Islands law aspects of the transaction. Christoforos commented: “We are delighted to have advised CMBFL on this cross-border and complex transaction which was instrumental to the acquisition of the Songa fleet. It also underpinned WFW’s ability to field a strong team from Hong Kong, Athens and New York to close the transaction in an extremely tight time frame for 15 vessels. This transaction shows once again how Chinese leasing companies are working closely together with international ship owners to fulfil their financing needs”. If you have any queries or comments about Watson Farley & Williams, please contact: media@wfw.com EDITORS' NOTES Open 1. Watson Farley & Williams is an international law firm with offices in London, New York, Paris, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Athens, Singapore, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. The firm currently has more than 550 lawyers and over 900 staff. 2. Watson Farley & Williams is a leading international law firm providing services of high quality and value to clients throughout a range of industry sectors, with particular focus on: Finance & Investment, Maritime, Energy, Natural Resources, Transport, Real Estate and ICT. Lawyers from our international offices work as integrated teams to provide practical, commercially focused legal services. Our locations allow us sufficient geographical spread to be competitive in the global market and to provide consistently high-quality legal services to our clients. All references to 'Watson Farley & Williams' and 'the firm' in this document mean Watson Farley & Williams LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a 'partner' means a member of Watson Farley & Williams LLP, or a member or partner in an affiliated undertaking, or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualification.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11901
__label__wiki	0.837938	0.837938	CANNIBAL CORPSE/OBITUARY/CRYPTOPSY/ABYSMAL DAWN (February 24, 2016; READY ROOM, Saint Louis MO) It’s not often that a quality Death Metal package makes it’s way through Saint Louis, MO. With the recent influx of mall-dwelling deathcore imitations, it seems that true old school death metal has been eschewed for a watered down derivative that often relies on hokiness and over the top antics rather than the brutality and true musicianship reflected in the DM acts of yore. On the morning after a blustery February snowstorm descended upon the Midwest, four bands pulled into the Gateway City to lay waste to any notion that true Death Metal is dead and gone. This is their story. Abysmal Dawn (Charles Elliott) (photo credit: SOPHIA ZUCKER) Abysmal Dawn kicked things off with the title track to 2008’s PROGRAMMED TO CONSUME. Their signature blend of crunchy riffs and brutal blast beats bring to mind acts such as Malevolent Creation and Hate Eternal. Vocalist/guitarist/band mastermind Charles Elliott was especially impressive as he riffed his face off while simultaneously belting out Cookie Monster-esque growls in what proved to be an above par opening performance. Cryptopsy (Chris Donaldson, Matt McGachy) (photo credit: DUSTIN ENDICOTT) Next on deck for the evening were the French-Canadian tech-death marauders known as Cryptopsy. Fresh faced vocalist Matt McGachy wasted no time as he immediately whipped the crowd into a fervor amidst a blend of new and old material. The band’s drummer, Flo Mounier, had been seemingly shot out of a cannon as he rhythmically pounded out tunes such as “Crown of Horns” and “Mutant Christ.” I must say that the highlight of the set was the absence of tracks from 2008’s nausea-inducing (and not in a cool, gory, Death Metal way) deathcore outing, THE UNSPOKEN KING. Also included were two tracks from the band’s most recent EP, entitled THE BOOK OF SUFFERING, which is available digitally from all major media outlets. Closing out the set was the fan favorite “Phobophile” from 1996’s NONE SO VILE. Obituary (Donald Tardy, 2012) (uncredited photo) Naturally, a band performing songs entitled “Slowly We Rot”, “Chopped In Half” and “Bloodsoaked” must be devoid of any sense of compassion and kindness, right? WRONG! I had the chance to sit down with Obituary co-founder and drummer extrordinaire Donald “DT” Tardy before the show; he seemed more than happy to discuss a passion other than the Death Metal he’s been churning out for over 30 years: A cat rescue he co-owns with his wife. “I just got tired of seeing dead cats in my neighborhood,” he explains. “I thought, ‘It doesn’t have to be this way.'” And, when prodded about his favorite horror films, DT ambivalently admitted, “Eh, I don’t really watch movies too often anymore. Sure, when I was younger, ya had, ya know, the Jasons and Freddies but, I honestly haven’t stepped into a movie theater in 15 years.” Who says all metal-heads are the same? This dude loves cats and doesn’t like horror movies… Awesome! Obituary (Kenny Andrews) (photo credit: DUSTIN ENDICOTT) As for Obituary’s set, the Florida quintet was nothing short of spectacular. Kicking things off with the instrumental onslaught of “Redneck Stomp” (from 2005’s FROZEN IN TIME), the boys weaved their way through a blistering set of chaotic viciousness that can only be described as truly phenomenal brutality. Vocalist John Tardy menacingly stalked the stage while bassist Terry Butler (ex-Death, ex-Six Feet Under) laid down fat slabs of measured savagery. Rhythm guitarist and co-founder Trevor Peres is a bonafide riff monster, while the addition of Kenny Andrews on lead guitar brings back the high end ferocity that was absent while the band performed as a four-piece. Closing out the set with the title track to 1989’s SLOWLY WE ROT, Obituary proved once again why they are the undisputed kings of Florida Death Metal. Cannibal Corpse (Alex Webster; George Fisher) (photo credits: DUSTIN ENDICOTT) Batting cleanup were headliners and metal legends, Cannibal Corpse. Firing off classic after classic, CC delved deep into their extensive catalog to present gems such as “The Time To Kill Is Now,” “Pit Of Zombies” and, my personal favorite, “I Cum Blood.” George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (whose neck is thicker than his head), took an authoritative command of the crowd as he bellowed out his distinct growl while concurrently windmilling his head at breakneck speeds. By the time the band closed out the show with “Devoured By Vermin,” from 1996’s VILE, the entire crowd had been decimated into a puddle of black T-shirts, sweat, beer and blood that somewhat resembled what used to be roughly 800 metal-heads. Obituary (John Tardy) (photo credit: DUSTIN ENDICOTT) Overall, the night was fantastic, with Obituary stealing the show. The droves of moshers, headbangers and leather clad vixens only proves my previously established perception that Death Metal… and metal as a whole, is fully alive and well in 2016. Special thanks to Donald Tardy for the interview. DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Live Music Reviews \| Dustin Endicott \| March 1, 2016 \| Abysmal Dawn Alex Webster Cannibal Corpse Charles Elliott Chris Donaldson Cryptopsy Death Metal Donald Tardy Flo Mounier George Fisher Heavy Metal John Tardy Kenny Andrews Live Music Matt McGachy Music Obituary Rock and Roll Saint Louis Technical Death Metal Terry Butler The Ready Room Trevor Peres	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11924
__label__wiki	0.680637	0.680637	Bucks dominate Raptors from tip MILWAUKEE -- The Bucks jumped out to an early 9-0 lead and never looked back, beating the Raptors 125-103 - taking a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals as the series shifts North of the border. Ersan Ilyasova had a massive first half, as he and Nikola Mirotic combined for 30 first half... Johnson: Bucks don’t get enough credit for their defensive scheme Marques Johnson, Bucks TV Analyst on Fox Sports Wisconsin, previews Game 2 of the ECF between the Bucks and Raptors. As a player, what’s the mindset/focus heading into this contest? Is depth the key to this series? Armstrong: Will Lowry show up with another big game? Jack Armstrong, Raptors Analyst for TSN, joins us to preview Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks. What stood out to him in Game 1? Does he think the Raptors have enough fuel in the tank, despite playing all of these extra minutes/games? © Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports Is Giannis ready to rule the East? LeBron James' team(s) represented the Eastern Conference in every NBA Finals from 2011-2018. He reigned supreme, ruling the conference without any real threat to his throne. Now, he's moved west, opening the door for a new king to claim the Conference throne. Is Giannis that king? He's all but... Eric Nehm: Giannis will only get better as the series goes on Eric Nehm from the Athletic joins Chuck and Winkler to preview Game 2 of the ECF © Benny Sieu \| 2019 May 15 Bucks look to take 2-0 lead on Raptors The Bucks will look to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday when they return to the court in Game 2 of the series. The Raptors will look to bounce back and even the series after leading for most of Game 1 before being outscored 32-17 in the fourth quarter and 10-0 in the final... Basketball analyst Gery Woelfel (WoelfelsPressbox.com) joined The Wendy’s Big Show from the NBA Scouting Combine. What did the Bucks show in their Game 1 win over the Raptors? What should we expect in Game 2? Henning: Milwaukee has come a long way Paul Henning, founder of the “Save Our Bucks” movement, stops by to share his thoughts on last night’s Game 1 win for the Bucks. What does he expect in Game 2? What has he made of the revitalization downtown since Fiserv Forum opened? The Rise of Bucks GM Jon Horst The Bucks' posted an NBA-best 60 regular-season wins. The Bucks' dominated the first two rounds of the 2019 NBA Playoffs. They're both thanks, in part, to the work of young general manager Jon Horst. Two years into his tenure, he's still the youngest at what he does in the NBA. It'd be easy for the... Ben Golliver: Giannis is at his physical peak Ben Golliver- National NBA Writer from the Washington Post joins Chuck and Winkler to recap Game 1 of the ECF.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11926
__label__wiki	0.944025	0.944025	Accused of murder, an Aboriginal stockman and his wife try to stay ahead of a fervent posse in the harsh outback of the Northern Territory, in this period drama from acclaimed Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah). Warwick Thornton Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Hamilton Morris, Thomas M. Wright, Ewen Leslie, Gibson John, Natassia Gorey-Furber, Trevon Doolan, Tremayne Doolan, Matt Day, Anni Finsterer CLOSING NIGHT PLATFORM FILM! An outback western inspired by real events, Warwick Thornton's Sweet Country is a story of personal conviction and settler justice set in the stark panoramas of Australia's Northern Territory. Although his film takes place in 1929, Thornton's central concerns about colonialism, law, and power have a compelling contemporary resonance. Aboriginal stockman Sam Kelly (Hamilton Morris) works the land of a kind preacher, Fred Smith (Sam Neill), living and labouring in a respectful, if diffident, harmony. But when a bitter and often-drunk war veteran named Harry March (Ewen Leslie, also appearing at TIFF in The Butterfly Tree) returns to town, trouble escalates and Sam is forced to kill in self-defence. Shocked, afraid, and with a deep distrust in the impartiality of settler authority, Sam and his wife, Lizzie (Natassia Gorey-Furber), go on the run. Urgently pursued by a posse led by Sergeant Fletcher (Bryan Brown) and Aboriginal tracker Archie (Gibson John), expert bushman Sam must ultimately decide which of several looming unknowns to face. In Thornton's skilled hands the salty desert, red earth, heat, and dust of the outback becomes another character, captured in all its harsh beauty. His debut feature, Samson and Delilah, caused a sensation when it won the Camera D'Or in Cannes in 2009. Sweet Country contains many of that film's signature elements — frugal, precise use of dialogue, stunning cinematography, a profound sense of place, and enthralling performances. Yet the intricate social narrative and sweeping scope of Thornton's latest proclaims a stunning next step in the evolution of this filmmaker. Winter Garden Theatre Bell Lightbox 1	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11930
__label__cc	0.618384	0.381616	Home News How These Two Influencers Made An International Scandal Work In Their Favour How These Two Influencers Made An International Scandal Work In Their Favour They say success is a journey. They don’t always mention how bumpy the path can be. Whether you’re trying to climb your way to a corporate corner office or attempting to build a million dollar brand from the ground up, you’re bound to make some mistakes along the way. Of course, the more successful you become, the more consequential a misstep can be, especially in the age of social media that gives millions of people the opportunity to add their voices to a chorus of judgment and criticism. Time and again, we’ve seen CEOs, influencers and celebrities thrown into the harsh spotlight of public scrutiny. While some have had their careers destroyed by their scandals, others have not only recovered but thrived. Alechia Reese, a public relations professional and the director of PR and creative marketing for Soledad Obrien’s PowHERful Foundation, explains that the key to overcoming a public mistake is in how you handle it. “Barring an egregious crime or offense, there’s always a way to spin a misstep, error, or scandal. If managed properly, a scandal can also serve as the catalyst to the exponential growth of a brand as well. A perfect example is Kim Kardashian. Whether you like or dislike the brand she’s built, her scandal was the conduit that has led to the billion dollar Kardashian-Jenner empire we now see. It truly is all in how you spin it,” Reese explained. While Reese suggests seeking out the help of a professional crisis management firm for trickier situations, there are some, like Jyoti and Kiran Matharoo, who choose to lean on their own intuition to navigate the murky waters of a public scandal. The Matharoo’s, known for their luxury lifestyles, high fashion wardrobes, perfectly curated Instagram feeds, and billionaire boyfriends found themselves behind the bars of a Nigerian jail cell, falsely accused of running a gossip blog full of salacious stories about the African nation’s elites. Many speculated that the scandal would spell the end of the Matharoo sisters’ social media fame, but much like their namesakes, the two sisters have managed to turn an ugly story into an opportunity for growth. Not only did the Matharoo’s do what many said they couldn’t—remove their names from Interpol’s database of red notices without the help of a lawyer—they’ve also bounced back from their unfortunate circumstances to rebuild their brands all on their own. I recently spoke with these two sisters to find out how they managed to pivot from jail cells and no-fly lists into burgeoning careers as social media influencers, and their advice for other women who find themselves dealing with a public scandal. Reese advises that the ‘out of sight, (hopefully) out of mind’ strategy is best to be avoided, and the Matharoo’s agree. “The best thing you can do for your brand is be completely open and honest about what happened. Recently, we did an interview which was probably the most transparent we’ve ever been and, to this day, our followers send us messages telling us how much they appreciate our candidness and how strong and resilient we are.” Be The One To Tell The Story While you can’t change what happened, you can control the narrative, the Matharoo’s said. “Don’t let people bully you and make you out to be something you’re not. We took an assertive approach and wrote to all the publications who wrote false and derogatory stories about us, threatening to sue if they didn’t print retractions. They offered to share our side of the story when we were ready to do interviews to clear our names. These false stories will always be available online, but so will alternate stories setting the record straight.” Remind People Of Your Humanity “A perfect life is unrealistic and unrelatable,” the Matharoo’s noted. “When people got a glimpse of our worst times and saw that our lives are not perfect, it really helped us connect with our audience more. Sharing our story literally turned enemies into fans and caused people who we never thought would reach out to us to do just that. Vulnerability shows you are real, that you have ups and downs just like everyone else.” When People Talk, Talk Back Just like you need to control the narrative, you’ll want to control the conversation too, and the best way to do that is to participate. “After the scandal, we wrote an official statement on our blog, and our followers had lots of questions. We replied to all of them. They really appreciated that, and since then, we try to engage directly with them more often which has really improved our overall connection and relationship with them,” the Matharoo’s said. Own Your Mistake, Don’t Let It Own You Reese and the Matharoo’s both acknowledge how important it is to recognize that everyone makes mistakes and forgive yourself for yours. “Everyone has downfalls,” the Matharoo’s observed, “the only difference is ours happened in the pubic eye while most people fight their battles in private. We’ve always been unapologetic about who we are. No one can hold your past against you if you own it. What can anyone say about us now after the worst has already been said? It’s empowering.” Following their own advice, the Matharoo’s have transformed themselves from tabloid fodder to social media mavens. Between them, they share 92,000 avid Instagram followers, a lifestyle blog, Matropolitan, that covers everything from food and fashion to beauty and photography, and the pair are in the midst of designing their own clothing line, SPCTRMStudio. They will also be co-authoring a book which will be released later this year. The Matharoo’s are proof that life continues in the wake of a scandal, and success can too, as long as you are prepared to do the challenging and often uncomfortable work it takes to own your mistakes and spin them into an opportunity for growth. In the words of Nikki Giovanni, “Mistakes are a fact of life, it is the response to error that counts.” Pauleanna Reid is the Co-Founder of New Girl on the Block, a mentorship platform for millennials. Previous articleOutdated Laws Start Catching Up To Digital Society’s Challenges Thanks To This Young Woman Next article5 Ways To Take Back Your Weekend (And Be A More Productive Professional)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11932
__label__cc	0.740402	0.259598	Published on Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (https://ag.umass.edu) Home > Guidelines to Nitrogen Application on Agronomic Crops in Massachusetts Guidelines to Nitrogen Application on Agronomic Crops in Massachusetts [1] Adequate nitrogen is essential for optimum crop production. However, applying excess nitrogen can have serious environmental consequences. Nitrogen, in the form of nitrate, is extremely soluble in water and will be carried down below the root zone as the water drains. Over-application of nitrogen can mean a decrease in profits and an increased potential for ground water contamination. Nitrogen dynamics in the soil are very complex with over 98% of the nitrogen in the top 6" of soil is 'tied-up' in soil organic matter and not readily available for plants. Nitrogen is released slowly as microorganisms decompose the soil organic matter. The rate of release increases as soils warm. This makes it very difficult to estimate nitrogen needs for the season based on a soil test taken before planting. The largest demand for nitrogen by corn, for example, begins 30-40 days after emergence. If soluble nitrogen fertilizer is applied at planting, much of it may have been lost from the soil root zone through leaching by the time the corn has its greatest nitrogen requirement. In determining nitrogen fertilizer rates it is important to be aware of all nitrogen sources on the farm and to give them adequate nitrogen fertilizer credits. Nitrogen Sources on Farms Soil Organic Matter - Organic matter is approximately 5% nitrogen by weight. As it decays, nitrogen will be released in a form suitable for plant use. About 10-40 lbs/acre of fertilizer equivalent-N will be available in a growing season for every 1% of organic matter in the soil. Rate of N release is dependent on soil temperature, pH, moisture, oxygen and type of organic material. For example, a soil with an organic matter content of 4% in average will supply about approximately 80 lbs N/acre. Manure - Animal manures supply nitrogen to crops, but the fertilizer equivalent from manures will vary greatly depending on such factors as animal species, moisture content, handling and storage, and the elapsed time between spreading and incorporation. If manure is applied, it is important to know the analysis and the amount that you are spreading. If for example 20 tons/acre of dairy manure (10 lb N per ton in average) is applied and incorporated into soil the same day, then approximately 120 lbs/acre of nitrogen is available that year. Even though 200 lbs of nitrogen would be added to the soil, only 50 to 60% of that nitrogen is available the first year with the remainder becoming available in subsequent years. However, if the manure is incorporated after 48 hours or later only 40 lbs/acre of nitrogen will be available. More than 60 lbs will have been lost to the atmosphere and through runoff. Liquid portion of manure contains almost 50% of the total N and nearly 90% of the potassium. Therefore, it is very important to conserve the liquid portion of the manure. Legumes - Legumes can supply substantial amounts of nitrogen when incorporated. The amount of nitrogen will vary widely depending on the legume species, the amount of time that it has been allowed to grow before incorporation, in addition to other climatic factors. The fertilizer equivalent can be as high as 100 lbs/acre from a reasonable stand of alfalfa, or a good stand of hairy vetch planted in early to mid-September and incorporated in late May. Non-legume cover crops - Non-legumes such as winter rye and oat are not as rich in nitrogen as legumes; however they will conserve nitrogen in the field and eventually release it when incorporated. Many non-legumes are very efficient in 'mopping-up' nitrogen that is still available in the soil after crops are harvested. This emphasizes the importance of seeding cover crops soon after harvest since most of the leaching of nitrates in the Northeast occurs in the fall and spring. We are recommending that legumes be seeded in combination with grasses like rye and oat so that less nitrate will move below the root zone. Although legumes can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, most are not as efficient as grasses in taking up nitrogen from the soil. Composts - Composts can also be used to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Composting dairy manure can be used to help stabilize nitrogen in excess to crop requirement. Composts vary in their nitrogen supplying capacity and even though nitrogen is stabilized, some can supply substantial amounts of nitrogen. Chemical Fertilizer - Most formulations of chemical fertilizer are readily available to crops soon after soil application. This however, is accompanied by a high leaching potential. Spring applications of chemical fertilizers coupled with the usual wet conditions at this time of the year increase the danger of leaching. As mentioned above, the greatest amount of nitrogen uptake by corn begins several weeks after plant emergence. Timing fertilizer applications to coincide with this time of greatest demand by the crop will make for more efficient fertilizer utilization. Recommended Nitrogen Rates for Agronomic Crops Corn Silage - Recommended nitrogen rates are based on yield goals and should be reduced by the N credits from previous crops, previous manure application and current manure application. In Massachusetts the following rates are recommended: 140 lb N/ac for less than 20 ton corn silage per acre (or < 100 bu/ac) 160 lb N/ac for 20 to 24 ton corn silage per acre (or 100 - 130 bu/ac) 180 lb N/ac for greater than 24 ton corn silage per acre (or >130 bu/ac) Legume Based Hay - Nitrogen fertilizer application is not generally recommended for forage legume hay crops including alfalfa, clovers and birdsfoot trefoil. These legumes can fix sufficient atmospheric N to supply the needs of both the legume, and the grass in legume- grass mixtures. Adding nitrogen may encourage competition from the grass and from weeds as stands thin or are damage by harvest equipment or by winter conditions. Use of a starter fertilizer during establishment of up to 20-60-20 lb (N-P2O5-K2O) per acre may be beneficial especially in cool soils without a history of manure application. Band placement if possible to maximize the benefit of the phosphorus is highly recommended. Do not use any nitrogen in no-till seeding as this will encourage weed competition. Application of manure when surplus to needs of the corn crop is possible to vigorous alfalfa stands and to stands that are running out. It is not recommended to stands in early stages of decline or to legume-grass hays where there is a desire to retain the legume. For legume grass mixtures use the grass hay maintenance recommendation for hay crops that have little or no legume component. For example if the amount of birds foot trefoil has declined to 30% or less use the grass hay recommendation. Grass Hay - For all perennial grasses seeded alone apply 40-40-40 lb per acre, banding if possible. Do not apply any nitrogen as plow down. Applying 30 lb N per acre in late summer of the establishment year can be beneficial. For established grass apply up to 150 lb N per acre per year in split applications. Apply 50 to 60 lb/acre when the grass first greens up and 50 lb/acre after each cutting. The amount applied after each cutting should be based on the expected yield for the next cutting. Pasture - Fertilizing pastures with nitrogen is not recommended if the legume content is greater than 30% because the legumes (usually clovers or trefoil) provide adequate nitrogen through N fixation. If there is less than 30% legume, fertilize similar to grass hay with 100 to 150 lb N per acre per year depending on the productivity and growth cycle of the species. Split applications applying at least three times, early spring, early summer, and late summer, with no more than 50 lb N per acre at any one time. Factsheets in this series were prepared by Stephen Herbert, Masoud Hashemi, Carrie Chickering-Sears, and Sarah Weis in collaboration with Ken Miller, Jacqui Carlevale, Katie Campbell-Nelson, and Zack Zenk. This publication has been funded in part by Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources in a grant to the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, Inc. and by Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection, s319 Program. Agriculture topics: Soil and Nutrient Management The UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment is the home of UMass Extension and the Mass. Ag. Experiment Station. Source URL: https://ag.umass.edu/crops-dairy-livestock-equine/fact-sheets/guidelines-to-nitrogen-application-on-agronomic-crops-in [1] https://ag.umass.edu/crops-dairy-livestock-equine/fact-sheets/guidelines-to-nitrogen-application-on-agronomic-crops-in [2] https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/fact-sheets/pdf/Guideline%20to%20Nitrogen%20Application%20on%20Agronomic%20Crops%20in%20Massachusetts%2008-25.pdf	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11940
__label__wiki	0.538157	0.538157	Tweets by @AgoraParl www.youtube.com/parldevel Home :: News :: EU Carbon Market Needs Deep Changes, Industry Panel’s Buzek Says EU Carbon Market Needs Deep Changes, Industry Panel’s Buzek Says Submitted by AGORA moderator on 9 July 2014 The European Union should overhaul its emissions program to ensure it encourages investment in clean energy without recurrent market intervention, according to the chair of the industry committee in the EU Parliament. Jerzy Buzek, who was elected yesterday to head the panel for 2 1/2 years, said the EU emissions-trading system has failed to stimulate a switch to low-emission technologies because of a combination of a flawed design and an economic crisis. The proposal by the European Commission to start automatic supply controls to lift the price of emission permits after a 78 percent decline over the past six years will not solve the problem, he said. “Everyone agrees that a reform is necessary because we want the market that we created to send a price signal,” Buzek said in a phone interview from Brussels yesterday. “We need a profound change to the program and not just another tool that would in fact interfere with the market nature of the emissions-trading system.” VIDEO: Are Higher Prices the Future of EU Carbon Market? The cap-and-trade carbon program is the 28-nation bloc’s key tool to reduce greenhouse gases, which scientists blame for global warming. The price of emitting one ton of carbon dioxide in the system, which imposes pollution limits on around 12,000 installations owned by utilities and manufacturers, slumped to a record low of 2.46 euros in April last year amid oversupply of permits. EU allowances for December rose 2.9 percent to 5.74 euros a metric ton on the ICE Futures Europe exchange. Supply Curbs To alleviate a record glut of permits and help emission prices recover, the European Commission proposed in January introducing automatic supply curbs and injections. The plan to put excess allowances into a market stability reserve needs support of EU governments and the European Parliament to enter into force. The industry panel, known as ITRE, chaired by Buzek, a former Polish prime minister and president of the EU Parliament in 2009-2012, has an advisory role on the commission’s proposal. The parliamentary work on the draft will be led by the environment committee. "Stepping into the market is not a viable long-term solution,” said Buzek, a member of the European Peopleâs Party in the EU assembly. “One of the options that we considered when we were designing the system was a price corridor. But that scenario was abandoned and now we can see the consequences.” EU policy makers expected a price of about 25 euros to 30 euros when they designed the nine-year-old system, a level they said would encourage a shift to green technologies. The program requires emitters to surrender enough permits, which they get for free or buy, to cover their output of carbon dioxide. The pollution limit, which drops by 1.74 percent annually, was set before the economic and debt crisis that curbed industrial output and demand for pollution rights. System Collapse “We need to have a serious discussion on what caused the collapse of the system and then we have to fix the errors,” Buzek said, without elaborating. “The system does not generate impulses that would encourage green energy or clean coal technologies. The latter need to be supported especially if we recognize the global scale of the climate effect, and then shared with heavy coal users like China and India.” The proposal to introduce the market stability reserve was presented as a part of a package on energy and climate policies for the next decade, under which the European Commission is seeking a tighter target for greenhouse-gas reductions. The bloc should accelerate the pace of cutting carbon and set a 40 percent goal for 2030 compared with 20 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels, the commission proposed. “The proposal of 40 percent is not acceptable to many countries in a situation where we have no global climate deal,” Buzek said. “ We need to strengthen competitiveness of our industry as part of our exit strategy from the crisis. We also need to take into account the differences between particular member states. It is especially important in the light of the TTIP negotiations. ” To contact the reporter on this story: Ewa Krukowska in Brussels at ekrukowska@bloomberg.net SOURCE: BusinessWeek, July 8th 2014: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-07-08/eu-carbon-market-needs-deep-...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11942
__label__wiki	0.544139	0.544139	Aimia Named a Loyalty Program Service Provider Leader Aimia Receives Top Marks for Market Presence, Loyalty Analytics and Measurement, Loyalty Data Management in Independent Research Firm Report MONTREAL, Nov. 4, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Forrester Research,Inc., an independent research company has recognized Aimia, a global leader in loyalty management, as a loyalty program leader in "The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Program Service Providers, Q4 2013; The Eight Providers That Matter Most And How They Stack Up." The Forrester report, which was released on Wednesday, categorizes companies as Leaders, Strong Performers, Contenders and Risky Bets. Aimia was cited as one of five "Leaders" in the loyalty program service provider space. Aimia "stacked up" very well and received top scores in Loyalty Analytics and Measurement and Loyalty Data Management. And, the Forrester Wave™ cites Aimia as receiving the highest score in Market Presence, which looks at financial strength, target market, total employees and the number of active and new customers for each firm. Separately, the report also notes that "Marketers looking for a global perspective on loyalty will like Aimia's international presence." as well as commenting that, "in this evaluation, Aimia's loyalty analytics and program operations shone." "Aimia is pleased to be recognized as a Leader in loyalty programs," said Michael Zea, President and CEO of Aimia's U.S. operations. "The momentum we have been building globally reflects our focus on growing our comprehensive loyalty service and product offerings, and our commitment to helping our clients develop deep and meaningful relationships with their best customers." About Aimia Aimia Inc. ("Aimia" or the "Corporation") is a global leader in loyalty management. Employing more than 4,000 people in over 20 countries worldwide, Aimia offers clients, partners and members proven expertise in launching and managing coalition loyalty programs, delivering proprietary loyalty services, creating value through loyalty analytics and driving innovation in the emerging digital, mobile and social communications spaces. Aimia owns and operates Aeroplan, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, Nectar, the United Kingdom's largest coalition loyalty program and Nectar Italia. In addition, Aimia owns stakes in Air Miles Middle East, Mexico's leading coalition loyalty program Club Premier, Brazil's Prismah Fidelidade, and i2c, a joint venture with Sainsbury's offering insight and data analytics services in the UK to retailers and suppliers. Aimia also holds a minority position in Cardlytics, a US-based private company operating in transaction-driven marketing for electronic banking. Aimia is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AIM). For more information, visit us at www.aimia.com SOURCE AIMIA Krista Pawley, Vice President, Global Communications, D +1 416 352 3794 / M +1 416 737 8413, Krista.Pawley@aimia.com	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11943
__label__cc	0.711565	0.288435	USA Import T-Shirts USA Import Hoodies USA Import Posters Cancellations, Returns and Refunds Customers have a cooling off period in which they can withdraw from the contract for any reason. The cooling off period begins as soon as the order has been made, and ends 7 days after the receipt of the goods. Customers have the right to cancel the contract at any time up to 7 working days starting the day after delivery for unwanted goods. Goods will be refunded or exchanged for different sizes/designs/products (providing they are the same price as the goods being returned), as long as we are informed of the action required by the customer/receive the items within the timeframe stated above. Please send returns to one of the addresses below (unless you have been informed that you will be sent pre-paid packaging in which you can return the goods). You must include a note stating your name, order number, email address and what action you require us to take. You will be notified via email when we receive the goods) and no action will be taken by us until then. UK, Europe and the Rest Of the World Gate B, St George`s House Cape Road Warwick, CV34 5DJ 1265 Sunrise Highway Bay Shore NY, 11706 Join The Merch Store Mailing List Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Help & FAQ's Size Guide Shipping Zones & Prices Returns	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11948
__label__wiki	0.691328	0.691328	Djimon Hounsou Finds His Way To "Wayward Pines" Season 2 DJIMON HOUNSOU BRINGS HUMANITY TO "WAYWARD PINES" If you like your tales about the future with a good smattering of eerie 1950's styled dystopia splashed with a healthly dose of evolutionary horror, the first season of Fox television's "Wayward Pines," courtesy of producer M. Night Shyamalan and novelist Blake Crouch, must have been right up your alley when it debuted last year. Of course, this special sort of anti- utopian, hyper apocalyptic landscape takes time to set up, so all of the first season was a slow and creepy reveal that in fact "Wayward Pines" is the hand full of humanity that is left after 2000 years of polluting the planet until it belches up the living and breathing answer to what humans have done to it - terrifyingly violent and seemingly mindless "abbies," aka aberrant humans that seem hell bent on destroying what is left of what we know and hold dear as "human" today. Heavy stuff. But that was last season and starting Wednesday, May 25 at 9:00 - 10:00p.m. ET/PT on Fox, a new season of "Wayward Pines" began with more than a few new faces in the mix, including Jason Patric as Dr. Theo Yedlin and then in a pivotal role to the future survival of that last of the 'normies' Djimon Hounsou as CJ Mitchum. While Hounsou's reveal in season 2 requires a set up that doesn't truly begin to bear it's fruit until episode 2, it's a nice bonus that Terrence Howard makes a brief return as Sheriff Arnold Pope almost immediately in a telling reveal at the outset of this season's brave new world order. In addition,to the subject of old characters and old situations versus new, to the show's credit, if you are coming to "Wayward Pines" season 2 without having watched the first season, it is not a requisite in order to understand what's going on in regards to what looks to be the makings of an interesting second journey down the rabbit hole into what happens once everybody knows exactly what is needed to survive in this sadly strange town out in the middle of nowhere with wolves who look a lot like us waiting to kill us and burn the whole house down. "Wayward Pines" Season 2 airs Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT on Fox. Rapper AJ McQueen Explains How Music Helped Him Escape The Violence Of St. Louis TJ Porter On Meek Mill’s Influence & Signing To Def Jam "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" Rapper Silento Is Out To Prove He Is Here to Stay Sammy Wilk Names Favorite Drake Song & Signing With KSR (Cardi B) Phresher On Why Eminem Is The Best Rapper... Still I Loss Some Weight But The Jokes Are Still Big: Interview With Lavell Crawford Editorthegroveness Kash Prez Talks Recording w/ King Combs & Opening For A Boogie Layton Greene On Signing To Quality Control & Kodak Black Sliding Into Her DM's Tina Davis, Zaytoven, and Dame Dash Are Out To Find The Next Big Thing!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11954
__label__wiki	0.857974	0.857974	Work, Sci Fi Channel, Horror Films, Films of the 1990s Tremors is a 1990 horror comedy film about subterranean monsters. It is considered a Cult Classic for the way it plays with the typical monster movie tropes. It was directed by Ron Underwood and it spawned two sequel movies, a prequel movie, and a short-lived TV series. In the first movie, Tremors, the citizens of the isolated desert town of Perfection, Nevada find themselves under siege by "Graboids" (as they name them) massive subterranean worm-monsters who hunt prey by sensing ground-vibrations. It falls to two redneck handymen, Val and Earl (Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward), to save the town. In the second movie, Tremors: Aftershocks, filmed and set six years after the first, a group of Graboids is menacing a Mexican oil refinery. The owners hire a reluctant Earl and his hustling fanboy Grady to deal with the problem. But things gets complicated when the Graboids start hatching out Shriekers, two legged critters that hunt by sensing heat. Things get even more complicated later when the survivors realize that the Shriekers reproduce by eating. In the third movie, Tremors: Back To Perfection, eleven years after the first, the Graboids return to Perfection and it falls to Crazy Survivalist Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) -- the Ensemble Darkhorse from the first two films -- to stop them. The Shriekers turn into a third form, jet-propelled airborne "Ass-blasters". The fourth movie, Tremors 4: The Legend Begins is a prequel centered around an milquetoast ancestor of Burt's, and set in the 1880s. The TV series, also called Tremors, directly continues on from the third movie. A new character, Tyler Reed, buys the Desert Jack Graboid Tour business and finds himself unintentionally partnering up with Burt Gummer, who has semi-officially become a go-to-guy for the Government when Graboids are spotted in America. However, it turns out Perfection has some new monsters of its own crawling around, thanks to an abandoned governmental research lab and a mutagenic compound called "Mixmaster". There is occasional talk of another sequel, but for the moment, it's lost deep in Development Hell. Finally, we got Tremors 5: Bloodlines, focusing on Burt, now the star of a survivalist show, and his cameraman Travis Welker (Jamie Kennedy), being approached to battle a new species of Graboid in Africa. Tropes used in this franchise include: Action Survivor: Most of the characters, save for Earl and Grady in 2 and Burt in general. Actor Allusion: In the series, Christopher Lloyd's scientist/hermit is asked whether the lab he'd worked at had ever experimented with time travel. Alien Blood: Graboids' blood is a bright reddish-orange, its exact shade varying slightly between films. Aliens in Cardiff: Perfection, Nevada. Lampshaded in 2. Grady: Of course! Stuff like this only happens in the middle of nowhere! All There in the Manual: Promotional materials created by Sci-Fi Channel for the TV series give details on Graboid biology. Fun fact: Graboids are Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Bilateria, Class Cephalopoda, Subclass Coleoidea, Order: Sepioida, Family Vermiformidae, Genus Caederus, Species americana. Using the obsolete Linnaean taxonomy, this means that Graboids are most closely related to cuttlefish. Animal Wrongs Group: In the TV series. One of the scientists in the third movie also seems to be the Animal Wrongs type. He gets on Burt's case for making a career out of hunting Graboids and Shriekers, completely disregarding the fact that Graboid encroachment poses a major threat to human life. He later gets his back torn to ribbons by a Shrieker. Analogy Backfire: Subverted in Tremors 4: Juan: This will be our Alamo! Hiram: We lost the Alamo, Juan. Juan: Speak for yourself, gringo. Arc Words: "Do what we can with what we've got" (in the TV series) The line "Doin' what I can with what I got" originates on-screen in Tremors 2 when Burt says it, but is also closely paraphrased some 100 years earlier by another character in Tremors 4. Speaking of Tremors 2 and Tremors 4, there's also the term "Dandy"... Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: At the end of the third film, Melvin rants at Burt Gummer for spoiling his plans to turn Perfection into a profitable condo complex, for refusing to kill El Blanco, for being a crazy paranoid gun fanatic, and for wearing a stupid hat. Ascended Fanboy: Grady in the second movie certainly acts this way and does have genuine admiration for Earl. Asian Store Owner: All the same family/store. The one in the first movie is eaten; in the third movie, his relative comes to take over the store; and in the fourth, it's their ancestor settling in the town. Asshole Victim: Tremors 3 has Agent Frank Statler, Agent Charlie Rusk, and Dr. Andrew Merliss, who make the killing of graboids illegal so they can study one and make money off them, thus knowingly risking the lives of innocent civilians. If you've watched Alien: Resurrection and Jason X, you'll know what happens to people who try to make money off horror villains. A-Team Montage: The third movie features one, with characters building weapons literally off what they find in a junkyard. Bad Vibrations: Caused by the Graboids, but subverted with the first appearance of the Shriekers. Badass: Burt Gummer, all the way. He's probably the only character in any franchise who could survive being eaten by the monster without it being implausible - what would have been Fridge Logic with anyone else becomes awesome because it's Burt, that's the sort of thing Burt does. Case in point, wiping over two dozen Shriekers singlehandly, his words implying he killed some with his barehands! Badass Mustache: Burt, of course. Adored by the Network: There was a time in the early 2000s when the Sci-Fi Channel couldn't go a week without showing at least one Tremors movie, or, more than likely, all four. This eventually led to Tremors: The Series, which was...not so beloved. Attack of the Town Festival: Happens in the TV series. Big Bulky Bomb: 2.5 tons of high explosives. Big Red Button: By the third movie, Burt has set up a Graboid detection system, complete with one of these that triggers air-raid sirens when pressed. Biological Mashup: In the TV series, created by the Mix Master virus. BFG: "Grizzly single-shot BMG based on a Word War I anti-tank cartridge." This gun blew a Shrieker in half, then proceeded to punch holes through the stone wall behind the Shrieker, several oil drums, a tool shed, another oil drum and the engine of their escape vehicle. Also, in the first movie, the "Elephant Gun". It was actually an 8-gauge side by side shotgun. In case you were wondering, that means the bore diameter is .835. Let's just say Michael Gross, the actor playing Burt, was lucky he was firing blanks. In The Series, Burt has replaced his lost BMG with an enormous Barrett M 82A .50 caliber sniper rifle. He later takes out a target several miles away with it. Also, in the fourth movie, Burt's ancestor obtains a 2-inch bore punt gun, a giant hunting shotgun that has more in common with a cannon than a rifle - so named because it was too large to be wielded, and had to be mounted on specially constructed boats, or 'punts'. And the gatling gun he gets in the final scene, which is hinted to have sparked the love of guns that would be passed down to Burt. Blatant Lies: This telephone exchange in the second film: Earl: So I guess you've been kinda laying low? Burt: No, negative. Keepin' busy. Lots of projects. [brushes food crumbs off his shirt.] Book Ends: In the 1st movie, the first and fourth (last) graboid both die after ramming themselves through a concrete canal wall and cliff face respectively. Breakout Character: Burt, all the way. Brick Joke: In the first film, as Val and Earl are about to leave Perfection on horseback, Earl comments that he doesn't believe the "snake creatures" could be fast enough to outrun a horse. Val returns with: Shit, for all you know, they can fly. Cue the third movie, where: Shriekers morph into Ass-Blasters, a heat-seeking, airborne menace. Also, in the first movie, Val ultimately defeats the last Graboid by stampeding it off a cliff, shouting, "Can you fly, sucker?!" as it falls to it's demise, making this Foreshadowing. In the beginning of the first movie, Val approaches Earl, who is snoozing in the bed of his truck, and wakes him by faking a stampede. At the end, after they have discovered the Graboids are sensitive to loud noises, Val uses the last bomb by lighting it and throwing it behind the Graboid, sending it fleeing in pain to carom out of the side of the cliff--a tactic used by ranchers to direct stampeding cattle. Catch Phrase: "Pardon my French." Also "We need a plan," and "I've got a plan." Grady's sheepish "I forgot..." Chekhov's Armory: Burt Gummer's Rec Room is a literal example, as it's a Chekhov's Gun plot-wise while also being an armory. Averted, as that side of the Rec Room is never seen until the critical moment. Chekhov's Gun: The cliff shown in the very first scene. And the lighter that Val and Earl can't keep track of. Comically Missing the Point: See Stuff Blowing Up below. Conspicuous CG: Avoided at first in the films, which used (extremely good) animatronics for the monsters; more and more CGI crept into the sequels; the Ass-Blasters in Back To Perfection in particular were depicted this way. Played totally straight in the TV series, overlapping with Special Effects Failure: All the monsters were represented with CGI. It looked cheap even when it was originally made, and hasn't aged well. Somewhat necessitated. The CGI in the second film was used for things the animatronic Shriekers couldn't physically do (like running) The CGI in the series was actually quite good for a television show in 2003 (the bacterial cloud in "Ghost Dance" still looks pretty good). As pointed out, however, most of it has not aged well. The episode "Water Hazard" used an animatronic for the monster of the week. Ironically, the one time they bothered to make a good looking puppet, the audience never saw anything but the very top of it, the entire creature being shown only in production stills. In fact, the series has animatronic versions of most of its creatures: the full-sized animatronic Graboid (seen best at the end of "Graboid Rights"), animatronic tongues (seen in the pilot and several times thereafter), animatronic Shriekers and Ass Blasters. Even 412 has an animatronic head, though it's only seen briefly. The only thing they really never had any practical version of was the bacterial cloud, presumably because you can't build something like that. Continuity Nod: A couple of particularly notable ones in the second movie: When Kate finds evidence of the Graboid's origins, Earl states that he had always thought they were from space - an opinion he had also expressed in a conversation during the first movie. The scene in Burt's rec room shows a wall visibly patched in the same spot a Graboid had burst through in the previous movie (of course, there's also the giant stuffed Graboid head mounted on the wall next to Burt). There is a short scene where Earl explains how the Graboids got their name in the first movie. Earl: He named them. Then they ate him. A Chang frequently seems to be instrumental in naming the various life stages of Graboids, with Graboid, Ass-Blaster and Dirt Dragon all being coined by a member of the family. The third movie has a couple as well: Burt's Grizzly from the second movie makes a reappearance. Unfortunately, Burt never gets a chance to fire it. Burt uses one of his pipe bombs from the first movie on a spot where he thinks several Shriekers have gathered, with Miguel pointing the reference out. The scientist in the Government's team sprays himself with a fire extinguisher in order to escape a group of Shriekers, the same technique employed by Earl in the second film. It worked for a time, but he wasn't fast enough to do what he needed to before the cold wore off. The propellent for the potato gun was liquor scrounged from Nestor's old trailer from the first film. The fourth film recreates the discovery of Old Fred's head in the first film, even going so far as to use the same name for the owner of a hat found lying on the ground. Except this time the head's not under the hat, it's under the wrecked wagon. Crazy Enough to Work: Most of the protagonist's plans are a combination of this and the Indy Ploy. Crazy Prepared: Burt Gummer was Crazy Prepared even before he learned his hometown was infested with underground monsters. By the third film, he's ready for anything. To give you an example: some people have generators to power their homes, and Burt does too. A few people have backup power in case the main generator gives out, and so does Burt. But only Burt has backup backup power. Earl: What kind of fuse is that? Burt: Cannon fuse. Earl: What the hell you use it for? Burt: For my cannon. Lampshaded in the third movie when they build a makeshift potato/harpoon gun to shoot down an assblaster. Jodi: Uh, but do we have a lighter? Jack: Burt does. Burt: How do you know? Jack: Well, 'cause you're... Burt. Burt: [presents lighter] Damn right I am. Crazy Survivalist: Burt Gummer, a heroic version. Crippling Overspecialization: Burt tends to run into this problem quite often, and is usually why he isn't able to simply deal with the situations at hand completely on his own. See the Lowered Monster Difficulty entry below for a good example. Crying Wolf: Melvin Plug in the first film. The Croc Is Ticking: Because Grady left the radio blaring on the ground in the second film. The Dandy: Hilariously, gun-nut Burt Gummer's ancestor is one, bordering on Upperclass Twit. Didn't See That Coming: Burt Gummer, in the second movie. Burt Gummer: "I feel I was denied... Critical... Need-To-Know... Information." Disney Villain Death: Averted. The last Graboid at the end of the first movie falls to its death, but it's shown onscreen in all its orange, splattery glory. Diving Save: Valentine does this to save Mindy from a Graboid in the first movie. ~Doesn't Like Guns~: Burt's ancestor Hiram, believe it or not. In Part 4, he only brings along a tiny pea-shooter when searching for the "Dirt Dragons". Towards the end, they start to grow on him. And just before the credits roll, his love interest gets him a present: a gatling gun. He likes it... Every Car Is a Pinto: Averted. A car in the second film takes a BFG's bullet to the engine without exploding. When Burt's truck explodes, it's because it was stuffed full of high explosive. Which may have more to do with the Graboids' tendency to eat cars than realism. Letting them blow themselves up by chomping on Pintos wouldn't have been as exciting. Explosive Breeders: Shriekers. Executive Meddling: The studio suggested Michael Gross in the hopes that his Family Ties fame would benefit the movie. Producers were hesitant for that very reason because Steven Keaton and Burt Gummer are practically opposites. However, during the audition, Gross demonstrated his range and greatly impressed them. Effectively a positive example of this trope. Extreme Omnivore: Graboids will eat anything that moves, then spit back out anything indigestible. Taken to the extreme when in the third movie, El Blanco eats an Ass-Blaster. Lampshaded in the TV series, where the Monster of the Week made a wooden fence disappear and the idea that El Blanco ate it is shot down because Graboids don't eat wood, and it's mentioned that these are the same creatures that have been known to happily eat cars. Fail O'Suckyname: The fourth movie reveals that "Perfection" used to be called "Rejection". This is lampshaded a few times. Fan Service: Rhonda losing her pants in the first film. Justified, since her legs were tangled badly in barbed wire with a Graboid closing in on her. But hey, if you're into that sort of thing... Also, in the series, Rosalita hid from an Ass Blaster in the water trough. In the next scene, she walked around in a wet T-shirt, and no bra. See [1] Warning, NSFW. Feed It a Bomb: The easiest way of killing Graboids. Subverted in the first movie, when Stumpy spits the bomb back at them. Foreshadowing: In the third film, one of the comics on the store's rack is "Graboids vs. Shriekers". Desert Jack later takes out the last ass-blaster by baiting El Blanco into eating it, in a comparable display of life-cycle stages turning on each other. Gatling Good: At the beginning of the third film, Burt shows us what he can do when given the proper equipment for the job. At the end of the fourth movie, Burt's ancestor makes up for his lack of skill with a pistol by learning to shoot a Gatling gun. George Lucas Throwback: 1950's monster movies, particularly the first film in the series. Giving Them the Strip: See Fan Service, above. The Great Politics Mess-Up: In the second film, it turns out that this was the cause for Burt and Heather breaking up. Gun Porn: Practically every scene involving Burt. Guns Do Not Work That Way: Either subverts, averts, or avoids every single trope on the page. Except Steel Ear Drums. Firing that many rounds in an enclosed space such as a basement would've done horrible damage to Burt and his wife's ears. And it probably would've hurt the extremely-sensitive-to-sound Graboid too. Which is possibly why it paused in mid-fight to smack its beak against the ceiling, disoriented by the painful racket. the Gummers actually open fire on the Graboid during a cut-away. It's entirely possible that a pair of pros like them popped in a pair of ear plugs during the break. Even with those, Heather does cover her ears when Burt resorts to the elephant gun. Grenade Hot Potato: With a pipe bomb. Happily Married: Burt and Heather in the first film. And dialogue from the second film indicates that Val and Rhonda wound up like this too. Heartbroken Badass: Not a very prominent part of his character, but Burt qualifies in the second movie, when he all but admits he's there at least in part to get his mind off of Heather leaving him. The series drops a few hints that he's still not completely over her. Heroic BSOD: Burt briefly goes into one in the third movie when he blows up his entire compound, only to be informed moments later that it was completely unnecessary. Nancy gets a brief one in the series when the Ass-Blaster she sold at the end of the third movie is stolen and ends up making its way back in Perfection, killing two people before it's found out. Heterosexual Life Partners: Val and Earl in the first film. Hidden Depths: Burt as the films go along, especially after his divorce. He becomes less Crazy Survivalist and more Combat Pragmatist. Hot Scientist: Subverted - for Hollywood Homely values of subverted - in the first two films with actresses Finn Carter and Helen Shaver. Neither are glamorous sexpots, they come across as genuinely intelligent, they wear sensible clothes for the circumstances, and Shaver is an age-appropriate match for Fred Ward. Slightly played with in Shaver's case -- her character was a Playboy Playmate 22 years prior to the events of the movie, while she was working her way through college. This makes her a realistic hot scientist in her mid-40s. Played relentlessly straight in the series. At least four or five female scientists appear at varying points - only one isn't an absolute hottie by pretty much any conventional standards, and even that one isn't too bad looking either. Hypocritical Humor: In 2, Earl chastises Grady for not knowing geology terms, and then refers to the seismograph as a "Seismojigger". Later on, Burt goes on a rant about how the oil company that brought them in didn't brief them about the Shriekers, something they couldn't have possibly known about. Twice in the movie, once before this point and once afterward, Burt's actions put the group in further danger due to something he couldn't have known about. In the series, one episode has the team go out to a town filled solely with UFO-revering conspiracy theorists. Burt finds them all utterly ridiculous, at one point verbally proclaiming they are "all nuts". Then again, they actually accused Burt of being a government cover-up agent, so he kind of had a point. I Just Shot Marvin in the Face: Heavily averted by Burt Gummer, who shows proper gun-handling technique at all times, and occasionally chastises other characters for not doing so. Crowning example? He gives an idiot a revolver to get him to cooperate - an unloaded revolver. After he takes it back, he pops the cylinder just to make sure it's unloaded. This is what you are supposed to do anytime you pick up a firearm, just so you do not Shoot Someone In The Face. Unfortunately, they get a little lax regarding this in the third movie. One example would be when Burt finds out that Jack's gun is fake, and hands him a pistol. Jack sticks the thing down his pants, which is a great idea if you plan on blowing your own nuts off, but generally something you want to avoid; Burt doesn't even bat an eyelid at this. Oddly, it's also waived somewhat in the rec room scene from the first movie, where the flare gun already has a chambered round when it's taken from the wall. Identical Grandfather: Michael Gross plays both Burt and Burt's great-grandfather Hiram. Immune to Bullets: Subverted. The Graboid that breaks into Burt's rec room at first appears to be immune to bullets, but Burt is very persistent and VERY well armed. After taking sustained fire from ever-larger guns for two solid minutes of screentime, the Graboid finally goes down. Improvised Weapon: The pipe bombs in the first and third movies, and the fire arrow shooting potato gun in the third movie. Infrared X Ray Camera: Shrieker vision - though a realistic, non-X-ray version. It Can Think: The Graboids learn at a pretty alarming rate. It Only Works Once: In the first movie, the Graboids have a tendency to find ways to work around the humans' counter-attacks before very long. In the second movie, one of the more successful methods of destroying the Graboids (tricking them into eating explosives) is used, but is adjusted a bit to prevent the Graboids from having a chance to spit the bombs back out (as had happened in the first film). Jerkass: Melvin Plug in all of his appearances. In the series, he even flirts with the Moral Event Horizon a couple times, if not outright crossing it. Lampshade Hanging: In the second movie. Burt: Sure is the middle of nowhere. Grady: Of course, stuff like this only happens in the middle of nowhere! And in the first movie, when everyone keeps asking Rhonda about the Graboids when her guess is as good as theirs: Graboids start poking around the foundation of the buildings Val: Hey Rhonda, what do you think they're doing now? Rhonda: ...Why do you keep asking me? Living Motion Detector: The Graboids. Lowered Monster Difficulty: Totally subverted in the first film, in that the Graboids display the ability to learn from experience and innovate. "These things are damn smart! They're getting smarter by the minute!" "That's fine, we've got some new things to teach them!" Played with in the second movie. The Shriekers are smaller and considerably more fragile than the Graboids they mutated from, and are easier to fire at since they're above the ground. However, they're also far more numerous and, in that particular situation, Burt had stocked up on low ammo, high impact weapons expecting to deal with Graboids, which results in him burning through his ammo rather quickly once the Shriekers show up. Notably, Shiekers seem to be a combination of both remarkably stupid yet incredibly smart. They attack anything that's hot enough to be alive, resulting in them assaulting a radio tower and shredding the electronics within and ripping up the engines of cars. In Grady's own words, "You mean they've been acting so smart because they're so stupid?" At the same time, they're clever enough to prepare ambushes like the one that Burt stumbled into (and apparently the one that killed Pedro), they formed a living ladder to get to the humans on top of the oil tower, and once they were trapped inside the garage they seemed to understand the only way to get out would be to produce enough of themselves to batter down the doors and walls. Actually, in the latter example, they weren't likely eating as a means of escape through numbers, but simply because, well, there was food. Though a single graboid is always a threat, in a way this seems to apply to the entire series. Each movie introducing a new form, with the previous movies being more common. Culminating in the fourth movie, in which most of the movie involves fighting the form before the "first", with a classic graboid as the final enemy, in the same way the new forms were introduced in the previous films. Played straight with the TV series however where El Blanco is only a mild annoyance most of the time and shares no behaviours with other graboids. You can probably blame this on it being sterile. MacGyvering: Common in the later films and TV series. Magic Bullets: Averted. Bullets behave realistically: small arms can't penetrate the ground to the Graboids, while a massive anti-tank weapon has a little too much penetrating power. Lampshaded in the series, Tyler points out that water is really effective at stopping bullets. Magic Countdown: Averted/inverted in the second movie; Earl sets a bomb for 2:45 seconds. It explodes 2:15 later. Male Gaze: A great example and reversal in the second movie. In one scene, Earl checks out Kate while her back is turned; in the very next shot, Kate checks out Earl in exactly the same way. The Merch: In-Universe example. Say, your hometown was attacked by giant subterranean monsters, who kill half of its inhabitants before being defeated by the other half. What do you do? Make money on it, of course! Over the course of subsequent movies and the TV series the main characters have become famous science and pop-culture personas, being featured in magazines and TV shows, starring in commercials and documentaries, opening theme parks, having the exclusive license and producing video games, comics, action figures and other merchandise based on the monsters. All while continuing to fight said monsters first occasionally (Tremors 2-3) and then on a weekly basis. The town of Perfection becomes a tourist attraction, with the store from the first film converted into a gift shop. Minimalist Cast: In Tremors 2 only eight actors appear on-screen at all. Two of them never appear again after the first reel. Monster of the Week: In the series. Also, as noted, each sequel movie introduces a new mutation of the Graboids. Though this is played differently in the prequel movie. It introduces a new larval stage for the creatures, but they only appear in a couple scenes before being replaced by the Graboids again. More Dakka: Burt gets More Dakka each film, culminating in the third film with an anti-aircraft turret mounted on a half-track. The turret was actually in working condition and was fired (albeit with blanks) for that scene. Also, the 2-inch bore Punt Gun and the Civil War era Gatling gun from the fourth movie. More Teeth Than the Osmond Family: Deliberately averted, as no stage of the Graboid life cycle has teeth. Their distinctive mandible/beaks can cut you up pretty good, however. The things on the posters and DVD covers for the series usually do, though. Only Tremors 4 has an actual Graboid on its cover, rather than a toothy Sand Worm from central casting. Actually, if you look into the gullet of a Shrieker or Ass-Blaster, there are small teeth, or at least tooth-like protrusions. The tentacles inside a Graboid's mouth do have these teeth, although the spikes on the sides of their heads are far more noticeable. The toothy heads featured on the covers of Tremors 1 and 3 are actually tentacle heads, expanded to giant size for artistic effect. However, the strange creatures seen on the covers for Tremors 2 and The Series are entirely made-up for the box art. Ms. Fanservice: Geez, Rosalita, put a bra on. It's also quite odd that she always wears thin T-shirts, as judging by her chest it's very cold in Perfection. Taken to its logical extreme in one episode where she dives into a watering trough to avoid being eaten. She actually spends the next few scenes in a soaked white t-shirt. Amazingly, not a single character draws attention to this. Mutagenic Goo: Mix Master in the series. My Car Hates Me: In the third movie, Desert Jack has a switch in his car that he uses to intentionally invoke this on his "Graboid Safaris". NameDar: How the Graboids are named. Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Burt occasionally runs into this. In the second film, he uses an anti-tank rifle to take out a Shrieker, and as noted above also accidentally destroys the getaway vehicle they were heading for. Later, he manages to trap a Shrieker pack inside a building, which he only then learns is filled with food (which causes the creatures to multiply rapidly). "I didn't know, HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN?" (both times) In the third film, he blows up his compound to prevent a fully-evolved Ass-Blaster from reaching his food, only to again belatedly learn that when they overeat they instead slip into a coma: "What sort of supreme being could condone such irony?" In the first film, Burt was angry at Val and Earl for getting them stuck on a huge boulder while on their way to the mountains. A Graboid set a trap while the survivors were riding on a heavy truck. Burt: So you two screw-ups got us stranded out here for nothing?! Val: Just back off, man! Nothing Can Stop Us Now: Val and Earl each say this while heading for Bixby in the first movie. And then again when the survivors finally are able to move out of Perfection... but the Graboids are one step ahead of them. Nothing Exciting Ever Happens Here: Perfection, until the Graboids arrive. Nothing Is Scarier: In Tremors 4, Juan describes how not seeing what attacked the other workers in the mine made it scarier than if he had. Obstructive Bureaucrat: A team of three federal agents appear in the third movie to protect the endangered Graboids. Naturally, they're all killed by the things. Lampshaded by Burt when they finally come to him for help and ask what they should do: Burt: Do what you do best: find something simple, and complicate it! Twitchell in the series is always around blackmailing and pestering the town in one form or another. He seemed to be getting nicer as the series went along though. Oh Crap: For a creature without a face, the last Graboid from the original film conveyed this trope remarkably well when it burst out of the cliffside and found that it wasn't at the right stage of its life cycle to fly. Earl and Grady in the second movie when they find the remains of a Graboid that just gave "birth" to Shriekers. Omnidisciplinary Scientist: See Hot Scientist above. In the first movie, she's a geographer geologist seismologist grad-student, and just as ignorant about the Graboids as everyone else: Valentine: What do you think it's trying to do? Rhonda: Why do you keep asking me? Though she's probably good enough at all her guessing and extrapolating to count. Among other things she devises the Graboids' method of propulsion and that they "see" by vibrations. Once Per Episode: Most of the movies feature the following gags: People being unexpectedly pelted with Graboid/Shrieker/Ass-blaster remains Burt being left with the wrong guns for the job. In Tremors 4 Black Hand Kelly was the one caught off-guard. Trapped individuals seeing or hearing something moving and thinking a monster is on the way only to realize, "It's Burt!"/"It's Mr. Gummer!" One Buwwet Weft: One pipe-bomb left. Also, the "Grizzly" anti-tank rifle only carries one bullet. Only Shop in Town: Chang's General Store. The Other Darrin: Susan Chuang played Jodi Chang in Tremors 3, but was replaced by Lela Lee for the TV series. Charlotte Stewart played Nancy Sterngood in the first and third films, but was replaced by Marcia Strassman in the series. Otherwise refreshingly averted. Robert Jayne plays Melvin Plug in the first and third film and as a recurring role in the series, and both Tony Genaro as Miguel and Ariana Richards as Mindy Sterngood appear in the first and third films. However, Mindy was later played by Tinsley Grimes in her one appearance on the series. Outrun the Fireball: Subverted. The heroes flee the site of an impending explosion and take cover... then Burt runs past them, yelling "Keep going! It's going to be big!" Is it going to be today? Aaaand then it's played straight. Parental Abandonment: While many viewers of the original film assumed that Melvin was Nestor's son, and had actually witnessed his own father's death, supplemental material reveals that his parents lived in Perfection, but were in the habit of running off to Vegas and leaving him behind. Can you really blame them? Percussive Prevention: Valentine to Earl in the 1st movie over who gets to run to the bulldozer. Planimal: The TV series has the Trope Namer. It's a plant/root/thing, but also has a circulation system. Playing Against Type: Michael Gross started playing paranoid survivalist Burt literally the day after finishing up his suburban uber-liberal role on the TV series Family Ties. Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "Can you fly, sucker? Can you fly?!" Which rather becomes a Brick Joke in the third film. No, it can't, but its ass-blaster parents and children could. Promoted Fanboy: Grady in the second movie; Larry in the series. Properly Paranoid: Though not a straight example, having an underground shelter with a Wall of Weapons and ammo, supplies and power generator in case of World War III served Burt well when his town got attacked by large subterranean carnivore reptiles. Earl: Guess we don't get to make fun of Burt's lifestyle anymore. In the series, whenever Burt is concerned about something, he's usually waved off, despite the fact that he's usually right. Burt's (justified) paranoia also came up in the third movie. He spent years preparing for the possibility the Graboids would return to the valley, which they ultimately do - much to everyone else's surprise. When the government shows up to interfere with the residents taking on the worms, Burt remains unsurprised by their actions. Burt: And people call me paranoid. Punctuated for Emphasis: "I feel...I was denied.. CRITICAL .. NEED TO KNOW .. INFORMATION." Roof Hopping: Well, Rock Hopping actually; averted in town, where the rooftops in Perfection are too far apart for the trapped residents to do this. Sand Worm: The Graboids are probably the best known example next to Dune. Screwed by the Network: The TV series. Stiffed in terms of promotion, shown completely out of order, and then canceled out of spite when it got good ratings anyway. The series was also filmed at the same time as Tremors 4, which meant that Burt had to be left out of the show at times. Sequel Goes Foreign: Tremors 2 takes place in Mexico. Short Distance Phone Call: In Tremors 3, Burt Gummer and Jack Sawyer have an angry conversation while Burt is driving. When Burt arrives and parks, he is perhaps ten feet from Jack, yet they continue talking on the phone. At least until Burt hangs up and delivers to Jack's face that classic line "Is your head up your ass for the warmth?". Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: He's a co-star. Somewhere a Palaeontologist Is Crying: In the second movie, a scientist declares the Graboids to have first evolved in the Pre-Cambrian period. You Fail Biology Forever, lady. The TV series retcons this to the Devonian, suggesting that the Precambrian rock was incorrectly dated. It also implies that, if the original date was right, then the movie's sandworms would have to be extraterrestrial in origin. Which would make them even cooler, being borderline Eldritch Abominations instead of odd coelocanth-esque survivors. Tremors is actually one of the most popular movie series in the paleontology community. When it originally came out, the entire paleontology graduate community at UCLA trooped out to an afternoon screening at a local theater, filling an entire row, and spent a hugely enjoyable afternoon disturbing the other people in the theater by bursting out laughing at the film, especially at the line "It isn't in the fossil record! It must predate the fossil record!" The dating silliness aside, paleontologists appreciate the fact that the series treats the Graboids as animals whose behavior it is possible to understand, as opposed to ham-handed metaphors for whatever the screenwriter is annoyed at this week. In fairness, the "It must predate the fossil record!" bit wasn't played as a major revelation so much as Rhonda just spitballing in an attempt to make some sense of the situation. Plus, she's a seismologist, not a paleontologist, as the movie helpfully reminds us, so it may have also been another reminder that she was out of her depth and no more knowledgeable about the situation than anyone else. Granted, that gets a bit shot in the next movie, when that theory is basically confirmed, but still. Of course it would have predated the fossil record. There are probably very few things it couldn't eat. Stuff Blowing Up: Burt can always be counted on to bring on the explosions: Burt: That's two and half tons of high explosives, Earl! Earl: You mean that's not enough? Oh Burt, don't tell me it's not enough! Burt: Not enou... Never mind, just run! Run! Swallow the Key: Not done intentionally, but El Blanco the Graboid ate a gangster in an early episode of Tremors: The Series, who happened to have the key to a mob safety-deposit box around his neck at the time. In a later episode, the gangster's surviving associate returns to try to kill El Blanco and retrieve the key, hoping to empty the deposit box of its millions. Tap on the Head: Valentine uses the "sharp shot to the solar plexus" version on Earl. Tempting Fate: "Now there's nothing, and I mean nothing, between us and Bixby!" That Poor Car: Vibrations from burrowing Graboids set off the car alarm in the Gummers' SUV, inciting them to destroy the vehicle. There Is No Kill Like Overkill: "Man, Burt, you put a whole new shine on the word 'overkill'." Burt: Memo: two pounds of C4 may be a bit....excessive. In the series, the tables are turned and Burt calls out an military general for wanting to get rid of the current problem with Mixmaster by essentially nuking Perfection. There Was a Door: A Graboid decides to pay the Gummers a visit by headbutting through their wall. Not a straight case since Graboids are 1) too big to use doors, 2) have no hands/thumbs, and 3) would be absolutely horrifying if Graboids actually could use doors. In the series, Four Twelve was prone to this. Too Dumb to Live: Despite living through the original Graboid attack the town of Perfection seems to have forgotten just how deadly they can be and just how close they came to getting eaten. First movie: Nestor. Sure, he was terrified, but sitting on a tire? Really? Vanity License Plate: Burt Gummer - "UZI 4U" Wall of Weapons: In Burt Gummer's rec room. The Graboid that broke in there got more than it bargained for. The same Graboid's head can be seen, stuffed and mounted on a wall in the same room, in the second movie. In the Attack of the Town Festival episode of the TV series, the heroes have to scrounge weapons from a house in which this trope also applies... with antique black-powder firearms. We Need a Distraction: Several times in the first movie the characters have to come up with ways of distracting the noise-sensitive Graboids away from their immediate target; the most basic is simply stomping on the ground. "Hey, Melvin! Wanna make a buck?" It doesn't work with the last Graboid. As Val realizes, "It's not falling for it." And this is, of course, also put to use with the heat-seeking Shriekers and Ass-Blasters. A great example of this is in the second movie, when Earl soaks a piece of clothing in hot water to use as a distraction for the Shriekers so he and Kate could move to a safer location. Later on, Burt uses himself as a distraction to lure the Shriekers into the garage to trap them inside, though that doesn't work out as planned thanks to the piles of sweet snack foods, rice, and flour inside. What Could Have Been: Had a second season of the series come to pass such proposed developments would've included: more about the origins of Mixmaster; Mixmaster-affected bugs that eat only rubber; Burt trying his hand at online dating and meeting someone... only to learn it's Nancy; Larry taking more of a role in helping defend the town; and Rosalita revealed to have a shady past. Concepts for a TV series were developed during production of Aftershocks. This series would've cast Val and Earl as monster hunters facing a variety of creatures. Some of the details are available here. Of interest, El Blanco, the Killer Shrimp from "Water Hazard" and the "fly fishing" method from "Blast from the Past" were originated there. Why We're Bummed Communism Fell: Stated as the reason why Burt's wife left him. If the only thing you have in common is your paranoia, then it only makes sense that the relationship would be over once the reason for the paranoia disappeared. Villain Decay: Subverted. The Graboids, Shriekers and Ass-Blasters remain quite deadly throughout the series, however they're largely treated like tourist attractions and a source of amusement. You Must Be Cold: Earl uses this trope to play matchmaker for Valentine and Rhonda, by borrowing Val's jacket and covering Rhonda with it while she's asleep. Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.fandom.com/wiki/Tremors?oldid=334106" Sci Fi Channel	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11955
__label__wiki	0.966959	0.966959	Chaos, violence surrounded Venezuela vote to re-write country’s Constitution Yasmeen Sami Alamiri @Yalamiri Venezuelan Bolivarian National police move away from the flames after an explosion at Altamira square during clashes against anti-government demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, July 30, 2017. The explosion injured several officers and damaged several of their motorcycles. The officers were then seen throwing several privately owned motorcycles into the remaining fire in reprisal. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Updated August 14, 2017 at 1:59 PM Venezuela’s socialist government on Monday claimed a popular mandate to dramatically recast the country’s political system even as condemnations of the process poured in from governments around the world and the opposition at home. The United States added President Nicolas Maduro to a steadily growing list of high-ranking Venezuelan officials targeted by financial sanctions — escalating a tactic that has so far failed to alter the Venezuelan government’s behavior. The Trump administration backed away from earlier threats to sanction Venezuela’s oil industry — a move that could undermine Maduro’s government but raise U.S. gas prices and deepen Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis. Electoral authorities said more than 8 million people voted Sunday to create a constitutional assembly endowing Maduro’s ruling party with virtually unlimited powers — a figure widely disputed by independent analysts. The official result would mean the ruling party won more support than it had in any national election since 2013, despite a cratering economy, spiraling inflation, shortages of medicine and malnutrition. Opinion polls showed 85 percent of Venezuelans disapproved of the constitutional assembly and similar numbers disapprove of Maduro’s overall performance. Independent analysts and opposition leaders estimated the real turnout at less than half the government’s claim in a vote watched by government-allied observers but no internationally recognized poll monitors. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, the governor of the central state of Miranda, urged Venezuelans to protest Monday against an assembly that critics fear will effectively create a single-party state. In a strike at Venezuela’s already flailing economy, U.S. officials said the Trump administration is preparing to levy new sanctions on Venezuela, following through on threats to impose penalties if the country went through with the weekend election. The officials said the new sanctions could be imposed as early as Monday and will likely target Venezuela’s oil sector, including possibly its state owned petroleum company. One official said an announcement was imminent. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Maduro has said the new assembly will begin to govern within a week. He said he would use the assembly’s powers to bar opposition candidates from running in gubernatorial elections in December unless they sit with his party to negotiate an end to hostilities that have generated four months of protests that have killed at least 120 and wounded nearly 2,000. Venezuela’s chief prosecutor’s office reported 10 deaths in new rounds of clashes Sunday between protesters and police. Seven police officers were wounded when a fiery explosion went off as they drove past piles of trash that had been used to blockade a street in an opposition stronghold in eastern Caracas. Maduro says a new constitution is the only way to end such conflicts. “The people have delivered the constitutional assembly,” Maduro said on national television. “More than 8 million in the middle of threats … it’s when imperialism challenges us that we prove ourselves worthy of the blood of the liberators that runs through the veins of men, women, children and young people.” National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena announced just before midnight that turnout in Sunday’s vote was 41.53 percent, or 8,089,320 people. The electoral council’s vote counts in the past have been seen as reliable and generally accurate, but the widely mocked announcement appeared certain to escalate the polarization and political conflict paralyzing the country. “If it wasn’t a tragedy … if it didn’t mean more crisis, the electoral council’s number would almost make you laugh,” opposition leader Freddy Guevara said on Twitter. Maduro has threatened that one of the constitutional assembly’s first acts would be jailing Guevara for inciting violence. Story by The Associated Press 90th Anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army » More from World Today Acapulco divers drive tourism through risky careers US museum trains apprentices to preserve Asian artwork Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen voted first female European Commission President US House votes to condemn President Trump’s racist remarks All World Today...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11960
__label__wiki	0.997068	0.997068	Tony Shepherd Audit boss Tony Shepherd was paid $50,000 for secret government review By Adam Gartrell March 4, 2018 — 4.18pm The man who wrote the blueprint for Tony Abbott's deeply unpopular 2014 budget has been handed $50,000 of taxpayers' money – with no competitive tender process – to conduct a secret Turnbull government review. The Department of Industry awarded businessman and prominent Liberal Party supporter Tony Shepherd a $55,000 contract to conduct a 17-day review of the troubled Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility late last year. Mr Shepherd was the architect of the Coalition's Commission of Audit – the document that paved the way for Mr Abbott's austere first budget, which sparked an angry public backlash and sowed the seeds of the then prime minister's political downfall. Tony Shepherd (centre) with then treasurer Joe Hockey (left) and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann in 2013. Photo: Andrew Meares The NAIF review looked at the investment mandate, governance and general effectiveness of the $5 billion infrastructure financing body, which is yet to invest in a single project despite being up and running for almost two years. Department bureaucrats have confirmed the contract was awarded through a "direct source" process, meaning Mr Shepherd was hand-picked to conduct the review and no other consultants were considered for the job. The former Business Council of Australia boss delivered the review in January, but the government has no plans to make it public. While Mr Shepherd would have been paid $30oo a day under the original parameters of the contract, officials told a Senate estimates committee last week that the review came in under budget but took several weeks longer than expected. Resources Minister Matt Canavan said the review, which was not announced by the government, was "very good value" and it would be wrong to call it an example of "jobs for the boys". Resources Minister Matt Canavan. "I think that's an unfair characterisation given Mr Shepherd's skills and experience. I think he's abundantly well qualified and also a well-respected businessman, so he was eminently appropriate to conduct this review," Senator Canavan said. Labor frontbencher Jason Clare said the government had to fix NAIF so that it could start investing in job-generating projects. "The fact that Turnbull is desperately scrambling for secret advice proves what we’ve been saying all along: the NAIF is broken and it’s failed the north. Turnbull should release this report now," Mr Clare said. The Australian National Audit Office has raised concerns about direct source tenders, saying they make it more difficult to achieve value for money and to encourage competition and the ethical use of resources. Comment was sought from Mr Shepherd. His Commission of Audit recommended federal spending be slashed in 15 key areas, including cuts to family and pension payments. It called for a rise in the cost of university degrees and for a series of government agencies to be shut. It also called for major assets such as the Snowy Hydro scheme to be sold off. Jason Clare State's public servants demand 3.5% pay rise and extra week's holiday Flammable cladding: State pays to fix building industry's shoddy work Dodgy builders could be 'immune to prosecution' in cladding crisis Doctors reject 'meaningless' fee transparency website Victorians spending more income on housing costs than rest of the nation	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11961
__label__wiki	0.920921	0.920921	The First Plowing Horses By Amy M. Armstrong Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images Before mechanization brought tractors to the fields, horses were the main source of power used to plow furrows in preparation for planting. In a nod to their strength, tractors today are categorized according to their "horse power" -- or how many horses it would take to accomplish the same power output. Plowing matches across the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand celebrate the history of plow horses. Ancient Plowing For centuries, oxen pulled plows. Their stout physique made them a powerful and effective choice. This began to change in 4th-century China, where inventors designed a horse collar that distributed a load's weight on the horse's chest and collar bones, according to Machine-History.com; previous collars centered the weight on the neck, leaving horses gasping for air. As horse breeders began selecting for strength in Medieval Europe, horses began to replace oxen for plowing. Little Iron Horse Nicknamed "little iron horse" for its versatility as a riding, carriage-pulling and plowing horse, the Canadian horse was the "go to" equine in the late 1700s and early 1800s when only the wealthy could afford horses dedicated to specific tasks, according to History.org. This breed stands only 5 feet tall at his withers -- the area where a horse's neck joins his shoulders. He rarely weighs more than 1,000 pounds, but is highly muscled. He originates from France and came to North America in 1665 when King Louis XIV shipped mares and stallions to Quebec. Percheron In the 1870s, the American expansion west demanded large, strong horses. The Civil War had drained much of the country's horse stock. In the 1880s, nearly 5,000 stallions and 2,500 mares were imported from Le Perch -- a French province known for agricultural excellence and heavy-duty horses. Percheron horses with an average weight of 2,000 pounds are well-muscled in their lower thighs, a characteristic that gained them a loyal following -- by the 1930s, more than 70 percent of draft horses in the U.S. were Percherons, and most major land-grant universities maintained a stable of the breed, according to the Percheron Horse Association of America. The Belgian horse is from Belgium, where breeders had long resisted pressure to produce a lighter, calvary-type horse and remained loyal to the stocky, massive horse called Brabant. This horse has a compact body with double muscling over his croup -- the topline of his hip and rump -- making him a strong choice for pulling plows through virgin soil. By 1937, the Belgian's population in the U.S. surpassed the Percheron, according to the Eastern Draft Horse Association. Perhaps better known by Americans today for pulling the Budweiser beer wagon, the Clydesdale -- a dark-colored bay with white fetlocks on his lower leg and white blaze down the center of his face -- played a significant role as a plow horse. Brought to North America by Scottish immigrants, the Clydesdale was the third most numerous draft horse in America by the end of the 19th century. He was No. 1 in Scotland, where more than 140,000 Clydesdale horses were agricultural workers at the end of the 19th century, says the Clydesdale Horse Society. Suffolk Punch The Suffolk punch, originating in eastern England, was developed solely to pull a plow efficiently through the countryside's heavy clay soil, according to All Aboard Farm. The largest of Suffolk punch horses stand approximately 16 hands tall -- still larger than most pleasure horses, yet significantly shorter than Clydesdales and Belgians, which average 16 hands but can be as tall as 19 hands. What it lacks in height, this horse makes up with power, stamina and a docile personality. Plowing Matches The agricultural legacy of plow horses is preserved via annual plowing matches in many countries. Draft horse enthusiasts compete in categories including antique plow, walking plow and two- and three-horse sulky -- that's a plow with a cart behind it so the plowman can ride. Competitors are judged on straightness and quality of their plow rows, quantity of ground plowed and time. Eastern Draft Horse Association: Equisearch: Breed Profile: Belgian Draft Horse History: Little Iron Horses Percheron Horse Association of America: Percheron History The Clydesdale Horse Society: Breed History All Aboard Farm: A Brief History of the Suffolk Punch Draft Horse American Livestock Breeders Conservancy: Suffolk Horse Machine-History: The Horse Collar New York Times: Farm Equipment That Runs on Oats History: Colonial Williamsburg's Rare Breeds Program Complements Living History Interpretation BBC: Scotland Outdoors: Orkney Ploughing Match Northwest Washington Fair: International Plowing Match Farm and Dairy: Playing in the Dirt: Draft Horse Plow Match Preserves the Skills of an Earlier era Amy M. Armstrong is a former community news journalist with more than 15 years of experience writing features and covering school districts. She has received more than 40 awards for excellence in journalism and photography. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Washington State University. Armstrong grew up on a dairy farm in western Washington and wrote agricultural news while in college. French Trotter Horses Facts The 10 Most Beautiful Horse Breeds What Breed of Horse Is Used for Polo? Shire Facts Horse Breeds That Are Native to England What Kind of Horse Originated in Czechoslovakia? Belgian Horse Facts What Were the Percheron Horses Used For? The Difference Between a Clydesdale & Belgian Which Horse Breed is Raised in Czechoslovakia? Difference Between a Quarter Horse & Saddle Horse The Evolution of the Western Saddle Where Did the Saddlebred Horse Originate? The Largest & Smallest Breeds of Horses What Breeds of Horses Did the Indians Have? What Kind of Horses Are Pacers & Trotters? Fun Facts About Draft Horses The Difference Between Lusitanos & Andalusians Characteristics of a Clydesdale	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11966
__label__cc	0.620023	0.379977	Competition Heats Up Among Airlines as Year of the Fire Rooster Takes Off 27 January, 2017 in APEX Written by Kristina Velan Qantas is kicking off the Chinese New Year by reinstating daily flights from Sydney to Beijing. Image via Qantas APEX Insight: Competition has been heating up amongst airlines to attract Chinese travelers looking to take a break from the smog, and those flying home to visit family, as they welcome the Year of the Fire Rooster. Over six million passengers are expected to fly on outbound trips from China during this year’s Lunar New Year holiday, according to a report by Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency. Competition has been heating up amongst airlines to attract travelers looking to welcome the Year of the Fire Rooster with a getaway – and a break from the smog. Cathay Pacific’s “Year of the Rooster” special offer gave passengers 22 percent off flights to select cities in Asia and the South Pacific, including Auckland and six destinations in Australia, listed by Ctrip as one of the top 10 overseas destinations for Chinese New Year tourists. While many living in China will be traveling abroad during the holiday, expats will be flying home to visit family – a large portion of them millennials. China Southern Airlines is targeting this demographic with its Rooster Round-Trip selfie contest. A happy Chinese New Year from all the crew at CSAir! Remember to take part in our #RoosterRoundTrip contest and maybe win a roundtrip for 2 pic.twitter.com/qz74d18HOL — China Southern (@CSAIRGlobal) January 27, 2017 Qantas is kicking off the Chinese New Year by reinstating daily flights from Sydney to Beijing due to an increase in demand. “We are seeing a Chinese tourism boom, and we know that this route will bring a lot of new tourists into this country,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. On January 28, Qatar Airways will be serving a special Spring Festival-inspired menu on flights to popular destinations in Asia. Economy passengers will receive roasted chicken with sesame hoisin sauce and jasmine rice, followed by Chinese tea cheesecake or Mandarin orange and vanilla torte, while first- and business- class passengers will be able to choose from items such as grilled prawn with stir-fried noodles and Jiangxi-style sauce and tofu cheesecake. Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific’s first- and business-class passengers will be served two types of festive puddings: red date pudding and turnip pudding with Chinese ham. EVA Air will also offer a Chinese New Year-themed menu, and will be updating its paper napkins, headrest covers and red envelopes on Hello Kitty Jets to include two new characters: Gudetama and Bad Badtz-maru. While 2017 is almost one month old according to the Gregorian calendar, Lunar New Year celebrations are preparing to take off in North America – especially on the west coast, home to many trans-pacific hubs. Southwest Airlines is behind San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, and Air China has partnered with Citadel Outlets in Los Angeles for an event at the shopping center, featuring live entertainment and a customary red envelope giveaway. Due north, Vancouver International Airport is making sure that the Chinese New Year gets off to a roaring start by greeting travelers with Year of the Rooster festivities, including a traditional lion dance, starting today. [PHOTOS] Regional Passenger Choice Award Winners for the Middle East Announced at FTE EMEA FTE Biometrics Symposium: Single-Token Travel is Here to Stay At What Cost? Airlines Search For Best Connectivity Business Model Pilgrim Pack: Hajj and Umrah Amenity Kits for Travelers Heading to Mecca	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11971
__label__wiki	0.911486	0.911486	Shortest Way Home By Pete Buttigieg Narrated by: Pete Buttigieg Shortest Way Home AudioBook Summary A mayor’s inspirational story of a Midwest city that has become nothing less than a blueprint for the future of American renewal. Once described by The Washington Post as “the most interesting mayor you’ve never heard of”, Pete Buttigieg, the 36-year-old Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has improbably emerged as one of the nation’s most visionary politicians. First elected in 2011, Buttigieg left a successful business career to move back to his hometown, previously tagged by Newsweek as a “dying city”, because the industrial Midwest beckoned as a challenge to the McKinsey-trained Harvard graduate. Whether meeting with city residents on middle-school basketball courts, reclaiming abandoned houses, confronting gun violence, or attracting high-tech industry, Buttigieg has transformed South Bend into a shining model of urban reinvention. While Washington reels with scandal, Shortest Way Home interweaves two once unthinkable success stories: that of an Afghanistan veteran who came out and found love and acceptance, all while in office, and that of a Rust Belt city so thoroughly transformed that it shatters the way we view America’s so-called flyover country. https://rg.to/file/5ea8459c48eb43773f2731776f37db6d/Pete_Buttigieg_-_Shortest_Way_Home.m4b.html Run Away By Harlan Coben Tags: Pete ButtigiegShortest Way Home Meghan By Andrew Morton Adults in the Room By Yanis Varoufakis Filthy Rich By James Patterson, John Connolly, Tim Malloy Back Story By David Mitchell Extra Lives By Tom Bissell Be Careful Who You Love By Diane Dimond User Rating: Be the first one!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11980
__label__wiki	0.994013	0.994013	The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke By Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer ℗ © 2005 Random House Audio The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke audiobook Book ➲ "The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke" Audiobook ➲ "The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke" The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke By Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer it's a great choice for you. We rated this audiobook with a Top 5/5 stars. The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer audiobook; The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke audiobook; Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer; The Poet's Guide to Life: The Wisdom of Rilke audio book online . More audio books by Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer Edited & Translated by Ulrich Baer	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11981
__label__wiki	0.737456	0.737456	Gaming & Culture — Amex’s new cordless Skype: a true butter-face Amex has announced a new cordless Skype phone. They quote it as being the … Todd Haselton - Mar 6, 2007 4:40 am UTC Amex's new TSP-VS501 internet phone is one of the better-looking cordless Skype phones I've seen out there, primarily because it has "Touch Senses Keys," or a button-less number pad much like the LG Chocolate. I'm dumbfounded as to why Amex didn't include a color screen—I really can't figure out phone designers these days. I'd fall head-over-heels for this phone if it had a color screen like the Linksys CIT300, but Amex made the mistake of adding a screen akin to the Auvi PHIP65. Love isn't always about looks though, so let's see if the Amex can win my heart emotionally. I don't like being lied to, and that's exactly what it looks like Amex is doing. In fact, out of their press report is the following line: "This is the market's first cordless Internet telephone that works with Skype." Oh, come on, Amex! You're over a year late with this product, the screen bites, and now you're telling us you're the first on the market to offer a cordless Skype phone? False marketing aside, here's a feature that Amex should be advertising, if it is a true statement. Although the phone has "Skype" written across its face, it appears Amex is considering selling the phone with support for other internet-calling clients. "The first version of the cordless Dualphone works with Skype; however, compatibility with other softphone clients are made available through special developed AMEX-API." If Amex develops a lineup of internet-based phones with clients like MSN and Yahoo!, they might have the potential to get ahead of the game, mainly because there's a large population of people who have no idea what Skype is, and lack total interest in leaving their current clients. Linksys offers a Yahoo! phone, but there isn't anyone with a full lineup of client options. Amex is worth watching, but for now, no use in buying a phone that lacks the physical features provided by competitors.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11982
__label__wiki	0.636878	0.636878	Portrait of the Artist: Tim Leeming October 10, 2014 at 9:00 am by Matt Morris October 10, 2014 October 11, 2014 Filed under: Tim Leeming at a recent exhibition opening/Photo: Kelcey Leeming Tim Leeming paints to accommodate the world rather than escape or celebrate it. Though he shows with the Plein Air Painters of Chicago, his depictions of festering dumpsters beneath a gunmetal sky really don’t fit there. Rather than the qualities of sunlight and a nostalgic sense of place, he’s more about how life feels, and for the past five years he’s felt immersed in Chicago alleys, teeming with the energy of urban life, but not its bright and shiny side. As an attorney in the office of Cook County Public Defender, he’s more familiar with the world of drugs, murder, rape, robbery and mayhem. While walking or driving through the city, Leeming hunts for views that satisfy his pursuit of compositional balance. When he can’t work on site, he snaps a photo, taking it back to the studio, a small corner in the basement of his family home, marked off by a strip of blue tape on the cement floor. He selects a limited, muted palette for each painting and then applies it in gutsy, calligraphic brush strokes to resolve whatever compositional elements are involved. Tim Leeming. “Alley Scene (Untitled),” oil on canvas board, 16″x20″ For the past few years, he has used strong, receding diagonals to emphasize an alley’s deep, foreboding, tunnel-like space. More recently, that pictorial space has been abruptly stopped short by the flat brick walls of buildings seen dead on. No bright colors interrupt these psychological effects of anxiety or frustration. In an earlier, photo-based project, he used a tighter, more linear style to paint portraits of men caught in the criminal justice system. Their engaging faces draw compassion, but they’re obviously on the other side of a firewall where possibly they belong. In another project, he painted studio nudes, but not as erotic fantasy. Instead, he depicted the unadorned social reality of a naked model posing in a large unfurnished room. Though not committed to a career in art, Leeming does pursue opportunities for local exhibition. Currently, his work can be seen at an Oak Park senior center and a nearby bar and grill. After trying out SAIC’s MFA program, he opted to pursue a self-driven education in which he practices the tools and techniques of spatial manipulation used in observational painting: how to suggest depth of space through playing hard edges against soft, warm tones alongside cool ones. He does not work in isolation. He continues to seek feedback from artists that he respects, and has chosen a few heroes from art history: Vincent Van Gogh and Lucian Freud. But ultimately, he stands alone, independent of any one style or art theory: modern, post-modern, classical or Romantic. As his professional, family and personal life unfolds, he continues to develop new projects to express how the world feels to him. And it’s hard to predict what the next project will be. (Chris Miller) Leeming exhibits at Oak Park Senior Services through the end of the year, 130 South Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park; he also currently exhibits at Kinderhook Tap through October 31, 800 South Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park. Portrait of the Artist: Chicago Torture Justice Memorials A few years back, Newcity teamed up with Tribeca Flashpoint students to craft video profiles of Chicago artists and artist collectives. Starting this week, we'll publish the best of them. If you're interested in contributing a video profile to Newcity Art, email brian@newcity.com Drawing a Portrait of America RECOMMENDED As George Clark tells it, fifty years ago instructors at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago convinced him that figurative painting had no future, so he went into commercial illustration. The Hairy Who soon proved this hypothesis wrong. But Chicago Imagism was not the kind of figurative painting that Clark would later pursue. Rather than painting the… Eyes Wide Shut: The Artist as Producer By Stephen F. Eisenman Artists have fretted about capitalism for more than two-hundred years. Soon after Adam Smith wrote “The Wealth of Nations,” the poet and artist William Blake dampened enthusiasm for capitalism and its culture. He attacked “fashionable fools” who produced “contemptible works” for sale in the art marketplace, and worried about “dark Satanic mills” spoiling “England’s green and… Artist of the Moment 2018: Rashayla Marie Brown She is globe-trotting more than ever, building new ways of speaking her distinct perspective to an ever-expanding audience. From the Holocaust to Woodlawn: "Sculpting a Chicago Artist" at the Koehnline Museum An exhibition in the suburbs uncovers the European roots of Chicago's most prolific sculptor. Pulling No Punches: A Conversation with Artist and Curator Robin Dluzen Newcity's Alan Pocaro talks with Robin Dluzen on curating, studio practice, boxing and the perks of making art in the Midwest. Kinderhood Tap Oak Park Senior Services Plein Air Painters of Chicago School of the Art Institute of Chicago Tim Leeming Previous Post News: Venerable Roy Boyd Gallery Closes After Forty-two Years Next Post Review: Andrew Falkowski/Paris London Hong Kong	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11983
__label__wiki	0.744676	0.744676	How to wear... the neon shoe Jacket, €89.99 from Selected Femme at Arnotts Satin slingbacks, €570 from Attico at Netaporter Backless loafer, €590 from Gucci at Brown Thomas Bag, €40 from Miss Selfridge Lime block heel sandal, €78 from Office Pink court, €84 from Office Orange sandal, €50 from River Island Yellow strappy sandal, €89 from & Other Stories Victoria Beckham shares photo of daughter Harper recreating iconic Spice Girls pose Victoria Beckham has posted a picture of her daughter, Harper, on Instagram showing just how closely the two resemble one another. Harper, the daughter of David and... The Independent 2019-07-13 Victoria Beckham shares sneak peek of upcoming beauty line Victoria Beckham has given her Instagram followers a behind-the-scenes look at her upcoming beauty collection. On Monday, the businesswoman shared a video on the social... Stella McCartney ‘not a fan’ of cleaning clothes Stella McCartney has revealed she is “not a fan” of cleaning clothes so as to preserve them. Asked whether she thought dry cleaning was necessary, the British fashion... Brits to spend £2.7bn on summer outfits they wear once Britons are expected to spend more than £2.7bn this summer on outfits they will wear just once, new research claims. The survey of 2,000 people, conducted by Censuswide on... Brits to spend £2.7bn on outfits they wear once this summer Britons are expected to spend more than £2.7bn this summer on outfits they will wear just once, new research claims. The survey of 2,000 people, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of children’s charity Barnardo’s, found that summer events such as weddings, barbecues and festivals can fuel fast fashion culture because consumers buy cheap clothes to wear to them and throw them... Kim Kardashian West accused of plagiarising Emilio Pucci sunglasses for own range Kim Kardashian West has come under fire for releasing a pair of sunglasses in collaboration with eyewear designer Carolina Lemke that resemble a pair by Emilio Pucci. The similarity between the two pairs was pointed out on Instagram by knockoff watchdogs Diet Prada. On Wednesday, the account posted a series of side-by-side images that show Kardashian posing in the slim... How to wear... printed trousers Doutzen Kroes. Photo: Getty Images for Michael Kors Katie Holmes. Photo: Getty Images for Tribeca Film Fe Heart print, €265 from Michael Kors at Arnotts Navy, €125 from French Connection Check, €115 from Kitri at Brown Thomas Red, €49 from M&S Jumper, €29.99 from Mango Green, €55 from River Island Burgundy tile, €37 from River Island Tropical, €190 from Set at Arnotts Mono... V&A museum announces upcoming handbag exhibition featuring designs from Hermès and Louis Vuitton If you’re someone who knows the difference between a tote, satchel, and an envelope clutch, then there’s an exhibition on its way that’s sure to satisfy you and your fellow handbag aficionados. On Wednesday, the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) announced that it will soon launch a new exhibition exploring the style, function, design and craftsmanship of handbags from around the... Reformation is coming to Selfridges this summer and our wardrobes are more than ready Los Angeles-based fashion brand Reformation is returning to the UK and setting up shop in Selfridges. On Friday, the luxury department store announced it has partnered up with the retailer to launch a 120-piece collection. From Monday 8 July, Reformation fans will be able to get their hands on the collection (think summer dresses and vintage-inspired jeans) from the department... Fyre Festival island on sale for £9 million Saddleback Cay, the backdrop to the infamous Fyre Festival promotional video, is on sale for a cool $11.8m (£9.4m). The private island in the Bahamas served as the perfect playground to market the doomed event, with models including Bella Hadid and Hayley Bieber seen swimming in clear waters and running along the beach in the advert. Although the festival went south, with...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11984
__label__cc	0.730938	0.269062	Home Page Animals Essays Cloning Of Animals Essay Cloning Of Animals Essay University/College: University of Chicago Cloning of Animals On Sunday, February 23, 1997, Scottish researchers broke one of nature’s greatest laws by cloning a lamb from a single cell of an adult ewe. This breakthrough opens the door to the possibility for the cloning of other mammals including humans. This remarkable achievement is being looked at as a great advancement in animal agriculture. But this achievement could lead to ethical questions of Researchers lead by Ian Wilmut of the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland, showed that a fully differentiated cell from the mammary tissue of an ewe could be manipulated in such a way as to produce a genetically identical copy of the animal that the DNA was acquired. We will write a custom essay on Cloning Of Animals specifically for you Scientist long believed that once a cell became differentiated, that most of its approximately 100,000 genes shut off. Only a few genes remained active to allow the cell to perform its specific function of life. All efforts to reactivate the shut-off genes have failed. English researchers have came the closest by teasing frog body cells to develop into tadpoles. The tadpoles, however, never matured into frogs. The Scottish researchers have failed many times with sheep cells before their success, but the task was perfected and accomplished. Now this accomplishment has made it possible for the cloning of almost any mammal, To the average person, exactly how the technique works is unclear. Scientist predicted that by making cells dormant and bringing them close to death, something happens to break the chemical locks (barriers) that keep most of the genes inactive. The mammary cell is inserted into an unfertilized sheep egg cell that has already had all of its own genetic material removed. By fusing the cells together tricks the egg into thinking that it has become fertilized. After being fused together, researchers believe that the chemical machinery inside the egg cell goes to work to reprogram the mammary cell genes into starting over again, as if they were brought together as sperm and egg. The cell divides, produces an embryo, fetus and a newborn that is identical to the animal from which it was cloned. Although the United States government prohibits government funds being spent on human cloning research, and ethicists decry it, nevertheless, human cloning could be achieved, Neal First said. First is a professor of animal biotechnology and reproductive biology at the University of Wisconsin. Overall, there is no apparent reason to clone humans. A duplicate body does not mean a duplicated mind. The clone’s brain would be far different, for the clone would have to learn everything from its own experiences. Is cloning a human ethical? Should we try to clone humans? I believe that nature will clone what it wants to clone. Researchers should be careful for we no nothing of the stability of any animal that is cloned by scientist. We don’t know if that animal will be dominant over the animal from which it was clone or if it will turn hostile. From my point of view having a “clone” is not all it is cracked up to be. Cloning Endangered Species Essay 720 Words \| 3 Pages Cloning is the production of duplicate copies of genetic materials, cells, or entire multi-cellular living materials. For years cloning had only been a fantasy, but with new scientific research cloning can be very successful. Because there are so many advantages in areas like agriculture, medicine, and biological research in producing genetically identical organisms, artificial cloning has become the focus of attention with scientists today. "At last there is hope of saving endangered species. We might be able to witness the cloning of now nearly extinct condors, tigers, rhinoceroses, and so many other living marvels." That was a quote from Jose... Cloning and stem cell research Essay 712 Words \| 3 Pages Cory King ENG 120 Sec. 02 Spring 2002 March 15, 2002 Cloning, and Stem Cell Research Technology has advanced a great deal within the past few years. We have learned so much information about animal's genes and what can be done with them. However, with this new information brings new questions and arguments. So far, scientists have successfully cloned a sheep, a monkey, a bull, and are working on an endangered breed of ox, of course cloning animals and conducting research on those animals does not concern many people. When people begin discussing Cloning and stem cell research Essay heads... Human Cloning Essay Thesis 939 Words \| 4 Pages Human Cloning…Most people panic when they hear the words “Human Cloning”. Crazy thoughts run through their heads, imaginations run wild. They think of the world being run over by a million little Hitler’s. They think of people thinking exactly like one another, and that no person would be different. And for some reason because of cloning, the world, as we know it will cease to exist. Cloning to some people is even considered “evil.” Most religious people believe that it is “Playing God”, they think that mankind is not supposed to have this power.Cloning, however, is not a magical way... Cory King ENG 120 Sec. 02 Spring 2002 March 15, 2002 Cloning, and Stem Cell Research Technology has advanced a great deal within the past few years. We have learned so much information about animals genes and what can be done with them. However, with this new information brings new questions and arguments. So far, scientists have successfully cloned a sheep, a monkey, a bull, and are working on an endangered breed of ox, of course cloning animals and conducting research on those animals does not concern many people. When people begin discussing cloning and stem cell research Essay heads... Human cloning Persuasive Essay 610 Words \| 3 Pages Early in 1997 Dr. Ian Wilmont a Scottish scientist revealed to the world that he had completed a clone of an adult sheep named Dolly. With this huge step in science the world realized that cloning was no longer the plot of a science fiction movie but rather a realistic look into the future of science and medicine. Have you ever imagined what life would be like if we could eliminate human problems and diseases such as AIDs, cancer and human organ shortages? This is the question that arises when the subject of cloning is brought up and I believe... Human Cloning Analysis Essay 777 Words \| 3 Pages Human CloningBiological AspectsTrue human cloning involves taking a somatic cell from a person and removing its nucleus. Then the nucleus of a fertilized egg cell is removedand placed in the somatic cell. This is impossible in humans right now because the somatic cells are specialized and there are many genes thathave been switched off in them that we do not know how to turn them back on. This was done with frogs however. The eggs were implantedwith the nuclei from the intestinal lining of tadpoles. Most of these frogs died or grew into monsters. Of the ones that did grow... The Ethics of Human Cloning Essay 755 Words \| 3 Pages Philosophy: The Ethics of Human CloningIn order to make a fully justified decision on whether human cloning is ethical or not, one must be exposed to the background of the subject. To start, a clone is an exact replica of an organism, cell, or gene. The process itself is done asexually with the use of a cell from the original human. It is then placed inside a female capable of bearing a child and is then born as a clone. Along with this comes questions of whether or not it is right to clone a human being based on different... Cloning Morality Essay 660 Words \| 3 Pages Currently with technology advancing rapidly in every aspect of life, is it possible that humans can recreate themselves. This big ethical and moral question is on the minds of almost every person in the world. Should we as a human race make duplicates of ourselves? There are several things to look at and to consider when making decisions based on God like proportions. There are health risks from mutation of genes. An abnormal baby would be a nightmare come true. The emotional risks could have a deep impact. For instance, the child grows up knowing her mother is her sister,... Human Cloning Isn't as Scary as It Sounds Essay 831 Words \| 3 Pages Human Cloning Isn't as Scary as It SoundsThe recent news of the successful cloning of an adult sheepin which the sheep's DNA was inserted into an unfertilized sheep egg to producea lamb with identical DNAhas generated an outpouring of ethical concerns. Theseconcerns are not about Dolly, the now famous sheep, nor even about theconsiderable impact cloning may have on the animal breeding industry, but ratherabout the possibility of cloning humans. For the most part, however, the ethicalconcerns being raised are exaggerated and misplaced, because they are based onerroneous views about what genes are and what they can do. The danger,... A Christmas Carol Essays (20) , Communication Essays (92) , A Raisin in The Sun Essays (13) , Business Law Essays (26) , Depression Essays (60) Topic: Cloning Of Animals Essay On Sunday, February 23, 1997, Scottish researchers broke one of nature's Researchers lead by Ian Wilmut of the Roslin	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0028.json.gz/line11986

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.