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Tools / Middleware
Tools can simplify and aid your development. Check out some of the middleware tools that you can use when developing for Nintendo.
Unity for New Nintendo 3DSAward-winning 3D Tool
You can create any 2D or 3D game with Unity. You can make it with ease, you can make it highly-optimized and beautiful, and you can deploy it with a click to more platforms than you have fingers and toes. What’s more, you can use Unity’s integrated services to speed up your development process, optimize your game, connect with an audience, and achieve success.
Unity for Wii U stopped being distributed.
For more information see Unity's website here.
Nintendo Web Framework Use Web Technology to Build Your Games
The Nintendo Web Framework is a development environment that makes building Wii U applications simple. Founded on WebKit technologies and harnessing common programs - including HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS - it allows development to span across the Wii U GamePad, Wii Remote controllers, and more.
Nintendo Dev Interface Prepare Development Environments With Ease
Our newest gem in the box is the NDI Client. NDI stands for Nintendo Dev Interface, but it’s really going to be your new best friend. The NDI Client will help make sure you have the optimal development environment on your development system — by downloading and installing it all for you! You can tailor it to the platform you’re developing for, the SDK you want, even the region you’re working in. It allows for easy download of all the relevant guidelines and documentation you need to do your work. It even allows you to update the firmware of certain development kits.
Ready to create a title for Nintendo? Get started now!
An asterisk * denotes required field
Nintendo Developer Portal uses cookies to deliver superior functionality and to enhance your experience. For more details about cookies and for changing your tracking cookie settings see our cookie policy here. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
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Language Bahasa Indonesia Deutsch English español français italiano Nederlands polski Português Brasileiro Türkçe Русский العربيّة ภาษาไทย 日本語 简体中文 繁體中文 한국어
By Ilya Grigorik
Ilya is a Developer Advocate and Web Perf Guru
The CSSOM and DOM trees are combined into a render tree, which is then used to compute the layout of each visible element and serves as an input to the paint process that renders the pixels to screen. Optimizing each of these steps is critical to achieving optimal rendering performance.
In the previous section on constructing the object model, we built the DOM and the CSSOM trees based on the HTML and CSS input. However, both of these are independent objects that capture different aspects of the document: one describes the content, and the other describes the style rules that need to be applied to the document. How do we merge the two and get the browser to render pixels on the screen?
The DOM and CSSOM trees are combined to form the render tree.
Render tree contains only the nodes required to render the page.
Layout computes the exact position and size of each object.
The last step is paint, which takes in the final render tree and renders the pixels to the screen.
First, the browser combines the DOM and CSSOM into a "render tree," which captures all the visible DOM content on the page and all the CSSOM style information for each node.
To construct the render tree, the browser roughly does the following:
Starting at the root of the DOM tree, traverse each visible node.
Some nodes are not visible (for example, script tags, meta tags, and so on), and are omitted since they are not reflected in the rendered output.
Some nodes are hidden via CSS and are also omitted from the render tree; for example, the span node---in the example above---is missing from the render tree because we have an explicit rule that sets the "display: none" property on it.
For each visible node, find the appropriate matching CSSOM rules and apply them.
Emit visible nodes with content and their computed styles.
Note: As a brief aside, note that visibility: hidden is different from display: none. The former makes the element invisible, but the element still occupies space in the layout (that is, it's rendered as an empty box), whereas the latter (display: none) removes the element entirely from the render tree such that the element is invisible and is not part of the layout.
The final output is a render that contains both the content and style information of all the visible content on the screen. With the render tree in place, we can proceed to the "layout" stage.
Up to this point we've calculated which nodes should be visible and their computed styles, but we have not calculated their exact position and size within the viewport of the device---that's the "layout" stage, also known as "reflow."
To figure out the exact size and position of each object on the page, the browser begins at the root of the render tree and traverses it. Let's consider a simple, hands-on example:
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
<title>Critial Path: Hello world!</title>
<div style="width: 50%">
<div style="width: 50%">Hello world!</div>
The body of the above page contains two nested div's: the first (parent) div sets the display size of the node to 50% of the viewport width, and the second div---contained by the parent---sets its width to be 50% of its parent; that is, 25% of the viewport width.
The output of the layout process is a "box model," which precisely captures the exact position and size of each element within the viewport: all of the relative measurements are converted to absolute pixels on the screen.
Finally, now that we know which nodes are visible, and their computed styles and geometry, we can pass this information to the final stage, which converts each node in the render tree to actual pixels on the screen. This step is often referred to as "painting" or "rasterizing."
This can take some time because the browser has to do quite a bit of work. However, Chrome DevTools can provide some insight into all three of the stages described above. Let's examine the layout stage for our original "hello world" example:
The "Layout" event captures the render tree construction, position, and size calculation in the Timeline.
When layout is complete, the browser issues "Paint Setup" and "Paint" events, which convert the render tree to pixels on the screen.
The time required to perform render tree construction, layout and paint varies based on the size of the document, the applied styles, and the device it is running on: the larger the document, the more work the browser has; the more complicated the styles, the more time taken for painting also (for example, a solid color is "cheap" to paint, while a drop shadow is "expensive" to compute and render).
The page is finally visible in the viewport:
Here's a quick recap of the browser's steps:
Process HTML markup and build the DOM tree.
Process CSS markup and build the CSSOM tree.
Combine the DOM and CSSOM into a render tree.
Run layout on the render tree to compute geometry of each node.
Paint the individual nodes to the screen.
Our demo page may look simple, but it requires quite a bit of work. If either the DOM or CSSOM were modified, you would have to repeat the process in order to figure out which pixels would need to be re-rendered on the screen.
Optimizing the critical rendering path is the process of minimizing the total amount of time spent performing steps 1 through 5 in the above sequence. Doing so renders content to the screen as quickly as possible and also reduces the amount of time between screen updates after the initial render; that is, achieve higher refresh rates for interactive content.
arrow_back Constructing the Object Model
arrow_forward Render-Blocking CSS
อัปเดตล่าสุดเมื่อ พฤษภาคม 29, 2019
ข้อกำหนด ความเป็นส่วนตัว
ลงชื่อสมัครรับจดหมายข่าวจาก Google Developers
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简体中文 — Chinese 日本語 — Japanese 한국어 — Korean
A year in the life of Lisk (LSK)
Chris Wheal
The cryptocurrency Lisk only arrived on the scene in 2016 – not a late arrival by any means given that the market has almost doubled in new currencies since – but how has it fared recently and what differentiates it from rivals?
Lisk’s selling point is the fact that on launch it sold itself as the “first modular cryptocurrency utilising sidechains”. What this means is that the LSK coin uses ‘modules’ that serve as the basis of its construction. In short, the Lisk system allows anyone to use its ‘designing blocks’ to construct their own decentralised apps .
Lisk also uses Javascript as its desired programming language and since most programmers are familiar and comfortable with Javascript this helps from an app building perspective.
Lisk and Ethereum help to create and facilitate decentralised apps on the blockchain. Credit: Shutterstock
The general assumption is that Lisk and Ethereum are similar in nature in that the primary goal of both platforms is to help developers create and facilitate decentralised apps on the blockchain.
The programs differ however in where applications are stored, and the language in which the application is written. On Lisk, developers creating applications can store them in “side chains” not located on the main blockchain. Ethereum does not use sidechains.
The argument goes that Lisk offers good scalability and customisation, however there are concerns that there are no easy fixes if there are code issues. So how have the two ‘similar’ cryptos fared over the past year?
Lisk’s price peak
Lisk’s price peaked in late February 2018 when it hit $32.62 before falling sharply in March and April – hitting a low point of $7.52 in early April before staging a temporary but unspectacular recovery in May when it rose to $14.74. Since then the Lisk price has largely followed a downward trajectory – going below $7 in early June.
Ethereum hit its high point of the year in mid-January when it reached $1,380 but then the price began slipping, hitting a low of $369.97 in early April. Like Lisk, Ethereum has covered a little since then but not even close to its January high (tending to stick between $500 and $650 range).
Lisk’s market cap is currently $720.79m, by comparison Ethereum has a market cap of $49.91bn.
Some forecasters suggest that within five-years the Lisk price could rise to $106. Credit: Shutterstock
Last June, Lisk announced its first-ever major release, Lisk Nano 1.0. The release introduced a number of new features and performance enhancements for users.
According to founder Max Kordek, Lisk Nano 1.0 took the crypto community a step closer to the innovative, safe, and seamless blockchain application platform outlined by Lisk since day one. He claimed it was a “key milestone.”
The increased profile of the currency was something else Kordek pointed to at the time. “Our community is also essential to our growth and their support will be the only way to achieve our goals over the coming years,” he said.
Lisk, like many of the top altcoins benefited from huge token price gains in a short time only to then experience large volatility later in early-mid 2018.
In in a fast moving and highly-populated crypto market, participants are constantly looking at improving their offering. For Lisk, this meant a rebrand in February 2018.
The most notable element of the rebrand was not new logo designs/dashboards etc but the arrival of Lisk Hub, the browser-based wallet service. The Lisk visual identity for Lisk Hub is the first step of creating an account.
A proprietary algorithm combines the graphic elements into a unique wallet avatar. Following on from that, Lisk Hub reveals the 12-word pass phrase, which is not kept anywhere by a third party, and needs to be written down and protected. This phrase is used to generate the private key.
The general response following the launch of Lisk Hub was positive, though there were concerns in some quarters at what was perceived as a relatively high transaction fee.
In June 2018, an improved version Lisk Hub was announced which included a new settings page. Lisk developers felt they needed to limit complexity and provide reasonable defaults of Lisk Hub features to lower the entry barrier for users who are new to blockchain.
The Lisk price is forecasted to reach $27.24 by the beginning of December 2018 with the price prediction for the end of that month $28.09. By summer 2019 it is expected to be around $45.
Some forecasters suggest that within five-years it could rise to around $106.
Post written by Chris Wheal
Chris Wheal is editor of OpenLedger's news and features service. An award-wining business journalists himself, he runs a team of freelance journalists from across the UK and north America.
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Railroads (23) + -
Boundaries (5) + -
Harbors (5) + -
Saskatchewan (5) + -
Settlements (5) + -
Army Survey Establishment, R.C.E. (5) + -
Department of Mines (5) + -
Department of Lands and Forests (2) + -
Department of Militia and Defence (2) + -
Algonquin Provincial Park (4) + -
Byng Inlet (4) + -
Fort-Coulonge (4) + -
Haliburton (4) + -
Mattawa (4) + -
Sundridge (4) + -
Bobcaygeon (3) + -
Buckingham (3) + -
Deep River (3) + -
Golden Lake (3) + -
Haileybury (3) + -
Lachute (3) + -
Larder Lake (3) + -
Maniwaki (3) + -
Muskoka (3) + -
New Liskeard (3) + -
Orillia (3) + -
Parry Sound (3) + -
Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts (3) + -
Tomiko (3) + -
Abitibi (2) + -
Bancroft (2) + -
Capreol (2) + -
Cartier (2) + -
Churchill (2) + -
Duck Mountain (2) + -
Falcon Lake (2) + -
Gogama (2) + -
Grand lac Victoria (2) + -
Manitoba; Ontario (4) + -
South Frontenac (x)
Schedule "A" to the official plan of the Village of Wyoming, Plympton Township, Lambton County, Ontario
A topographic map of the Village of Wyoming in Lambton County, from 1968. Also includes roads, buildings, land use areas, and lots.
3524/W9 G431/2/1968
Ottawa-Hull military town plan
A military town plan of Ottawa-Hull from 1965. It shows residential areas, main buildings, streets, power lines, woods, vineyards, orchards, numbered features, railways, waterways and boundaries. Also includes contours and spot heights.
G/3524/O87/25/1965
Topographic map: Township of Markham
A topographic map of the Township of Markham from 1959, showing geographic features, roads, railways, buildings and municipal boundaries.
G/3523/Y65 C1/24/1958
Metropolitan Toronto [from topographic series]
A topographic map of Metropolitan Toronto from the 1950s. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. Features shown on the map include major buildings, highways, roads, streets, waterways, railways and townships.
G/3524/T61 C1/23/1950
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Kamloops Lake, British Columbia [sheet 92I/NE]
A topographic map of Kamloops Lake, British Columbia, sheet 92I/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/92I/NE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Windermere, British Columbia, Map 165A [sheet 82K/NE,SE]
A topographic map of Windermere, British Columbia, sheet 82K/NE & SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/82K/NE + SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Duck Mountain, Manitoba [sheet 62N/NE]
A topographic map of Duck Mountain, Saskatchewan, sheet 62N/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/62N/NE
A topographic map of Duck Mountain, Saskatchewan, sheet 62N/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and by shading. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Byng Inlet, Ontario [sheet 41H/NE]
A topographic map of Byng Inlet, Ontario, sheet 41H/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/41H/NE
A topographic map of Byng Inlet, Ontario, sheet 41H/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and by shading. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Petawaga, Quebec [sheet 31O/SW]
A topographic map of Petawaga, Quebec, sheet 31O/SW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31O/SW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Lac Beauchene, Quebec [sheet 31L/NE]
A topographic map of Lac Beauchene, Quebec, sheet 31L/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31L/NE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Maniwaki, Quebec [sheet 31J/SW]
A topographic map of Maniwaki, Quebec, sheet 31J/SW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31J/SW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Ste-Agathe, Quebec [sheet 31J/SE]
A topographic map of Ste-Agathe, Quebec, sheet 31J/SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31J/SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Lachute, Quebec-Ontario [sheet 31G/NE]
A topographic map of Lachute, Quebec-Ontario, sheet 31G/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and by shading. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31G/NE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Eaglenest Lake, Manitoba-Ontario [sheet 52L/SW]
A topographic map of Eaglenest Lake, Manitoba-Ontario, sheet 52L/SW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/52L/SW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Manigotagan Lake, Manitoba-Ontario [sheet 52L/NW]
A topographic map of Manigotagan Lake, Manitoba-Ontario, sheet 52L/NW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/52L/NW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Falcon Lake, Manitoba-Ontario [sheet 52E/NW]
A topographic map of Falcon Lake, Manitoba-Ontario, sheet 52E/NW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
A topographic map of Falcon Lake, Manitoba-Ontario, sheet 52E/NW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and by shading. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Maple Mountain, Ontario [sheet 41P/SE]
A topographic map of Maple Mountain, Ontario, sheet 41P/SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/41P/SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Lac Faillon, Quebec [sheet 32C/SE]
A topographic map of Lac Faillon, Quebec, sheet 32C/SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/32C/SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Oskelaneo, Quebec [sheet 32B/SW]
A topographic map of Oskelaneo, Quebec, sheet 32B/SW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/32B/SW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Barrage-Gouin, Quebec [sheet 32B/SE]
A topographic map of Barrage-Gouin, Quebec, sheet 32B/SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/32B/SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Kempt Lake, Quebec [sheet 31O/SE]
A topographic map of Kempt Lake, Quebec, sheet 31O/SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31O/SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Choquette, Quebec [sheet 31O/NW]
A topographic map of Choquette, Quebec, sheet 31O/NW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31O/NW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Parent, Quebec [sheet 31O/NE]
A topographic map of Parent, Quebec, sheet 31O/NE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31O/NE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Grand Lake Victoria South, Quebec [sheet 31N/SW]
A topographic map of Grand Lake Victoria South, Quebec, sheet 31N/SW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31N/SW
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Cabonga Reservoir, Quebec [sheet 31N/SE]
A topographic map of Cabonga Reservoir, Quebec, sheet 31N/SE, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31N/SE
National Topographic Series (scale 1:125,000) : Grand Lake Victoria North, Quebec [sheet 31N/NW]
A topographic map of Grand Lake Victoria North, Quebec, sheet 31N/NW, at a scale of 1:125,000. Relief is shown by contours and spot heights. It also shows roads, highways, railways, boundaries, main buildings, and waterways.
G/3400/125/31N/NW
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Considerations for Upgrading Data Transformation Services
If SQL Server 2000 Data Transformation Services (DTS) is currently installed on your computer, you can upgrade from Data Transformation Services to SQL Server 2008 Integration Services without any software conflicts. There are no software conflicts because Integration Services is a completely new product and not a version upgrade from Data Transformation Services.
If you want to upgrade from SQL Server 2005 Integration Services to SQL Server 2008 Integration Services, see Considerations for Upgrading Integration Services.
SQL Server 2008 does not install run-time support for DTS packages. You have to install this run-time support before you can run DTS packages. For information about how to install support for DTS, see How to: Install Support for Data Transformation Services Packages. For more detailed information about support for DTS in SQL Server 2008, see Support for SQL Server 2000 DTS in SQL Server 2008 R2.
Data Transformation Services (DTS) is deprecated. For more information, see Data Transformation Services (DTS).
After upgrading, you can optionally use the DTS Package Migration Wizard to migrate DTS packages to the Integration Services format. During migration, the wizard copies DTS packages and then re-creates them in the Integration Services format. The source packages are left intact and are not modified. For more information, see Migrating Data Transformation Services Packages.
The DTS Package Migration Wizard is available in the following editions of SQL Server: Standard, Enterprise, and Developer.
Before Upgrading Data Transformation Services
Before upgrading Data Transformation Services to Integration Services, we recommend that you review Support for SQL Server 2000 DTS in SQL Server 2008 R2.
We also recommended that you install and run Upgrade Advisor before you perform an upgrade. For more information, see Using Upgrade Advisor to Prepare for Upgrades.
Upgrading Data Transformation Services
The following procedure describes how to use Setup to upgrade an installation of SQL Server 2000 Data Transformation Services (DTS) to Integration Services.
To upgrade from Data Transformation Services to Integration Services
Run SQL Server 2008 Setup, and then select Upgrade from SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005.
At the command prompt, run setup.exe and specify the /ACTION=upgrade option. For more information about how to install at the command prompt, see the section, "Installation Scripts for Integration Services," in How to: Install SQL Server 2008 R2 from the Command Prompt.
It is not possible to use SQL Server 2008 Setup to upgrade directly from SQL Server 6.5 or 7.0 to SQL Server 2008.
When you upgrade, you can upgrade both DTS and the Database Engine, just upgrade DTS, or just upgrade the Database Engine. If you upgrade only DTS or only the Database Engine, there are some limitations:
If you upgrade only DTS, SQL Server 2008 Integration Services is fully functional. However, Integration Services will only be able to store packages in the file system, unless an instance of the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine is available on another computer. If an instance of the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine is available, Integration Services will be able to store packages in that instance.
If you upgrade only the Database Engine, DTS remains functional. However, you will not have the functionality of Integration Services.
For more information about how to upgrade, see How to: Upgrade to SQL Server 2008 R2 (Setup).
Upgrading Both Data Transformation Services and the Database Engine to SQL Server 2008
This section describes the effects of performing an upgrade that has the following criteria:
You upgrade both DTS and an instance of the Database Engine to SQL Server 2008.
Both DTS and the instance of the Database Engine to be upgraded are on the same computer.
What the Upgrade Process Does
The upgrade process does the following tasks:
Upgrades the instance of the Database Engine to SQL Server 2008.
Installs SQL Server 2008 Integration Services.
Installs updated run-time support for DTS packages. This support includes the DTS runtime and DTS package enumeration in SQL Server Management Studio. DTS packages can continue to run alongside Integration Services packages on the same computer. For more information, see How to: Install Support for Data Transformation Services Packages.
Leaves existing DTS packages intact in the existing DTS system tables in the msdb database.
What the Upgrade Process Does Not Do
The upgrade process does not do the following tasks:
Does not migrate existing DTS packages to the format that Integration Services packages use. After upgrading, you can optionally use the DTS Package Migration Wizard to migrate DTS packages to the Integration Services format. During migration, the wizard copies DTS packages and then re-creates them in the Integration Services format. The source packages are left intact and are not modified.
When you install Integration Services, Setup also installs the DTS Package Migration Wizard.
The DTS Package Migration Wizard is available in the Standard, Enterprise, and Developer Editions of SQL Server.
For more information, see the following topics:
Migrating Data Transformation Services Packages
How to: Migrate Data Transformation Services Packages to Integration Services
Known DTS Package Migration Issues
Does not install the optional run-time, management, and design-time support for DTS packages. For more information, see How to: Install Support for Data Transformation Services Packages.
What You Can Do After Upgrading
After the upgrade process finishes, you can do the following task:
Install optional run-time and management support for DTS. For more information, see How to: Install Support for Data Transformation Services Packages.
After installing the optional run-time support for DTS, you can do the following tasks:
To view DTS packages under the Management\Legacy\Data Transformation Services node in SQL Server Management Studio, connect to the upgraded instance of the Database Engine. (When you connect to the Integration Services service, you can only view Integration Services packages.)
To run DTS packages within an Integration Services package, use the Execute DTS 2000 Package task. For more information, see Execute DTS 2000 Package Task.
To run DTS packages at the command prompt, use the dtsrun.exe utility.
To run DTS packages from SQL Server Agent jobs, call the dtsrun.exe utility from a job step.
For more information about how to run packages, see Running Data Transformation Services (DTS) Packages.
Support for SQL Server 2000 DTS in SQL Server 2008 R2
Interoperability and Coexistence (Integration Services)
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From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
Counter-ISIS Strikes Target Terrorists in Syria, Iraq
SOUTHWEST ASIA --
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 22 strikes consisting of 80 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Strikes in Syria
In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 19 engagements against ISIS targets:
-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS wellhead.
-- Near Hawl, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a vehicle bomb.
-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 16 ISIS oil tankers, two pieces of ISIS oil processing equipment, two fighting positions and a vehicle.
-- Near Raqqa, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, a front-end loader, an ISIS crane, and a house-born improvised explosive device.
-- Near Tabqah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tactical vehicle and a vehicle.
Strikes in Iraq
In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 61 engagements against ISIS targets:
-- Near Mosul, six strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, five mortar systems, a tactical vehicle, a house-borne improvised explosive device, a recoilless rifle, a medium machine gun, a command-and-control node, a weapons cache; damaged 27 ISIS supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed eight mortar teams an artillery system.
-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tactical vehicle and a weapons cache.
Additionally, six strikes were conducted in Syria on May 11 that closed within the last 24 hours:
-- Near Hawl, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions.
-- Near Raqqa, five strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two vehicle bombs, a fighting position, a weapons cache, a vehicle; and damaged two ISIS supply routes and a bridge.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.
The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.
Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.
The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.
iraq news release OIR Airstrikes OIR Special Report Operation Inherent Resolve syria U.S. Central Command
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Colonial Canada: Making the Familiar Dis/Comfortingly Strange
Daniel Samson
In my introductory colonial Canadian survey course, students sometimes complain that I spend “all” of my time on Nova Scotia. That’s not actually true, but I understand their point. It may be true that I talk about Nova Scotia more than others might, but for the most part I follow the broad conventions of the story and spend much of the course discussing rebellions, state and cultural formation, and Indigenous dimensions of the colonial world – and the literature (and most textbooks) mean that that is primarily a story of the Canadas, with asides on Maritime and western stories. But Nova Scotia’s older different history allows me to stray from those broad conventions, and thus it’s a good example of the problem I want to discuss here. Nova Scotia illustrates well the messy religious, ethnic, national, and imperial complexities of the early modern North Atlantic: the land of Mi’kma’ki, their sometimes uneasy co-existence with French Acadian settlers, the Wabanaki federation and its contestation of Northern New England, the first plural moment of Acadian-Mi’kmaw populations occupied by British colonial troops, of a global war that expelled the French population and brought in New Englanders and Germans, of Mi’kmaw representatives at Niagara, of a globe-shattering revolution that saw local republicans thwarted and “Loyalists” (white and black, plus their human property) instated, of trade routes that linked Nova Scotia ships, George’s Bank fish, Caribbean sugar and rum, and enslaved African bodies. The story may be centred in Nova Scotia, but it extends to the corners of the Atlantic World, its peoples’ worldviews astonishingly broad.
The course is called “Colonial Canada”; it’s half of what we routinely refer to as “the Canadian survey”. That name is part of the problem we face. Following the transnational impulse, we can critique the notion of Canada as a suitable framing for the messy and broad-ranging subject at hand. As I suggest above, I get that. Even looking only at my tiny little corner, the spillovers are enormous, and in an introductory course much mopping needs to be done. Most of that stems from the fact that the assumed place of Nova Scotia emerged from a colonial past where the lines (spatial, political, affective) were blurry to begin with and then redrawn, and redrawn, again and again. These imagined – “fictive” in Jeffers Lennox’s terminology – lines sharply delineate, but they also obscure older stories.
What then is the relationship between the people and places we study and the place we now call Canada? We can pause on what (and when) was “colonial” Canada? Though problematic, it’s far better than “Pre-Confederation”, which is confusing even within the political boundaries of Canada. As a time period – and thus as a conceptual framework – it still offers innumerable ambiguities: does “colonial” end in 1848? 1867? 1870? 1885? 1905? 1931? 1939? 1949? Or has it even ended? And just what do we mean by “colonial”? Is it Arthur Lower’s “colonial” – the one on the path to “the nation”? Or it is one espoused by Indigenous activists and post-colonial theorists – one that sees continental theft and genocide at its core? Or is it a complex bundle of both that needs careful exposition? I would maintain the latter – that it needs to be all of these things. But how do we do this?
In teaching about Canada, I want my students to see something that is both familiar and strange – something they recognise as their country, but often in ways that they had not previously imagined. In the colonial survey, I often begin with the map on our header, Nicolas Bellin’s 1744 map of Isle Royale (Cape Breton/U’nama’kik). It looks like Cape Breton, but it also introduces us to this strange island off the coast of Acadie/Mi’kmaki/Nova Scotia (in 1744, it was very much all three of these!). In this one image, we see the familiar (the simple outline of what is normally today called Cape Breton), places we’re coming to know (like that fortress along the coast named for the French king), and places we can’t see any more like Port Toulouse/Quescouminigan, Moulagash, and le grand lac Bideauboch “rectifee … sur l’orginal des sauvages”.
Detail from Carte de l’Isle Royale, Nicholas Bellin 1744, updating Jacques L’Hermite, 1717, Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Seeing the familiar de-familiarised – place-names whose connection to other histories have been over-written – helps us to think about the multiple stories embedded in places we once imagined in simple and linear Eurocentric manners. Those older histories sometimes acknowledged Indigenous presences, but most often as foils for our advancing greatness: those “Indians” were here in their rude state, but we came and gave them order, and history. There were some messy bumps caused by the French – enough to add some adventure to an otherwise admirable but dull tale of exported British constitutionalism – but here we are: secure liberal-capitalists with universal healthcare.
My own teaching has been very much influenced by post-colonial writers, particularly Dipesh Chakrabarty. His work on Bengal workers took me beyond Thompsonian class cultures to the inability of Western/liberal national histories to convey subaltern stories. Though the subaltern people I was studying bore a very different relationship to colonialism, I recall well the revelation his work offered me in understanding that not only was the British colonial state exploiting the miserable Highland immigrants and Acadians I was examining, but also that historians, even good leftist historians sympathetic to the condition of the oppressed, were condemning them to a history that could seldom comprehend their difference. The condition – be that cultural, economic, political – of Bengali peasant-workers was not the same as that of Catholic Highland settlers nor that of Mi’kmaw villagers, but they shared dimensions of a relationship to power and a place in a universalising history of progress and improvement. They were “other”, and their history – their motive to action – was incomprehensible in the western liberal imagination. In this sense, we also need what Chakrabarty calls affective histories – distinctly pre-national histories of disparate peoples and their humanity emerging from and in different contexts. Chakrabarty taught me that bridging material and affective histories offered a sense of patterned differences.
So, should we also remain attentive to the local and national frames? Yes, because (a) those frameworks remained powerful in refashioning subaltern lives, and (b) our students need to understand their country’s place in that broader story. And I think the importance of the particularity of colonial history has become ever more significant in the past three years. Godwin’s law says that all political internet conversations eventually arrive at Hitler. In Canada, in 2018, we arrive at Trump, Ford, and the clear sense that a many of our fellow citizens don’t see the reasons our democracy is different (if also very similar!) than the republics of America and France, don’t know, or care, why the Cree, the Mi’kmaq and the Metis matter, nor the 18th-century constitutional framing of states, don’t acknowledge the fraught immigration history of the country, the powerful role of civil society in building institutions and relations that support the common weal, no longer see the benefit of the welfare state, nor the struggles and accommodations that have allowed us to become a pluralist democracy, and much, much more. That means that for all our deep-seated troubles – for all the very real imbalances of wealth and power, the still reduced place of women in families and seats of power, and the very real nativist, antiqueer, and racist forces that emerge on an everyday basis – that we have institutions and ideals that remain worth fighting to protect – and to improve. As historians, the best way we can do that is to also remain attentive to the basic political and social questions that have defined our national history and to understand that the broad trans-Atlantic movement of goods and people, free and unfree, conquerors and the conquered, and to see ourselves as products of that massively complex tale.
To teach those layers, those dimensions, of historical background, we need to avoid the ahistorical traps fostered by of our nation state – the kind of complacent neo-Whig history espoused by figures as different as Jason Kenney and John Ralston Saul. But to understand our profound connectedness to that past, to fully understand how colonialism produced our current position, Canadian students need to see that their lives – their Canadian lives – are implicated in the story of settler colonialism, that the peculiar continued presence of French nations is the product of a century and a half of French colonialism and then two and a half centuries of national struggle, that the legacy of Highlanders is much more interesting than the increasingly curious spectacle of kilts and caber-tossing. And so on.
Canadian students need to understand affective difference and the historical development of their own state; they need to see that people like them, people in whom they can see themselves, made Canada. Assuming that high schools teach such a history will fail our students. I can’t speak for all of Ontario, much less the country, but Canadian history is barely taught in Niagara high schools. We should, as university-based academics, be working to encourage a stronger place for Canadian history in our high schools. But in the era of STEM, and Ford, it’s hard to be optimistic about much changing – witness the recent cancellation of efforts to rewrite the Indigenous high-school curriculum – and if it does change one fears little more than a sad re-hashing of 1812 and Vimy Ridge. There are fine history teachers out there doing great work, but their role is diminished year-by-year. Every autumn in my colonial history course I get 150 to 200 second-year students. Most of them are Education students, most of them destined to teach in Niagara high schools. It is highly likely that this is the only opportunity they will have to explore the colonial world. I think it’s crucial that they be given a chance to connect that messy colonial history to the society their students will inherit.
Daniel Samson, an Associate Professor at Brock University, is an historian of rural 18th and 19th-century Nova Scotia. He is most interested in the political and social processes that forged modernity in the colonial countryside. He is writing a book-length biography of 19th-century Nova Scotia miller James Barry, building a web-based research tool with Keith Grant called the Colonial Bookshelf, and developing online courses that employ digital tools to enhance critical reading skills. You can find him on Twitter at @ruralcolonialNS.
Featured image: Carte de l’Isle Royale, Nicholas Bellin 1744, updating Jacques L’Hermite, 1717, Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Acadia 8
acadie 3
Colonialism 10
Daniel Samson 1
Dipesh Chakrabarty 1
Early Canadian History 86
Isle Royale 1
Mi'kmaki 2
Mi'kmaq 5
Nova Scotia 15
pedagogy 1
Postcolonialism 1
Teaching 12
transnational history 29
U'nama'kik 1
Pingback: Canadian History Roundup – Week of November 4, 2018 | Unwritten Histories
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EU Science Hub
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Publication > Fidelio 3 Manual Equations and Data Sources
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FIDELIO 3 manual: Equations and data sources
©EU
FIDELIO (Fully Interregional Dynamic Econometric Long-term Input-Output) is a multi-sectoral model developed by the unit B.5 of the Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC) — the circular economy and industrial leadership unit. Compared to neoclassical CGE models — which assume that the perfect flexibility of prices and quantities ensures the full use of the factors of production at all times — FIDELIO integrates some new-Keynesian features: consumption adjusts slowly to its optimal level according to an error correction model and wages do not clear the labour market. The assumptions that prices do not clear the markets and market "imperfections" exist generate the dynamics of the model that is solved sequentially (recursive dynamic). In addition, FIDELIO is an econometric model since the calibration of most of the behavioural parameters of the model (dynamic adjustment lags of prices and quantities, and elasticities) is based on econometric estimations. This technical report illustrates the third version of the FIDELIO model, FIDELIO 3. The changes introduced in the subsequent versions of the model have two main objectives. The first one is to increase the coverage of the model. The second one is to improve the efficiency and the capacity of the model to evaluate sustainable production and consumption policies. The aim of this report is twofold. First, it contains all the equations of the current version of the model; second, it illustrates the characteristics of the data used by FIDELIO 3.
jrc115308_jrc115308_fidelio_3_manual.pdf
ROCCHI Paola
SALOTTI Simone
REYNÈS Frédéric
HU Jinxue
BULAVSKAYA Tatyana
RUEDA CANTUCHE Jose
VALDERAS JARAMILLO Juan Manuel
VELAZQUEZ AFONSO Agustin
DE AMORES HERNANDEZ Antonio
CORSATEA Teodora
Science Areas:
Innovation and growth
978-92-79-98872-1 (online)
10.2760/219417 (online)
Other Identifiers:
EUR 29620 EN
OPOCE KJ-NA-29620-EN-N (online)
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Category: Game Review
Games by Clint Prentice Feb 28, 20152:19 pm May 10, 2015
The Order: 1886 Review: Window Dressing
In the first chapter of The Order: 1886, Galahad — the player character — slowly walks through a beautiful and meticulously crafted environment. You can see smoke plumes billowing off nearby roofs and dried paint cracking under the sun. Galahad moves through an attic, complete with a beautiful white wooden horse and a plush 19th century couch stuffed in the corner; a mannequin stands in the corner wrapped in a corset and a mirror casually reflects the room.
Continue reading The Order: 1886 Review: Window Dressing
Game Review by Evan Tognotti Dec 21, 20144:18 pm
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth Review: Acid Redux
I have spent a lot of time living from April 11th, 2011 to March 20th, 2012. I’ve lived it once, twice, three times. I’ve turned over the events in my head, and I’ve filled in the gaps. I’ve watched other people live that year, and I’ve read about other people living that year. I’ve thought about going back and living it again.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth thinks I should move on.
Continue reading Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth Review: Acid Redux
Games by Clint Prentice Dec 18, 20145:57 pm December 18, 2014
Dragon Age: Inquisition Review: Dawn of A New Age
Dragon Age: Origins was one of the best RPGs of the last generation. Bioware looked back to its Baulder’s Gate roots and crafted a new world. Dragon Age 2 is often considered a misstep for the series, an incredibly rushed product that reuses environments too often and fails to consider the breadth and depth of the world. Dragon Age: Inquisition is a direct answer to the complaints of Dragon Age 2 meshed with some of the design sensibilities of Origins. Bioware excels at telling character-focused stories in rich and detailed worlds and Dragon Age: Inquisition is no different. It’s a game of immense scope that still manages to be incredibly engaging and personal.
Continue reading Dragon Age: Inquisition Review: Dawn of A New Age
Games by Ryan McGinley Nov 26, 20141:53 pm November 27, 2014
Far Cry 4 Review: Plus
It is hard not to make a lot of jokes in this review. At first I was thinking of copying the opening paragraph of our Far Cry 3 review from two years ago. Then I was going to make the tagline for this review “Close Call”. Every single joke that has passed through my mind centers around one main point: Far Cry 4 is, for better or worse, a near-exact copy of Far Cry 3.
Continue reading Far Cry 4 Review: Plus
Games by Ryan McGinley Nov 15, 201411:14 am
Assassin’s Creed Unity Review: Broken Mirror
Arno joins a cult where he witnesses a human sacrifice, he hunts down a giant, he solves murder mysteries because Paris’ local detective is too lazy. If this all sounds interesting, that is because it is pretty interesting — in concept. Instead, Arno simply hunts down Templars in the cult, finds and kills an enemy of the “heavy” type, and runs around eagle vision-ing his way to a culprit with no sense of mystery. Assassin’s Creed Unity is, above all else, boring.
Continue reading Assassin’s Creed Unity Review: Broken Mirror
Game Review by Michael Hoskins Nov 14, 20141:10 pm November 14, 2014
The Legend of Korra Review: Honorable
It’s still a sad fact of the video game industry that most games based on pre-existing licenses are terrible. For every Batman: Arkham Asylum or South Park: The Stick Of Truth, you get a Robocop or a Rambo. That’s because, usually, developers of these licensed games are not given enough time or money to actually make a quality video game. So what happens when you give a pre-existing license to Platinum Games, a developer that’s notorious for making good games even with a short deadline and a low budget? Well…
Continue reading The Legend of Korra Review: Honorable
Game Review by Evan Tognotti Nov 13, 20149:52 am November 13, 2014
Assassin’s Creed Rogue Review: Fun Size
There are only two tailing missions in the new Assassin’s Creed.
Continue reading Assassin’s Creed Rogue Review: Fun Size
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The Walking Dead's Austin Amelio heads to Fear the Walking Dead for next crossover
By Nick Romano
January 03, 2019 at 04:55 PM EST
Another crossover between The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead is on the books.
Austin Amelio, the actor who plays Dwight on the original AMC zombie drama, is following in the footsteps of Lennie James’ Morgan by heading over to the spin-off, EW has learned.
Amelio was absent from the first half of The Walking Dead’s ninth season. When we last saw Dwight in the season 8 finale, Daryl (Norman Reedus) banished the reformed Savior from Alexandria, never to return. Now, his story continues.
Gene Page/AMC
Season 4 of Fear marked the first big crossover when Morgan, still reeling after the war against the Sanctuary, decided to make a new life for himself on his own. He traveled from Jadis’ (Pollyanna McIntosh) newly abandoned junkyard across America and landed in Texas, where he’s now with Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carter), Victor (Colman Domingo), John (Garret Dillahunt), Luciana (Danay Garcia), June (Jenna Elfman), Charlie (Alexa Nisenson), Al (Maggie Grace), Sarah (Mo Collins), and Wendell (Daryl Mitchell).
While the midseason return made it seem like James would be the one heading back to The Walking Dead proper, the spin-off is now the show that’s growing. The addition of Amelio also moves the series further away from the original lineup, two characters from which bit the dust in season 4.
Season 5 is reportedly set years before the events involving the Whisperers on The Walking Dead, given the recent time jump.
With Morgan’s group now taking over Polar Bear’s truck route to spread aide to those in need, co-showrunner Ian Goldberg told EW that the factory they discovered in last season’s finale will serve partly as a home base in season 5.
“What we see at the end of the season here is that their mission is to go out into the world and help people,” he said. “They will be using Al’s tapes as a guide to find those people. They’ll find some other people along the way, but they’ll also realize that, as Strand said, finding people won’t be easy. They are in short supply. So, they have a strong mission that their rallying behind but who knows what obstacles they’ll hit on the way to do that, and what inhabiting the river mill will look like with the new purpose?”
Dwight seems to be one of these new people.
ComicBook.com first reported the news.
The Walking Dead: Exclusive first photo and intel on show’s return
Fear the Walking Dead showrunners preview what’s coming in season 5
Exclusive: Watch Samantha Morton as Alpha in creepy The Walking Dead trailer
Popular in TV
Third Walking Dead series casts its first three leads
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Watch Daniel Salazar go shopping on Fear the Walking Dead
The Walking Dead showrunner 'working on' bringing Lauren Cohan back
Fear the Walking Dead showrunners on the return of Daniel Salazar
Watch Fear the Walking Dead go full-on Western
Fear the Walking Dead recap: Some major clues revealed for the three rings
Fear the Walking Dead showrunners preview Dwight crossover
Everything we know (so far) about the three rings in The Walking Dead universe
Fear the Walking Dead recap: Rick Grimes connection confirmed
The Walking Dead season 10 will focus on paranoia and PTSD
Fear the Walking Dead recap: Attack of the radioactive walkers
See Michonne in a fiery first image from The Walking Dead season 10
The Walking Dead comic unexpectedly ending with latest issue
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Fear the Walking Dead recap: Dwight crossover lands in West world
Did Stranger Things 3 really just do THAT? All the evidence that [SPOILER] is or is not true
Althea's fate revealed in Fear the Walking Dead clip
Check out a new image and intel on major Walking Dead season 10 storyline
All Topics in TV
<em>The Walking Dead'</em>s Austin Amelio heads to <em>Fear the Walking Dead</em> for next crossover
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You are here: Search National Roll : Section XI - Manchester
National Roll : Section XI - Manchester
The National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918 Section XI Manchester
(14 Volumes) The Complete collection
The National Roll of the Great War is a unique series of 14 volumes of the First World War. The volumes were published by the National Publishing Company and are extremely rare. Each regional volume contains a brief biography of men and women who largely survived the Great War as well as the less fortunate and who did not. It is one of the few sources of information available to us about the War.
It is understood that the information came from those who fought and participated in the war, or their families and friends who paid for a listing. In these post war years it was unlikely that everyone would be able to participate in the National Roll or could afford to do so. "The National Roll makes no claim to being a complete book of reference - in fact no such record could be compiled - but it may safely claim to supply a wonderful memorial of splendid services, truly worthy of the thankful remembrance of a grateful Empire" stated the Editor.
The volumes are a valuable resource in finding out about individuals who served in the First World War and record the contribution and achievements of those involved and cover all sections of the armed forces. The records include nurses, drivers and civilian war workers, who worked in the munitions factories or in manufacturing of aeroplanes.
The National Roll is unusual in that many of the entries refer to combatants who survived the Great War although a small number of those remembered were killed or died of their wounds. The Roll contains over 100,000 people and is a useful resource when researching family military history as it records the contribution by the survivors, wounds inflicted, disease contracted or those discharged early.
A typical entry in the Manchester Roll is shown below and provides the individual's surname, initial, rank or position and regiment or unit:
LEE W. S. Corporal (Signaller). R. E.
He volunteered in September 1914, and in the following March was sent to Egypt, where he took part in the fighting on the Suez Canal. Later he took part in the Landing at Gallipoli, the three Battles of Krithia and other engagements until invalided home suffering from dysentery. On his recovery he was transferred to Mesopotamia and during his service in this seat of war, was in engagements at Amara and the capture of Baghdad. He was demobilised in August 1919, and holds the 1914-1915 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
6, Nancy Street, Chester Road Manchester Z10669
Volume 11 Manchester
The biography provides a brief account of when they joined up, their contribution to the War, achievements and demobilisation date. The address is that of the person on the Roll or their next of kin and where residing at the end of the war. It is not clear what the reference number was for, but it may have been used as a reference system or card index by the publishers when compiling the entries.
The volumes are arranged by region and can be searched by Name, Rank, Regiment and region. Each volume is arranged alphabetically by surname.
London West, Central & North
Luton (Areas of Beds. & Herts. included)
Section VI
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Search the National Roll on Familyrelatives.com on the following criteria;
· Last Name
· 1st Name
· Rank
· Regiment
· Section Number
The data is fully transcribed and therefore easier to search
The National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918 (14 Volumes)
National Roll
Section I London
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Section V Luton
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Section VII London
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Section X Portsmouth
Section XI Manchester
Section XII Bedford & Northampton
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Section XIV Salford
Welcome to the slideshow!
The records are fully transcribed and therefore easier to search.
For Pay Per View members it is 2 units to view images in this record set.
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Word Version of Questions for Respondents
Final Pronouncements
Leases: An Amendment of SFFAS 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government and SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment (PDF) January 6, 2017 Word Version of Questions for Respondents (Download) Comment Letters Leases: An Amendment of Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government, and SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment
Project Objective:
The FASAB has recently approved a Leases project whose goal is develop comprehensive lease accounting standards for the federal government. This project is being undertaken by the Board primarily because the current lease accounting standards, Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 5 and 6, have been criticized as ineffective because they do not make meaningful distinctions between capital and operating leases regarding the substance of lease transactions. In addition, the lease accounting standards in SFFAS 5 and 6 are based on Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) lease accounting standards which are currently being revised. The FASB and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) have undertaken a joint project on lease accounting that focuses on the conveyance of rights to future economic benefits (such as the right of use).
FASAB staff continues to be asked the following question:
Once the new FASB/IASB lease standards are issued as final, should federal entities that present general purpose financial reports in conformance with SFFAS 34 follow those new FASB/IASB lease accounting standards?
The answer to that question is no. The FASB/ IASB lease standards are expected to be released as final during 2012. Issuance of those standards will not automatically change federal financial accounting standards.
Current FASAB standards addressing leasing transactions include Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standard (SFFAS) 5 Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government [pars. 43 – 46] and SFFAS 6 Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment [pars. 20 & 29]. These lease standards were originally developed from FASB lease standards effective at that time.
The primary objectives of this project are to:
Develop an approach to lease accounting that would ensure that all assets and liabilities [consistent with Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Concepts (SFFAC) 5 definitions] arising under lease contracts are recognized in the statement of financial position and related costs are recognized in the statement of net cost.
Evaluate and revise as needed the current lease-related definitions and recognition guidance in SFFAS 5 and 6, including consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of applying the FASB/IASB lease standard in the federal environment.
Ensure that the standards to be developed fully address the various lease transactions/activities currently being used in the federal community (e.g. enhanced use leases).
Consider the differences between lease accounting and the budgetary treatment of lease-purchases and leases of capital assets as outlined in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-11.
HISTORY OF BOARD DELIBERATIONS (reverse chronology)
On August 22, 2018, the Board released a news release to clarify a question relating to lease accounting guidance during the period between the April 2018 issuance of Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 54, Leases: An Amendment of SFFAS 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government, and SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment, and SFFAS 54’s effective date of FY 2021.
As the news release states, federal reporting entities should not convert their lease accounting practices to follow the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new lease accounting standards. Federal reporting entities should continue to follow the current FASAB guidance in SFFAS 5 and 6 that addresses lease transactions. In those instances where the current standards are silent on an issue, the reporting entity should review the hierarchy of generally accepted accounting principles to identify prevalent practices consistent with SFFAS 5 and 6. Generally, reporting entities should continue their current lease accounting practices.
The full news release is available on the FASAB website at http://files.fasab.gov/pdffiles/clarification_lease_standards.pdf.
FASAB issued SFFAS 54 titled Leases: An Amendment of SFFAS 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government and SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment on April 17, 2018.
SFFAS 54 revises the financial reporting standards for federal lease accounting. It provides a comprehensive set of lease accounting standards to recognize federal lease activities in the reporting entity’s GPFFRs and includes appropriate disclosures.
SFFAS 54 is available at http://www.fasab.gov/accounting-standards/.
The Board approved proposed SFFAS 54, Leases: Amending Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 5 and SFFAS 6. The Statement revises the financial reporting standards for federal lease accounting. It provides a comprehensive set of lease accounting standards to recognize federal lease activities in the reporting entity’s general purpose federal financial reports and includes appropriate disclosures.
FASAB submitted the proposed Statement to the sponsors for the 90-day review period and also reported the proposed Statement to the Congress for a concurrent review. FASAB will issue the final Statement after the expiration of both review periods unless otherwise informed. The Statement will be effective for fiscal periods beginning after September 30, 2020.
The Board reviewed a pre-ballot draft Leases Statement to address any final issues and approve the latest edits so that the final Statement could be approved.
Staff highlighted the most significant revisions proposed in the latest draft:
Changed “fiscal funding clause” to “availability of funds clause”
Added government-wide disclosure requirements
Added language to the basis for conclusions to explain why the Board had to take action on the lease standards
The Board asked staff to include additional information in the basis for conclusions about the benefits of the revised lease standards to federal financial management and reporting. The basis for conclusions should address
the added level of transparency with the new key data elements required;
the improved accountability of federal lease obligations and interest expenses; and
the inclusion of a sound lease definition to replace the previous bright line capital lease criteria under which federal entities were able to avoid recognizing capital leases.
The revised Leases Statement will be subject to the congressional capital asset 45-day review requirement.
Next steps: Staff will make the revisions to the draft Statement that were proposed by the Board at the October meeting. Staff will then send members a revised draft Leases Statement to review before sending a final ballot draft for Board approval. If any member identifies technical issues, they will be addressed by the full Board at the December meeting.
Issue Paper for October 25-26, 2017 – Tab A (PDF)
The Board reviewed a draft Leases Statement and gave staff feedback on technical issues so that a pre-ballot draft could be provided to the Board by the October meeting. Staff discussed the following issues with the Board:
Definition of a lease
Lease-term determination
Effective date of the standards
Possibility of re-exposure
Other revisions to the standards
The Board agreed on the following:
The scope of the lease definition should be narrowed to “a contract or agreement that conveys the right to control the use of another entity’s identified property, plant, or equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration.”
The definition of service contracts should be included in the leases standards.
Language should be added to clarify the “noncancelable period.”
Both the lessee and the lessor’s options to extend or terminate the lease contract or agreement, if probable, should be included in the lease term at its commencement.
When the lessee or lessor is assessing its own options to extend or terminate the contract or agreement, the level of probability is at the probable threshold. In contrast, when the lessee or lessor is assessing the other party’s options to extend or terminate the contract or agreement, the level of probability is at a higher threshold, like reasonably certain. This requires significant evidence of the other party’s future action.
The effective date of the Leases Statement should be changed to reporting periods beginning after September 30, 2020 (fiscal year 2021).
The Board agreed to several editorial changes.
Re-exposure of the leases standards is not necessary.
Next steps: Staff will make the necessary revisions to the draft standards based on all Board discussions since the release of the ED and present a pre-ballot draft to the Board by the October meeting.
Issues Papers for August 30-31, 2017 – Tab A (PDF)
June 21-22, 2017 Board Meeting
The objective for the June meeting was for the Board to provide direction to staff on the issues raised in the briefing materials and to raise any other technical issues for staff to address. Staff aims to have remaining technical issues addressed at the August meeting so that a pre-ballot draft can be provided to the Board after the August meeting.
At the February 2017 FASAB meeting, the Board considered responses to its 2016 Leases exposure draft (ED) and at the April 2017 meeting representatives from five federal entities discussed their comments on the ED with members. The Board asked staff to consider additional scope exclusions, continue to highlight the benefits associated with revising the lease standards, and explore options to ease the anticipated burdens and costs of the revisions to federal preparers.
At the June meeting, staff discussed the following three issues with the Board:
Scope of the revised lease standards
Lease term determination
The Board agreed with the broader definition of a lease over the more narrow definition that would only include property, plant, and equipment (PP&E). The broader definition will allow flexibility for leases that are not PP&E, or those not specifically scoped out to be considered for recognition in accordance with the standards.
The Board agreed with the additional scope exclusions. The scope exclusions will include natural resources per Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 38, Accounting for Federal Oil and Gas Resources, and Technical Bulletin 2011-1, Accounting for Federal Natural Resources Other Than Oil and Gas; leases of inventory; leases of assets under construction; leases of intangibles; and leases (licenses) of internal use software. With the broader definition, an entity would need to identify all items meeting the definition and justify the exclusions. The broader definition encourages entities to evaluate the substance of the transaction.
The Board agreed to revise the lease term determination language but retain the probable threshold. Staff will also work to ensure the lease term determination language is clear and includes the necessary explanations and definitions. The probable threshold gives the entity a better basis for assessing the lease term, as opposed to the higher reasonably certain threshold which could be more challenging to establish.
Next steps: Staff will make the necessary revisions to the draft standards based on all Board discussions since the ED and present the draft to the Board at the August meeting.
Issue Paper for June 2017 – Tab A (PDF)
April 26-27, 2017 Board Meeting
At the February 2017 meeting, the Board directed staff to extend an invitation to the respondents of the September 26, 2016, Leases exposure draft (ED) to discuss with the Board their comments on the ED and provide further clarification on their responses. Those respondents who wanted to further elaborate on their written comments were given the opportunity to address the Board.
At the April 2017 meeting, five federal entities addressed the Board; each entity was given 40 minutes for opening remarks and questions from Board members.
PRESENTERS' NAMES
Department of Agriculture Michael Moore
Department of Energy William Truitt, John Wall, and Tynesha Douglass
Department of the Interior Terri Windlan and Sherry Lee
Department of Defense Alaleh Jenkins, Edwin Oshiba, Jim Omans, Michael Walsh, and Steven Hurwitz
General Services Administration Robert (Bob) Smalskas and Edward Gramp
Mr. Showalter began the clarification discussion by informing the Board that the objective of the session was to listen to the presenters, ask questions of the presenters, and give staff direction on the next steps of the project.
During the discussion several points were made by the presenters, including some of the following:
The lease proposal will require additional cost to entities by way of added personnel and system upgrades, both during the implementation period and ongoing periods. Most of the presenters were not prepared to give specific estimates of those additional costs.
Implementation guidance with specific examples will be helpful in the application of the revised lease standards, including related U.S. Standard General Ledger (USSGL) accounts.
Departments will need to assess the remeasurement of the lease liability quarterly.
The proposed lease definition should be clearer and more narrowly scoped.
Clarification is needed for contracts for services when an asset is involved; for example, how a department should unbundle the contracts.
The Board asked staff to address some of the issues raised by the presenters.
Staff should develop a list of possible items to be scoped out, including intangibles.
Staff should get a clearer understanding of the benefits associated with revising the leases standards.
Staff should explore options to ease the anticipated burden and cost of the lease revisions to federal preparers.
Next Steps: Staff will reach out to the presenters as well as other members of the lease task force to address the issues identified by the Board and return with recommendations.
Issues Papers for April 2017 – Tab A (PDF)
At the February Board meeting, staff provided to the Board the 25 comment letters received on the Leases ED, several tables that summarized the comment letters, an initial staff analysis of issues identified by respondents, and questions for Board discussion.
Members agreed to extend an invitation to all respondents of the ED to address the Board and provide further clarification on their responses to the Leases ED at the April meeting.
The Board agreed with staff that implementation guidance would be necessary to assist entities to effectively implement the amendments to the Leases standards.
The Board discussed issues raised in the responses to the Leases ED. There were no Board decisions based on staff’s recommendations because members wanted additional feedback from the respondents on the following issues:
The addition of the notion of control to the lease definition as well as language connecting the definition to that of an asset in Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Concepts 5, Definitions of Elements and Basic Recognition Criteria for Accrual-Basis Financial Statements
The change of the term “nonfinancial asset” to “nonmonetary asset” in the final amended Leases Statement
The method used in determining the lease term, including what is considered the “noncancelable period” proposed in the ED
The probability threshold used when assessing whether renewal and termination options will be exercised
The initial lessee recognition proposed in the ED
The recognition and measurement of the lease liability by the lessee proposed in the ED
The interest rate used to calculate the lease liability proposed in the ED
The circumstances when the lessee must remeasure the lease liability proposed in the ED
The recognition and measurement of the lease asset by the lessee proposed in the ED
The lease term of 24 months or less for a short-term lease proposed in the ED
The change of the definition of short-term lease from “a lease that, at the beginning of the lease, has a maximum possible term under the contract/agreement of 24 months or less, including any options to extend, regardless of its probability of being exercised” to “a lease with a lease term (as defined in paragraph 14) of 24 months or less”
The change of the effective date of the amended leases standards to fiscal year 2020
Next Steps: Staff will extend an invitation to all 25 respondents of the Leases ED to allow them to speak before the Board to provide clarification on their responses to the ED and for the members to ask questions of the respondents. The clarifying discussion will take place on April 26, the first day of the next FASAB meeting. Staff will also prepare a package for the Board with materials to facilitate the discussion. Additionally, staff will continue with an analysis of the comments for Board consideration.
Issues Papers for February 2017 – Tab C1 (PDF) and C2 (PDF)
October 19-20, 2016 Board Meeting
The Leases project was not discussed at the October 2016 meeting.
The Board is seeking input on the proposed SFFAS entitled Leases: An Amendment of SFFAS 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government and SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment, which was released for public comment on September 26, 2016.
The Board is proposing revisions to the existing federal lease accounting standards. The proposal would provide relevant and meaningful financial information needed by federal financial statement users. The revised standard would include a comprehensive set of lease accounting standards to recognize federal lease activities in the reporting entity’s general purpose federal financial reports, as well as appropriate disclosures.
The Board is proposing that federal lessees recognize a lease liability and a leased asset at the beginning of the lease, unless it is an intragovernmental lease or a short-term lease. A federal lessor would recognize a lease receivable and deferred revenue, unless it is an intragovernmental lease or a short-term lease.
The proposal also provides recognition, measurement, and disclosure requirements for intragovernmental leases. An intragovernmental lease is a contract or agreement that conveys the right to use an asset (the underlying asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration occurring within a consolidation entity or between two or more consolidation entities as defined under SFFAS 47, Reporting Entity.
“The Board is seeking to provide relevant and decision useful information to federal financial statement users,” noted Chairman Showalter. “The Board strongly considered the costs associated with the lease proposal. Those cost considerations are especially evident with the proposed accounting for short-term and intragovernmental leases. Additionally, we were able to address some implementation issues resulting from the current standards.”
The Board requests comments on the ED by January 6, 2017, and encourages respondents to provide responses to all of the questions raised and the reasons for their positions. The ED and the specific questions raised are available at the FASAB website in PDF and Word format, respectively (http://www.fasab.gov/documents-for-comment/).
August 24-25, 2016 Board Meeting
At the August Board meeting, staff provided to the Board a pre-ballot draft ED on lease accounting. The objective of the session was for the Board to provide feedback to staff and approve the Lease ED pre-ballot draft.
The following topics were presented by staff and discussed by the Board.
Comment Period End Date – The Board agreed to the comment period end date of January 6, 2017.
Proposed Effective Date – Staff proposed an effective date of periods beginning after September 30, 2019. Members agreed to propose an effective date of September 30, 2018, and revise the date to September 30, 2019, if the Board gets a negative reaction to the 2018 effective date. The Board also agreed to not allow early adoption of the standard to maintain consistency among the reporting entities.
Public Hearing – Staff proposed scheduling a public hearing for April 26, 2017, and providing notice of the public hearing in the ED. The Board agreed that scheduling a public hearing should be determined based on the responses to the comment letters. Therefore, the ED will not include the scheduling of a public hearing; however, the possibility of a public hearing will be noted in the ED.
Remeasurement Respondent Questions –The Board agreed to add a question to the ED to address the effect of remeasurement on the lease liability and asset, as well as language in the basis for conclusions to reflect the Board’s rationale. They also agreed to add a question to address whether certain remeasurement triggers would cause significant costs to the preparer.
Implementation Guidance – The Board agreed to propose the prospective implementation approach, which requires that leases unexpired at the beginning of the reporting period be recognized and measured using the facts and circumstances that exist at the beginning of the period of implementation. This approach includes examples of implementation scenarios.
Next steps: The next steps are to incorporate all of the Board’s edits, send the Board a ballot draft of the ED for approval, and release the ED by the end of September.
Issue Paper for August 2016 – Tab F
At the June Board meeting, staff provided to the Board a draft ED on lease accounting and task force responses to several lease-related questions posed by staff. The objective of the session was to review responses to seven questions staff had posed to the lease task force related to issues in which the Board had requested additional information and review a draft Lease ED.
The Board made the following tentative decisions.
The Board agreed with the staff recommendation to propose the use of FASAB’s definition of probable (more likely than not – >50%) as the probability threshold in the Lease ED. The Board also directed staff to include probability threshold as a question in the ED.
The Board agreed to propose that the leased asset be classified as property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) unless the underlying asset is not PP&E; in those cases the leased asset would be classified to align with the nature of the underlying asset.
The Board agreed that the basis for conclusions should tell the story of how the Board arrived at its conclusions and the Board’s collaboration with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The basis for conclusions should not specifically note when FASAB’s proposed guidance diverges from GASB’s guidance unless the Board deliberated on GASB’s approach. In those instances when the Board considered GASB’s approach, staff will include the highlights of the discussion and how the Board came to its conclusions.
The Board agreed to add some verbiage to the basis for conclusions on rent increases, lease incentives, and lease concessions.
Next steps: Staff will make the revisions discussed at the meeting to the draft ED and provide a pre-ballot draft for the August meeting.
Issue Paper for June 2016 – Tab H
At the April Board meeting, staff members presented to the Board one issue related to developing the ED of the proposed standards on non-intragovernmental lease accounting. The Board had previously directed staff to use the proposal on leases from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) as a platform for developing the federal standards on non-intragovernmental leases—GASB released the ED for comment in January 2016.
The objective of the session was to address the issue of service concession arrangements (SCAs) in the proposed lease standards. Staff noted GASB’s Leases ED specifically excludes “contracts that meet the definition of a service concession arrangement in paragraph 4 of Statement No. 60, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Service Concession Arrangements.” Currently FASAB standards are silent on SCAs.
Because SCAs are not addressed in federal accounting standards, the Board agreed that specifically excluding SCAs from the lease standard would raise more questions. Because SCAs are expected to be addressed in the P3 recognition and measurement project, the Board agreed to remain silent on SCAs in the lease proposal but to include the Board’s rationale in the basis for conclusions. The Board may also consider adding a question for respondents about SCAs in the ED.
Issue Paper for April 2016 – Tab C
February 24-25, 2016 Board Meeting
At the February 2016 meeting, staff presented to the Board a draft ED of the proposed standards on non-intragovernmental lease accounting. The Board had previously directed staff to use the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)’s proposal on leases as a platform for developing the federal standards on non-intragovernmental leases. The GASB ED was released for comment in January 2016. Staff made several revisions to the GASB proposal to reflect differences at the federal level, any conflicts with existing FASAB standards, and any changes the Board had previously agreed to. In addition, staff also posed 23 questions to the Board related to the draft. The questions highlighted areas where the FASAB proposal deviates from the GASB proposal, areas where the task force has raised questions, as well as the areas in which staff would like further direction from the Board.
The Board discussed the following topics at the meeting:
Service concession agreements
Probability threshold
Lease asset classification
Lessee incremental borrowing rate
Lease liability remeasurement
The definition of an ‘investment’
Insignificant lease components
Rent holidays
Staff will continue to work with the task force to further develop the lease standards.
Issue Paper for February 2016 – Tab H
December 16-17, 2015 Board Meeting
The objective for the December 2015 lease discussion was to update the Board on the progress of the lease project, including the status of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) lease project. The Board had previously directed staff to use the GASB lease proposal as a platform for developing the FASAB standards on non-intragovernmental leases.
GASB is in the final stages of finalizing its exposure draft (ED) and expects to release the ED for comment by the end of the first quarter of 2016. GASB plans to release its final lease standard in early 2016 with an effective date of 2019.
Staff’s goal is to have the FASAB lease ED available for comment by mid-2016. Staff also plans to hold a lease task force meeting on February 2, 2016.
There was also a brief discussion on the accounting for lease holdovers, in light of a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Holdovers occur when the tenant continues to occupy the premises after the lease has expired. The Board will consider the need for guidance on holdovers at a future meeting.
Staff will continue to work with the task force to further develop the lease standards and will continue to follow the progress of the GASB lease discussions.
Issue Paper for December 2015 – Tab D
The objective for the October 2015 Lease discussion was to update the Board on GASB’s deliberations of their lease project. The Board had previously directed staff to use the GASB Lease proposal as a platform for developing the FASAB standards on non-intragovernmental leases.
Staff provided the Board with excerpts from the tentative GASB Board meeting minutes from their September 1, 2015 lease discussion. The following GASB lease topics were presented to the Board.
Airport Leases and Related Issues
Lessee Disclosures
Lessor Disclosures
Short-Term Lease Exception
Lease Terminations and Modifications
Subleases and Leaseback Transactions
Issue Paper for October 2015 – Tab C
The objective for the August 2015 Lease discussion was to update the Board on GASB’s deliberations of their lease project. The Board had previously directed staff to use the GASB Lease proposal as a platform for developing the FASAB standards on non-intragovernmental leases.
Staff provided the Board with eleven discussion items that staff compiled from the last three GASB lease discussions (April, June, and July 2015). The eleven issues represented those lease topics that GASB either changed its position from their November 2014 Lease Preliminary Views document or topics that FASAB will need to further discuss as the exposure draft is developed. The following discussion items were presented to the Board.
Defining “nonfinancial asset”
Intangible (lease) assets
The role of “control” in determining whether a transaction qualifies as an asset
Bargain purchase options
Month-to-month holdover periods
Lessee renewal/termination options
Fiscal funding clauses
Allocation of consideration to multiple components
Issue Paper for August 2015 – Tab D
There was no staff presentation to the Board on the Lease project at the June 2015 meeting. Staff provided a memo to the Board updating them on the project’s progress.
Since the April meeting staff has been working with GSA officials and other task force members to further develop the intragovernmental lease accounting standards. Thus far several additional intragovernmental leasing matters have being raised and are being researched for Board discussion.
The GASB met in early June to continue its deliberations on the comments received on their Lease preliminary views in preparation of an exposure draft. They have discussed the scope of the lease standard, its foundational principle, the lease term, and the lessee model. We are reviewing the related GASB staff discussion papers to assess if any of the issues raised in the GASB discussion papers need to be brought to our Board for discussion.
Staff will continue to work with the task force to further develop the lease standards, including the intragovernmental lease standards. Staff will also continue to follow the progress of the other standard setters’ lease accounting projects.
The objective for the April 2015 Lease discussion was to review an initial draft exposure draft (ED) for the leases standard. Staff noted that the lease standard will include guidance for all federal leases, including intragovernmental leases. The Board has tentatively agreed that intragovernmental leases should be accounted for similar to current operating leases guidance. The draft ED included definitions of relevant terms, as well as specific provisions that address the recognition and measurement of intragovernmental leases for both the lessee and the lessor. Staff asked the Board if they agreed with the proposed language. The Board generally agreed with the staff proposal and asked staff to provide clarifying language in several sections of the proposal.
Staff also presented to the Board a summary of possible FASAB-relevant comments from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s (GASB) Preliminary Views (PV) on Leases. The Board had previously directed staff to use the GASB Lease PV as a platform for developing the FASAB standards on non-intragovernmental leases. GASB received 37 comment letters on their lease PV and held three public hearings and expects to issue its exposure draft in February 2016 and a final standard in early 2017. Since the Board previously agreed to use the GASB lease accounting proposal as the foundation for the FASAB lease account proposal and any wording differences could denote a difference in meaning, staff recommended that the FASAB ED also be released close to that same timeframe as the GASB ED. The Board agreed to stay in sync with the GASB timeline for the release of the lease ED and final standard.
At the February meeting staff presented to the Board a discussion paper that provided an analysis of the final six chapters of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Preliminary Views (PV) on Leases. The GASB PV on Leases is being used as a foundation for the development of the FASAB lease standards on non-intragovernmental lease agreements – the GASB PV was released for comment in November 2015. The topics discussed included lessee accounting, lessor accounting, short-term exception, lease terminations and modifications, subleases and leaseback transactions, and leases with related parties, and intra-entity leases.
At the December 2015 meeting the topics related to non-intragovernmental leases from the GASB PV included objective, project background, applicability, scope and lease term. Also, at the December meeting the Board discussed proposed guidance for intragovernmental leases. The proposed guidance included definitions of relevant terms, as well as specific provisions that address features of leases and is based on the current FASB operating lease guidance.
Issue Paper for February 2015 – Tab C
At the December meeting staff presented to the Board proposed guidance for intragovernmental leases. The proposed guidance included definitions of relevant terms, as well as specific provisions that address features of leases and is based on the current Financial Accounting Standards Board operating lease guidance. At the October 2014 meeting the Board directed staff to simplify the intragovernmental lease accounting guidance. Staff presented revisions to the previously proposed recognition and disclosure lessee and lessor guidance for intragovernmental lease arrangements. The Board stressed consistency and the need for symmetry between the lessee and lessor accounting for intragovernmental leases.
Staff also presented an analysis of the first three chapters of the GASB Preliminary Views (PV) on Leases so that the Board could discuss the GASB concepts as it relates to the development of federal lease standards. The GASB PV on Leases will be used as a foundation for the development of the FASAB lease standards on non-intragovernmental lease agreements– the GASB PV was released for comment in November. The topics discussed were project objective, project background, applicability, scope, and lease term.
Staff will continue to work with the task force to further develop the intragovernmental lease standards. Staff will also continue to review the recently released GASB PV on Leases and provide a staff analysis for the February 2015 Board discussion.
Issue Paper for December 2014 – Tab H
At the October meeting staff presented to the Board proposed guidance for intragovernmental leases. The proposed guidance includes definitions of relevant terms, as well as specific provisions that address features of leases and is based on the current FASB operating lease guidance.
Staff proposed seven lease-related definitions to the Board for discussion. The first three definitions – lease, intragovernmental and intragovernmental lease agreement – were discussed and tentatively agreed to by the Board at previous meetings. The remaining four proposed lease-related definitions – intragovernmental lease inception, intragovernmental minimum lease payments, intragovernmental noncancelable lease term, and intragovernmental sublease – were adapted from FASB’s existing operating lease guidance. The Board asked staff to simplify the proposed definitions and discuss them with the task force.
Staff also presented proposed recognition and disclosure lessee guidance for intragovernmental lease arrangements. The Board agreed that the lessee general guidance would be to recognize lease payments as they are received and the specific provisions would address those instances when the “due and payable” approach is not applicable. The Board also agreed that certain scheduled rent increases, rent holidays, and lease incentives should be recognized on a straight-line basis – possibly using the proposed language used for the amortization of leasehold improvements, including the “reasonably assured” language use by FASB.
Staff will work with the lease task force to simplify the proposed guidance for intragovernmental leases.
Issue Paper for October 2014 – Tab G
At the August meeting staff provided an update on the status of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s leases project. The GASB is plans to issue a Preliminary Views document in the coming months.
The current focus for the FASAB leases project is on developing proposed guidance on intragovernmental leases arrangements. The Board discussed and agreed to a definition for the term “intragovernmental” to refer to occurring within a consolidation entity or within or between two or more consolidation entities. The Board discussed and agreed to proposed definitions of leases and of intragovernmental lease arrangements.
The Board discussed staff’s proposal for recognizing operating leases–straight-line for lease costs and in the current period for executory costs. The Board members agreed with the straight-line concept for lease payments, but would like additional information before deciding whether executory costs should be required to be separated from the rental payment.
The next decision related to the proposed disclosure of future lease payments. Some questioned whether this disclosure was necessary for intragovernmental lease arrangements. The Board agreed to exclude the disclosure, but to ask a question in the exposure document about whether the disclosure is necessary.
The Board agreed that the lessor revenue recognition would match the lessee’s expense recognition—on the straight-line basis. The Board agreed that upfront lease costs for lessors would be expensed. Regarding potential disclosures of future lease payments of lessors, there were no objections to the proposed disclosures.
Issue Paper for August 2014 – Tab H
At the June Board meeting staff asked the Board If intragovernmental leases should be accounted for differently than leases between federal entities and non-federal entities. The question was primarily based on the General Services Administration (GSA) briefing to the Board on its intragovernmental leasing activities at the April meeting.
Staff recommended a simplified approach for recognizing amounts arising from intragovernmental leases. The model would simplify intragovernmental eliminations while relying on other means to provide information about use of assets and continuing obligations.
Several factors were considered as the Board assessed whether intragovermental leases should be accounted for differently.
–The information needs are different; risk-based information is not necessary for transactions between federal entities.
— The cost-benefit associated with the proposed single-model approach. GSA’s concern is, if the tenant agencies were to be required to establish a right of use asset and liability based on their occupancy agreement, the tenant agency right of use liability would need to “match” a GSA right of use receivable for this assigned space.
— The fact that 89% of the GSA occupancy agreements are cancelable by the tenant agency at any time after the first year with 120 days notice may result in some qualifying for the 12-month (or 24-) exception.
— Legal enforceability is not a factor with agreements between federal entities.
— The fact that GSA has the authority to assign or reassign space to a tenant agency in any federal government-owned or leased building means agencies intragovernmental rights to leased assets is not as clear as it may be in non-federal leases.
A majority of the Board agreed with a simplified approach for recognizing amounts arising from intragovernmental leases. Tentatively, the Board agreed that intragovernmental leases should be accounted for differently than leases between federal entities and non-federal entities.
The Board agreed to refer to the project as “leases and other similar arrangements” to differentiate the intragovermental arrangements from the non-federal arrangements. This would allow the two types of transactions to be disclosed separately.
The Board also agreed not to pursue issuing a preliminary views (PV) document on leases and to tentatively plan to issue its exposure draft (ED) on leases and other similar arrangements close to when the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) will issue its ED. Because GASB plans to issue a PV prior to its ED, staff will have an opportunity to seek informally feedback from the federal community on the GASB PV.
Issue Paper for June 2014 – Tab F
The current research focus of the Lease project is to seek a better understanding of the General Services Administration’s (GSA) role with respect to leasing activities, the intragovernmental leasing activities of the federal government and the government-specific issues surrounding federal leasing. Staff requested an informational briefing from GSA representatives to assist the Board and staff in understanding:
GSA lease agreements with other federal entities,
the types of lease agreements GSA enters into as the lessee, and
any concerns GSA currently has with the existing federal lease standards.
Several GSA representatives briefed the Board at the April meeting. Staff provided GSA with several questions that staff believed would be important for the Board to know as they consider revisions to the federal lease accounting standards. Staff also encouraged the GSA representatives to cover those areas that GSA believes are important for the Board to know.
The following questions were addressed by GSA at its briefing to the Board.
GSA’s Role –
What is GSA’s role as landlord for federal civilian agencies?
What types of real property needs at civilian agencies do not fall to GSA?
Does GSA provide a full suite of landlord services such as maintenance and improvements?
GSA’s Financing –
Please explain how GSA finances its operations (that is, appropriations, borrowing, third-party financing, agency reimbursements).
GSA as a Lessee –
What is the mix of government-owned versus leased properties in your portfolio?
When you lease facilities, is the lease classification for budget scoring generally capital or operating?
Does the financial accounting classification usually match the budget scoring now?
If it doesn’t match, what, if any, challenges does that pose?
How do termination clauses (e.g., termination for cause clause, fiscal funding clause, etc.) affect the classification of a lease?
Do you enter into lease agreements that bundle other services such as maintenance or parking? Does this pose any special accounting challenges now? Are you able to obtain a breakdown of the various costs inherent in the lease payment?
What factors influence your decision to lease versus buy to meet a particular need?
GSA as Lessor —
Are occupancy agreements with other federal entities considered legally binding documents?
What terms are usual in intra-governmental leases?
Pricing (how are prices established)
Leasehold improvements (advance funded or spread over the lease term)
Cancellation or termination clauses (with or without penalty)
The option to avoid termination penalties if another federal agency assumes the lease
Other services included with the lease (maintenance, annual improvement allowances)
How do these terms affect classification by the lessee agency? (Are intra-governmental usually classified as operating leases?)
Are lessees able to obtain a breakdown of the various charges (bundled services, improvements, profit) in their lease payments?
Intra-governmental –
What are your thoughts on lessee/lessor symmetry if a single model approach is implemented?
Some have noted that maintaining symmetry if right-of-use assets are recognized would require more communication between GSA and agencies.
Others have noted the need to coordinate intra-governmental balances now (that is, payables and receivables and treatment of improvements) means a process should already be in place
What is the approximate value of real property lease commitments as opposed to the value of personal property lease commitments?
Current accounting –
What matters require attention under the current accounting standards for leases?
The GSA representatives provided the Board with an excellent presentation on federal leases and occupancy agreements. The presentation covered the relevant topics at the right level of detail. Having a cross-functional team greatly enhanced the value of the information.
Issue Paper for April 2014
Tab D
GSA_Lease_Presentation_to_FASAB
March 5-6, 2014 Board Meeting
The FASAB met jointly with the GASB to discuss similar issues related to each of their ongoing lease accounting projects. The Boards first discussed the lessor model. Both Boards agreed that they should begin with the goal of developing symmetry between the lessee and lessor models. The FASAB was also very focused on the intragovernmental leasing issues involving federal entities. The Boards also discussed GASB’s tentative decisions to date on the lessee model. The following lessee model points were discussed.
Termination clauses
GSA occupancy agreements
Differences between the accounting for federal leases and the budget scoring for federal leases
FASAB and GASB’s definitions of probable as it relates to assessing the likelihood of a renewal option being exercised – GASB’s definition of probable has a higher threshold of probability
Factors affecting the reassessment of the lease term
Defining a short-term exception
The discount rate used to calculate the lease liability – the government’s incremental borrowing rate vs. the lessor’s implicit rate
There were no major decisions made by the FASAB. Staff was directed to continue its research.
Issue paper for March 2014 (PDF)
Ms. Deborah Beams, GASB Practice Fellow (leading the leases project) and audit manager at the Dallas office of Grant Thornton, presented to the Board the tentative decisions discussed by GASB on the leases project to date.
Ms. Beams identified the following GASB major tentative decisions on leases:
The definition of a lease be revised to be “a contract that conveys the right to use an asset (the underlying asset) for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transaction”
The scope of the Leases guidance continue to include contracts not identified as leases but that meet the definition of a lease
A single accounting model be developed, potentially with exceptions for certain circumstances
The lease term include:
The noncancellable period
Periods covered by renewal options (or exclude periods covered by termination options) that are probable of being exercised based on an assessment of qualitative factors
Periods covered by fiscal funding and cancellation clauses if the possibility of cancellation is remote (If the possibility of cancellation is more than remote, the period should be treated as any other termination option when determining the lease term.)
The underlying assumption that leases are financings be the foundation for the governmental leasing model
Leases that transfer ownership not qualify for the short-term lease exception, even if they meet the other criteria
The right to use the underlying asset be recognized as an asset by the lessee
The general approach to measuring lease assets and liabilities will be to measure the liabilities first and base the assets on that amount
The general measurement approach for a lease liability be based on the present value of future payments
Prepayments (amounts paid for the lease prior to measuring the lease liability) be included in the value of the recorded lease asset
Lease incentives received be reductions in the cost of lease assets
Initial direct costs be capitalized if they are ancillary charges to place the leased asset into use or expensed if they are other costs.
Ms. Beams also stated that the current GASB plan is to issue an exposure draft on leases at the end of November 2014 and a final statement in late 2015.
Ms. Monica Valentine, FASAB Project Director for the leases project gave a brief overview of the responses to the ten-question federal lease activities questionnaire sent to several federal entities. The purpose of the questionnaire is to gather the necessary data on the leasing activities and practices of federal entities – the input will assist FASAB in developing new lease standards for the federal government. The following points were highlighted:
Federal agencies primarily serve as the lessee, however three federal entities noted substantial lessor activities
The list of leased items included facilities/office space, equipment, land, vehicles, and several other items.
Five federal entities noted enhanced use lease (EUL) activities
Staff noted that the responses highlight the need for comprehensive lease accounting standards for the federal government, especially now since FASB is actively working to modify its current lease standards.
The Board noted the following comments based on the results of the lease questionnaire:
Focus in on the federal aspects of lease accounting
Highlight possible issues related to intra-governmental leasing activities
Identify the user needs as it relates to federal lease activities
Identify the cost-benefit of having different lease accounting recognition and lease budget scoring.
An additional staff paper provided to the Board asked the following questions:
Based on the [SFFAC 5] definition of an asset, does the Board believe that a federal entity’s right to use a leased asset meets the definition of an asset to the entity?
Based on the [SFFAC 5] definition of a liability, does the Board believe that a federal entity’s obligation to make lease payments meets the definition of a liability to the entity?
Based on the GASB staff paper, does the Board support the Type A and Type B consumption based distinction proposed by the FASB and the IASB?
Does the Board believe there are other inherently different types of leases so that a different accounting treatment is needed?
All of the members agreed to explore the single-model approach as opposed to the dual-model approach.
The Board highlighted the following as it relates to the lease project:
It would be helpful to know the annual interest expense for federal entities’ leases
The single model is preferred because it will be easier for agencies to have just one class of leases
The single-model approach is a practical expedient and is conceptually sound.
Articulation is necessary between the lessee and the lessor reporting because of significant intra-governmental leasing
Identifying any possible exceptions
Implementation issues should be addressed
The current two year useful life criteria used to determine capitalization of general property, plant & equipment should be considered as a possibility for lease balance sheet recognition.
Assess the cost-benefit of having two approaches to leasing analysis – one for budget purposes and the other for accounting purposes
The Board should be looking at providing decision useful information.
The following are the next steps for the project.
Hold a task force meeting in late January 2014.
Prepare for the joint meeting with GASB in March 2014
Continue to follow the progress in both GASB and FASB’s lease projects.
Survey the user community on the usefulness of the lease balance sheet recognition and the interest expense breakout
Issue Paper for December 2013 (PDF)
The Lease Project was not discussed at the October Board meeting. Staff is continuing preliminary research on the project by following the developments of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board lease project, conferring with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, and gathering information from federal entities on their leasing activities.
At the August meeting, staff presented several questions to the Board related to the revised exposure draft released in May by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) on leases, as well as the Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s (GASB) initial board discussions on leases. Ms. Roberta Reese, GASB Project Manager, participated in the discussion to provide background to the FASAB on the GASB discussion.
The discussion centered on the eight questions staff posed to the Board.
Question 1 related to the scope of the lease project and what topics should be considered. Staff recommended that all of the topics tentatively agreed to be addressed by GASB should also be addressed in the FASAB project. Also, more research is necessary to determine the extent of sale-leaseback, leveraged lease, and SCA-like transactions within the federal community. Staff also recommended adding enhanced use leases to the project’s scope.
Question 2 related the definition of a lease – should the term “contract” or “agreement” be used in the FASAB definition of a lease. Staff recommended that the FASAB definition of lease use the term “agreement” as opposed to “contract”, which is what FASB is proposing, because using “contract” could narrow the scope of the lease standards and not capture all leasing transactions involving federal entities. The Board tentatively agreed to leave the “terminology” question open and to concentrate on the substance of a lease.
Question 3 also related to the definition of a lease – should the term “asset” or “property, plant, & equipment” be used in the FASAB definition of a lease. Staff and the Board agreed with GASB’s tentative decision to use the broader term “asset” as opposed to “property, plant, & equipment” which could narrow “leases” in a way that leads to similar activities being excluded from coverage of the standards. Staff believes narrowing should be accomplished through specific exclusions (the approach taken by the FASB and IASB) as they are likely to be clearer to the reader.
Question 4 related to the definition of a lease – should staff assess the prevalence of nonexchange and “exchange-like” (as defined by GASB standards) leasing transactions and whether “control” of a resource is generally conveyed in such transactions in the federal environment. Staff also noted that “exchange-like” transactions are generally included in “exchange transactions” under the current federal standards. It was noted that in situations where we have one federal entity allowing another federal entity to use space free of charge – it is covered by the imputed cost standards and there is no asset or liability currently recognized. The Board agreed that staff should include intra-governmental nonexchange transactions in the scope of the lease project to consider options for balance sheet recognition.
Question 5 related to the inclusion of explanatory guidance to assist in determining if an arrangement is a lease that is currently included in the FASB ED. Staff recommended that this question be deferred until the proposed lease standards are further developed. Since FASAB establishes standards for a single reporting entity more detailed guidance at the standards level may be cost-effective for FASAB.
Question 6 related to the scope of standards (inclusions) – should the scope of FASAB lease standards include agreements that reflect the substance of a lease even if they are not called a lease. Staff recommended that the scope of FASAB lease standards include agreements that reflect the substance of a lease even if they are not called a lease.
Question 7 related to the scope of standards (exclusions) – should the scope of FASAB lease standards exclude the following four bulleted topics:
Agreements that contract for services that do not transfer the right to use an asset from one contracting party to the other would not meet the basic premise of a lease which transfers/conveys the right to use an asset.
Federal natural resources is addressed in Technical Bulletin (TB) 2011-1: Accounting for Federal Natural Resources Other than Oil and leases involving oil and gas are covered in SFFAS 38: Accounting for Federal Oil and Gas Resources.
Intangible assets, other than internal use software (which is considered to be PP&E), are not addressed in the current FASAB standards. Additional staff research is necessary to determine the extent federal entities are involved in leasing activities of intangible assets other than internal use software.
Service concession arrangements (SCAs) will be addressed in the FASAB Public-Private Partnership project.
Staff recommended that the scope of FASAB lease standards exclude three of the above four bulleted topics, with the exception being internal use software and other intangible assets that will be further researched.
Question 8 related to drafting the scope and applicability sections of the standard. Staff recommended that drafting the scope and applicability of the lease standard be deferred until further staff research can be performed to address the scope issues identified earlier.
The next steps for the project are as follows.
Continue research to determine the types of lease transactions being used by federal entities (e.g., sale-leaseback, leverage, SCA-type leases, and enhanced-use leases)
Identify any lease agreements that would not meet the criteria of a lease contract.
Research nonexchange lease transactions and nominal consideration exchange lease transactions between federal entities and between a federal entity and a non-federal entity.
Research the extent of federal leases involving intangible assets.
Hold a task force meeting.
Issue Paper for August 2013 (PDF)
April 25 – 26, 2012 Board Meeting
At its April meeting FASAB Staff provided the Board with an update on the lease project.
April 2012 Lease Update (PDF)
February 22 – 23, 2012 Board Meeting
At its February meeting FASAB Staff provided the Board with an update on the lease project.
February 2012 Lease Update (PDF)
January 17, 2012 Lease Questionnaire
The lease accounting project plan presented to the Board in August 2011 noted that staff would develop a questionnaire to be used to gather data from federal entities on their leasing activities and practices. On January 17, 2012 the questionnaire was distributed by FASAB staff to 27 federal entities via email. In an effort to gather the necessary data on the leasing activities and practices of federal entities we requested the assistance of Deputy CFOs and Accounting Directors in completing the questionnaire. Staff requested that questionnaire responses be submitted by February 27, 2012.
January 2012 Lease Questionnaire (PDF)
At its August meeting, the FASAB approved a plan to review existing lease accounting standards and to consider whether changes are needed to address the needs of the federal community and will include more comprehensive standards on federal leasing activities than the existing standards. A task force will be formed to assist in consideration of issues and options.
Leases Project Plan (PDF)
Leases Project Plan Appendix (PDF)
§ The definition of a lease be revised to be “a contract that conveys the right to use an asset (the underlying asset) for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transaction”
§ The scope of the Leases guidance continue to include contracts not identified as leases but that meet the definition of a lease
§ A single accounting model be developed, potentially with exceptions for certain circumstances
§ The lease term include:
– The noncancellable period
– Periods covered by renewal options (or exclude periods covered by termination options) that are probable of being exercised based on an assessment of qualitative factors
– Periods covered by fiscal funding and cancellation clauses if the possibility of cancellation is remote (If the possibility of cancellation is more than remote, the period should be treated as any other termination option when determining the lease term.)
§ The underlying assumption that leases are financings be the foundation for the governmental leasing model
§ Leases that transfer ownership not qualify for the short-term lease exception, even if they meet the other criteria
§ The right to use the underlying asset be recognized as an asset by the lessee
§ The general approach to measuring lease assets and liabilities will be to measure the liabilities first and base the assets on that amount
§ The general measurement approach for a lease liability be based on the present value of future payments
§ Prepayments (amounts paid for the lease prior to measuring the lease liability) be included in the value of the recorded lease asset
§ Lease incentives received be reductions in the cost of lease assets
§ Initial direct costs be capitalized if they are ancillary charges to place the leased asset into use or expensed if they are other costs.
§ Federal agencies primarily serve as the lessee, however three federal entities noted substantial lessor activities
§ The list of leased items included facilities/office space, equipment, land, vehicles, and several other items.
§ Five federal entities noted enhanced use lease (EUL) activities
§ Focus in on the federal aspects of lease accounting
§ Highlight possible issues related to intra-governmental leasing activities
§ Identify the user needs as it relates to federal lease activities
§ Identify the cost-benefit of having different lease accounting recognition and lease budget scoring.
§ Does the Board believe there are other inherently different types of leases so that a different accounting treatment is needed?
§ It would be helpful to know the annual interest expense for federal entities’ leases
§ The single model is preferred because it will be easier for agencies to have just one class of leases
§ The single-model approach is a practical expedient and is conceptually sound.
§ Articulation is necessary between the lessee and the lessor reporting because of significant intra-governmental leasing
§ Identifying any possible exceptions
§ Implementation issues should be addressed
§ The current two year useful life criteria used to determine capitalization of general property, plant & equipment should be considered as a possibility for lease balance sheet recognition.
§ Assess the cost-benefit of having two approaches to leasing analysis – one for budget purposes and the other for accounting purposes
§ The Board should be looking at providing decision useful information.
§ Hold a task force meeting in late January 2014.
§ Prepare for the joint meeting with GASB in March 2014
§ Continue to follow the progress in both GASB and FASB’s lease projects.
§ Survey the user community on the usefulness of the lease balance sheet recognition and the interest expense breakout
Leases: An Amendment of SFFAS 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government and SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment
FASAB | 441 G Street, NW, Suite 1155 | Washington, DC 20548 | Voice: 202-512-7350 | Fax: 202-512-7366
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First Person: New Media as Story, Performance and Game
Critical Writing
Book (collection)
Noah Wardrip-Fruin
Pat Harrigan
Abstract (in English):
Electronic games have established a huge international market, significantly outselling non-digital games; people spend more money on The Sims than on "Monopoly" or even on "Magic: the Gathering." Yet it is widely believed that the market for electronic literature—predicted by some to be the future of the written word—languishes. Even bestselling author Stephen King achieved disappointing results with his online publication of "Riding the Bullet" and "The Plant."
Isn't it possible, though, that many hugely successful computer games—those that depend on or at least utilize storytelling conventions of narrative, character, and theme—can be seen as examples of electronic literature? And isn't it likely that the truly significant new forms of electronic literature will prove to be (like games) so deeply interactive and procedural that it would be impossible to present them as paper-like "e-books"? The editors of First Person have gathered a remarkably diverse group of new media theorists and practitioners to consider the relationship between "story" and "game," as well as the new kinds of artistic creation (literary, performative, playful) that have become possible in the digital environment.
The collection is organized as a series of discussions among creators and theorists; each section includes three presentations, with each presentation followed by two responses. Topics considered range from "Cyberdrama" to "Ludology" (the study of games), to "The Pixel/The Line" to "Beyond Chat." The conversational structure inspired contributors to revise, update, and expand their presentations as they prepared them for the book, and the panel discussions have overflowed into a First Person web site (created in conjunction with the online journal Electronic Book Review).
Contents (Critical Writing):
A Preliminary Poetics for Interactive Drama and Games Michael Mateas
Genre Trouble: Narrativism and the Art of Simulation Espen Aarseth
How I Was Played by Online Caroline Jill Walker Rettberg
Unusual Positions: Embodied Interaction with Symbolic Spaces Camille Utterback
Add new critical writing.
Critical writing published in this series:
Infiltrating Aesthetics: Videogames, Art, and Distinction Trevor Strunk Electronic Book Review (ebr) 2017
Critical writing that references this:
Born Digital: Writing Poetry in the Age of New Media Maria Engberg 2007
Electronic Literature Scott Rettberg Polity 2018
First Person, Games, and the Place of Electronic Literature Scott Rettberg Electronic Book Review (ebr) 2005
Travels in Cybertextuality. The Challenge of Ergodic Literature and Ludology to Literary Theory Markku Eskelinen 2009
Teaching Resource using this Critical Writing:
Digital Literature (Engl 391, Fall 2008) Syllabus, Lesson plan Jessica Pressman 2008
Research Collection that references this Critical Writing:
Electronic Literature, Chapter 1: Genres of Electronic Literature
https://elmcip.net/node/408
Jill Walker Rettberg
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Luis Enrique steps down as Spain manager
Wednesday 19/June/2019 - 05:28 PM
Spain coach Luis Enrique
Edited by Hassnein Tayea
Spain announced on Wednesday afternoon that Luis Enrique has stepped down as coach of the national team because of personal reasons، ESPN reported.
Enrique، 49، has been on a leave of absence since March 26، with his assistant Robert Moreno having guided La Roja in their past three Euro 2020 qualifiers. Moreno will replace Luis Enrique as head coach، Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales announced.
"Luis Enrique has announced he will not continue as coach،" Rubiales said in a news conference on Wednesday. "It is his decision and we have to respect it.
"We have to thank Luis Enrique. We've learned a lot from him. We will continue to support him. He will always have the doors open in this federation. I ask the press to continue to respect him during this difficult time which is down to a personal issue.
"The decision of the RFEF is to put its trust on Robert Moreno، who will lead us at Euro 2020. We are convinced he is the best choice in view of the situation we are in."
A statement given on behalf of Enrique was read at the news conference: "Due to the reasons that prevented me from carrying on my duties as coach since March and because they continue، I've decided to step down.
"All my gratitude to the RFEF for their confidence and the understanding shown. I want to thank especially all the people that are part of the staff and the players for their professionalism. I cannot forget the media for your discretion and the respect shown in view of the situation."
The RFEF had expressed last month their "total commitment" to Enrique and hoped to have him for "many years in charge."
Enrique was contracted to the RFEF for a further year، but his spell in charge has lasted 11 months.
Spain have gone 8-2 since the former Barcelona coach replaced Fernando Hierro at the helm following the national team's last-16 exit to Russia at the 2018 World Cup.
"It's a mixed feeling،" Moreno said Wednesday at the news conference. "I'm sad but I feel the responsibility.
"It's special circumstances and Luis Enrique wanted me to accept this role. I'm certain Spain will qualify for Euro 2020."
Spain play at Romania on Sept. 5 before hosting the Faroe Islands three days later as part of their European qualifying campaign.
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Japanese prosecutor issues fresh warrant against ex-Nissan chief
Tokyo - By Lars Nicolaysen, The state prosecutor's office in Japan has issued a fresh warrant for the detention of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, according to Japanese media reports Friday.
He is accused of a massive breach of trust, Japanese news agencies reported.
Media reports indicate that Ghosn is accused of having transferred private investment debt worth 1.8 billion yen to his former employers.
A spokesman for the state prosecutor's office declined to confirm the reports.
But with a fresh warrant out, Ghosn's hopes of being released befre the holidays appeared to be dwindling.
On Thursday a Japanese court denied an extension of Ghosn's pre-trial detention.
Justice minister Takashi Yamashita rejected criticism of Ghosn's treatment in pre-trial detention, noting that it is normal in Japan for a defendant's attorney not to be present during questioning.
Ghosn, his aide Greg Kelly and the carmaker itself have been indicted over an alleged understating of Ghosn's pay package by about 5 billion yen (44 million dollars) over five years.
Ghosn has been in pre-trial detention since November 19. A trial date has not been set yet.
Ghosn and Kelly are accused of having violated Japanese stock exchange regulations.
Brazilian-French-Lebanese business leader Ghosn spearheaded a remarkable turnaround at Nissan.
Nissan and Mitsubishi both dismissed Ghosn as chairman while Renault decided to retain the 64-year-old as chairman and chief executive following the arrest in Tokyo.
Friday, December 21st 2018
By Lars Nicolaysen,
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FC Torpedo Vladimir
Football Club Torpedo Vladimir (Russian: Футбольный клуб "Торпедо" Владимир) is a Russian football club from Vladimir, founded in 1959. In 2011, they played in the Russian First Division after winning their zone of the Russian Second Division in 2010. The club has been called Trud (1959), Traktor (1960–1968) and Motor (1969–1972). Their best historical result was 6th place in the Russian First Division in 1993. They played on the second-highest level (Soviet First League and Russian First Division) from 1960 to 1963, 1992 to 1994 and again from 2011).
Football Club Torpedo Vladimir
1959; 60 years ago (1959)
Torpedo, Vladimir
Vladimir + Vladimir Oblast
Vyacheslav Spitsin
Dmitri Vyazmikin
Russian Professional Football League, Zone West
As of 21 March 2019, according to the official PFL website.
GK Filipp Kharin
GK Artyom Koveshnikov
GK Vitali Potepalov
DF Andrei Gladyshev
DF Valeri Kaptilov
DF Aleksandr Myasnikov
DF Denis Perfilov
DF Sergei Shalin
DF Nikolai Tarasov
DF Ilya Zinin
MF Pavel Bychkov
MF Dmitry Chernukhin
MF Dmitri Khokhlov
MF Aleksandr Kuzmenko
MF Igor Rodionov
MF Dmitri Sapelnikov
MF Maksim Sass
MF Nikita Sass
MF Yevgeni Tarakanov
MF Robert Yamlikhanov
MF Ilya Zharov
FW Nikita Andreyev
FW Maksim Nesterov
FW Dmitri Zabrodin
Notable past playersEdit
Valentin Afonin
Viktor Losev
Vladimir Suchilin
Ishref Magomedov
Dmitri Zinovich
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=FC_Torpedo_Vladimir&oldid=900133083"
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TV Patrol North Luzon (previously known as TV Patrol Baguio/TV Patrol Northern Luzon) is a pan-regional news program of the ABS-CBN Regional Network Group in the North Luzon super region. The newscast is done in a tabloid-style format and delivers the most recent news and current affairs issues in Filipino language. Initially created to deliver news from the Cordillera Administrative Region, the newscast expanded its coverage into Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon as part of ABS-CBN Regional's plans to cope with digitization.
Ang Mas Pinalakas na Patrol ng Pilipino sa Hilagang Luzon
TV Patrol Baguio
(January 27, 1997 (1997-01-27) - 1999)
TV Patrol Northern Luzon
(1999 - June 29, 2018)
News Patrol North Luzon (bulletin version)
Cris Zuñiga (Dagupan)
Dhobie de Guzman (Baguio)
Gracie Rutao (Pampanga Opt-out)
Original language(s)
Ilokano (interviewees only)
Kapampangan (Pampanga Opt-out)
No. of episodes
n/a (airs daily)
Production location(s)
ABS-CBN Northern Luzon Broadcast Center, #59 First Road, Quezon Hill Proper, Baguio City
ABS-CBN North Central Luzon Broadcast Center, A.B. Fernandez East Ave., Dagupan City, Pangasinan
ABS-CBN Pampanga Broadcast Center, Brgy. Lara, San Fernando, Pampanga
1 - 2 minutes (News Patrol North Luzon)
Production company(s)
ABS-CBN Regional
ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs
Original network
ABS-CBN TV-3 Baguio
ABS-CBN TV-32 Dagupan
ABS-CBN TV-7 Laoag
ABS-CBN TV 46 Pampanga
480i (4:3 SDTV)
Original release
January 27, 1997 (1997-01-27) –
TV Patrol Ilocos
(TV-7 Laoag, 1997-2018)
TV Patrol Cagayan Valley
(TV-3 Tuguegarao, 1997-2018; TV-2 Isabela, 1998-2018)
TV Patrol North Central Luzon
(TV-32 Dagupan, 1999-2018)
TV Patrol Pampanga/News Patrol Kapampangan
(TV-46 Pampanga, 2006-2019)
It airs live between 5:00 PM and 6:15 PM from Monday to Friday. Since May 2019, the newscast is broadcast on all ABS-CBN Regional transmitters in Northern and most of Central Luzon; with an additional Kapampangan news window on DWIN-TV 46 in Pampanga, and radio simulcasts via MOR 103.1 Baguio and its relay station 91.3 MHz in Santiago, Isabela. It also delivers news throughout the day via News Patrol North Luzon bulletins across the super region.
The newscast is primarily anchored by Dhobie de Guzman and Cris Zuñiga, with Pampanga opt-out anchor Gracie Rutao, and occasional anchors Grace Alba and Harris Julio; together with a team of ABS-CBN reporters through its regional bureaus in Baguio City, Dagupan City, San Fernando City, Laoag City and Santiago, Isabela, with occasional reports from Tuguegarao City. Reports and studio presentation originate in their respective newsrooms, but master control now originates from Baguio.
Since June 2018, the newscast is also broadcast via ABS-CBN Baguio's digital signal.[1]
As TV Patrol Baguio and TV Patrol Northern Luzon
As part of the expansion of regional operations, the newscast premiered on January 27, 1997 as TV Patrol Baguio. This is the second regional edition of TV Patrol in Luzon after TV Patrol Naga (now TV Patrol Bicol), which was launched in 1996. Two years after, TV Patrol Dagupan was launched then on DWEC-TV Channel 3. Airing for an hour beginning that year up to 2006, the two regional newscasts aired back-to-back bringing the latest news stories each for their respective coverage areas with Jonathan Ortega and Aljo Trinidad (from TV Patrol North Mindanao) as the first presenters, respectively, for the Baguio and Dagupan editions. In 2006, with the frequency change to channel 32, the Dagupan edition was transformed into TV Patrol North Central Luzon, which now serves as the local news broadcast for Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Zambales and Aurora, and by now broadcasting at 5pm, the same time as its Baguio counterpart. The five provinces used to carry the broadcast of TV Patrol Northern Luzon.
The news program offers several segments such as "Sari-Sari" for human interest stories, "RX Patrol" for health issues, Pulis Patrol for police and crime reports. Add to that the revival of the segment "Alam Ba News?" which tackles about everything under the sun with suggested topics from viewers.
Logo used from 2010 to 2011
Final Logo as TV Patrol Northern Luzon from June 19, 2017 - June 29, 2018
On September 16, 2013, TV Patrol Northern Luzon reformatted their logo, opening titles, and graphics similar to the main newscast.
On June 19, 2017, TV Patrol Northern Luzon updated its logo and graphics and its lower thirds thus were changed to Gotham font to match the national TV Patrol. This is the thirteenth newscast to update its graphics, similar to the national newscast.
Expansion as TV Patrol North Luzon
On June 29, 2018,[2] ABS-CBN Regional announced that TV Patrol Northern Luzon, together with TV Patrol North Central Luzon, TV Patrol Cagayan Valley and TV Patrol Ilocos will be merged to TV Patrol North Luzon. The merger of newscasts further extended the newscast's coverage over the entire Northern and Central Luzon, including Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions. All four newscasts ended their broadcasts on June 29, 2018 in preparation for the debut of the expanded pan-regional newscast for these areas.
The newscast was launched in July 2, with a unique OBB different from the national newscast and majority of its regional counterparts (also adopted by TV Patrol North Mindanao and TV Patrol South Central Mindanao, both of which were launched on the same day). Since then, master control was centralised to the channel 3 studios in Baguio City.
At launch, TV Patrol North Luzon was introduced in a unique 4-presenter format, with Dhobie de Guzman presenting from ABS-CBN Baguio, Cris Zuñiga from ABS-CBN Dagupan, Grace Alba from ABS-CBN Laoag, and Harris Julio from ABS-CBN Isabela. The setup only lasted for a few months. Afterwards, only the Baguio and Dagupan studios remained in operation, although the production team taps in either Alba, Julio, or any other reporters from Ilocandia for occasional live intros of their respective reports. Also, while being simulcast on DZRR-FM in Baguio and DWAI-FM in Santiago City, the newscast did not hook up on the MOR FM stations in Dagupan (DWEC) and Laoag (DWEL-FM).
Pampanga Local Window
Between August and September 2018, TV Patrol North Luzon included news reports from Pampanga, a separate television market currently served by DWIN-TV 46 but receives signals from relays in Central Luzon, being delivered in Filipino language. The province's station was one of the network's former originating outlets, where it produced its own local newscast TV Patrol Pampanga until it was axed on June 29. After it was axed, the Pampanga bureau scaled back news production by introducing short News Patrol bulletins throughout the day delivered in the Kapampangan language. The news division afterwards stopped airing Pampanga-based reports to North Luzon viewers as it was later included in the national newscast later in the day.
On May 20, 2019, the network officially reassigned Pampanga as a semi-satellite to the wider North Luzon region, giving them an amount of newscast production back to the province. Under the new format, studio presentation was restored as a pre-recorded local window in the Kapampangan language; reports are compiled and produced from the San Fernando City studios and is then sent to Baguio City for transmission.[3] Pampanga viewers receive a more longer opt-out edition of the newscast on Channel 46 with more provincial headlines and reports while the rest of the broadcast area receives the newscast as usual. Since the semi-restoration, News Patrol updates for Pampanga were closed, and were replaced by a simulcast of bulletins from Baguio and Dagupan.
To reflect the said expansion, a revised opening billboard of the newscast debuted on the 1st year anniversary of its relaunch. Minor revisions of the OBB were done on July 2, 2019 to reflect Pampanga's news team at par with the rest of the super region.
The news program won the 31st Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) for Best News Program.[citation needed] It had beaten TV Patrol, Bandila, and 24 Oras. The program was also nominated for Best News Program in the recent[when?] KBP Golden Dove Awards.[citation needed]
Areas of coverage
Baguio Bureau
Baguio City and Benguet
Sagada and Mountain Province
Tabuk City and Kalinga
Kabugao and Apayao
Banaue and Ifugao
San Fernando City and La Union
Bangued and Abra
Dagupan Bureau
Dagupan City and Pangasinan
Tarlac City and Tarlac
Cabanatuan City and Nueva Ecija
Santiago Bureau
Santiago City and Isabela
Tuguegarao City and Cagayan
Cabarroguis and Quirino
Basco and Batanes
Bayombong and Nueva Vizcaya
Laoag Bureau
Laoag City and Ilocos Norte
Vigan City and Ilocos Sur
Pampanga Bureau
City of San Fernando and Pampanga
Angeles City, Mabalacat City and Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone
Balanga City and Bataan
Iba and Zambales
Olongapo City and Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Dhobie de Guzman (Anchor for Baguio/North Luzon News Cluster Manager)
Cris Zuñiga (Anchor for Dagupan/Dagupan News Desk)
Gracie Rutao (Anchor for Pampanga Opt-out/Pampanga News OIC/North Luzon relief reporter)
News Executives/Senior Reporters
Maira Wallis-Nuarin (Executive Producer / Director / Baguio News Chief/ relief reporter, anchor and presenter for de Guzman)
Jonathan Ortega (Dagupan News Chief)
Randy Menor (Ilocos News Chief/ relief reporter)
Darlene Gemino-Ballad (Isabela News Desk/ relief reporter); occasional anchor
Mae Cornes (Baguio News Desk/ relief reporter)
Bryan Realgo (Ilocos News Desk/ relief reporter)
John Mark Guda (Pampanga News Desk / reporter)
Micaella Ilao (Baguio); fill-in for De Guzman
Justine Aguilar (Baguio)
Michelle Soriano (Baguio); fill-in for De Guzman
Noriel Padiernos (Dagupan); fill-in for Zuñiga
Elaine Fulgencio-Español (Dagupan)
Joanna Tacason (Dagupan)
Grace Alba (Laoag); occasional anchor
Ria Galiste (Laoag)
Dianne Dy (Laoag); fill-in for Alba
Harris Julio (Isabela); occasional anchor
Trisha Mostoles (Pampanga)
DZRR
DZRR-TV
^ https://www.facebook.com/ABSCBNTV3Baguio/posts/856494591200340
^ ABS-CBN Regional cancels Agri Tayo Dito, MagTV na accessed June 30, 2018
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=TV_Patrol_North_Luzon&oldid=906210636"
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German film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and opera director
You are all wrong.
Werner Herzog (born Werner Stipetic on 5 September 1942) is a German screenwriter, film director, actor and opera director.
I am so used to plunging into the unknown that any other surroundings and form of existence strike me as exotic and unsuitable for human beings.
I believe the common denominator of the Universe is not harmony, but chaos, hostility and murder.
Fact creates norms, and truth illumination.
That man is a head taller than me. That may change.
"Don Lope de Aguirre" in Aguirre: The Wrath of God [Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes] (1972)
Responding to booing crowds at the Berlin Film Festival, who disapproved of his Lessons of Darkness (1992)
Well they are very frightening for me because their stupidity is so flat. You look into the eyes of a chicken and you lose yourself in a completely flat, frightening stupidity. They are like a great metaphor for me... I kind of love chicken, but they frighten me more than any other animal.
About chickens, on the Signs of Life (1968) DVD audio commentary (2005).
31 May 1981 diary entry (pg. 248 of Herzog's book Conquest of the Useless)
"Grizzly Man" (2006)
James Joyce is a cul-de-sac. [Ulysses is] … an example how literature branched out and went into, lost itself in nowhere, no man's land.
Conversation with Paul Holdengräber, in “Was the 20th Century a Mistake?”, The Richard B. Saloman Distinguished Lectures & LIVE from the NYPL, Celeste Bartos Forum, New York (2007)
Together, I said, we shall boil fire and stop fish.
To Lotte Eisner in Paris after walking from Munich to meet her, Of Walking in Ice ISBN 978-0-9796121-0-7.
There are dignified stupidities, and there are heroic stupidities, and there is such a thing as stupid stupidities, and that would be a stupid stupidity not to have a camera on board.
"The White Diamond" (2004)
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980)Edit
If you switch on television it's just ridiculous and its destructive. It kills us. And talk shows will kill us. They kill our language. So we have to declare holy war against what we see every single day on television. Commercials and — I think there should be real war against commercials, real war against talk shows, real war against "Bonanza" and "Rawhide", or all these things.
If you want to do a film, steal a camera, steal raw stock, sneak into a lab and do it!
As you see [filmmaking] makes me into a clown. And that happens to everyone — just look at Orson Welles or look at even people like Truffaut. They have become clowns.
Burden of Dreams (1982)Edit
Taking a close look at what is around us, there is some sort of a harmony. It is the harmony of overwhelming and collective murder. And we in comparison to the articulate vileness and baseness and obscenity of all this jungle, we in comparison to that enormous articulation, we only sound and look like badly pronounced and half-finished sentences out of a stupid suburban novel, a cheap novel. And we have to become humble in front of this overwhelming misery and overwhelming fornication, overwhelming growth, and overwhelming lack of order. Even the stars up here in the sky look like a mess. There is no harmony in the universe. We have to get acquainted to this idea that there is no harmony as we have conceived it. But when I say this all full of admiration for the jungle. It is not that I hate it, I love it, I love it very much, but I love it against my better judgment.
Minnesota declaration (1999)Edit
"Minnesota declaration: truth and fact in documentary cinema", Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota (30 April 1999)
By dint of declaration the so-called Cinema Verité is devoid of verité. It reaches a merely superficial truth, the truth of accountants.
Cinema Verité confounds fact and truth, and thus plows only stones. And yet, facts sometimes have a strange and bizarre power that makes their inherent truth seem unbelievable.
There are deeper strata of truth in cinema, and there is such a thing as poetic, ecstatic truth. It is mysterious and elusive, and can be reached only through fabrication and imagination and stylization.
Filmmakers of Cinema Verité resemble tourists who take pictures amid ancient ruins of facts.
Tourism is sin, and travel on foot virtue.
Each year at springtime scores of people on snowmobiles crash through the melting ice on the lakes of Minnesota and drown. Pressure is mounting on the new governor to pass a protective law. He, the former wrestler and bodyguard, has the only sage answer to this: "You can´t legislate stupidity."
We ought to be grateful that the Universe out there knows no smile.
Life in the oceans must be sheer hell. A vast, merciless hell of permanent and immediate danger. So much of a hell that during evolution some species—including man—crawled, fled onto some small continents of solid land, where the Lessons of Darkness continue.
Herzog on Herzog (2002)Edit
If I abandon this project I would be a man without dreams and I don't want to live like that: I live my life or I end my life with this project.
Happiness is a strange notion. I am just not made for it. It has never been a goal of mine; I do not think in those terms.
I shouldn't make movies anymore. I should go to a lunatic asylum.
Said while making Fitzcarraldo
I am fascinated by the idea that our civilization is like a thin layer of ice upon a deep ocean of chaos and darkness
It is my duty because this might be the inner chronicle of what we are, and we have to articulate ourselves. Otherwise we would be cows in the field.
I like to direct landscapes just as I like to direct actors and animals.
The kinds of landscape I try to find in my films...exist only in our dreams. For me a true landscape is not just a representation of a desert or a forest. It shows an inner state of mind, literally inner landscapes, and it is the human soul that is visible through the landscapes presented in my films.
Everyone who makes films has to be an athlete to a certain degree because cinema does not come from abstract academic thinking; it comes from your knees and thighs.
Film is not analysis, it is the agitation of mind; cinema comes from the country fair and the circus, not from art and academicism.
Someone like Jean-Luc Godard is for me intellectual counterfeit money when compared to a good kung fu film.
Coincidences always happen if you keep your mind open, while storyboards remain the instruments of cowards who do not trust in their own imagination and who are slaves of a matrix... If you get used to planning your shots based solely on aesthetics, you are never that far from kitsch.
Your film is like your children. You might want a child with certain qualities, but you are never going to get the exact specification right. The film has a privilege to live its own life and develop its own character. To suppress this is dangerous. It is an approach that works the other way too: sometimes the footage has amazing qualities that you did not expect.
We comprehend... that nuclear power is a real danger for mankind, that over-crowding of the planet is the greatest danger of all. We have understood that the destruction of the environment is another enormous danger. But I truly believe that the lack of adequate imagery is a danger of the same magnitude. It is as serious a defect as being without memory. What have we done to our images? What have we done to our embarrassed landscapes? I have said this before and will repeat it again as long as I am able to talk: if we do not develop adequate images we will die out like dinosaurs.
You can fight a rumour only with an even wilder rumour.
I am not an artist and never have been. Rather I am like a craftsman and feel very close to the mediaeval artisans who produced their work anonymously and who, along with their apprentices, had a true feeling for the physical materials they were working with.
I have never been one of those who cares about happiness. Happiness is a strange notion. I am just not made for it. It has never been a goal of mine; I do not think in those terms.
I am someone who takes everything very literally. I simply do not understand irony, a defect I have had ever since I was able to think independently.
May I propose a Herzog dictum? those who read own the world, and those who watch television lose it.
It is my firm belief, and I say this as a dictum, that all these tools now at our disposal, these things part of this explosive evolution of means of communication, mean we are now heading for an era of solitude. Along with this rapid growth of forms of communication at our disposal— be it fax, phone, email, internet or whatever— human solitude will increase in direct proportion.
To me, adventure is a concept that applies only to those men and women of earlier historical times, like the mediaeval knights who travelled into the unknown. The concept has degenerated constantly since then... I absolutely loathe adventurers, and I particularly hate this old pseudo-adventurism where the mountain climb becomes about confronting the extremes of humanity.
If you truly love film, I think the healthiest thing to do is not read books on the subject. I prefer the glossy film magazines with their big colour photos and gossip columns, or the National Enquirer. Such vulgarity is healthy and safe.
Actually, for some time now I have given some thought to opening a film school. But if I did start one up you would only be allowed to fill out an application form after you have walked alone on foot, let's say from Madrid to Kiev, a distance of about five thousand kilometres. While walking, write. Write about your experiences and give me your notebooks. I would be able to tell who had really walked the distance and who had not. While you are walking you would learn much more about filmmaking and what it truly involves than you ever would sitting in a classroom. During your voyage you will learn more about what your future holds than in five years at film school. Your experiences would be the very opposite of academic knowledge, for academia is the death of cinema. It is the very opposite of passion.
Film is not the art of scholars, but of illiterates.
On Klaus KinskiEdit
We had mutual respect for each other, even as we both planned each other's murder.
People think we had a love-hate relationship. Well, I did not love him, nor did I hate him. We had mutual respect for each other, even as we both planned each other's murder.
Incredible. I didn't know how to calm him down, and then I had an inspiration. I went to my hut, where, for months I had hidden a piece of chocolate. We would almost have killed one another for something like that. I went back to him, going right into his face and ate the chocolate. All of a sudden he was quiet. This was utterly beyond him.
Often he was a joy, and you know, he was one of the few people I ever learned anything from.
Quotes about HerzogEdit
Werner, nobody will read this book if I don't write bad stuff about you. If I wrote that we get along well together, nobody would buy it. The scum only wants to hear about the dirt, all the time. ~ Klaus Kinski
Werner, nobody will read this book if I don't write bad stuff about you. If I wrote that we get along well together, nobody would buy it. The scum only wants to hear about the dirt, all the time.
Klaus Kinski, in 1988, as quoted in My Best Fiend (1999) by Werner Herzog
His speech is clumsy, with a toadlike indolence, long winded, pedantic, choppy. The words tumble from his mouth in sentence fragments, which he holds back as much as possible, as if they were earning interest. It takes forever and a day for him to push out a clump of hardened brain snot. Then he writhes in painful ecstasy, as if he had sugar on his rotten teeth. A very slow blab machine. An obsolete model with a non-working switch — it can't be turned off unless you cut off the electric power altogether. So I'd have to smash him in the kisser. No, I'd have to knock him unconscious. But even if he were unconscious he'd keep talking. Even if his vocal cords were sliced through, he'd keep talking like a ventriloquist. Even if his throat were cut and his head were chopped off, speech balloons would still dangle from his mouth like gases emitted by internal decay.
Klaus Kinski, in Kinski Uncut : The Autobiography of Klaus Kinski (1996), p. 213
He should be thrown alive to the crocodiles! An anaconda should strangle him slowly! A poisonous spider should sting him and paralyze his lungs! The most venomous serpent should bite him and make his brain explode! No — panther claws should rip open his throat — that would be much too good for him! Huge red ants should piss into his lying eyes and gobble up his balls and his guts! He should catch the plague! Syphilis! Yellow fever! Leprosy! It's no use; the more I wish him the most gruesome deaths, the more he haunts me.
Klaus Kinski, in Kinski Uncut : The Autobiography of Klaus Kinski (1996), p. 220-21
Herzog is a miserable, hateful, malevolent, avaricious, money-hungry, nasty, sadistic, treacherous, cowardly creep. His so-called "talent" consists of nothing but tormenting helpless creatures and, if necessary, torturing them to death or simply murdering them. He doesn't care about anyone or anything except his career as a so-called filmmaker. Driven by a pathological addiction to sensationalism, he creates the most sensless difficulties and dangers, risking other people's safety and even their lives — just so he can eventually say that he, Herzog, has beaten seemingly unbeatable odds. For his movies he hires retards and amateurs whom he can push around (and alledgedly hypnotize!), and he pays them starvation wages or zilch. He also uses freaks and cripples of every conceivable size and shape, merely to look interesting. He doesn't have the foggiest inkling of how to make movies. He doesn't even try to direct the actors anymore. Long ago, when I ordered him to keep his trap shut, he gave up asking me whether I'm willing to carry out his stupid and boring ideas.
[Kinski and Herzog] were both ridiculous, flaming egomaniacs of only slightly different stripes — Kinski’s ugliness was flailing, external; a flash fire that burned itself, and himself, out. Herzog’s rage was of the passive-aggressive, festering sort, and therefore more dangerous... Herzog was an inverted sociopath; Kinski threw loud vocal fits, repressing nothing. Who was more sick? Werner Herzog was the visual version of Kinski’s extremity. Kinski exploited hearts; Herzog exploited landscapes and native peoples.
Cintra Wilson, in "Devoured by Demons", Slate (22 April 2004)
Herzog at the Internet Movie Database
Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972) at the Internet Movie Database
Video clips from Burden of Dreams (1982) at the University of Berkeley, California (Realplayer format)
Ruthless Reviews on Lessons of Darkness (1992)
Interview on directing and editing Grizzly Man
Retrieved from "https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Werner_Herzog&oldid=2451987"
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Hammer Island
From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
Hammer Island inhabitants celebrating the equinox in which Hammer Time reaches its peak.
For those without comedic tastes, the so-called experts at Wikipedia have an article about Hammer Island.
Hammer Island is a small island located underground in a poisonous sewer of Harlem. It is mostly inhabited by short, crab-like Black men called "Hammer-heads", all of which resemble the famous MC Hammer in appearance. Hammer Island uses the time structure known as Hammer Time.
It's believed that Hammer Island was founded years ago during the Civil War, when Yo Momma was so fat, she sat on the underground railroad, sending it further thus. An unfortunate tribe of Hammer-heads was crab-walking sideways when they fell to their deaths into this massive chasm. To cover up and avoid public emnity, President Abraham Lincoln attempted to mask the huge pit as a construction site for "The utmost protection of the negro heritage." Previously, during the Slavery era, composer Marcus West had expressed outrage at Honest Abe's poor response to emergencies, declaring "Lincoln doesn't care about black people." To combat such insults, Lincoln promptly began construction of Harlem, a new borough in the State of New York, directly above the pit in which the Hammer-heads had fallen into. What Lincoln had not counted on was the Hammer-heads' remains, which still contained the Hammer-heads' left behind egg sac, a gross, slimy ball of vitality that carried on their genetic code. Soon a new race of Hammer-heads began to grow, and in 1896, explorer Indiana Jones discovered these wonderous people underground beneath Harlem. He named the island after their lord and saviour, MC Hammer, and Hammer Island was born. HAMMER TIME!
Government on Hammer Island[edit]
Hammer Island was originally a democracy, but after massive dispute over who's badder than who, the Island nation was taken over by a Dictator, which is a form of penis crossed with a potato. However, terrible puns did not keep the Hammer-heads amused forever. They needed sustenance to survive the funky climate of Hammer Island. Thus the Dictator suppressed rebellion with socialist provisions of cheese and crackers.
The Hammerocracy put the "rock" in the Dictatorship of Hammer Island.
The Culture of Hammer Island[edit]
Most of the lives of Hammer Island's people is spent preparing for and completing "the routine" during Hammer Time. If the routine is not completed, a severe consequence could result. However, every single day, whenever Hammer Time occurs, these strange men carry it out. This leads many of the Hammer-heads to worship with a religion known as "Hammer-ism".
Retrieved from "http://en.uncyclopedia.co/w/index.php?title=Hammer_Island&oldid=5046634"
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(Redirected from Kyat)
(Burmese)
1 kyat (1990) 1,000 kyats (2004)
Subunit
1⁄100
Freq. used
K50, K100, K200, K500, K1000, K5000, K10,000.
50 pyas, K1, K5, K10, K20, K15, K45, K90.
K1, K5, K10, K50, K100.
User(s)
Central Bank of Myanmar
www.cbm.gov.mm
The World Factbook, 2016 est.
The kyat (/kiˈɑːt/, US: /ˈtʃɑːt/ or /ˈkjɑːt/;[1] Burmese: ကျပ် [tɕaʔ]; ISO 4217 code MMK) is the currency of Myanmar (Burma). It is often abbreviated as "K" (singular or plural) or "Ks" (plural), which is placed before or after the numerical value, depending on author preference.
The term kyat derives from the ancient Burmese unit kyattha, equal to 16.3 grams of silver.[2][3]
1 Current MMK exchange rates
2.1 First kyat, 1852-1889
2.2 Second Kyat, 1943-1945
2.3 Third kyat, 1952-
3.1 First kyat
3.2 Second kyat
3.3 Third kyat
4.3.1 1965-1971
4.3.3 1989 to present
4.4 Foreign Exchange Certificates
4.5 Re-design Proposal
Current MMK exchange rates[edit]
From 2001-2012, the official exchange rate varied between 5.75 and 6.70 kyats per US dollar (8.20 to 7.00 kyats per euro). However, the street rate (black market rate), which more accurately took into account the standing of the national economy, has varied from 750 kyats to 1335 kyats per USD (985 to 1475 kyats per EUR). The black market exchange rates (USD to MMK) decrease during the peak of the tourist season in Burma (December to January).
On 2 April 2012, the Central Bank of Myanmar announced that the value of the kyat against the US dollar would float, setting an initial rate of K 818 per US dollar.[4]
On 20 March 2013, the Finance Ministry announced that it would abolish Foreign Exchange Certificates (FEC), which were mandatory for tourists to buy at least US$200 worth of until 2003, a measure used to stop visitors from exchanging on the black market.[5]
Current MMK exchange rates
From Google Finance: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From Yahoo! Finance: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From XE: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From OANDA: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From fxtop.com: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
First kyat, 1852-1889[edit]
The kyat was a denomination of both silver and gold coinages in Burma until 1889. It was divided into 20 pe, each of 4 pya, with the mu and mat worth 2 and 4 pe, respectively. Nominally, 16 silver kyats equal 1 gold kyat. The silver kyat was equivalent to the Indian rupee, which replaced the kyat after Burma was conquered by the British.
Second Kyat, 1943-1945[edit]
When the Japanese occupied Burma in 1942, they introduced a currency based on the rupee. This was later replaced by banknotes in all kyat denominations. This kyat was subdivided into 100 cents. The currency became worthless at the end of the war when the Burmese rupee was reintroduced in 1945.
Third kyat, 1952-[edit]
The present kyat was introduced on 1 July 1952. It replaced the rupee at par. Decimalisation also took place, with the kyat subdivided into 100 pya.
Coins[edit]
First kyat[edit]
In 1852, Mindon, the second last king of Burma, established the Royal Mint in Mandalay (Central Burma). The dies were made in Paris. Silver coins were minted in denominations of 1 pe, 1 mu (2 pe), 1 mat (4 pe), 5 mu (10 pe) and 1 kyat, with gold 1 pe and 1 mu. The obverses bore the Royal Peacock Seal, from which the coins got their name. The reverse contained the denomination and mint date (in the Burmese era, which starts from AD 638). In the 1860s and 1870s, lead coins were issued for 1⁄8 and 1⁄4 pya, with copper, brass, tin and iron 1⁄4 pe (1 pya) and copper 2 pya. Further gold coins were issued in 1866 for 1 pe, 2 1⁄2 mu and 1 kyat, with 5 mu issued in 1878.
Second kyat[edit]
No coins were issued for this currency.
Third kyat[edit]
In 1956, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 pyas and 1 kyat. The new coins bore the same obverse figure of the Chinthe from the Second kyat coins and the same reverse design, with the value of the coin in Myanmar writing and numerals surrounded by Myanmar flower designs.
1956-1966 issued coins [6]
1 pya 18 mm 2.2 g Bronze
90% copper
10% zinc Plain Chinthe Value (digit),Value (writing), year of minting, Myanmar flower designs 1956
5 pyas 19.5 mm 3.17 g Copper-nickel Plain Chinthe Value (digit),Value (writing), year of minting, Myanmar flower designs 1956
10 pyas 19.5 mm 4.46 g Copper-nickel Plain Value (digit),Value (writing), year of minting, Myanmar flower designs 1956
50 pyas 26 mm 7.8 g Copper-nickel Plain Value (digit),Value (writing), year of minting, Myanmar flower designs 1956
1 kyat 30.5 mm 11.65 g Copper-nickel Plain Value (digit),Value (writing), year of minting, Myanmar flower designs 1956
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimeter. For table standards, see the coin specification table.
In 1966, all coins were redesigned to feature Aung San on the obverse and were all changed in composition to aluminium. Furthermore, the coins were slightly reduced in size. However, they retained the same shapes and overall appearance of the previous series of coins. These were circulated until being discontinued in 1983.
In 1983, a new series of coins was issued in bronze or brass 5, 10, 25, 50 pyas and cupro-nickel 1 kyat. Although the 25 pyas were initially round, it was later redesigned as hexagonal due to size and appearance confusions with the 10 and 50 pyas. These would be the last official series of coins to be issued under the name of "Burma."
1 pya coins were last minted in 1966, with the 5 and 25 pyas last minted in 1987 and the 10 and 50 pyas in 1991.
In 1999, a new series of coins was issued in denominations of bronze 1 kyat, brass 5 and 10 kyats, and cupro-nickel 50 and 100 kyats under the name "Central Bank of Myanmar." These are also the first coins of Burma to depict Latin letters. These coins were intended for vendors and services as an alternative to large amounts of worn out, low denomination banknotes. High inflation has since pushed these coins out of circulation.
In late 2008, the Myanmar government announced that new 50 and 100 kyat coins would be issued. According to newspaper articles, the new 50 kyat coin would be made of copper, with the usual Burmese lion on the obverse and the Lotus Fountain from Naypyidaw on the reverse. The 100 Kyat coin would be of cupro-nickel and depict the Burmese lion on the obverse and the value on the reverse.
Date of first minting
[7] 10 pyas 10 mm Brass Rice plant, "Central Bank of Myanmar" in Burmese Value in Burmese numerals 1991
50 pyas 24.6 mm Brass Rice plant, "Central Bank of Myanmar" in Burmese Value in Burmese numerals 1991
[8] 1 kyat Chinthe, "Central Bank of Myanmar" and value in Burmese Bank title and value in English and Arabic numerals 1999
[9] 5 kyats 20 mm 2.73 g Brass Plain Chinthe, "Central Bank of Myanmar" and value in Burmese Bank title and value in English and Arabic numerals 1999
[10] 10 kyats 23.5 mm
[11] 50 kyats 23.85 mm 5.06 g Cupronickel Reeded Chinthe, "Central Bank of Myanmar" and value in Burmese Bank title and value in English and Arabic numerals 1999
[12] 100 kyats 26.8 mm 7.52 g
For table standards, see the coin specification table.
Banknotes[edit]
No banknotes was issued for this currency.
The Burma State Bank issued notes for 1, 5, 10 and 100 kyats in 1944, followed by a further issue of 100 kyat notes in 1945.
1944/1945 Series
K1 109 × 63 mm Blue Peacock and "1 kyat" written in Myanmar with rising sun in background Mandalay Royal Palace "Bamar" written in Myanmar language embedded in guilloché pattern 1944
K5 130 × 72 mm Red Peacock and "5 kyats" written in Myanmar with rising sun in background
K10 146 × 84 mm Green Peacock and "10 kyats" written in Myanmar with rising sun in background
K100 160 × 90 mm Bright Orange Peacock and "100 kyats" written in Myanmar with rising sun in background
K100 155 × 95 mm Dark blue Peacock and "100 kyats" written over Myanmar "100" numerals with image of Head of State Ba Maw on right Mandalay Royal Palace in center bordered by Myanmar nāgas with "100" in Myanmar numerals on left and right Head of State Ba Maw's image 1945
For table standards, see the banknote specification table.
A 5 kyat denomination note featuring Aung San
In 1952, the Union Bank of Burma formed a Currency Board which took over control of the issuing of currency and a more important change to the currency was the introduction of the decimal system in which 1 kyat was decimalised into 100 pyas.[13] On 12 February 1958, the Union Bank of Burma introduced the first kyat notes, in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 100 kyats. These were very similar in design to the last series of rupee notes, issued earlier. Later on, 21 August 1958, 20 and 50 kyats notes were introduced. The 50 and 100 kyat notes were demonetised on 15 May 1964. This was the first of several demonetisations, ostensibly carried out with the aim of fighting black marketeering.
1965-1971[edit]
The Peoples Bank of Burma took over note production in 1965 with an issue of 1, 5, 10 and 20 kyats notes.
K1 115 × 66 mm Purple and grey General Aung San Inle Lake fisherman Series of semi-circles 30 April 1965
K5 150 × 70 mm Green Farmer and cow Pattern throughout paper 1965
K10 159 × 81 mm Red Woman picking cotton
K20 169 × 90 mm Brown Cultivating tractor
In 1972, the Union of Burma Bank took over note issuance, with notes introduced between 1972 and 1979 for 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 kyats. The notes were printed by the Security Printing Works in Wazi, Upper Burma (established c. 1972) under the technical direction of the German printing firm Giesecke & Devrient.
A 35 kyats note issued in 1986.
On 3 November 1985, the 50-, and 100-kyats notes were demonetized without warning, though the public was allowed to exchange limited amounts of the old notes for new ones. All other denominations then in circulation remained legal tender. On 10 November 1985, 75-kyats notes were introduced, the odd denomination possibly chosen because of dictator general Ne Win's predilection for numerology; the 75-kyats note was supposedly introduced to commemorate his 75th birthday. It was followed by the introduction of 15- and 35- kyats notes on 1 August 1986.
Only two years later, on 5 September 1987, the government demonetised the 25-, 35-, and 75-kyats notes without warning or compensation, rendering some 75% of the country's currency worthless and eliminating the savings of millions of Burmese. On 22 September 1987, banknotes for 45 and 90 kyats were introduced, both of which incorporated Ne Win's favourite number, nine. The resulting economic disturbances led to serious riots and eventually a coup d'état in 1988 by General Saw Maung.
1972-1987 Series
issue suspension
K 1 124 × 60 mm Green General Aung San Weaving Loom 31 October 1972 Fall into disuse, wear and tear
K 5 136 × 70 mm Blue Palm Tree 31 October 1973 Fall into disuse, wear and tear
K 10 146 × 80 mm Reddish Brown Ceremonial Offering Bowl 30 June 1973 Fall into disuse, wear and tear
K 15 149 × 71 mm Light green Zawgyi wood carving 1 August 1986 Fall into disuse, wear and tear
K 25 155 × 90 mm Orange Pyinsarupa 3 November 1985 5 September 1987
K 35 155 × 74 mm Violet Standing Nat Thar 1 August 1986 5 September 1987
K 45 158 × 77,5 mm Blue-green Thakin Po Hla Gyi Oil field workers and oil drills 22 September 1987 Fall into disuse, wear and tear
K 50 166 × 100 mm Yellow-Brown General Aung San Law Ka Nat July 1979 3 November 1985
K 75 161 × 77 mm Brown 10 November 1985 5 September 1987
K 90 167 × 80 mm Light green Saya San Farmers and bullock cart 22 September 1987 Fall into disuse, wear and tear
K 100 176 × 110 mm Light green General Aung San Saung gauk 1 August 1976 3 November 1985
Banknotes of 50 pyas, 1 kyat and 5 kyats are rare. Most daily transactions are round up to nearest 10 kyats.
1989 to present[edit]
Following the change of the country's name to Myanmar on 20 June 1989, new notes began to be issued, but returning to more useful or practical denominations. This time, the old notes were not demonetised, but simply allowed to fall into disuse through inflation as well as wear and tear. On 1 March 1990, 1-kyat notes were issued, followed by 200-kyats notes on 27 March 1990. On 27 March 1994, notes for 50 pyas, 20, 50, 100, and 500 kyats were issued, followed on 1 May 1995, by new 5- and 10-kyats notes. 1,000-kyats notes were introduced in November 1998.
In 2003, rumours of another pending demonetisation swept through the country, resulting in the junta issuing official denials, but this time, the demonetization did not materialise. In 2004, the sizes of the 200, 500, and 1,000 kyats notes were reduced in size (to make all Burmese banknotes uniform in size) but larger notes were allowed to remain in circulation. 50 pyas, 1, 5, 10 and 20 kyats banknotes are now rarely seen, because of their low value.
A 5,000 kyats note issued in October 2009.
On 1 October 2009, 5,000-kyats banknotes were issued measuring 150 x 70 mm. Along the top front is written Central Bank of Myanmar in Burmese, and in the centre is a white elephant. On the back is a picture of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union) legislature buildings, the Central Bank of Myanmar with "FIVE THOUSAND KYATS 5000" written in English. This new denomination is five times larger than the previous largest denomination.[14] Public response has been mixed, with some welcoming a higher value note reducing the number of banknotes which need to be carried. Other responses have suggested a widespread fear that this will simply fuel the current rate of inflation, which was supported by a jump in the black market exchange rates following the public announcement of this change.[15][16] The Central Bank of Myanmar introduced new 5,000-kyats banknotes on 1 October 2014 to prevent counterfeiting, it reported on 18 September. The revised notes are varnished and have enhancements made to the printing, watermarks, and security thread and is the same size, colour and design as the 2009 issue, which continues to be used. The new notes will last longer and be cleaner, the central bank said. The announcement followed recent media reports that counterfeit Ks 5,000 and Ks 10,000 banknotes were circulating widely. Police seized eight counterfeit Ks 10,000 bills and a printer allegedly used to make them on 12 September in Yangon’s Tamwe Township.[17]
On 9 June 2012, the Central Bank announced that 10,000-kyats notes would be introduced into circulation to better facilitate financial transactions in a largely cash-oriented economy. They were issued on 15 June 2012.[18][19]
Ever since the Third Kyat was introduced, the Myanmar currency has no indication of the date in which the note came into circulation nor the signature of the issuing authority.
50 pyas 110 × 55 mm Obverse: Purple and orange
Reverse: Multicolor Saung gauk Guilloché pattern "BCM" 27 March 1994
K1 Orange Bogyoke Aung San Guilloché pattern Bogyoke Aung San 1 March 1990
K1 Blue-purple Chinthe Boat-rowing at Kandawgyi Lake, Yangon "BCM" 31 October 1996
K5 130 × 60 mm Brown and blue Chinlone cane ball game Chinthe 1 May 1995
Chinthe bust over value 1997
K10 Purple A karaweik (royal regalia boat) Chinthe 1 May 1995
K20 145 × 70 mm Green People's Park and Elephant Fountain, Yangon Chinthe bust over value 27 March 1994
K50 Orange-brown Lacquerware artisan Chinthe 27 March 1994
K100 Blue, green, and pink Temple renovation Chinthe 27 March 1994
Chinthe bust over value
[20] [21] K200 165 × 80 mm Dark green Elephant teak-logger Chinthe 27 March 1990; 1998 Value below watermark
150 × 70 mm Chinthe bust over value 11 December 2004 Value above watermark
[22] [23] K500 165 × 80 mm Purple and brown A General Mahabandoola statue being painted Chinthe 27 March 1994 Value above watermark
150 × 70 mm Chinthe bust over value 10 October 2004 Value below watermark
K1000 165 × 80 mm Green and purple Ministry of Finance and Revenue Chinthe November 1998 Value above watermark
K5000 150 × 70 mm Orange and pink Elephant Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union) legislature buildings in Zeya Theddhi Ward of Naypyidaw Elephant profile over value 1 October 2009[24] Value above watermark
K10,000 [25] 150 × 70 mm Blue, red, purple, green, brown and yellow Modified State Seal of Myanmar (Features a lotus and a pair of elephant, instead of a star, a pair of Chinthe lion and the Armiger as in the Original State Seal) Mandalay Royal Palace Moat Lotus Flower profile over value 15 June 2012 Value above watermark
Foreign Exchange Certificates[edit]
In 1993, Myanmar began issuing foreign exchange certificates (FEC) in denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 20 kyats. These were exchanged on a parity ratio with the United States Dollar and were valued separately from the regular kyat. Conversion of foreign currency into kyats was made illegal as exchange rates were set artificially high. During much of this period, two valuations of the Myanmar kyat emerged; The official rate which averaged around 6 MMK = 1 USD, and the black market rate which averaged tens of times higher. Foreign visitors to Myanmar could only transact currency in FEC's or could only obtain kyats at the artificially high official rates. Illegal peddlers often had to be sought out to exchange currency.
On 1 April 2012, the Government of Myanmar began allowing for a managed float of the kyat and legalised the use and exchange of foreign currencies in Myanmar to better reflect the global exchange rates, attract investment, and to weaken the black markets. On 20 March 2013, the government announced the discontinuation and gradual withdrawal of FEC's.
Re-design Proposal[edit]
Following the removal of General Aung San's portraits from the banknotes of the Myanmar kyat in 1987, there have been calls by both the public and opposition politicians to reinstate them, as well as criticizing the use of animals on banknotes in circulation. Writer U Nyi Maung notes that foreign countries use portraits of their national leaders and heroes on their banknotes, such as Thailand, and encourages the reinstatement of General Aung San's portrait on the Kyat to remember his legacy. In October 2017, a proposal was submitted by National League for Democracy MP U Aung Khin Win to debate the issue in the Pyithu Hluttaw.[26]
While the Central Bank of Myanmar argues that the cost of reprinting new notes bearing the General's portrait would be monumental considering Myanmar's current economic situation, U Aung Khin Win stated that new notes would only be reprinted to replace damaged notes or in the release of new denominations or size of Kyat banknotes.[26]
The debate on this issue took place in the Pyithu Hluttaw on 17 November 2017. The proposal was wholly rejected by the military bloc, but it was passed with 286 votes for, and 109 against.[27]
^ Jones, Daniel (2003) [1917], Peter Roach; James Hartmann; Jane Setter (eds.), English Pronouncing Dictionary, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 3-12-539683-2
^ Yule, Sir Henry; Burnell, Arthur Coke (30 July 1968). "Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive". Munshiram Manoharlal – via Google Books.
^ Robinson, Michael; Shaw, Lewis A. (30 July 1980). "The Coins and Banknotes of Burma". M. Robinson and L.A. Shaw – via Google Books.
^ "Burma sets currency exchange rate as it floats the kyat". BBC News. 2 April 2012.
^ Maierbrugger, Arno (20 March 2013). "Myanmar phases out dollar surrogate". Inside Investor. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
^ "Series of Bank Notes and Coins - Central Bank of Myanmar". Cbm.gov.mm.
^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Worldcoingallery.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ "History of Bank Notes - Central Bank of Myanmar". Cbm.gov.mm. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ Linzmayer, Owen (2012). "Myanmar". The Banknote Book. BanknoteNews.com. San Francisco, California.
^ "New Myanmar kyat note". Myanmar2day.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ Myanmar new 5,000-kyat note confirmed BanknoteNews.com, 9 October 2009.
^ "Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money". Nutmegcollector.blogspot.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ "Get complete access to The Washington Post online - it's FREE!". The Washington Post. 7 June 2012. [dead link]
^ "Myanmar new 10,000-kyat note confirmed". Banknotenews.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ "Banknote World - World Currency & Paper Money Collectors". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008.
^ "Banknote World - World Currency & Paper Money Collectors". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011.
^ "Myanmar new 5,000-kyat note confirmed". Banknotenews.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ "Burma to issue 10,000-kyat banknote". Web.archive.org. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ a b "Aung San returns to Kyat notes". The Myanmar Times. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
^ "Gen Aung San to Return to Banknotes Despite Military Disapproval". The Irrawaddy. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (1991). Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1801–1991 (18th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873411501.
Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (2003). 2004 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901–Present. Colin R. Bruce II (senior editor) (31st ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873495934.
Pick, Albert (1994). Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: General Issues. Colin R. Bruce II and Neil Shafer (editors) (7th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87341-207-9.
Cuhaj, George S. (editor) (2006). Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: Modern Issues 1961-Present (12th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0-89689-356-1. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
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Late 14th – early 15th-century icon.
Iconoclasm is the social belief in the importance of the destruction of usually religious icons and other images or monuments, most frequently for religious or political reasons.
This history article is a stub. You can help Wikiquote by expanding it.
For Egypt, the greatest horror was the destruction or abduction of the cult images. In the eyes of the Israelites, the erection of images meant the destruction of divine presence; in the eyes of the Egyptians, this same effect was attained by the destruction of images. In Egypt, iconoclasm was the most terrible religious crime; in Israel, the most terrible religious crime was idolatry. In this respect Osarseph alias Akhenaten, the iconoclast, and the Golden Calf, the paragon of idolatry, correspond to each other inversely, and it is strange that Aaron could so easily avoid the role of the religious criminal. It is more than probable that these traditions evolved under mutual influence. In this respect, Moses and Akhenaten became, after all, closely related. ~ Jan Assmann
And not only Hezekias, but also Manasses, and Jehosaphat, and Josias, the best kings that were of the Jews, did pull down images in the time of their reign. ~ Thomas Cranmer
For Egypt, the greatest horror was the destruction or abduction of the cult images. In the eyes of the Israelites, the erection of images meant the destruction of divine presence; in the eyes of the Egyptians, this same effect was attained by the destruction of images. In Egypt, iconoclasm was the most terrible religious crime; in Israel, the most terrible religious crime was idolatry. In this respect Osarseph alias Akhenaten, the iconoclast, and the Golden Calf, the paragon of idolatry, correspond to each other inversely, and it is strange that Aaron could so easily avoid the role of the religious criminal. It is more than probable that these traditions evolved under mutual influence. In this respect, Moses and Akhenaten became, after all, closely related.
Jan Assmann, From Akhenaten to Moses: Ancient Egypt and Religious Change, pg. 76, 2014, The American University in Cairo Press.
Now forasmuch, good children, as images be neither necessary nor profitable in our churches and temples, nor were not used at the beginning in Christ's nor the Apostles' time, nor many years after, and that at length they were brought in by bishops of Rome, maugre emperors' teeth; and seeing also, that they be very slanderous to Christ's religion, for by them the name of God is blasphemed among the infidels, Turks, and Jews, which because of our images do call Christian religion, idolatry and worshiping of images: and for as much also, as they have been so wonderfully abused within this realm to the high contumely and dishonor of God, and have been great cause of blindness and of much contention among the King's Majesty's loving subjects and are like so to be still, if they should remain: and chiefly seeing God's word speaketh so much against them, you may hereby right well consider what great causes and ground the King's Majesty had to take them away within his realm, following here in the example of the godly King Hezekias, who brake down the brazen serpent, when he saw it worshiped, and was therefore praised of God, notwithstanding at the first the same was made and set up by God's commandment, and was not only a remembrance of God's benefits, before received, but also a figure of Christ to come. And not only Hezekias, but also Manasses, and Jehosaphat, and Josias, the best kings that were of the Jews, did pull down images in the time of their reign.
The Life, Martyrdom, and Selections from the Writings of Thomas Cranmer by Thomas Cranmer, p.139-142, (1809)
“At least from 1540 onwards,” writes Dr. T. R. de Souza “and in the island of Goa before that year, all the Hindu idols had been annihilated or had disappeared, all the temples had been destroyed and their sites and building materials were in most cases utilised to erect new Christian churches and chapels.
M. D. David (ed.), Western Colonialism in Asia and Christianity, Bombay, 1988, p. 17. Quoted in S.R. Goel: History of Hindu-Christian Encounters (1996)
Aurangzeb cared nothing for art, destroyed its "heathen" monuments with coarse bigotry, and fought, through a reign of half a century, to eradicate from India almost all religions but his own. He issued orders to the provincial governors, and to his other subordinates, to raze to the ground all the temples of either Hindus or Christians, to smash every idol, and to close every Hindu school. In one year ( 1679-80) sixty-six temples were broken to pieces in Amber alone, sixty-three at Chitor, one hundred and twenty-three at Udaipur; and over the site of a Benares temple especially sacred to the Hindus he built, in deliberate insult, a Mohammedan mosque.
Will Durant, Our Oriental Heritage, ch. XVI
What avails, then, the folly of the painter, who from sinful love of gain depicts that which should not be depicted—that is, with his polluted hands he tries to fashion that which should only be believed in the heart and confessed with the mouth? He makes an image and calls it Christ.
Iconoclastic Conciliabulum, 754 AD, § 16, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Second Series, Volume XIV, P. Schaff, ed. (1900), p. 543
If anyone shall endeavor to represent the forms of the Saints in lifeless pictures with material colors which are of no value (for this notion is vain and introduced by the devil), and does not rather represent their virtues as living images in himself, let him be anathema!
Many strong temples which would have remained unshaken even by the trumpet blown on the Day of Judgment, were levelled with the ground when swept by the wind of Islam.
Amir Khusrow. About Sultan ‘Alau’d-Din Khalji (AD 1296-1316) and his generals conquests in Jhain (Rajasthan). Amir Khusrow in S.A.A. Rizvi, Khalji Kalina Bharata, Aligarh, 1955, pp. 160
The idols he saw amazed him… Next day he got those idols of gold smashed with stones. The pillars of wood were burnt down by his order… A cry rose from the temples as if a second Mahmud had taken birth.
Miftahu'l-Futuh by Amir Khusrow. About Sultan Jalalu’d -Din Khalji (AD 1290-1296) in Jhain (Rajasthan) Translated from the Hindi version by S.A.A. Rizvi included in Khalji Kalina Bharata, Aligarh, 1955, pp. 153-54.
So the temple of Somnath was made to bow towards the Holy Mecca; and as the temple lowered its head and jumped into the sea, you may say that the building first said its prayers and then had a bath…
Amir Khusrow Khazainu’l-Futuh. About Sultan ‘Alau’d-Din Khalji (AD 1296-1316) and his generals conquests in Somnath (Gujarat). Amir Khusrow , in Mohammed Habib's translation quoted by Jagdish Narayan Sarkar, The Art of War in Medieval India, New Delhi, 1964, pp. 286-87.
And, above all, don't let us forget India, the cradle of the human race, or at least of that part of it to which we belong, where first Mohammedans, and then Christians, were most cruelly infuriated against the adherents of the original faith of mankind. The destruction or disfigurement of the ancient temples and idols, a lamentable, mischievous and barbarous act, still bears witness to the monotheistic fury of the Mohammedans, carried on from Mahmud the Ghaznevid of cursed memory down to Aureng Zeb, the fratricide, whom the Portuguese Christians have zealously imitated by destruction of temples and the auto da fe of the inquisition at Goa.
Arthur Schopenhauer The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer - Translated By T. Bailey Saunders [1]
Monotheistic religions alone furnish the spectacle of religious wars, religious persecutions, heretical tribunals, that breaking of idols and destruction of images of the gods, that razing of Indian temples and Egyptian colossi, which had looked on the sun 3,000 years: just because a jealous god had said, 'Thou shalt make no graven image.'
Arthur Schopenhauer, Religion: A Dialogue
Not satisfied with this, after entering Peking, Lord Elgin ordered the burning of the Summer Palace `whose splendours' the conquerors themselves had `found it difficult to describe'. This action Elgin in his ignorance had imagined would impress the Oriental and leave a lasting fear of the European in the Chinese mind. By a strange process of reasoning, the Europeans have, throughout their relations with Asians, convinced themselves that acts of savagery and inhumanity will increase their prestige in the eyes of Asian people. ... The Elgins have been unfortunate in their historical imagination- — whether it be in respect of Greek marbles or Chinese palaces.
Panikkar, K. M. (1953). Asia and Western dominance, a survey of the Vasco da Gama epoch of Asian history, 1498-1945, by K.M. Panikkar. London: G. Allen and Unwin.
We now realize that the destruction of the Bamian Buddhas itself was a loud warning signal to the world of far greater devastation that was on the way.
Belief and Bloodshed: Religion and Violence across Time and Tradition, James K. Wellman, Jr.
The Sultan thus wrote respecting it: - "If any should wish to construct a building equal to this, he would not be able to do it without expending an hundred thousand, thousand red dinars, and it would occupy two hundred years even though the most experienced and able workmen were employed." The Sultan gave orders that all the temples should be burnt with naptha and fire, and levelled with the ground.
About Mahmud of Ghazni at Mathura. Kitãbul-Yamînî, in Elliot and Dowson, History of India as told by its own Historians, Vol. II, p.44-45
Byzantine Iconoclasm
Andreas Karlstadt
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Project acronym 1D-Engine
Project 1D-electrons coupled to dissipation: a novel approach for understanding and engineering superconducting materials and devices
Researcher (PI) Adrian KANTIAN
Host Institution (HI) Uppsala University
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE3, ERC-2017-STG
Summary Correlated electrons are at the forefront of condensed matter theory. Interacting quasi-1D electrons have seen vast progress in analytical and numerical theory, and thus in fundamental understanding and quantitative prediction. Yet, in the 1D limit fluctuations preclude important technological use, particularly of superconductors. In contrast, high-Tc superconductors in 2D/3D are not precluded by fluctuations, but lack a fundamental theory, making prediction and engineering of their properties, a major goal in physics, very difficult. This project aims to combine the advantages of both areas by making major progress in the theory of quasi-1D electrons coupled to an electron bath, in part building on recent breakthroughs (with the PIs extensive involvement) in simulating 1D and 2D electrons with parallelized density matrix renormalization group (pDMRG) numerics. Such theory will fundamentally advance the study of open electron systems, and show how to use 1D materials as elements of new superconducting (SC) devices and materials: 1) It will enable a new state of matter, 1D electrons with true SC order. Fluctuations from the electronic liquid, such as graphene, could also enable nanoscale wires to appear SC at high temperatures. 2) A new approach for the deliberate engineering of a high-Tc superconductor. In 1D, how electrons pair by repulsive interactions is understood and can be predicted. Stabilization by reservoir - formed by a parallel array of many such 1D systems - offers a superconductor for which all factors setting Tc are known and can be optimized. 3) Many existing superconductors with repulsive electron pairing, all presently not understood, can be cast as 1D electrons coupled to a bath. Developing chain-DMFT theory based on pDMRG will allow these materials SC properties to be simulated and understood for the first time. 4) The insights gained will be translated to 2D superconductors to study how they could be enhanced by contact with electronic liquids.
Correlated electrons are at the forefront of condensed matter theory. Interacting quasi-1D electrons have seen vast progress in analytical and numerical theory, and thus in fundamental understanding and quantitative prediction. Yet, in the 1D limit fluctuations preclude important technological use, particularly of superconductors. In contrast, high-Tc superconductors in 2D/3D are not precluded by fluctuations, but lack a fundamental theory, making prediction and engineering of their properties, a major goal in physics, very difficult. This project aims to combine the advantages of both areas by making major progress in the theory of quasi-1D electrons coupled to an electron bath, in part building on recent breakthroughs (with the PIs extensive involvement) in simulating 1D and 2D electrons with parallelized density matrix renormalization group (pDMRG) numerics. Such theory will fundamentally advance the study of open electron systems, and show how to use 1D materials as elements of new superconducting (SC) devices and materials: 1) It will enable a new state of matter, 1D electrons with true SC order. Fluctuations from the electronic liquid, such as graphene, could also enable nanoscale wires to appear SC at high temperatures. 2) A new approach for the deliberate engineering of a high-Tc superconductor. In 1D, how electrons pair by repulsive interactions is understood and can be predicted. Stabilization by reservoir - formed by a parallel array of many such 1D systems - offers a superconductor for which all factors setting Tc are known and can be optimized. 3) Many existing superconductors with repulsive electron pairing, all presently not understood, can be cast as 1D electrons coupled to a bath. Developing chain-DMFT theory based on pDMRG will allow these materials SC properties to be simulated and understood for the first time. 4) The insights gained will be translated to 2D superconductors to study how they could be enhanced by contact with electronic liquids.
Project acronym 3DBIOLUNG
Project Bioengineering lung tissue using extracellular matrix based 3D bioprinting
Researcher (PI) Darcy WAGNER
Host Institution (HI) LUNDS UNIVERSITET
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS9, ERC-2018-STG
Summary Chronic lung diseases are increasing in prevalence with over 65 million patients worldwide. Lung transplantation remains the only potential option at end-stage disease. Around 4000 patients receive lung transplants annually with more awaiting transplantation, including 1000 patients in Europe. New options to increase available tissue for lung transplantation are desperately needed. An exciting new research area focuses on generating lung tissue ex vivo using bioengineering approaches. Scaffolds can be generated from synthetic or biologically-derived (acellular) materials, seeded with cells and grown in a bioreactor prior to transplantation. Ideally, scaffolds would be seeded with cells derived from the transplant recipient, thus obviating the need for long-term immunosuppression. However, functional regeneration has yet to be achieved. New advances in 3D printing and 3D bioprinting (when cells are printed) indicate that this once thought of science-fiction concept might finally be mature enough for complex tissues, including lung. 3D bioprinting addresses a number of concerns identified in previous approaches, such as a) patient heterogeneity in acellular human scaffolds, b) anatomical differences in xenogeneic sources, c) lack of biological cues on synthetic materials and d) difficulty in manufacturing the complex lung architecture. 3D bioprinting could be a reproducible, scalable, and controllable approach for generating functional lung tissue. The aim of this proposal is to use custom 3D bioprinters to generate constructs mimicking lung tissue using an innovative approach combining primary cells, the engineering reproducibility of synthetic materials, and the biologically conductive properties of acellular lung (hybrid). We will 3D bioprint hybrid murine and human lung tissue models and test gas exchange, angiogenesis and in vivo immune responses. This proposal will be a critical first step in demonstrating feasibility of 3D bioprinting lung tissue.
Chronic lung diseases are increasing in prevalence with over 65 million patients worldwide. Lung transplantation remains the only potential option at end-stage disease. Around 4000 patients receive lung transplants annually with more awaiting transplantation, including 1000 patients in Europe. New options to increase available tissue for lung transplantation are desperately needed. An exciting new research area focuses on generating lung tissue ex vivo using bioengineering approaches. Scaffolds can be generated from synthetic or biologically-derived (acellular) materials, seeded with cells and grown in a bioreactor prior to transplantation. Ideally, scaffolds would be seeded with cells derived from the transplant recipient, thus obviating the need for long-term immunosuppression. However, functional regeneration has yet to be achieved. New advances in 3D printing and 3D bioprinting (when cells are printed) indicate that this once thought of science-fiction concept might finally be mature enough for complex tissues, including lung. 3D bioprinting addresses a number of concerns identified in previous approaches, such as a) patient heterogeneity in acellular human scaffolds, b) anatomical differences in xenogeneic sources, c) lack of biological cues on synthetic materials and d) difficulty in manufacturing the complex lung architecture. 3D bioprinting could be a reproducible, scalable, and controllable approach for generating functional lung tissue. The aim of this proposal is to use custom 3D bioprinters to generate constructs mimicking lung tissue using an innovative approach combining primary cells, the engineering reproducibility of synthetic materials, and the biologically conductive properties of acellular lung (hybrid). We will 3D bioprint hybrid murine and human lung tissue models and test gas exchange, angiogenesis and in vivo immune responses. This proposal will be a critical first step in demonstrating feasibility of 3D bioprinting lung tissue.
Project acronym 3DPROTEINPUZZLES
Project Shape-directed protein assembly design
Researcher (PI) Lars Ingemar ANDRÉ
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), LS9, ERC-2017-COG
Summary Large protein complexes carry out some of the most complex functions in biology. Such structures are often assembled spontaneously from individual components through the process of self-assembly. If self-assembled protein complexes could be engineered from first principle it would enable a wide range of applications in biomedicine, nanotechnology and materials science. Recently, approaches to rationally design proteins to self-assembly into predefined structures have emerged. The highlight of this work is the design of protein cages that may be engineered into protein containers. However, current approaches for self-assembly design does not result in the assemblies with the required structural complexity to encode many of the sophisticated functions found in nature. To move forward, we have to learn how to engineer protein subunits with more than one designed interface that can assemble into tightly interacting complexes. In this proposal we propose a new protein design paradigm, shape directed protein design, in order to address shortcomings of the current methodology. The proposed method combines geometric shape matching and computational protein design. Using this approach we will de novo design assemblies with a wide variety of structural states, including protein complexes with cyclic and dihedral symmetry as well as icosahedral protein capsids built from novel protein building blocks. To enable these two design challenges we also develop a high-throughput assay to measure assembly stability in vivo that builds on a three-color fluorescent assay. This method will not only facilitate the screening of orders of magnitude more design constructs, but also enable the application of directed evolution to experimentally improve stable and assembly properties of designed containers as well as other designed assemblies.
Large protein complexes carry out some of the most complex functions in biology. Such structures are often assembled spontaneously from individual components through the process of self-assembly. If self-assembled protein complexes could be engineered from first principle it would enable a wide range of applications in biomedicine, nanotechnology and materials science. Recently, approaches to rationally design proteins to self-assembly into predefined structures have emerged. The highlight of this work is the design of protein cages that may be engineered into protein containers. However, current approaches for self-assembly design does not result in the assemblies with the required structural complexity to encode many of the sophisticated functions found in nature. To move forward, we have to learn how to engineer protein subunits with more than one designed interface that can assemble into tightly interacting complexes. In this proposal we propose a new protein design paradigm, shape directed protein design, in order to address shortcomings of the current methodology. The proposed method combines geometric shape matching and computational protein design. Using this approach we will de novo design assemblies with a wide variety of structural states, including protein complexes with cyclic and dihedral symmetry as well as icosahedral protein capsids built from novel protein building blocks. To enable these two design challenges we also develop a high-throughput assay to measure assembly stability in vivo that builds on a three-color fluorescent assay. This method will not only facilitate the screening of orders of magnitude more design constructs, but also enable the application of directed evolution to experimentally improve stable and assembly properties of designed containers as well as other designed assemblies.
Project acronym 3DWATERWAVES
Project Mathematical aspects of three-dimensional water waves with vorticity
Researcher (PI) Erik Torsten Wahlén
Summary The goal of this project is to develop a mathematical theory for steady three-dimensional water waves with vorticity. The mathematical model consists of the incompressible Euler equations with a free surface, and vorticity is important for modelling the interaction of surface waves with non-uniform currents. In the two-dimensional case, there has been a lot of progress on water waves with vorticity in the last decade. This progress has mainly been based on the stream function formulation, in which the problem is reformulated as a nonlinear elliptic free boundary problem. An analogue of this formulation is not available in three dimensions, and the theory has therefore so far been restricted to irrotational flow. In this project we seek to go beyond this restriction using two different approaches. In the first approach we will adapt methods which have been used to construct three-dimensional ideal flows with vorticity in domains with a fixed boundary to the free boundary context (for example Beltrami flows). In the second approach we will develop methods which are new even in the case of a fixed boundary, by performing a detailed study of the structure of the equations close to a given shear flow using ideas from infinite-dimensional bifurcation theory. This involves handling infinitely many resonances.
The goal of this project is to develop a mathematical theory for steady three-dimensional water waves with vorticity. The mathematical model consists of the incompressible Euler equations with a free surface, and vorticity is important for modelling the interaction of surface waves with non-uniform currents. In the two-dimensional case, there has been a lot of progress on water waves with vorticity in the last decade. This progress has mainly been based on the stream function formulation, in which the problem is reformulated as a nonlinear elliptic free boundary problem. An analogue of this formulation is not available in three dimensions, and the theory has therefore so far been restricted to irrotational flow. In this project we seek to go beyond this restriction using two different approaches. In the first approach we will adapt methods which have been used to construct three-dimensional ideal flows with vorticity in domains with a fixed boundary to the free boundary context (for example Beltrami flows). In the second approach we will develop methods which are new even in the case of a fixed boundary, by performing a detailed study of the structure of the equations close to a given shear flow using ideas from infinite-dimensional bifurcation theory. This involves handling infinitely many resonances.
Project acronym 3Ps
Project 3Ps Plastic-Antibodies, Plasmonics and Photovoltaic-Cells: on-site screening of cancer biomarkers made possible
Researcher (PI) Maria Goreti Ferreira Sales
Host Institution (HI) INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE ENGENHARIA DO PORTO
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS7, ERC-2012-StG_20111109
Summary This project presents a new concept for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of cancer biomarker patterns in point-of-care. The device under development will make use of the selectivity of the plastic antibodies as sensing materials and the interference they will play on the normal operation of a photovoltaic cell. Plastic antibodies will be designed by surface imprinting procedures. Self-assembled monolayer and molecular imprinting techniques will be merged in this process because they allow the self-assembly of nanostructured materials on a “bottom-up” nanofabrication approach. A dye-sensitized solar cell will be used as photovoltaic cell. It includes a liquid interface in the cell circuit, which allows the introduction of the sample (also in liquid phase) without disturbing the normal cell operation. Furthermore, it works well with rather low cost materials and requires mild and easy processing conditions. The cell will be equipped with plasmonic structures to enhance light absorption and cell efficiency. The device under development will be easily operated by any clinician or patient. It will require ambient light and a regular multimeter. Eye detection will be also tried out.
This project presents a new concept for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of cancer biomarker patterns in point-of-care. The device under development will make use of the selectivity of the plastic antibodies as sensing materials and the interference they will play on the normal operation of a photovoltaic cell. Plastic antibodies will be designed by surface imprinting procedures. Self-assembled monolayer and molecular imprinting techniques will be merged in this process because they allow the self-assembly of nanostructured materials on a “bottom-up” nanofabrication approach. A dye-sensitized solar cell will be used as photovoltaic cell. It includes a liquid interface in the cell circuit, which allows the introduction of the sample (also in liquid phase) without disturbing the normal cell operation. Furthermore, it works well with rather low cost materials and requires mild and easy processing conditions. The cell will be equipped with plasmonic structures to enhance light absorption and cell efficiency. The device under development will be easily operated by any clinician or patient. It will require ambient light and a regular multimeter. Eye detection will be also tried out.
Project acronym 5D Heart Patch
Project A Functional, Mature In vivo Human Ventricular Muscle Patch for Cardiomyopathy
Researcher (PI) Kenneth Randall Chien
Host Institution (HI) KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), LS7, ERC-2016-ADG
Summary Developing new therapeutic strategies for heart regeneration is a major goal for cardiac biology and medicine. While cardiomyocytes can be generated from human pluripotent stem (hPSC) cells in vitro, it has proven difficult to use these cells to generate a large scale, mature human heart ventricular muscle graft on the injured heart in vivo. The central objective of this proposal is to optimize the generation of a large-scale pure, fully functional human ventricular muscle patch in vivo through the self-assembly of purified human ventricular progenitors and the localized expression of defined paracrine factors that drive their expansion, differentiation, vascularization, matrix formation, and maturation. Recently, we have found that purified hPSC-derived ventricular progenitors (HVPs) can self-assemble in vivo on the epicardial surface into a 3D vascularized, and functional ventricular patch with its own extracellular matrix via a cell autonomous pathway. A two-step protocol and FACS purification of HVP receptors can generate billions of pure HVPs- The current proposal will lead to the identification of defined paracrine pathways to enhance the survival, grafting/implantation, expansion, differentiation, matrix formation, vascularization and maturation of the graft in vivo. We will captalize on our unique HVP system and our novel modRNA technology to deliver therapeutic strategies by using the in vivo human ventricular muscle to model in vivo arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, and optimize the ability of the graft to compensate for the massive loss of functional muscle during ischemic cardiomyopathy and post-myocardial infarction. The studies will lead to new in vivo chimeric models of human cardiac disease and an experimental paradigm to optimize organ-on-organ cardiac tissue engineers of an in vivo, functional mature ventricular patch for cardiomyopathy
Developing new therapeutic strategies for heart regeneration is a major goal for cardiac biology and medicine. While cardiomyocytes can be generated from human pluripotent stem (hPSC) cells in vitro, it has proven difficult to use these cells to generate a large scale, mature human heart ventricular muscle graft on the injured heart in vivo. The central objective of this proposal is to optimize the generation of a large-scale pure, fully functional human ventricular muscle patch in vivo through the self-assembly of purified human ventricular progenitors and the localized expression of defined paracrine factors that drive their expansion, differentiation, vascularization, matrix formation, and maturation. Recently, we have found that purified hPSC-derived ventricular progenitors (HVPs) can self-assemble in vivo on the epicardial surface into a 3D vascularized, and functional ventricular patch with its own extracellular matrix via a cell autonomous pathway. A two-step protocol and FACS purification of HVP receptors can generate billions of pure HVPs- The current proposal will lead to the identification of defined paracrine pathways to enhance the survival, grafting/implantation, expansion, differentiation, matrix formation, vascularization and maturation of the graft in vivo. We will captalize on our unique HVP system and our novel modRNA technology to deliver therapeutic strategies by using the in vivo human ventricular muscle to model in vivo arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, and optimize the ability of the graft to compensate for the massive loss of functional muscle during ischemic cardiomyopathy and post-myocardial infarction. The studies will lead to new in vivo chimeric models of human cardiac disease and an experimental paradigm to optimize organ-on-organ cardiac tissue engineers of an in vivo, functional mature ventricular patch for cardiomyopathy
Project acronym 5HT-OPTOGENETICS
Project Optogenetic Analysis of Serotonin Function in the Mammalian Brain
Researcher (PI) Zachary Mainen
Host Institution (HI) FUNDACAO D. ANNA SOMMER CHAMPALIMAUD E DR. CARLOS MONTEZ CHAMPALIMAUD
Summary Serotonin (5-HT) is implicated in a wide spectrum of brain functions and disorders. However, its functions remain controversial and enigmatic. We suggest that past work on the 5-HT system have been significantly hampered by technical limitations in the selectivity and temporal resolution of the conventional pharmacological and electrophysiological methods that have been applied. We therefore propose to apply novel optogenetic methods that will allow us to overcome these limitations and thereby gain new insight into the biological functions of this important molecule. In preliminary studies, we have demonstrated that we can deliver exogenous proteins specifically to 5-HT neurons using viral vectors. Our objectives are to (1) record, (2) stimulate and (3) silence the activity of 5-HT neurons with high molecular selectivity and temporal precision by using genetically-encoded sensors, activators and inhibitors of neural function. These tools will allow us to monitor and control the 5-HT system in real-time in freely-behaving animals and thereby to establish causal links between information processing in 5-HT neurons and specific behaviors. In combination with quantitative behavioral assays, we will use this approach to define the role of 5-HT in sensory, motor and cognitive functions. The significance of the work is three-fold. First, we will establish a new arsenal of tools for probing the physiological and behavioral functions of 5-HT neurons. Second, we will make definitive tests of major hypotheses of 5-HT function. Third, we will have possible therapeutic applications. In this way, the proposed work has the potential for a major impact in research on the role of 5-HT in brain function and dysfunction.
Serotonin (5-HT) is implicated in a wide spectrum of brain functions and disorders. However, its functions remain controversial and enigmatic. We suggest that past work on the 5-HT system have been significantly hampered by technical limitations in the selectivity and temporal resolution of the conventional pharmacological and electrophysiological methods that have been applied. We therefore propose to apply novel optogenetic methods that will allow us to overcome these limitations and thereby gain new insight into the biological functions of this important molecule. In preliminary studies, we have demonstrated that we can deliver exogenous proteins specifically to 5-HT neurons using viral vectors. Our objectives are to (1) record, (2) stimulate and (3) silence the activity of 5-HT neurons with high molecular selectivity and temporal precision by using genetically-encoded sensors, activators and inhibitors of neural function. These tools will allow us to monitor and control the 5-HT system in real-time in freely-behaving animals and thereby to establish causal links between information processing in 5-HT neurons and specific behaviors. In combination with quantitative behavioral assays, we will use this approach to define the role of 5-HT in sensory, motor and cognitive functions. The significance of the work is three-fold. First, we will establish a new arsenal of tools for probing the physiological and behavioral functions of 5-HT neurons. Second, we will make definitive tests of major hypotheses of 5-HT function. Third, we will have possible therapeutic applications. In this way, the proposed work has the potential for a major impact in research on the role of 5-HT in brain function and dysfunction.
Project acronym 5HTCircuits
Project Modulation of cortical circuits and predictive neural coding by serotonin
Summary Serotonin (5-HT) is a central neuromodulator and a major target of therapeutic psychoactive drugs, but relatively little is known about how it modulates information processing in neural circuits. The theory of predictive coding postulates that the brain combines raw bottom-up sensory information with top-down information from internal models to make perceptual inferences about the world. We hypothesize, based on preliminary data and prior literature, that a role of 5-HT in this process is to report prediction errors and promote the suppression and weakening of erroneous internal models. We propose that it does this by inhibiting top-down relative to bottom-up cortical information flow. To test this hypothesis, we propose a set of experiments in mice performing olfactory perceptual tasks. Our specific aims are: (1) We will test whether 5-HT neurons encode sensory prediction errors. (2) We will test their causal role in using predictive cues to guide perceptual decisions. (3) We will characterize how 5-HT influences the encoding of sensory information by neuronal populations in the olfactory cortex and identify the underlying circuitry. (4) Finally, we will map the effects of 5-HT across the whole brain and use this information to target further causal manipulations to specific 5-HT projections. We accomplish these aims using state-of-the-art optogenetic, electrophysiological and imaging techniques (including 9.4T small-animal functional magnetic resonance imaging) as well as psychophysical tasks amenable to quantitative analysis and computational theory. Together, these experiments will tackle multiple facets of an important general computational question, bringing to bear an array of cutting-edge technologies to address with unprecedented mechanistic detail how 5-HT impacts neural coding and perceptual decision-making.
Serotonin (5-HT) is a central neuromodulator and a major target of therapeutic psychoactive drugs, but relatively little is known about how it modulates information processing in neural circuits. The theory of predictive coding postulates that the brain combines raw bottom-up sensory information with top-down information from internal models to make perceptual inferences about the world. We hypothesize, based on preliminary data and prior literature, that a role of 5-HT in this process is to report prediction errors and promote the suppression and weakening of erroneous internal models. We propose that it does this by inhibiting top-down relative to bottom-up cortical information flow. To test this hypothesis, we propose a set of experiments in mice performing olfactory perceptual tasks. Our specific aims are: (1) We will test whether 5-HT neurons encode sensory prediction errors. (2) We will test their causal role in using predictive cues to guide perceptual decisions. (3) We will characterize how 5-HT influences the encoding of sensory information by neuronal populations in the olfactory cortex and identify the underlying circuitry. (4) Finally, we will map the effects of 5-HT across the whole brain and use this information to target further causal manipulations to specific 5-HT projections. We accomplish these aims using state-of-the-art optogenetic, electrophysiological and imaging techniques (including 9.4T small-animal functional magnetic resonance imaging) as well as psychophysical tasks amenable to quantitative analysis and computational theory. Together, these experiments will tackle multiple facets of an important general computational question, bringing to bear an array of cutting-edge technologies to address with unprecedented mechanistic detail how 5-HT impacts neural coding and perceptual decision-making.
Project acronym A-FRO
Project Actively Frozen - contextual modulation of freezing and its neuronal basis
Researcher (PI) Marta de Aragão Pacheco Moita
Summary When faced with a threat, an animal must decide whether to freeze, reducing its chances of being noticed, or to flee to the safety of a refuge. Animals from fish to primates choose between these two alternatives when confronted by an attacking predator, a choice that largely depends on the context in which the threat occurs. Recent work has made strides identifying the pre-motor circuits, and their inputs, which control freezing behavior in rodents, but how contextual information is integrated to guide this choice is still far from understood. We recently found that fruit flies in response to visual looming stimuli, simulating a large object on collision course, make rapid freeze/flee choices that depend on the social and spatial environment, and the fly’s internal state. Further, identification of looming detector neurons was recently reported and we identified the descending command neurons, DNp09, responsible for freezing in the fly. Knowing the sensory input and descending output for looming-evoked freezing, two environmental factors that modulate its expression, and using a genetically tractable system affording the use of large sample sizes, places us in an unique position to understand how a information about a threat is integrated with cues from the environment to guide the choice of whether to freeze (our goal). To assess how social information impinges on the circuit for freezing, we will examine the sensory inputs and neuromodulators that mediate this process, mapping their connections to DNp09 neurons (Aim 1). We ask whether learning is required for the spatial modulation of freezing, which cues flies are using to discriminate different places and which brain circuits mediate this process (Aim 2). Finally, we will study how activity of DNp09 neurons drives freezing (Aim 3). This project will provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of freezing and its modulation by the environment, from single neurons to behaviour.
When faced with a threat, an animal must decide whether to freeze, reducing its chances of being noticed, or to flee to the safety of a refuge. Animals from fish to primates choose between these two alternatives when confronted by an attacking predator, a choice that largely depends on the context in which the threat occurs. Recent work has made strides identifying the pre-motor circuits, and their inputs, which control freezing behavior in rodents, but how contextual information is integrated to guide this choice is still far from understood. We recently found that fruit flies in response to visual looming stimuli, simulating a large object on collision course, make rapid freeze/flee choices that depend on the social and spatial environment, and the fly’s internal state. Further, identification of looming detector neurons was recently reported and we identified the descending command neurons, DNp09, responsible for freezing in the fly. Knowing the sensory input and descending output for looming-evoked freezing, two environmental factors that modulate its expression, and using a genetically tractable system affording the use of large sample sizes, places us in an unique position to understand how a information about a threat is integrated with cues from the environment to guide the choice of whether to freeze (our goal). To assess how social information impinges on the circuit for freezing, we will examine the sensory inputs and neuromodulators that mediate this process, mapping their connections to DNp09 neurons (Aim 1). We ask whether learning is required for the spatial modulation of freezing, which cues flies are using to discriminate different places and which brain circuits mediate this process (Aim 2). Finally, we will study how activity of DNp09 neurons drives freezing (Aim 3). This project will provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of freezing and its modulation by the environment, from single neurons to behaviour.
Project acronym ACCELERATES
Project Acceleration in Extreme Shocks: from the microphysics to laboratory and astrophysics scenarios
Researcher (PI) Luis Miguel De Oliveira E Silva
Host Institution (HI) INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2010-AdG_20100224
Summary What is the origin of cosmic rays, what are the dominant acceleration mechanisms in relativistic shocks, how do cosmic rays self-consistently influence the shock dynamics, how are relativistic collisionless shocks formed are longstanding scientific questions, closely tied to extreme plasma physics processes, and where a close interplay between the micro-instabilities and the global dynamics is critical. Relativistic shocks are closely connected with the propagation of intense streams of particles pervasive in many astrophysical scenarios. The possibility of exciting shocks in the laboratory will also be available very soon with multi-PW lasers or intense relativistic particle beams. Computational modeling is now established as a prominent research tool, by enabling the fully kinetic modeling of these systems for the first time. With the fast paced developments in high performance computing, the time is ripe for a focused research programme on simulation-based studies of relativistic shocks. This proposal therefore focuses on using self-consistent ab initio massively parallel simulations to study the physics of relativistic shocks, bridging the gap between the multidimensional microphysics of shock onset, formation, and propagation and the global system dynamics. Particular focus will be given to the shock acceleration mechanisms and the radiation signatures of the various physical processes, with the goal of solving some of the central questions in plasma/relativistic phenomena in astrophysics and in the laboratory, and opening new avenues between theoretical/massive computational studies, laboratory experiments and astrophysical observations.
What is the origin of cosmic rays, what are the dominant acceleration mechanisms in relativistic shocks, how do cosmic rays self-consistently influence the shock dynamics, how are relativistic collisionless shocks formed are longstanding scientific questions, closely tied to extreme plasma physics processes, and where a close interplay between the micro-instabilities and the global dynamics is critical. Relativistic shocks are closely connected with the propagation of intense streams of particles pervasive in many astrophysical scenarios. The possibility of exciting shocks in the laboratory will also be available very soon with multi-PW lasers or intense relativistic particle beams. Computational modeling is now established as a prominent research tool, by enabling the fully kinetic modeling of these systems for the first time. With the fast paced developments in high performance computing, the time is ripe for a focused research programme on simulation-based studies of relativistic shocks. This proposal therefore focuses on using self-consistent ab initio massively parallel simulations to study the physics of relativistic shocks, bridging the gap between the multidimensional microphysics of shock onset, formation, and propagation and the global system dynamics. Particular focus will be given to the shock acceleration mechanisms and the radiation signatures of the various physical processes, with the goal of solving some of the central questions in plasma/relativistic phenomena in astrophysics and in the laboratory, and opening new avenues between theoretical/massive computational studies, laboratory experiments and astrophysical observations.
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Art and Design Review
Vol.06 No.02(2018), Article ID:84875,5 pages
10.4236/adr.2018.62007
Discussion on Creation of TV Directors under the Background of Media Convergence
Xiao Peng
Shanghai Publishing and Printing College, Shanghai, China
Copyright © 2018 by author and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
Received: April 16, 2018; Accepted: May 26, 2018; Published: May 29, 2018
Rapid development of digital technique and network technique has accelerated convergence of various media, i.e., the convergence among paper media, TV media and other media. As the main force in creation of TV programs, the importance of TV directors is not to be ignored under the background of media convergence. Therefore, TV directors have to meet higher requirements. They should not only actively recognize and face modern fierce competition, but also enhance their own professional knowledge, skills and competence, and thus enrich the exhibition forms of TV arts. For this reason, the author has conducted analysis and discussion on creation of TV directors under the background of media convergence.
Media Convergence, TV Directors, Creation, Skills
The rapid development of network technique and modern digital technology has promoted close blending among different kinds of media to some extent and provided broad development space for TV media, but put forward higher requirements on TV directors at the same time. As emerging occupation, TV director has great importance. It derives from the development process of TV industry, assumes the tasks of communication, collaboration and practical operation, and has irreplaceable function no matter for TV programs or for TV media. The TV director’s creative ability, to some degree, plays a decisive role in success of TV programs. Under the background of media convergence, TV directors should enhance their own professional knowledge, skills and competence more actively and enrich their creative skills, thus creating more excellent TV art programs, as well as laying a solid foundation for future development of TV media.
2. Importance of TV Directors under the Background of Media Convergence
2.1. Enrich Overall Connotation of the Programs
TV directors play an indispensable role in development of modern industry, i.e., they should grasp scientifically, enhance work quality reasonably, and promote soundness of TV links. The development of modern TV programs calls for reasonable decisions and support of scientific evaluation on long development of TV contents, which needs combination with actual conditions of TV program’s development, and reasonable formulation and enforcement of corresponding complete strategies (Li, 2015) . Beyond all doubt, TV directors have great influence on it. Based on rapid development of modern digital technology and network technology, various media industries are able to progress better and faster. In addition, enrichment of the overall connotation of TV programs requires perfect the program content, and thus enable the TV media to give positive guidance on public opinions.
2.2. Enrich Own Skills to Enhance Program Quality
In addition to focus on its own development, TV program still need to play a leading role actively, i.e., reasonably drive and facilitate progress of surrounding media, which demands TV directors to continuously lift their own professional knowledge and skills; make continuous innovation and reform TV industry; and play a guiding and driving role, thus expediting the development of TV industry, elevate the quality of TV programs, and enrich the forms of the programs. Quick development of modern digital technology and network technology, to some extent, has promoted effective combination among various media. Moreover, media convergence has already become a trend for stable development of TV industry. In order to adapt to the development track of TV industry, we need to enrich the contents of TV programs to keep up with the times and give full play to the function of TV directors. TV creation requires for continuous enrichment of skills, active communication and combination with the media, and continuous enhancement of own knowledge and skills, thus facilitating further development of media.
3. New Standards TV Directors Need to Be Equipped under the Background of Media Convergence
To a certain degree, the rapid development of modern digital technology and network technology has accelerated profound innovation and reform of media industry environment. However, quick development of current society makes mankind enter the information era, under which the masses’ cultural quality and aesthetic judgment have been promoted definitely, they gradually start to pursue spiritual and cultural demands, and they pay close attention to their own fates and the social environment (Wang, 2014) . Without a doubt, these changes occurring depend on the environmental changes brought about by the development of TV media to a great extent. Better and faster development of TV media needs not only continuous expansion of space, but also continuous innovation and perfection of creative ideas. As for TV directors, they should play their roles more actively, make overall planning on creation of TV programs, grasp the general planned direction of TV programs, get familiar with the whole media business, dare to face various challenges brought about by information era to the media, and promote themselves to become highly qualified and highly skilled talents based on continuous development, i.e., be equipped with rich creative skills, grasp overall knowledge structure, and expand thinking modes, etc. Certainly, the development of TV programs calls for joint efforts of everyone, for the force of TV directors is limited. Therefore, TV directors should strengthen team communication and cooperation. Only when everyone join in the creative process actively can they really make innovation and enhance the creative skills of TV programs.
4. Creative Skills TV Directors Need to Grasp under the Background of Media Convergence
4.1. Confirm TV Theme
Compared with the subject matter or contents, the theme, also called as the main idea and basic concept, plays a more important role in leading the whole TV programs. It’s known to us all that the title of a composition is the highlight of the whole article and contains rich ideological implication of the article. Such philosophy of “a good title is a good start of a good article” also applies to TV programs, i.e., a good title not only infuses new vitality to TV programs, but also makes the programs be more vivid and interesting. TV theme should be reasonable and scientific, and it has two basic requirements as follows.
Firstly, to seek truth from facts. The masses are main objects viewing TV programs. They are more interested in programs close to their own life or real events. Therefore the confirmation of TV theme needs full embodiment of surrounding life, combination of the reality, and rejects entirely groundless fiction. Of course, they can make reference to ancient legend, etc., but they should also seek truth during the creation, for unreal TV programs will not attract the masses or even may make them be repulsive to these utterly groundless TV contents.
Secondly, be interesting and new. Obsolete theme means that the contents are nothing new. Therefore, TV programs lacking novelty often fail to make the viewers feel the shock power of the TV theme, nor will they recommend others to watch the program. So, novelty is very important. However, novelty does not mean blind pursuit of shock power. TV directors need to connect the reality before creation. The theme needs support of creative thinking, on which basis the TV programs are able to attract the viewers. In recent years, TV series with antiwar theme are favorably loved by the viewers, but the timeworn story lines make them gradually lose confidence. Therefore novelty is very important for TV programs.
4.2. Increase Approaches to Interact with the Viewers
TV media belongs to traditional media, lacking interaction with the viewers. However, modern network media has improved this condition, i.e., strengthened the interaction. As a result, TV media should actively learn the approaches to interact with viewers basing on full understanding and grasp of network media, e.g., on-site interaction and telephone connection, etc. Currently, many variety shows actively interact with the viewers and have achieved a lot of fruits. Undoubtedly, to interact with viewers can win the love of them. Based on the variety shows, we’re clearer about the positive function and significance of interacting with viewers. To a certain degree, viewers can be said to be the objects to be relied on by TV directors, so that TV directors should combine with actual psychological needs of the viewers when creating TV programs, as well as increase approaches to interact with the viewers, thus motivating the viewers and further enhancing viewer rating.
4.3. Enrich Manifestation Styles of the Programs
The manifestation styles of TV programs influence ratings of the programs imperceptibly. TV directors need to continuously enrich the manifestation styles of TV programs, i.e., not to be stereotyped or to be too simple. This will broaden the viewers’ horizons to a certain degree. Documentary style is a good choice, for it can reinforce reality of the program, enhance the viewers’ trust, make them be able to go deep into the TV scene, and achieve good effect. The TV programs have various kinds, mainly including music type, entertainment type, viewing type, etc. Facing these multiple types, TV directors need to retain the characteristics of each kind of TV program and not to make these features gradually disappear with the media convergence. TV directors need to choose diversified manifestation means to enrich the exhibition styles of TV programs, for reasonable and effective exhibition styles will bring different visual experience to viewers.
To sum up, to improve the TV directors’ creative ability means a lot for modern media. However, modern media is in a complicated era when the in-depth convergence of various media has brought about a lot of challenges in spite of the good opportunities. So, in order to make the contents of TV programs be adapted to modern technical requirements, TV directors not only need to take corresponding measures according to the program contents, but also continuously enhance their own creative enthusiasm, guarantee quality of the TV programs, and enrich their own TV creative skills, as well as reasonably grasp the development chances and positively face the challenges, thus creating more better TV programs, enriching people’s spiritual culture, and contributing their own force for harmonious development of the society.
Peng, X. (2018). Discussion on Creation of TV Directors under the Background of Media Convergence. Art and Design Review, 6, 71-75. https://doi.org/10.4236/adr.2018.62007
1. Li, H. P. (2015). On Creative Skills of TV Directors under the Background of Media Convergence. Tribune of News Research, No. 12, 209. [Paper reference 1]
2. Wang, Y. R. (2014). Creative Skills of TV Directors under the Background of Media Convergence. Art Science and Technology, No. 12, 67. [Paper reference 1]
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CRM - salesforce.com, inc.
Ask 157.79 x 1300
52 Week Range 113.60 - 167.56
Market Cap 123.043B
PE Ratio (TTM) 107.83
TipRanks•3 hours ago
3 Software Stocks Inching Closer to Salesforce
Legacy software providers have been looking for ways to compete with the leading CRM cloud-based software provider, Salesforce.com, Inc. (CRM). One idea to slow down CRM’s rapid growth was to send all the data collected from their various products to a single location where additional analysis could be performed. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) and SAP AG (SAP) announced their joint participation in the Open Data Initiative this September. This collaboration comes as cloud-based software becomes more prevalent, which can make it harder to gain actionable insights from data when information is stored in various disparate systems. “You have these very sophisticated, rich application suites from SAP, from Adobe, from Microsoft. And the commitment you’re hearing from the three of us is that we’re going to unlock the data across all of these suites,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. While analysts believe this initiative represents a promising opportunity for these companies, we wanted to take a closer look to see if they really have what it takes to compete with Salesforce. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)With a market cap of $1 trillion, it’s no question that Microsoft is still a force to be reckoned with. The company has maintained its place as a leader in the software market with both its legacy and cloud-based solutions. CRM has been mirroring Microsoft by tailoring its products to run alongside its customers’ existing software, something MSFT has already been doing for quite some time. Salesforce recently acquired MuleSoft, Inc. and Tableau Software, Inc. (DATA), both of which have software offerings that run with pre-existing on-premises systems. CRM’s Sales Cloud has also consistently outperformed MSFT’s cloud-based sales product, Dynamics 365\. The aggregated data from this project will be used to improve Dynamics 365 as well as its Azure product. Ahead of today’s Q4 2019 earnings release, share prices are up 34% year-to-date with management saying it’s only going to get better. Q4 fiscal revenue is expected to reach $33 billion, representing a 9% increase. Expected EPS is $1.21 which would be a 7% jump. Most importantly, management is projecting $9.6 billion in revenue to be generated from its Intelligent Cloud. Oppenheimer analyst, Timothy Horan mirrored that sentiment today stating, “We expect a strong quarter from Microsoft as it is seeing momentum in its cloud-based business, which now represents a third of revenues and is growing 35% year-over-year.” The five-star analyst reiterated his Buy rating and $145 price target. He has a 79% success rating and 17% average return per rating. Another analyst, Brent Bracelin, kept his Buy rating and $143 price target on MSFT yesterday. “We expect another solid quarter with revenue increasing 9% year-over-year to $32.8 billion, driven by strong commercial cloud tailwinds that could elevate the cloud revenue mix to 33% vs 5% in FY15,” he said. The analyst has an average return per rating of 31% and a 77% success rate. The stock boasts a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus and $147 average price target, suggesting 8% upside potential. Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE)In terms of delivering best in class visual solutions for both the consumer and enterprise sides, nobody does it quite as well as Adobe. Its cloud-based products are growing rapidly. The company’s Document Cloud, Creative Cloud and Experience Cloud are expected to reach 15% annualized revenue growth into fiscal 2025. If the initiative proves successful, this growth could accelerate at an even faster pace. In addition to its cloud-based software, ADBE created a software system, Experience Platform, to compete directly with CRM. It will unify business applications, and connect them with new apps from third-party developers and its customers’ other programs. ADBE had a strong second quarter, with revenue reaching over $5 billion, up 25% year-over-year. Adjusted EPS increased by 10% year-over-year from $3.21 to $3.54. While the stock’s valuation is on the high side, trading at 53.9 times trailing twelve month earnings, analysts believe Adobe can sustain its profit growth.Yesterday, analyst Jennifer Lowe said, “The company's profit growth should support the current enterprise value to expected 2020 earnings multiple of 31-times, and we expect Adobe shares to continue moving higher.” She maintained her Buy rating and $330 price target, suggesting upside potential of 7%. Lowe has a success rate of 69% and a 15% average return per rating. Another top analyst, Joseph Bonner, agrees that more growth is coming. “The company is well positioned at the center of the exploding market for digital video content with a unique asset collection in its Creative Cloud digital content portfolio. We see Adobe continuing to accelerate organic product refreshes and new rollouts as well as partnering with industry leaders to drive further growth,” he said. He kept his Buy rating and $320 price target on June 20. The Street has high hopes for ADBE. The stock has a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus and average price target of $319, suggesting 3% upside potential. SAP AG (SAP)In the past, the German software company has struggled to keep up with the other big names on this list. However, it has made a significant effort to redefine the CRM market. SAP believes it can take market share from Salesforce with its portfolio of SaaS applications including broad sets of apps for HCM, ERP and CRM.However, the situation didn't appear to be improving after the company released disappointing Q2 2019 earnings results today. Management said that investors should not expect big margin gains until 2020, with the company reporting a decline in operating profit of 21%. While support and software license revenues fell flat from last year at €3.8 billion, cloud revenue was up 35% to €1.7 billion. In its full year guidance, management stated that they believe adjusted operating profit will grow by 9.5% to 12.5%. They are committed to reaching their goal of margin expansion by 5 percentage points through 2023. CEO, Bill McDermott, believes that operational performance is on track with 4-point expansion in gross margins for the cloud business. “As shown by our rising cloud gross margins, we are progressing nicely on our ambition to be the Best-Run SAP. With XM driving the CEO digital transformation agenda, we resolutely reaffirm our full year guidance,” he said. Financial blogger, Gary Alexander said, “SAP remains one of the true value names among large-cap software stocks. Overall, SAP's cloud business continues to add recurring billings as it grows both organically and through M&A, while margins and cash flow are trending upward.”Brian Schwartz, an Oppenheimer analyst with a 79% success rate and a 30% average return per rating, reiterated his Buy rating and $141 price target last month. His price target reflects his confidence in the company’s ability to rebound as well as his belief that share prices could rise by as much as 11% in the next twelve months. The Street has mixed feelings about the last stock on the list. SAP has a ‘Moderate Buy’ analyst consensus and $138 average price target, suggesting 8% upside.
Investor's Business Daily•5 hours ago
Google, Salesforce.com Gain From IPO Boom, Venture Capital Strategy
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InvestorPlace•7 hours ago
3 Reasons to Buy Shopify Stock Before Earnings
Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) is a well-known and well-regarded multi-channel e-commerce platform. Millions of shares of SHOP stock are traded each and every day. And these traders have bid the Shopify stock price up from $25 to its current price of more than $300.Source: Shutterstock With their second-quarter earnings announcement coming up on Thursday, August 1, 2019, critics are ready to pounce on SHOP stock as an overpriced asset. Are they justified in this assessment, and can Shopify keep its cool as earnings season heats up? With Shopify Stock, High-Priced Doesn't Mean OverpricedAs I see it, there are three solid reasons to hold Shopify stock through earnings. Sure, earnings announcements can cause ticker volatility, but SHOP has just as much upside potential as downside risk.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 9 Retail Stocks Goldman Sachs Says Are Ready to Rip Long-term investors shouldn't forget that Shopify remains a pivotal player in multi-channel e-commerce: their platform powers over 800,000 businesses in approximately 175 countries. Many people consider Shopify's cloud-based SaaS solution the only serious option for retailers. Moreover, the company's platform scales readily across mobile, web, social media, and brick-and-mortar locations.So yes, the SHOP stock price is above $300, but that doesn't necessarily make it expensive. The average analyst price target is $325. Evidently, the experts don't mind paying the $300 price tag as the earnings announcement approaches. Can't Argue with the NumbersMy second reason for holding onto SHOP stock is based on simple math: after poring over the company's first-quarter results, there's little reason to be skeptical of Shopify's track record. Read 'em and weep: subscription revenues were up 40% year-over year, while merchant solutions increased year-over-year by an eye-popping 58%.On top of all that, Shopify's total revenues were a robust $320.5 million, up 50% YOY. The first-quarter results also revealed that 40% of eligible merchants now use Shopify's shipping platform: now that's what I call market share! Given these numbers, it's hard not to put Shopify in the same category as industry leaders like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) or Salesforce (NYSE:CRM). A Big PlusThe third factor I'll be adding to the plus column is Shopify Plus. This is the company's e-commerce platform subscription for high-volume merchants. Shopify Plus has been a key catalyst for Shopify's recent growth as a company. To no surprise, it's also provided a launching pad for the SHOP stock price.During the second quarter of this year, Shopify Plus represented 26% of the company's $44.2 million in monthly recurring revenue. That's a solid increase over the 22% of monthly recurring revenue in the year-ago quarter represented by Shopify Plus.During the company's first-quarter earnings conference call, COO Harley Finkelstein observed that the strong momentum in Shopify Plus subscriptions benefited from "a strong sales team that is constantly improving as well as a strong mix of upgrades." I expect the company to continue their focus on Shopify Plus, and rightfully so: it's been a key driver of sales and revenues for over a year, with no signs of slowing down. The Bottom Line on SHOP StockShopify's strong first quarter of the year, according to CFO Amy Shapero, reflected "the diversity and strength of our growth drivers and the solid execution of our strategy." I tend to concur with this sentiment. Even as an incorrigible skeptic, I can't deny Shopify's compelling revenue and sales figures as of late.And so, the downside potential of the imminent earnings announcement won't scare me away from SHOP stock. Instead, I'll stand behind the e-commerce giant. And I'll keep my fingers crossed as the company finally reveals its next set of numbers.As of this writing, David Moadel did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 9 Retail Stocks Goldman Sachs Says Are Ready to Rip * 7 Services Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2019 * 6 Stocks to Buy and 1 to Sell Based on Insider Trading The post 3 Reasons to Buy Shopify Stock Before Earnings appeared first on InvestorPlace.
Zacks•20 hours ago
Microsoft Earnings After The Bell Thursday: Is The Cloud The Holy Grail?
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Salesforce.com (CRM) Gains As Market Dips: What You Should Know
Salesforce.com (CRM) closed at $158.24 in the latest trading session, marking a +0.71% move from the prior day.
Simply Wall St.•yesterday
salesforce.com, inc. (NYSE:CRM) saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs...
InvestorPlace•yesterday
3 Big Stock Charts for Wednesday: Delta Air Lines, Salesforce and American Airlines
The bulls tried, but it was never going to happen. The S&P 500 fell 0.34% on Tuesday, sliding lower on sizeable volume, calling into question just how much more stocks can climb.Source: Shutterstock Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) was a relatively big drag, falling more than 3% following an earnings beat that was dinged and dented by lackluster guidance.At the other end of the spectrum, Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU) soared more than 7% after being one of the big hits of this year's Prime Day, while Blue Apron Holdings (NYSE:APRN) was up more than 30%. Shares of the meal-kit company rallied on word that it was partnering up with Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) to offer meatless-hamburger meal options.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 10 Stocks Driving the Market to All-Time Highs (And Why) However, as for names that merit a closer trading look headed into Wednesday's session, it's the stock charts of Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) and American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL) that are of the most interest. Here's what to look for. Delta Air Lines (DAL)With nothing more than a quick glance, Delta Air Lines look like a rocket. A large number of people saw last month's big move, wanted to plug into it, and fueled even more bullishness with that buying. Volume has been particularly strong of late.Caution is advised though. This is action we've seen from DAL stock multiple times since early 2017, and sooner or later, each of these run-ups end with a sizeable pullback. That pattern, in fact, has been alarmingly well established, and shares are within sight of a familiar technical ceiling. Click to Enlarge * The big boundary here is right around $64, where the upper boundary of a trading range that extends back to late-2016 currently rests. * The weekly chart is already stochastically overbought, which has proven problematic rather quickly over the course of the past couple of years. * Although its ripe for a wave of profit-taking, the precise tops within the confines of the trading range have never been clear. American Airlines Group (AAL)While Delta looks like it may be near a major peak, shares of rival American Airlines appear as if they're just getting started on a breakout move. That effort gelled in a huge way on Tuesday though, as the last vestige of resistance was rolled over. There's still a chance the advance could fall apart before it gets going in earnest, but the foundation is actually -- even if subtly -- rather firm. * 10 Monthly Dividend Stocks to Buy to Pay the Bills Click to Enlarge * The "trigger" here is Tuesday's move above the 200-day moving average line, plotted in white on both stock charts. * Fanning the bullish flames is the way this week's gain has pushed AAL stock above the upper boundary of a descending wedge. This convergence builds up pressure that, once unleashed, can fuel a prolonged rally. * Although Tuesday's action was catalytic, it could take several more days before the breakout thrust gels above the pivotal 200-day moving average line. Salesforce (CRM)When Saleforce was last examined in early May, it was well up since the end of last year, but putting pressure on the lower boundary of a short-term trading range. It was also acting overbought, struggling to continue making forward progress with or without the trading range. A month later, it had broken below its 200-day moving average line.The bulls pushed back, dragging CRM back above the 200-day moving average line (plotted in white on both stock charts) with a pretty impressive jolt. The bears are growling again though, and yesterday's action waves several red flags. Click to Enlarge * One of those red flags is the shape and placement of Tuesday's bar. The open above Monday's high and close below Monday's low constitutes an "outside day," which portends weakness. * It's imperceptible on both stock charts, but as of Tuesday, the 200-day moving average line is sloped downward. It's an indication of longer-term weakness. * Should the 200-day moving average line fail to act as a floor, if tested again, the next most likely landing spot is the Fibonacci retracement line near $129.As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can learn more about James at his site, jamesbrumley.com, or follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 9 Retail Stocks Goldman Sachs Says Are Ready to Rip * 7 Services Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2019 * 6 Stocks to Buy and 1 to Sell Based on Insider Trading The post 3 Big Stock Charts for Wednesday: Delta Air Lines, Salesforce and American Airlines appeared first on InvestorPlace.
TipRanks•2 days ago
3 “Perfect 10” Tech Stocks to Buy
Bulls are ready to narrow in on the winners after the S&P 500’s historic rally which culminated in the index reaching over 3,000 on July 10. But how are investors supposed to pick the stocks that are poised for success? TipRanks offers the Smart Score tool which is made up of 8 key factors proven to increase the chances of finding the stocks that are best positioned for long-term growth. These factors include financial blogger opinions, insider activity and news sentiment. All this data is combined into a single numerical score with 10 being the highest. With the help of this tool, we found three “Perfect 10” tech stocks that are ready to outperform. Salesforce.com, Inc. (CRM)Salesforce is the leading provider of cloud-based business support software. They offer data-driven solutions in a world where the amount of data being produced is only growing.On June 10, the company broke the news of its almost $16 billion deal to acquire Tableau Software Inc. (DATA). While share prices dipped after the announcement, analysts don’t appear to be concerned. The company dominates the CRM space. With 20% market share, it has more control than its next three competitors combined. It already boasts around 10 million customer support cases in its Service Cloud and over 3 million Sales Cloud leads. Not to mention its other product offerings that include Salesforce Einstein, Salesforce Customer 360 and the Salesforce Lightning platform are expected to drive even more revenue growth.Q1 2020 results were strong, with the company seeing revenue increase 24% year-over-year to $3.7 billion. Cash generated from operations reached almost $2 billion, demonstrating 34% year-over-year growth. On June 25, management updated their Q2 2020 fiscal guidance with revenue now expected to fall within the range of $3.94 to $3.95 billion, demonstrating that more growth is on the way.Just yesterday John Difucci, a five-star analyst from Jeffries, reiterated his Buy rating and $189 price target. He believes that despite a platform outage in May, current consensus estimates are conservative. “Salesforce's pipeline remains robust and it is well positioned to achieve its long-term goals,” he added. Another top analyst, Jennifer Swanson Lowe said on July 5, “Channel work shows robust demand for Salesforce's solutions, and recent merger disclosures show a thoughtful and lengthy process behind the Tableau deal.” She reiterated her Buy rating and $190 price target on the stock. With a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus and $183 average price target, it’s clear why TipRanks scored this stock a “10”. View CRM Smart Score Twilio Inc. (TWLO)The cloud communications company specializes in helping businesses improve their apps and digital interactions with customers. Since Twilio’s IPO three years ago, share prices have grown 256% and analysts don’t predict a slowdown anytime soon. The company has a strong customer base with 154,797 active customer accounts (ACAs) as of March 31, up from 53,985 a year earlier. Revenue from its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform only is rising as the demand for effective online communications is only increasing. In February, Twilio acquired SendGrid, a cloud-based email services company. The company believes this acquisition drove the revenue growth witnessed in Q1. For Q1 2019, revenue was up 81% year-over-year, reaching $233 million. Compared to Q4 2018, its top line increased by 14%. The company updated its full year guidance on April 30, with revenue expected to fall between $1.10 billion to $1.11 billion, up from $1.065 billion to $1.077 billion. On June 18, top analyst, Richard Valera, initiated coverage with a Buy rating and $165 price target. “By leveraging its early market position, a highly efficient developer-led sales model and growing array of differentiated, higher-level functions on its platform. TWLO has delivered exceptional organic growth. As well, the company's recent move up the stack into the application space with its Flex contact center adds another, meaningful growth driver to its business,” he said. Top rated financial blogger, Luke Lango, thinks that the stock’s big growth fundamentals, favorable market fundamentals and strong technical trends make it a must buy. “All three of those tailwinds should persist for the foreseeable future, meaning that TWLO stock should continue to defy valuation standards and stay in rally mode,” he added. The Street is bullish on this “Perfect 10”. The stock has a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus, receiving 13 buy ratings vs 2 holds over the last three months. Its $154 average price target suggests 6% upside potential. View TWLO Smart Score Square, Inc. (SQ)With consumers paying less and less with cash, digital non-cash payments are expected to reach 726 billion transactions by 2020. Square has designed its payment processing technology so merchants of all sizes can accept non-cash payments. The company also offers a digital peer-to-peer payments app, an enterprise payroll app and lending services. Square has placed significant focus on gaining international market share. The company partnered with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, with the bank distributing its reader in all branches located throughout the country. SQ stands out among its competitors as it offers many types of digital transactions as opposed to just e-commerce solutions.Some investors might be concerned that SQ’s valuation is too high. The stock is currently being traded at 65.6x forward earnings and 10x sales. However, its growth projections might just be enough to reassure investors.Management expects global retail sales to grow to almost $34 billion, or at a 5% compounded annual growth rate through 2025. Square GPV is also expected to increase into 2025 by a 20%-plus annualized rate while revenue is forecasted to be up 25%. The company is attributing these jumps to hardware and ancillary solution revenue.Josh Beck, an analyst from KeyBanc, reiterated his Buy rating and $100 price target. “While its Cash App monetization narrative may take time to develop, we remain constructive on growth potential,” he said today.Financial blogger, Chris Lau, believes that SQ’s outlook is more conservative than it should be. “If the company raises its 2019 guidance, then SQ stock could attract more buyers, causing the stock’s rally to accelerate,” he said. The Street is more cautiously optimistic about the last “Perfect 10” on our list. The stock has a ‘Moderate Buy’ analyst consensus and $87 average price target, suggesting 6% upside. View SQ Smart Score
Barrons.com•2 days ago
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Bloomberg•9 days ago
Microsoft Signs Broad Pact With ServiceNow, Extending Cloud Influence
(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. and ServiceNow Inc., makers of cloud-based software, announced a partnership that will help ServiceNow sell to highly regulated industries and further integrate the companies’ technology. ServiceNow will use Microsoft’s Azure cloud to host workloads for the U.S. and Australian governments, the companies said Tuesday in a statement. The companies may allow other customers to run ServiceNow applications on Microsoft’s cloud, but didn’t specify when. This is the first time that ServiceNow has made its software available for use with a major public cloud-computing vendor.Microsoft will also sell ServiceNow applications, helpingServiceNow enter new segments and geographic markets. The agreement may bolster ServiceNow’s stated goal of reaching $10 billion in annual revenue. ServiceNow pitches itself as a “digital workflow company” that organizes the basics of business, such as setting up a help desk for IT operations or bringing on board new employees. Its decision to use Azure to run its software, instead of relying purely on in-house server farms, is key for Microsoft as it seeks more customers for its cloud infrastructure services. Market leader Amazon.com Inc. counts many of the biggest cloud-software application providers as clients, including Splunk Inc. and Okta Inc. “Microsoft was really best positioned as a broad strategic partner,” Lara Caimi, chief strategy officer of ServiceNow, said in an interview. “We were hearing from our customers that they wanted ServiceNow and Microsoft to work better together.”Microsoft will also use more ServiceNow software, adopting the company’s Information Technology & Employee Experience product “to improve operations, enhance employee experiences, and deliver stronger business outcomes,” according to the statement. For now, the software makers will integrate more capabilities from Microsoft's customer-relationship, accounting, and Office cloud applications with ServiceNow’s programs. The new deal with ServiceNow expands on a limited partnership the companies announced in October. Moving forward, ServiceNow will benefit from Microsoft’s security certifications as it pursues government contracts around the world. For Microsoft, the partnership will give the company another ally in the fast-growing cloud-applications space. The world’s largest software maker already partners with Adobe Inc. and SAP SE — companies that compete against a key Microsoft rival, Salesforce.com Inc. ServiceNow also goes toe-to-toe against Salesforce in help desk software, and Microsoft’s plan to sell ServiceNow products to customers fills a key gap in the Microsoft ecosystem. For its part, Salesforce has bought companies that are rivals of Microsoft, such as analytics company Tableau Software Inc. and Quip, which has a productivity suite.“It's a large vote of confidence in our platform,” said Gavriella Schuster, a Microsoft vice president.ServiceNow’s stock has gained 65% this year, closing at $293 on Monday in New York. Microsoft’s shares have jumped 35% this year to $136.96. The Redmond, Washington-based software maker is the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization.Microsoft and Santa Clara, California-based ServiceNow committed to collaborate on future solutions, and are currently hashing out some of the details. ServiceNow may join Microsoft’s Open Data Initiative, a pact with SAP and Adobe to use the same data model so mutual customers can move information among their various systems. To contact the authors of this story: Nico Grant in San Francisco at ngrant20@bloomberg.netDina Bass in Seattle at dbass2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew Pollack at apollack1@bloomberg.net, Alistair BarrFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Markit•9 days ago
See what the IHS Markit Score report has to say about Salesforce.com Inc.
Salesforce.com Inc NYSE:CRMView full report here! Summary * Bearish sentiment is low * Economic output for the sector is expanding but at a slower rate Bearish sentimentShort interest | PositiveShort interest is low for CRM with fewer than 5% of shares on loan. The last change in the short interest score occurred more than 1 month ago and implies that there has been little change in sentiment among investors who seek to profit from falling equity prices. Money flowETF/Index ownership | NeutralETF activity is neutral. The net inflows of $6.06 billion over the last one-month into ETFs that hold CRM are not among the highest of the last year and have been slowing. Economic sentimentPMI by IHS Markit | NegativeAccording to the latest IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, output in the Technology sector is rising. The rate of growth is very weak relative to the trend shown over the past year, and has continued to ease. However, the rate of expansion may accelerate in the coming months. Credit worthinessCredit default swapCDS data is not available for this security.Please send all inquiries related to the report to score@ihsmarkit.com.Charts and report PDFs will only be available for 30 days after publishing.This document has been produced for information purposes only and is not to be relied upon or as construed as investment advice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, IHS Markit disclaims any responsibility or liability, whether in contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence), equity or otherwise, for any loss or damage arising from any reliance on or the use of this material in any way. Please view the full legal disclaimer and methodology information on pages 2-3 of the full report.
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Home » Authors » normist » The Dust Devils
The Dust Devils
by normist
Copyright© 2015 by normist
Science Fiction Story: This little offering is intended to be part of the opening chapter in the forth volume of the Bill Axon tales. I am posting now because I have been reposting a revised and corrected version of 'Per Ardua Ad Astra'. I would ask that you please read the new version and review it, either through the Finestories review system or send to me in via a feedback comment. Thank you.
Tags: Humor Space Near Future
Bill Axon cursed the weather for the umpteenth time that morning. He was somewhere near the canyon he intended to explore, and now he could hardly see his hand in front of his face. Visibility had been good when he started out. The walk had been pleasant when he left with his large specimen satchel draped over his shoulders. The weather had only deteriorated after he had reached the top of the hill. He had been parked the other side of the hill that was now behind him.
Bill was taking a break on his own while his Bride was engaged on a university tour. It was the first occasion that they had been apart for any length of time since they had been married, and Bill was feeling slightly lost. Over breakfast, he had considered what he would do this morning. On his way in he had noticed a branch of the canyon which had a climbable slope. Elsewhere, the sides were sheer.
There had been something about that canyon which puzzled him as he passed it on his way in. For some reason that he could not understand, he felt an irresistible attraction which was now pulling him through the murk of the dust storm.
He paused as he thought he saw someone approaching. The figure appeared to glide towards him with arms outstretched. As it got closer, he laughed at himself for letting his overactive imagination get the better of him. The figure proved to be a dust devil, and as it whirled past him, he felt it tug him to his left.
For a moment, the view cleared and he was shocked to see the edge of the canyon and its three hundred foot drop only five feet in front of him. He turned to his left and headed slightly away from the edge so that he could reach the canyon entrance. Two more dust devils swirled passed him on either side, seeming to hug him as they did so.
Another hundred yards further on and the ground dipped slightly at the canyon entrance he sought, broadened out at its top. He turned right to follow the slope, walking cautiously as the slope steepened. Bill slowed as dust and pebbles jumped out from under his feet and rolled down the slope in a minor landslide.
Suddenly his left foot shot out from under him and he fell backward sitting on the shifting pebbles. He slid for almost ten yards before one of his feet caught in a well embedded rock, bringing him to a sudden halt. That was nasty, he thought.
He sat for a moment, examining the remaining hundred feet or so of the descent, and considered how to tackle it. At last, he got up and carefully putting one foot in front of the other made slow progress down the slope. There were more patches of loose shale and sand which he mainly managed to avoid. Where these could not be avoided, he proceeded with considerable caution.
At last, he reached the bottom of the canyon and stood for a moment wondering which way to go. The wind was less down here and there were fewer dust devils. They seemed smaller too. One of them must have been in a rough updraft for a part of was flailing of the main swirl giving the effect that the devil was beckoning him.
"Ah well," he thought to himself, "one way is probably as good as the other."
He turned towards the dust devil, following the dried up river bed. As he approached the devil, it appeared to fade. As he was watching this happen, he stubbed his toe on something. He looked down and saw a bone sticking up out of the sand. He knelt down and taking a brush from the satchel he carried over his shoulder, he brushed around the bone.
There is more of this story...
Home Top normist's Page
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Florida Senate - 2019 (PROPOSED BILL) SPB 7074
FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and
585-02529A-19 20197074pb
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to support organizations; amending s.
3 257.43, F.S.; removing the scheduled repeal of
4 provisions governing the citizen support organization
5 providing support for the Division of Library and
6 Information Services of the Department of State;
7 amending s. 265.703, F.S.; removing the scheduled
8 repeal of provisions governing citizen support
9 organizations providing support for the Division of
10 Cultural Affairs of the Department of State; amending
11 s. 267.17, F.S.; removing the scheduled repeal of
12 provisions governing citizen support organizations
13 providing support for the Division of Historical
14 Resources of the Department of State; repealing s.
15 288.809, F.S., relating to the Florida
16 Intergovernmental Relations Foundation; requiring the
17 Executive Office of the Governor and the foundation to
18 ensure the satisfaction of the foundation’s remaining
19 liabilities by a certain date; providing for the
20 transfer of any remaining funds by a certain date;
21 providing effective dates.
23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25 Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 257.43, Florida
26 Statutes, is amended to read:
27 257.43 Citizen support organization; use of state
28 administrative services and property; audit.—
29 (4) REPEAL.—This section is repealed October 1, 2019,
30 unless reviewed and saved from repeal by the Legislature.
31 Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 265.703, Florida
33 265.703 Citizen support organizations; use of state
39 267.17 Citizen support organizations; use of state
43 Section 4. Effective October 1, 2019, section 288.809,
44 Florida Statutes, is repealed.
45 Section 5. The Executive Office of the Governor and the
46 Florida Intergovernmental Relations Foundation, created pursuant
47 to s. 288.809, Florida Statutes, shall ensure that any
48 liabilities of the foundation are satisfied by September 1,
49 2019. Any funds of the foundation remaining following
50 satisfaction of any liabilities must be transferred to the
51 Florida International Trade and Promotion Trust Fund within the
52 Department of Economic Opportunity by September 15, 2019.
53 Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
54 act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2019.
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Fraser Blog
Codewise.org
WFraser on GitHub
Rust on i586
21 March 2016 on rust
The Rust compiler recently gained support for targeting i586-class processors.
Why is this interesting? The i586 CPU architecture also known as P5 came out in 1993, with the first Intel Pentium processor. Surely this ancient CPU isn't relevant now, right? (Don't call me Shirley)
True, while original Pentium processors are way too old and limited to be useful, this new support makes Rust compatible with a number of not-quite-as-old and still useful hardware.
To explain why, I'll need to explain i686. The i686 architecture came out a little bit after i586, was introduced with the Pentium Pro processor, and has been used in the Pentium II and Pentium III processors. i686 is important because nearly all 32-bit x86 Linux software uses i686 as its target.
The 32-bit x86 Rust compiler also targets the "i686" CPU architecture. Sortof. Rust doesn't actually work on these processors, despite claims, because it actually targets the Pentium 4 processor, by using SSE2 instructions that were first introduced on that chip. If you try to run it on a real i686 (a Pentium Pro, Pentium II, or Pentium III), it will try to execute SSE2 instructions which that chip knows nothing about, and crash.
(Side note: Pentium 4 uses a different microarchitecture called NetBurst, sometimes also referred to as "i786", which is an unofficial name that indicates its position as the successor to i686. NetBurst introduced SSE2, HyperThreading, and numerous other things to the x86 architecture. It's also remembered for being rather poor-performing, power-hungry, and hot compared to contemporary chips due to the incredible increase in chip complexity and in particular, the incredibly long pipeline it used. NetBurst was discontinued after the Pentium 4, and its successor was much more similar to the i686, but it retained the SSE2 instructions and some other additions. Almost nobody writes code that specifically targets NetBurst because it is a very unique chip which is difficult to optimize for. However, its instruction set is the relevant part to this discussion. Anyway...)
Probably 99% of people running 32-bit Linux don't care that Rust incorrectly equates i686 with Pentium 4, because that chip first came out in 2006, which was ten years ago, and they're all running much newer processors, so the difference doesn't matter to them.
Well, I'm one of the 1%. :)
I've had a particular dual-processor Pentium III machine around for a long time, since back in 2008 or so when I got it for free when I was in college. It's a pretty nice machine, a Dell PowerEdge 2400/1000 server, with two of the fastest Pentium III chips they made (each at 1.0 GHz ohh yeah!), and it has a hardware RAID card hooked up to four 15,000RPM SCSI hard drives. So its I/O performance is really quite good, and its CPU performance is "acceptable". Also it's really cool looking, so I keep it around for fun.
The Pentium III is an i686, but Rust won't run on it because of the SSE2 instructions. This discrepancy between their claimed i686 support and the fact that it won't run on a number of actual i686 chips has generated a bit of discussion in the Rust community. Ultimately it was decided that redefining their i686 target would possibly cause breakage and might be a performance regression for many people (SSE2 enables some really nice optimizations). i586 and i686 are basically identical from an instruction set perspective, so the Rust maintainers decided to add i586 as a new target, and basically concede that their i686 isn't quite accurate, but is going to stay that way. A bit confusing, but a workable solution.
Building Rust for i586
Okay, with the explanation out of the way, let's get down to compiling the Rust compiler so it will run on a i586-class processor. To do this, you'll need a modern computer with a Pentium 4 or newer processor, either 32-bit or 64-bit. This is because most of the Rust compiler is written in Rust itself, so it needs a working Rust compiler to start the process. (This is called "bootstrapping".)
Start by downloading and installing a nightly build (binary) of Rust. This is necessary because currently, the i586 support is still new, and hasn't reached the Beta or Stable channels. Then download the corresponding Rust source code. It's not necessary that they match exactly down to the commit hash, but they should be close.
Change directory to the Rust source code root and run these commands:
> export CFLAGS="-march=pentium"; export CXXFLAGS="-march=pentium"
This is needed because a number of Rust compiler components are written in C and C++, and so the C/C++ compiler needs to be told that we're targeting this specific CPU microarchitecture. (The Rust Build System should do this automatically, but doesn't yet.)
> ./configure --build=i586-unknown-linux-gnu --disable-jemalloc --enable-local-rust --prefix=/usr
Argument explanation:
--build=i586-unknown-linux-gnu - This tells the Rust Build System that we're building for an i586-class processor, in a system made by an unknown vendor, on the Linux kernel, using the GNU ABI. This is called a "triple" (even though it has four components -- originally the last part, specifying the ABI, wasn't part of it).
--disable-jemalloc - This disables support for jemalloc, a high-performance memory allocator used by Rust. I've read that jemalloc has problems without SSE2 support, so I've disabled it as a precaution.
--enable-local-rust - This tells the build system to use the Rust compiler already installed on my machine, instead of downloading a snapshot to use.
--prefix=/usr - This specifies where things will be installed. You might alternatively want to set it to /usr/local to keep this installation from conflicting with anything from your Linux distribution.
After running configure, you're ready to start the build. Run:
> make -j5
Replace 5 with the number of CPU cores on your machine (times two if you have HyperThreading), plus one.
Now go for a walk, enjoy some beverage, and come back in a couple hours. On my quad-core Xeon E5-2609 v2 with 16GB of RAM, this build took a little over an hour and a half. Your time may vary.
> mkdir pkg
> make DESTDIR="pkg" install
This copies the installation into the proper place as if the pkg folder was the root of the filesystem.
> tar cjvf rust-nightly-i586.tar.bz2 -C pkg .
This zips up everything in the pkg directory in a way that if you were to extract it to the root of a filesystem, everything would be in the right place.
Now copy this tarball to your old pre-Pentium 4 system, and run:
> cd /
> tar xvf /whatever/path/to/rust-nightly-i586.tar.bz2
And now you should have a working Rust compiler on your old machine!
Bill Fraser's Picture
Bill Fraser
Sneaking a Peek at Private Data for Testing in Rust
For test purposes, it's often useful to take a peek at (and possibly mess with) data which would otherwise…
Rust and File Descriptors
I'm working on a program in Rust that for various reasons needs to pass data to a child process…
Fraser Blog © 2019
Proudly published with Ghost
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All Signs for 2016 February 4th
Week of February 4th, 2016
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is eight stories high, including its belfry, and tilts sideways at a four-degree angle. When builders started construction back in 1173, they laid a weak foundation in unstable soil, and the building has never stood straight since then. And yet it is the most lucrative tourist attraction in the city of Pisa, and one of the top ten in Italy. Its flaw is the source of its fame and glory. What's the equivalent in your world, Pisces? Now is a favorable time to take new or extra advantage of something you consider imperfect or blemished.
You can still listen to my three-part, in-depth explorations of your long-range destiny. What hidden factors will be massaging your destiny in 2016? Could you use some hints about how to prepare for the adventures awaiting you in the next 12 months?
To access the Expanded Audio Horoscopes, register and/or sign in on the main page, and then click on the link "Long Range Prediction." (Choose from Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.)
A new short-term forecast for this week is also available. Click on "This week (Feb 2, 2016)."
The cost is $6 per sign, but there are discounts if you buy multiple tokens.
SACRED ADVERTISEMENT. The oracle below is from my book PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings.
"I am a devout atheist," writes Tom of Ohio, "but I have to explain to my atheist friends that I do pray to the 'GodIdontbelievein.'
"My first direct contact with this Divinity arrived when I was coming out of anesthesia after surgery. I was somehow aware of my existence but totally sensory-deprived. As I emerged from total unconsciousness, a tiny flickering Tinkerbell-like creature in the form of a shimmering globe of light fluttered into my consciousness and hovered irresistibly before my internal eyes. I was in love with it and it loved me.
"In fact it was me, or at least the manifestation of cosmic energy that settles in me and is my being. It gave me a blessing of good will, then went about its business of operating my body. In parting, it gave me the assurance that it would always be there for me and with me, and would join me after it shut the body down for the last time.
"Since that first encounter, I commune with the little sparkling wonder every so often. I thank it for its presence and it thanks me for mine, though we are actually one and the same. I find myself praying to it, though there's really no need to—it knows me better than I do, and guides me toward my goals, though I know not what they are."
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Week of October 12th, 2017
♈ ARIES
(March 21-April 19)
In his book The Logic of Failure, Dietrich Dorner discusses the visionaries who built the Aswan Dam in Egypt. Their efforts brought an abundance of cheap electricity to millions of people. But the planners didn't take into account some of the important effects of their innovation. For example, the Nile River below the dam no longer flooded its banks or fertilized the surrounding land every year. As a result, farmers had to resort to chemical fertilizers at great expense. Water pollution increased. Marine life suffered because of the river's diminished nutrients. I hope this thought will motivate you to carefully think through the possible consequences of decisions you're contemplating. I guarantee that you can avoid the logic of failure and instead implement the logic of success. But to do so, you'll have to temporarily resist the momentum that has been carrying you along. You'll have to override the impatient longing for resolution.
Do you want further explorations of the intriguing twists and turns of your personal evolution? Would you like help in solving the riddles that confuse you? Check out your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♉ TAURUS
(April 20-May 20)
Are you primed to seek out new colleagues and strengthen your existing alliances? Are you curious about what it would take to infuse your best partnerships with maximum emotional intelligence? From an astrological perspective, the next nine weeks will be a favorable time to do these things. You will have opportunities to deepen your engagement with collaborators who cultivate integrity and communicate effectively. It's possible you may feel shy about pursuing at least one of the potential new connections. But I urge you to press ahead anyway. Though you may be less ripe than they are, their influence will have a catalytic effect on you, sparking you to develop at an accelerated rate.
Need more help in figuring out the questions life is asking you? Crave more support in your efforts to build your courage? Check out your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
"I was satisfied with haiku until I met you," Dean Young tells a new lover in his poem "Changing Genres." But Young goes on to say that he's no longer content with that terse genre. "Now I want a Russian novel," he proclaims, "a 50-page description of you sleeping, another 75 of what you think staring out a window." He yearns for a story line about "a fallen nest, speckled eggs somehow uncrushed, the sled outracing the wolves on the steppes, the huge glittering ball where all that matters is a kiss at the end of a dark hall." I bring Young's meditations to your attention, Gemini, because I suspect that you, too, are primed to move into a more expansive genre with a more sumptuous plot.
What fresh blessings will life bring you? What questions should you be asking? To explore the ripening trends further, tune in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♋ CANCERIAN
(June 21-July 22)
Statistical evidence suggests that Fridays falling on the 13th of the month are safer than other Fridays. The numbers of fires and traffic accidents are lower then, for example. I find this interesting in light of your current situation. According to my analysis, this October's Friday the 13th marks a turning point in your ongoing efforts to cultivate stability and security. On this day, as well as the seven days before and seven days after, you should receive especially helpful clues about the future work you can do to feel even safer and more protected than you already do.
Want to explore this chapter of your life story even further? Dig deeper? Push harder? Consider tuning in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES.
♌ LEO
(July 23-August 22)
Too much propaganda and not enough real information are circulating through your personal sphere. You're tempted to traffic in stories that are rooted more in fear than insight. Gossip and hype and delusion are crowding out useful facts. No wonder it's a challenge for you to sort out the truths from the half-truths! But I predict that you will thrive anyway. You'll discover helpful clues lodged in the barrage of bunkum. You'll pluck pithy revelations from amidst the distracting ramblings. Somehow you will manage to be both extra sensitive and super-discriminating.
You're got more strength and intelligence than you realize. For help in accessing those untapped inner resources, tune in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♍ VIRGO
(August 23-September 22)
A journalist named Jenkin Lloyd Jones coined the term "Afghanistanism," which he defined as "concentrating on problems in distant parts of the world while ignoring controversial local issues." I want to urge you Virgos to avoid engaging in a personal version of Afghanistanism. In other words, focus on issues that are close at hand, even if they seem sticky or prickly. Don’t you dare let your attention get consumed by the dreamy distractions of faraway places and times. For the foreseeable future, the best use of your energy is HERE and NOW.
10 How are you going to change what needs to be changed and accept what needs to be accepted? To get some support from me, tune in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♎ LIBRA
(September 23-October 22)
"I am more interested in human beings than in writing," said author Anais Nin, "more interested in lovemaking than in writing, more interested in living than in writing. More interested in becoming a work of art than in creating one." I invite you to adopt that perspective as your own for the next twelve months, Libra. During this upcoming chapter of your story, you can generate long-lasting upgrades if you regard your life as a gorgeous masterpiece worthy of your highest craftsmanship.
Sometimes it's a challenge to try to figure out what's important and what's not important. If you'd like more of my input, tune in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♏ SCORPIO
(October 23-November 21)
Scorpio actress Tara Reid told the magazine Us Weekly about how her cosmetic surgeries had made her look worse than she had been in her natural state. "I'll never be perfect again," she mourned. I bring this up in the hope that it will inspire you. In my astrological opinion, you're at a turning point when it's crucial to appreciate and foster everything about yourself that's natural and innate and soulfully authentic. Don't fall sway to artificial notions about how you could be more perfect than you already are.
How well is your imagination working these days? Could it use a boost? A prod? A jolt of inspiration? Try tuning in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♐ SAGITTARIUS
(November 22-December 21)
I didn't go to work today. I woke up late, lingered over a leisurely breakfast, and enjoyed a long walk in the autumn woods. When I found a spot that filled me with a wild sense of peace, I asked my gut wisdom what I should advise you Sagittarians to attend to. And my gut wisdom told me that you should temporarily escape at least one of your duties for at least three days. (Escaping two duties for four days would be even better.) My gut wisdom also suggested that you get extra sleep, enjoy leisurely meals, and go on long walks to spots that fill you with a wild sense of peace. There you should consult your gut wisdom about your top dilemmas.
Want more clues? Need further insight? For more evocative questions and pithy suggestions about your unfolding destiny, check out your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♑ CAPRICORN
(December 22-January 19)
A snail climbed to the top of a big turtle's shell as it was sleeping under a bush. When the turtle awoke and began to lumber away in search of food, the snail was at first alarmed but eventually thrilled by how fast they were going and how far they were able to travel. "Wheeee!", the snail thought to itself. I suspect, Capricorn, that this little tale is a useful metaphor for what you can look forward to in the coming weeks.
How much do you want to know about your life? How far do you dare to go in your quest for self-mastery? For more insight into your intriguing fate, tune in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
♒ AQUARIUS
(January 20- February 18)
"If these years have taught me anything, it is this," wrote novelist Junot Díaz. "You can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in." That's your plucky wisdom for the coming weeks, Aquarius. You have arrived at a pivotal phase in your life cycle when you can't achieve liberation by fleeing, avoiding, or ignoring. To commune with the only kind of freedom that matters, you must head directly into the heart of the commotion. You've got to feel all the feelings stirred up by the truths that rile you up.
Would you like to hear more about the hidden factors influencing your life? Do you want to uncover the secrets you've been hiding even from yourself? Listen to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
J. Allan Hobson is a scientist of sleep who does research at Harvard. He says we dream all the time, not just at night. Our subconscious minds never stop churning out streams of images. During the waking hours, though, our conscious minds operate at such intensity that the lower-level flow mostly stays subliminal. At least that's the normal state of affairs. But I suspect your dream-generator is running so hot right now that its stories may leak into your waking awareness. This could be disconcerting. Without the tips I'm giving you here, you might worry you were going daft. Now that you know, I hope you'll tap into the undercurrent to glean some useful intuitions. A word to the wise: The information that pops up won't be logical or rational. It will be lyrical and symbolic, like dreams.
Do you wish you could get more clarity about the foggy, ambiguous situations you're dealing with? Want more help in exploring the Great Mystery that is your life? I discuss your coming week in greater depth in your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE.
GET HOROSCOPES IN YOUR INBOX!
By signing up you are agreeing to our terms of use and privacy policy
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comedy, drama, entertainment, humor, Philippines, television
So Long, Luv U
January 19, 2016 ralphierceABS-CBN, Alexa Ilacad, And I Love You So, And I Love You So ABS-CBN, ASAP, ASAP ABS-CBN, Badjie Mortiz, Bentong, Edgar Mortiz, Frasco Mortiz, GMA, GMA Network, Goin' Bulilit, Goin' Bulilit ABS-CBN, Hyubs Azarcon, Instagram, Jairus Aquino, Joy Viado, Kiray Celis, Luv U, Luv U ABS-CBN, Luv U final episode, Luv U finale, Luv U trended, Luv U trending, Marco Gumabao, Mika Dela Cruz, Miles Ocampo, Nash Aguas, Rhap Salazar, Sharlene San Pedro, Smokey Manaloto, T.G.I.S., T.G.I.S. GMA, The Buzz, The Buzz ABS-CBN, Twitter 18 Comments
‘Luv U’ aired for the last time last Sunday afternoon, ending a near four-year run. (Logo courtesy of ABS-CBN)
The last remaining teen-oriented series in the country has finally departed.
On Sunday, January 17, ABS-CBN’s ‘Luv U’ officially aired its final episode. The series bowed out after nearly four years on the air, with a total of 203 episodes to boot.
The final episode of ‘Luv U’ marked the end of an era for teen-oriented series, which began when GMA’s ‘T.G.I.S.’ premiered in mid-1995. With the cast’s desire to move on to other projects and at the same time devote several hours of school time, it is clear that the series would have to end.
First aired on February 19, 2012, ‘Luv U’ was essentially a grown-up version of ‘Goin’ Bulilit’, featuring the then-teenage graduates of the latter series. Early episodes of the series were more humor-oriented, but as the years went by, more serious elements were added, each emphasizing on the real-life struggles of Filipino teenagers.
‘Luv U’ originally aired in between ‘ASAP’ and ‘The Buzz’, but in April 2015, it was moved to the late afternoon slot to replace the latter. While ratings for the series were respectable overall, the change of timeslot in later episodes caused it to fall.
Nevertheless, ‘Luv U”s final episode made a lasting impression. While ratings for the finale are yet to be revealed, it managed to trend on Twitter.
On Instagram, cast member Miles Ocampo, now lead protagonist of ‘And I Love You So’, posted this message:
“MAMI-MISS KO ang gumising ng umaga tuwing Monday, ang mag script reading, ang asaran, ang foodtrip, ang tawanan, ang friendship at ang nabuong pamilya.”
“THANK YOU sa mga experiences, sa sad and happy memories, sa mga pagturo ng maraming lessons at sa pagbibigay saakin ng pagmamahal.. Sa lahat po ng sumuporta sa LUV U sa loob ng 4 NA TAON, maraming maraming salamat po sainyong lahat.”
MAMI-MISS KO ang gumising ng umaga tuwing Monday, ang mag script reading, ang asaran, ang foodtrip, ang tawanan, ang friendship at ang nabuong pamilya… THANK YOU sa mga experiences, sa sad and happy memories, sa mga pagturo ng maraming lessons at sa pagbibigay saakin ng pagmamahal.. Sa lahat po ng sumuporta sa LUV U sa loob ng 4 NA TAON, maraming maraming salamat po sainyong lahat. Kaya sa huling pagkakataon, iniimbitahan ko po kayong lahat.. bukas po, Luv U, 4:30pm, after kapamilya mega blockbusters. THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU FOREVER, my LUV U FAMILY. ❤️❤️❤️ #LuvUPaalam
A post shared by Miles Ocampo (@milesocampo) on Jan 16, 2016 at 4:18am PST
The cast of ‘Luv U’ also includes Kiray Celis, Marco Gumabao, Sharlene San Pedro, Alexa Ilacad, Nash Aguas, Jairus Aquino, Mika Dela Cruz, Rhap Salazar, Smokey Manaloto, Hyubs Azarcon, Bentong, and Joy Viado, among others. Edgar Mortiz and sons Frasco and Badjie directed the series.
The fate of the now-vacant 4:45 p.m. slot is still to be determined. Regardless, ‘Luv U’ will be missed by its loyal viewers, and the lessons that come with it will never be forgotten.
→ Celebrity Playtime Times Two, Plus PGT Season 5 Premieres
← Is ‘Wish I May’ Too Late the Hero?
18 thoughts on “So Long, Luv U”
As per photo posted on ABS-CBN 360 page, Celebrity Playtime will occupy the timeslot of Luv U.
Celebrity Playtime will be aired twice a week on weekends, like PGT.
Another new approach from the network, much like Wowowin did early in their run. We’ll see if things will be different.
One reason why Luv U ended was because directors Edgar and Frasco Mortiz are also busy directing other shows like Goin Bulilit, Home Sweetie Home and Banana Sundae.
It’s also possible that the weekly teen-oriented series is no longer marketable. Nowadays, they focus their energies on teleseryes, since they are more popular and fast-moving.
GMA and TV5 have long stopped producing teen shows. Luv U is the last of a dying breed.
Exactly. Teleseryes killed them.
Jose Tiamson says:
Truly, it was the end of an era. GMA started the trend but ABS-CBN ended it.
Wala na kasing karibal ang ABS pagdating sa teen-oriented series, and lack of competition led to declining viewers’ interest. TeenGen was GMA’s last teen-oriented series, and it ended nearly three years ago. I didn’t include Dormitoryo since it’s more of a suspense thriller series.
Even primetime sitcoms on weekdays have also been killed by teleseryes. Palibhasa Lalake and Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata are sorely missed.
No wonder ABS has little to offer in the comedy department.
I just red an article in one kapamilya webpages that the vacated timeslot will be occupied by a Drama Anthology, probably the Spin-off of “Oh My G” which is “1G” or “One God” but its not sure yet.
For now, though, it looks like Celebrity Playtime will air on Sundays too, per ABS.
And besides, Zanjoe Marudo, who was supposed to guest in the first episode of that drama anthology Marcel mentioned, already has an upcoming soap, Langis at Tubig, with Cristine Reyes. It’s ready for airing.
That drama anthology they’re proposing might end up airing on Saturday afternoons against Wish Ko Lang, and could possibly put MKML to Sunday afternoons if that happens.
As far as I know, TV Patrol Weekend on Sundays has MKML as a segment so I’m not sure if it will be a separate Sunday program. If that happens, ABS may have to drop the Kapamilya Mega Blockbusters block.
Or they can just move the MKML segment to Saturdays. That would be much better.
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Page 162 of 166 First ... 62 112 152 160 161 162 163 164 ... Last
Thread: NBA Thread
Originally Posted by Canmore
That would be the Lakers.
No doubt, we all knew Lebron would form a posse sooner or later. Does he have enough now? Am I right that they are still missing a key piece or two....which of course, could be found?
ELWAY421
Buckeye Nation
Originally Posted by CanDB
My question to all The Denver fans....with the potential one year decline of The Warriors, do you not feel like your team has a real shot at going the distance next year? GS only had 3 more victories during the regular season, and the odds are that KD will not be around (injured and/or traded), and Klay could be out for an extended period as well. I have a load of respect for the power of GS, but does it not appear that someone else will win the West next season?
The Nuggets don't have enough as currently constructed. Portland, and Houston should be there, and depending on what the Lakers can do in free agency they may. Not sure about Oklahoma City but I think the Pelicans could very well make the playoffs next year.
I don't know why anyone would feel like this is a 1 year decline of the Warriors? This was the end of the road for that team. They were top heavy and had very little bench. If they re-sign both Durant and Thompson their salary cap and luxury tax bills climb to $350 million per season. Which means there will still be no bench. Add to that the team is getting older and they're about to pay massive contracts to 2 players that will miss an entire season, one of whom has a catastrophic injury that's tough to come back from. It was a fading dynasty that's going to compound problems and make it hard for them to compete anytime in the next few years.
But playing it forward let's look at the core of the team for 20/21 (based on current roster):
Curry will turn 33 during the season
Durant will be 32 just before the season
Thompson will turn 31 during the season
Green would turn 31 during the season, if they re-sign him
Iguodala would turn 37 during that season...if retained.
It's an old core with a lot of miles on it and now dealing with serious injuries. The Warriors run is dead, Denver should be aiming to be the new top team in the West, because it's wide open.
Originally Posted by ELWAY421
As for The West, even if The Raptors can keep their GM and Kawhi, The Bucks are going to be back for more. I think they learned a big time lesson, and could use it to propel themselves next season. I believe that they got into a bit of confusion during The Raptors series, and could not reverse the downward momentum. The less experienced/knowledgeable types can sometimes not alter their path while in midstream. Too much emphasis on one player. But after a tough offseason, they will be a load. In fact, not knowing the Raptors situation, I would power rank them #1. Not so much so if The Raptors come back intact. A healthy Leonard, plus improving play by the likes of VanVleet and Siakam, could make them even stronger.
Philly is not to be forgotten either.
Last edited by CanDB; 06-16-2019 at 11:07 AM.
Kawhi is either staying in Toronto or going to the Clippers imo. If he goes to the Clippers than they have to be the favorites in the west, right? Clippers have some good players, and a great coach. Balmer is the richest owner in all sports, and LA is where Kawhi is from.
This is going to be a interesting offseason. Draft is right around the corner, and then let the chaos of free agency begin. Right after is summer league. Summer league will be exciting this year with Zion. NBA still not on that NFL level though lol.
I hate hate hate to see Kawhi go, but life goes on.....and if any team, for me it's The Clippers. And he would definitely help them make a run. We would miss him dearly, but we would always love him for his one INCREDIBLE year. We do not win world championship without him.
Former Mod about town
Up North
Holy smokes what a week here in Toronto.
Do. Do not...No Try!
North Bend, Oregon
That would appear to be accurate.
I've been a Lakers fan since Wilt. I really am not a fan of LeBron. We will see.
2015, 2016, 2018 Adopted Bronco: Chris Harris Jr.
Originally Posted by Remedy
Rem, when I first used to come to TO decades ago, mainly for work, I was not in love with the city. It was a big city of course, but it did not give me a really good feeling. But I still recall fondly being in TO on the first ever Jays games, which was played outside, with a few snowflakes! They won in a slugfest as I recall.
Over the years I have returned many times. I started to better appreciate the city. And eventually both my kids ended up there. And now when we visit, they take us to the coolest places. I will admit, I've had enough Blue Jays for a while, but even so, there is a nice youth movement happening. It might take a few years (and yes, I'd get rid of the current management in a giffy!!).
But the city is diverse, exciting, interesting, and awesome! So much to see and do, and you can always take a ride to The Niagara area, and all the great scenery within southern Ontario.
If The Jays had made it to the World Series, my daughter had a ticket waiting for me. But still, I was lucky to see their back to back championships on tv, which was amazing in itself. And had we visited our kids this week instead of last, we would have taken to the streets to join the victory party, plus taken in tomorrow's parade. My kids will be.
Toronto rocks! Great international destination! Nice people. Amazing energy, things to see, things to do. And it might not be too long before The Leafs make a big splash as well!
As I write this, I reminisce about the fantastic food we have eaten in the cool restaurants. Amazing place!
Last edited by CanDB; 06-16-2019 at 04:17 PM.
I keep thinking about The Pelicans opportunity to make a statement for the future, come Thursday. Unless they make another trade, having the #1 and #4 overall picks could vault them into a power team for the future, especially with Zion at 1. Kawhi Leonard was the highest pick of any Raptor, at #15. Kyle Lowry was the 24th pick. Not saying there's a direct relationship, but Thursday will be a major value add to the organization. And my take in The NBA, if you end up with 2 or more all stars, with some decent depth, you can challenge.
Should be fun. Who knows, maybe a deal will change things.
Super stoked about next season as the black cloud that is Golden State appears to have lifted at least briefly. A lot of Denver’s success will fall onto Murray and his development. If he can score consistently then we’ll be a tough out for anybody, if he remains the boom or bust player he was in the playoffs then we can slip up and lose a series. If Harris and Barton stay healthy they can get us 15 a game each. Beasley is a solid handle away from being a force on offense and a few yoga classes away from being a very good defender. Morris is a very nice backup PG and hopefully Morris and Beasley don’t lose their legs down the stretch like they did this season. Milsap will be brought back hopefully at a lower rate but he’s old and Father Time can strike hard at any time. Juancho had surgery after the season so maybe his rapid descent to the bottom of the rotation can be attributed to that and he can give us some solid stretch 4 minutes next season. Trey Lyles really struggled from 3 last season but improved his mid range game and his efficiency near the basket, he could come back strong next year.
Then the big question mark is MPJ. Hopefully we can get some kind of answer on him in summer league. If he’s as good as advertised I think he’ll be top 2 in ROTY voting next to Ja Morant which should put us right back towards the top of the playoff seeding. We do have a trade exception that could net us a quality player to attempt to fill a hole that comes up during the season.
Vlatko Cancar is a name to keep an eye on in the summer league. Modern day SF/Stretch 4. He may be a big part of our bench and maybe let us trade some other more known bench guys with that trade exception.
But ultimately I do think the stubbornness of Malone like most NBA coaches to shorten the rotation for the playoffs will hurt us. The biggest strength of this team is our depth so I’d try to keep using that depth in the playoffs. Injuries and fatigue are real problems for young teams and I think the fatigue set in hard for guys like Morris, Beasley, and Murray throughout the playoffs.
atwaterandstir
Big move for the Jazz.....Conley has been rumored for sometime but now it's happening.
Utah gives up Allen, Crowder, Korver and the 23.
Helps the Jazz immensely at PG but still leaves a big hole in the outside scoring.
Originally Posted by atwaterandstir
I love what is going in in The NBA. Of course I want The Raptors to stay intact, and hopefully stay solid for a number of years. But in general, I like when there are multiple teams with a shot. For me, it makes the league more competitive and more interesting.
I applauded GS when they took the basketball world for a ride, winning a championship, followed by a season with the best record ever. But signing KD turned me off completely, given how amazing that team was. These days GS has some adversity to deal with, though they still have Curry and Green and others....and time will tell about KD and KT. But for this coming season they will be good, but not the dominant force we've grown accustomed to of late.
We now have forces here and there. The Bucks will likely be even better, now that they have experienced a playoff disappointment. Lebron's building up his gang. And there are a handful of other teams that could be champs next season. And then I get excited about what The Pelicans are up to, especially with the draft capital they possess.
This is good. This is very good! And if Kawhi decides to stay in TO, I can not tell you how good!!! (and if he chooses The Clippers, add another team to the potential champ list )
I agree, the NBA has really turned the corner with Adam Silver leading the league. Basketball (for me) is fun to watch again......for a long time it was pretty rough.
This particular move is a good one for Utah as long as they can address the outside shooting as well. With Rubio, Crowder and Korver now gone that is a lot of outside shots that need to go up. Hopefully the new guys can be more consistent though. Crowder was a fan favorite but was the definition of a roller coaster shooter. So many ups and downs....his tenacity will definitely be missed.
Well, as constructed, w/o Klay and KD, they're probably a fringe playoff team in the west. Problem is, more responsibility goes to Draymond to be great, and that's just not who he is. He was basically the same guy w/o Klay and KD, and Curry had to do it all. Curry is fragile, and asking him to handle that kind of load will increase the probability that he's hurt. This also means that Igodala has to do more, and he's got old knees. There's a chance they wouldn't even make the playoffs. When Klay is there, it allows everybody to play within themselves. With KD, it's just a stupid situation where they can let him go one on one whenever they need to sustain offense. Nobody can help, and if they do, somebody will get an easy look. They can also play small ball, because of his length. So it just makes the game easy. They can space the floor, play slower, and allow everybody to conserve energy. The other team has to run around closing out or chasing everybody.
Giannis needs help. The Bucks reminded me of the old LeBron teams, where they surround him with offensive role players, and rely on team defense. It's a great formula in the regular season, but there's not enough there to win a championship most years. Idk how it's going to work out for the 6ers, because there's a good chance they'll lose Butler. That, and Simmons still can't shoot. Looks like Boston is going to lose Kyrie and Horford, but I wouldn't write them off just yet. Horford at this stage is a role player, and he's been past his prime for years. I always thought he was a little overrated anyway. Kyrie prevented Stevens from really running the team the way he wanted to. So now they can get back to that. They could wind up with a higher seed next year, given Stevens' track record with the team. And I can't stand the dude, but Ainge is a fantastic GM.
Strictly speaking basketball, if I were Kawhi, I'd stay in Toronto.
The Pelicans? Meh. I'll believe it when I see it. That franchise has been a wreck for the most part, and the thing about draft picks, is unless you're getting a slam dunk player, they rarely wind up being as good as you think. It also takes years for these guys to develop. By the time that comes to fruition, you got free agency, and guys start leaving.
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Dungeon Defenders I Community
toggle off XP
By UncrownedData, April 12, 2017 in Community Development
UncrownedData 23
UncrownedData
Seasoned Defender
UncrownedData Steam Profile
0 hrs in the last 2 weeks
Since there is the new update coming, I am curious if it is possible to add in a toggle off XP option? I am not sure how hard this would be to implement, but I would guess something you could purchase from the tavernkeep, much like the XP bonus. Except this option would remove/restore your ability to earn experience toward character level. I suggest making it quite a high price in order to prevent low characters from accidentally doing this and then the restore option would maybe be free, should you ever want to start earning XP on that character again.
Just a thought I had tonight.
chakratos 0
chakratos
Defender-In-Training
I would absolutely love it!
Pjtor 0
Pjtor
Battle-scarred Defender
I'd like to see something like this. Or disable the auto-level up when I purchase a respec. Or allow higher lvl-s to stop speccing at a specific level I want them to be.
Plane 41
Ultimate Seahorse
Community Development Team
Snow Plane
Snow Plane Steam Profile
@Pjtor quote:
disable the auto-level up when I purchase a respec
Yes pls :)
(I have asked for this before)
Twistedsoul85 0
Twistedsoul85
Why would you want to stop xp or lvling up?
Personally I like keeping my tower chars below 90 (I only use sup gear on them) and would like DPS at 93. However I have no way of keeping them there because of the forced auto-level up at respec. Can't make and level up a new char every time I find a new piece of gear and want to redistribute my hero points. (I could but I don't want to)
Same problem if you're trying to use godly / myth chars with appropriate levels.
Or level 30 turtle builders :)
Alhanalem 17
Alhanalem
I really don't see what the use of this would be.
If you don't want to spend you points on a respec right away, just hit ESC? If for some weird reason I don't understand you don't want the full value of all your stat points, just don't spend them all? What's the use of freezing a character at a level below max?
@Alhanalem quote:
If you dont use all the points in respec, you dont level up at all. You remain at level 0 until you use ALL current hero points given to you for your current xp. The use of this is to maintain characters at a certain level for fun. For example, if I wanted to use Myth/Trans/Sup builders, and I wanted to ensure there is no chance my builders would ever pass the level for those armor types, this is the best solution out there. Right now, if you level to 74 and use your points, and then use that character to kill a boss or something, you cannot buy a respec because then you would either be stuck at level 0 or be forced into going to level 75...
The same concept applies to godly and all other armor levels as well.
[[19066,users]]
There are two solutions here on this post. The first is what I proposed in just allowing us to freeze xp gains. The second would be more applicable/useful to a broader player base, and involves removing the forced auto-level-up. This solution fits in to what you are saying, in that players could spend the points needed for a certian level and then just leave the other points in limbo. This also would allow a person to change the level they wish to be at, at any given time. For example, with this solution, you could level to max, then later decide you want to play as a level 83, and you could just spend the XXX number of points needed for 83. Then do as you say and hit ESC, and then even though they have the XP to be maxed, they will still only be a level 83 character. That is what it sounds like you are talking about, but it is *not* currently working in this way right now.
On a different note, talking about this has brought up a thought: This solution would seem to allow players to potentially throw ult/+/++ on a character then lower the level of that character. I am not sure if anyone else feels that this would be an issue, but my proposal is that ***IF*** / when this gets implemented, anything currently equipped be barred from the stat contributions the item would give. Similar to the blue square around an armor piece that is part of a set bonus, if an ulti+ piece that required 100 was on a character that downgraded levels to 83, this piece would be given a red colored square to indicate that it is currently providing 0 stats. This of course assumes that the idea of removing the auto-level-up would allow players to downgrade levels (which I believe would have to be a side-effect, unless I am missing something about this concept)
Dark Dragon 0
Dark Dragon
@Alhanalem quote: If for some weird reason I don't understand you don't want the full value of all your stat points, just don't spend them all? What's the use of freezing a character at a level below max?
If you have myth or trans heroes and want to keep them at levels 74 for myth or 78 for trans, and if you want to respec your hero points, then your hero would go above 74 or 78
If you have myth or trans heroes and want to keep them at levels 74 for myth or 78 for trans
You're still losing me on why exactly someone would want to do this. Are you trying to artificially limit yourself for challenge sake? I've never quite understood this, i.e. what's the difference between, say, playing a map at level 50 on insane and playing a map at level 100 on nightmare (don't fuss over the particulars there, I just threw out arbitrary numbers for the sake of example)- If it's hard it's hard and if it's not, it's not. Level isn't really important to the task of finding a challenge within the game. Down below I get into a somewhat different situation where this makes more sense. Perhaps that is what you're really after and I'm misunderstanding.
Unfortunately, what sounds like something that would be simple to do is often not the case, and we don't currently have an UnrealScript expert that could implement this kind of a feature (freezing XP gain). While there (for example) does exist a setting on the kismet for spawning enemies to make them not give XP, we would have to know before starting the map if we should tick the box for this for every such kismet action in the level; this would require unrealscript to set up such a variable and send it from the lobby level to the level chosen to play, along with work on the UI to put in the option and make it work.
Now, if the game's stat system were designed better, an option that would help the situation of people wanting to play with a friend without having to make a fresh character for it would be a level sync feature (each player would be clamped down to the level of another player and their stats would be scaled accordingly) but unfortunately with gear having very arbitrary stats that have little connection to the equip level, it would be extremely difficult to fairly scale equipment to match what's possible at a given level (I've played some games with a feature like this).
You're still losing me on why exactly someone would want to do this. Are you trying to artificially limit yourself for challenge sake?
Yes. And for bragging rights. To make it obvious to others that it's a godly/myth/trans/sup only character. Also for me it's fun when ppl don't take me seriously because of my character level (this happens a lot) then get surprised when I wreak havoc with them on "hard" maps.
For me, it is more of a desire to test whether or not builds work with lower stats. It would just be so much easier to test with the limit already in place than worry about taking off gear or finding other ways to hit the target stats I would want. Of course the challenge is part of it, sure. But it is more than just finding a single challenging map - I am looking at challenges on the scale of doing ult defender in myth. It isn't hard to find a challenge in the sense that you talked about, but if you look at the bigger picture of what an adjustable level cap could bring, there are a lot of applicable things it would help with
Inferno.0b 0
Inferno.0b
I support this simply because I'm attempting to build a set of godly tier characters. If I need to reallocate my hero points (eg. if my hero speed went under 100) and if I'd gone up a level I'd go up the level even if I don't want to, requiring me to remake and re-level the character again, which I personally don't like doing. At the moment I've gotten by by not using them in combat, but this isn't going to happen with the dps characters that I'd like to keep at a certain level.
The problem is that respec isn't really implemented properly. It just resets your level to 0 so you can level up again by applying points, but without clearing the flag that makes the experience bonus available.
One consequence of that is that leveling up via the respec button causes you to miss out on the exp bonus. If you're level 90, you can buy the exp bonus, level up, and buy it again. But if you buy the exp bonus, and level up via respec, you can't buy it a second time. I've missed out on exp several times by doing that, and it's annoying. This could be fixed by simply checking to see if the respec will result in leveling up, and making the exp bonus available again if so (bGaveExpBonus = 0).
The other consequence is that, as Inferno pointed out, you can't avoid leveling up if you want to respec. Fixing this would require adding at least one new variable to HeroNetInfo, syncing it to the server and checking for it in AddExperience() in DunDefHero.uc when adding exp to the hero. Adding the check to CanHeroLevelUp() would prevent the UI for "level up is available!" from popping up.
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Home › Remembering Game of Thrones Ascent
Memories of GotA
Shan admin
October 2018 edited October 2018 in Remembering Game of Thrones Ascent
Use this thread to share memories, screenshots, anecdotes about your Game of Thrones Ascent adventures
Posts that do not respect the intent of this thread will be deleted.
Citizen Nod ✭✭
What to say about Game of Thrones Ascent? It was the first game that I ever "ran," in the sense that a small group of people can ever truly run a game with millions of people in it - it's always a partnership between the players and the team. It was also the catalyst for working with and meeting talented and wonderful people, and getting to interact with a lot of passionate fans who stuck with us for years.
For those of you who don't know, I was the Producer and Product Owner for GoTA for several years before I moved onto Star Trek Timelines. I now work outside of the games industry, but I'll never forget the work involved around GoTA.
I just wanted to share a few memories with you all that stick out to me, even years later.
There was a day, shortly after summer of 2013, when Jon came up to us and said, "What do you guys think about making a war game within GoTA? We could use the Alliances and have them fight for stuff like unique titles, new equipment, and stuff like that." Little did we know what we were going to end up building. Those early decisions had huge repercussions down the line, and I can remember staying up late at the end of the very first phase, making sure the database transitioned properly to its ended state. There were just over a dozen of us back then, but somehow we made it work even when an edge case found us distributing rewards and points wrong
Since GoTA was a Facebook game first and foremost, it is uniquely personal in a way no other game I have worked on has been. There were Facebook groups that encouraged GoTA players to share real names, histories, and photos; there were people who had no problem tying who they were to the game. When we were in NYC for a show, we had a get-together for STT and GoTA players at a bar after the show. I distinctly remember meeting a bunch of The Black Goats in NYC, and all of us having a great time swapping stories and talking about our favorite GoTA memories - some of which were had at my expense Later that night created one of my favorite GoTA memories, when The Black Goat himself gave me a gift of Cuban rum that was only recently allowed in the states. He'd brought it for someone else, but wanted to give it to me instead. We huddled over by the bar, grinning like fools as we swapped the bottle from one pocket to the other. I still have that bottle at home; whenever I pour from it, it reminds me of the kind of experiences you only find in online games.
Or there was a time when two of our GoTA players dropped off brownies to our office. These brownies weren't wrapped, were clearly homemade, and someone had to try them first. Never one to turn down free food, I reached over and ate one straight away, no questions asked . They were delicious and everything was great until a co-worker said, "You know, there are some poisons that don't take action for days after you ingest them." Years later, I ended up becoming friends in real life with those same players, going to events like the Game of Thrones Boston premiere with them and seeing them at events like PAX East.
Many games don't get to run this long, even fewer with such a passionate community as this one. The full history of Game of Thrones Ascent occurred behind closed Facebook groups, late-night Skype channels, through emails and fan events and countless messages between the team and our players. It generated its fair share of praise, controversy, arm-chair theorizing, recrimination, and joy. And I'm proud to have been part of its long, amazing history.
Cheers to Game of Thrones Ascent!
asmall26 ✭✭
Thanks Nod!
Appreciate all you did for the game while you were here!
mouldydragoon ✭✭✭
It was interesting and thanks for all your hard work in our game, Nod. Never a dull moment. Take care.
GingerCat ✭✭
October 2018 edited December 2018
Thanks Nod, for everything. I now have RL friends around the world. Last year i visited one in Portugal. We has a great time. I miss you and will miss the game.
An old Goat, Robin Black Hood.
p.s. I have some of those pics of you in NYC with The Black Goat and others :-)
I kept my first SS
JJ Law ✭✭
I was introduced to the GoT in 2014.
2014 was a particular testing year for me, having been diagnosed with oral cancer which returned 3 times in 10 months. GoT was one of the things that gave me the the desire to get up and want to do something during those atrocious days of pain, chemo and aggressive nuclear radio therapy. Those who know cancer will know that sometimes just the idea of opening your eyes or even breathing becomes a mountainous chore.
GoT gave me the means find the WILL and DESIRE to want to survive, thank you!
I never got to even hatch a dragon though _
Daena the Defiant ✭
One of my favorite memories was the World Event. That was one of the best times here ever!
I also remember one time I contacted a Mega of old days... A thousand eyes and one. I told them Deep Lake members were trying to get some achievements by having level 20 camps in all regions. I said they were the only alliance I saw also in every region and would they please help us with barters and bribes. ( Back then bribes were beneficial) and they did. They were kind enough to help a little tiny alliance. I will never forget that. Mad respects and hats off to you where ever you are
The best phase was the one time the Megas stayed out of the top ten in a single region! Arranged by William Wilkns. It was the most fun ever!! When we got the Gilded Dawn title at the Goodbye party to our leader and friend. Even the other alliances in the region were thrilled to not have to compete against the megas for once. Straight up party phase.
Elenya Merryweather ✭✭
The game experience has been wonderful the 'features' have been both frustrating and amusing. The dragons are beyond everything - you cannot believe the feel of getting a dragon. Being on the small council made me want to quit. Being bed bound for three months made me appreciate the game most.
…. but mostly I will take away great friendships that have been built playing this game. I have met people from parts of the world that I didn't know existed and they are the most wonderful people you could ever believe. A surprisingly large number of them are seriously broken people but they have the sweetest most gracious and lovable spirits of any on this earth and I am humbled to have the privilege of having met them
:Banshee: ✭
It's been a while, and my voice is one which matters not in the scheme of things. But, I am nostalgic. It seems impossible that this was my first experience with MMOs and that I was determined to stay away from the social side of the game. You guys are scary...
But I was pulled into a group and named, and for a while it seemed like everything I touched would turn to dust because I seemed to have an uncanny talent for walking into every frailty in an alliance. I watched in horror as they blew up. And then I started Stonedancers and met Karl, whom no one had ever heard of and off we went on adventures. Usually apart, finally together.
At the end of the day, GoTA gave me something I needed. Someplace to go, something to do, someone to be.
My mistakes are my own. My victories aren't. They are the result of a very talented set of friends who allowed me the greatest gift of all. They encouraged me to be myself. So, to Xaene, Watty, and Jabroni who created Banshee, to Nenya who was ever my co-leader, to the Black Goat and ALL the Goats, to Dragonglass Citadel, to ravens that created friends, and enemies. To all those who ran with me, and to those who ran against me. To the Minstrels. To the Stonedancers. To my brother and sister. To you all. I raise my glass.
You can find me in some icy stream, washing the armor of those who will die, so they can go to the seven clean.
Pay 2 Win ✭✭
It was late Sep 2018. I was browsing around when I saw an advertisement for a Game of Thrones browser game. My curiosity was piqued so I registered and started playing. I do not have Facebook, I registered for an account on DB's official website.
All in all, it was a pay to win (or pay to not wait) game. I was away on a brief vacation and tried to play the game on my phone. It was a pain because the game wasn't optimised for mobile play, and internet access was spotty. All I did was collect silver whenever possible before the counting house overflowed, and squeezed in a few building upgrades.
On the last day of my vacation, I saw the in-game announcement that the game would be kaput early next year. There was plenty of weeping and gnashing of teeth on this forum, especially from the veterans who had poured plenty of cash and emotions into this game over the years.
The music and sound effects in this game are good, but a bit repetitive at times. I usually muted them when I play.
The artwork is fantastic: of places, NPCs, character portraits, cutscenes, items etc. If/when this game goes kaput, the ARTWORK must be preserved and be given free to fans as a souvenir.
It's a shame there's no portrait pictures of the characters in the tv show e.g. a hand drawn picture of Peter Dinklage to represent Tyrion. I guess HBO or some other legal entity representing those actors jealously guard their image rights.
Hitokiri ✭✭
This game and more so it's player community helped me tremendously during points of being sick over the past five years. I think Bilbo said it better than I ever could. "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."
Lord Holyblade ✭✭✭
It appears there's still a chance that GoTA could survive:
https://forum.disruptorbeam.com/gota/discussion/11899/survey-posted-by-jon-radoff
Please participate in the survey.
CEO of DB posted it 2 days ago on FB and allowed us to share it.
Add me as a friend.
My player ID: 159443
Freya Stormcloud mod
Daena the Defiant wrote: »
1K1 were truly an awesome Mega. I well recall the struggle for a small alliance to get enough mats and spoils to upgrade (all those militia/traders/eavesdroppers!) and having generous members join to drop mats or share spoils afterwards so we could run the AC's
Ebbden ✭
guest_1026113542862852 wrote: »
Like you i joint GoTA when i was waiting for an organ transplant and then happily recovering, i owe a lot of thanks to the DB team for helping keep me sane in the wee quiet hours during my worst days. simply thanks for your great game.
guest_1039261445258247 ✭
I started playing it pretty late .That was first game of this type i enjoyed so much. I didnt expect it to be so good. One day i was watching the GOTA news and saw this.I felt like i lose old friend.I didnt even consider that game which lasted so long and was GOT heaven for fans would ever get shut down.
In my opinion it is a shame that rains will weap over its halls.Is shut down really necessary? And will we be able to play it again some day ? I had such a good time it.
Marchon Ward ✭✭
It's been awhile since I posted in these forums, but it would be a shame if the game went offline without me contributing one last post...
I originally joined GoTA because I saw one of my friends was playing it. Then came The Doom - the big crash in March 2013. While many players left, fed up with bugs and crashes, I think that was when the GoTA community really began pulling together and bonding. Over the next 3 months, several players really began contributing ideas, researching bugs, and constantly pushed for game expansion. Despite all the gripes and complaints from many players, I found it to be a pretty exciting time. How many of us who aren't hardcore gamers ever get to see a game grow like GoTA did, let alone have a chance to actually contribute or influence how the game developed? I had the sense that many players really latched onto that. There was a definite passion in the forums back then. Sometimes it caused us to butt heads with each other. But all of us cared very deeply about GoTA. Despite any of our differences, reflecting back on that first year, I can't help but feel a bond of kinship with many of those players who stuck around for the entire run.
If the game does go down permanently and without some sort of non-GoT revival, it will be that first Spring that the game launched which I will fondly reflect back on -- bumps, hiccups, bugs, and all.
Oh, and BTW...
What happened to my title of Hodor? LOL
Steve-O ✭
Game of Thrones Ascent makes no sense. When first released there were days that it was virtually unplayable. The players continued to come. Features introduced took time to work. Exploits internal and external led to easy arakhs, infinitely trained swords, PtP shenanigans, etc. Controversies ticked players off consistently from the first AvA through witch trial bans. Time consuming and hopelessly biased towards those whom contributed the most monetarily, especially freaking tales. They continued to come, and click.
Throughout everything, The DB team from Jon Radoff to Nod to Khatie to Shan and many others did seem to listen to the audience. Features were constantly added and the game evolved beyond the source material. Balance was attempted and unintended issues were tackled as soon as possible. Tie-ins to Facebook and Kongregate led to alliances that developed into long term friendships between people across the world.
The kickstarter for a follow-on isn’t doing well. I hoped that it would be different. I don’t play like I used to and it’s been years but I still log on most days and have been playing even more since the end was announced. I never played an online, alliance based game before Game of Thrones Ascent and I was hooked. I joined an alliance on accident, became active and then an officer. I moved to a smaller alliance, became an officer making friends that I interact with to this day. For a long time I got to lead one of the top alliances in the game dealing with issues in a way that felt like a decent sized company middle manager. I made it into the mid 40s in power as a "free" player.
There isn’t anything like Game of Thrones Ascent. The source material? The gameplay? Disruptor Beam? The players? A combination of everything. Now that it’s ending my mouse will likely last many times longer per battery change and I’ll be a little sad as a result. Thank you Game of Thrones Ascent. - Etienne Rivers
I first heard of Game of Thrones watching a promotion for the third season of the HBO series. It looked interesting, so after turning HBO on I proceeded to binge watch from the first season through to the end of the third. For me, nothing else worth watching on HBO, so it was off again until the fourth and that cycle repeated until the end of last year's seventh season. At that point, it was up to two years to wait for the last season, so I searched for something to maintain the GOT lore. I guess I could have started reading the books, but I'm not much of a reader, and then I stumbled across Game of Thrones Ascent on a Facebook promotion. That was last year in October. As a newbie, I joined exclusively for the continuing lore of series. The quests had a nice tie-in with the series, and one could actually immerse oneself in the GOT universe. I did join an alliance when the game wanted me to do so, but I just chose one at the top of the list with a lot of players, and frankly didn't interact that much with the other alliance members, as there was no attempt to interact with me, and leadership seemed long gone. 3 months in to the game, and I attempted my first participation in AvA. It was hard to understand what was going on as there was no coordination from alliance missing leadership, and the only means of communication seemed to be the alliance chat box. As January rolled around, I received a raven from an ex member of that alliance inviting me to join another, smaller alliance that claimed to be more active in supporting their membership, and they did. I finally learned some of the ins and outs of AvA and began to enjoy that portion of the game as my progress in the quests entered chapter 13. They also used the Discord chat system to coordinate more rapidly with their active members, especially during AvA's. That alliance became a mashup of three alliances with very knowledgeable players. One of the groups decided to pull back and focus exclusively on AvA. Since I had, by that time, completed all the remaining quests of the chapter, and elevated my character to level 800 with a nice cadre of sworn swords, I went with them and remain to this date. We faced the AvA battles as a single alliance as well as ventured out as mercenaries to join with other alliances to gain higher rankings (during one such event, we placed 3rd overall). It was an eye opener to the sub-culture that existed around the AvA events, with chatrooms on Facebook some of the darker side of the tactics, but also some of the relationships that had developed only because of this game and events. Along the way I also created an "alt" I originally had seen no advantages to doing so, as all of my time online had been spent developing my character and SS's. But I had never even considered reincarnation, and some of our alliance members urged me to try it. So my second character was born with the intention of becoming a serial reincarnator. That was July, and by now it has reincarnated through all the fealtys but one; I stopped at the last offer to allow it to build up some inventory for the potential move to Kingdom Ascent if the game's development is successful from the Kickstarter. All in all, I've enjoyed the trip to this destination. There are other games that promote a similar experience, but since I have contributed to the KS for KA, I'll wait and see if it is successful, and hope that it does.
Veray LongWinter ✭✭
This Game has meant more to me than just something to play online. I suffer from severe PTSD and this game has been very therapeutic. Fight or Flight. I run/fly here to escape and I kill/fight something to calm down. No real harm done in RL and it literally helps keep me safe and sane... Now what am I going to do?? How will I cope?? Panic has started to set in.....
I would also like to Sincerely Thank WICA (Winter Is Coming Alliance) and their little sister Nymeria's Pack. They took in a newbie and taught me what the game was really about and how to be an honest part of something bigger. I didn't want to be a scared pup cowering under the porch, I wanted to get out and Run with the Wolves, to grow, to become stronger and a survivor. They quickly made me feel like family. Enough so, that my husband Spot even joined in the fun.
I Love each and every one of my Pack Mates in both WICA & Nymeria's Pack.
Thank You from the bottom of my soul!!!!! This old Biker Mama will never forget the help, support & Love you have given me and my family.
PatrickM ✭
I played alone, a wanderer, between alliances for a long time. Then I found a group of people that became very special to me. I was accidentally kicked out of the alliance during an AvA and Corenna Rambton actually bought me a gift of 10 gold as an apology. I took the mantle (if not the responsibilities) of Alliance Leader after Leyla Hornwood spread her wings to leave and grow. I couldn't bear the thought of the alliance disbanding, and I still can't to this day. We've become closer than what such a simple online game should warrant and I will miss them dearly, as I will miss this game.
Whalen Tarrett ✭✭
Having been a fan of the books and of the TV show, when I saw the advertisement for the game on Facebook I was very excited to play it, but guardedly reserved as well, since these games are rarely as good as they are advertised to be, and....WOW!!! what a ride, here I am, almost 6 years later saying goodbye to a game that took me on a whirlwind of fun, frustration, anger, amazement, joy, HELL!!! all the emotions. I remember being a clueless alliance leader during the old AvA days, merging that alliance with Wolves Rule the North and winning a region, crafting my first dragon and literally leaping out of my chair in exultation thinking it strange to be celebrating making something that is virtual, not real, but that feeling of accomplishment was real. I remember cobbling together equipment and seals that gave me my first 27 minute timer (only in Fight mind you) and even though I had less GP than others, I was making more VP than anyone else because I could send and send and send. I remember taking a ragtag lot of people from multiple alliances, we merged them as one fighting unit and our first phase together winning a region, fighting it out, syncing attacks to the last day, then the next phase winning another region without a single sync, we came out of nowhere. But those things are fleeting, just memories now, kept alive by war stories in an alliance chat, by people that I call my friends, that same ragtag lot that means a lot to me.
After reading some of the newer comments here, I feel compelled to mention the regret I feel.
The past 3 years have been very tumultuous for me in real life. Despite that, I always planned to return to GoTA once real life became stable again. Only at the end of this past August did I regain consistent internet access. I had been out of work for substantial time, so in August I managed to land part-time work. Then a month later, I was contacted by an organization asking me to apply for a position with them. Now it's December. I have a full-time job with full benefits, and often work overtime. I bought an SUV the day after Thanksgiving. I moved into a larger apartment. My life is the best that it's been in roughly 8 years.
But now that life is good again, GoTA is leaving us. I have many unfinished goals. Life simply prevented me from pursuing them within game. I really wanted to finish my reincarnation runs. I wanted to finish hatching that dragon, and begin working on the second dragon. During my last stretch of frequent activity, I was beginning to find my role in AvA by supporting other alliances with my 1-man alliance. I was hoping to turn that into joining a larger alliance where I could contribute in a support role behind the heavy hitters. I wanted to finish equipping my Sworn Swords with seals, and to evolve various items. There is just so much that I never got to finish. Now I'm in a position where I could put both time and money into the game, but what's the point?
I'm not blaming DB. I understand why the game is leaving. I'm just very sorry to see it go. It's like having someone die before you ever tell them all the meaningful words you really wanted to say. Unfortunately, because of the new apartment and the car, I haven't been in a position to contribute to the Kickstarter fund. The game is scheduled to be taken down before I can afford to contribute. Hence, one more regret.
There was a time when everyone knew I bled fire and blood for this game. Sometimes it was a bit too much fire, but that comes from passion. I backed away to focus more on playing the game, then found myself in a position where I couldn't even do that. I still have some of that passion though. I'm mourning a game that I never got to fully explore the way I wanted to. That's why I had to return to the forums -- to pay homage not only to the game I loved, but the game I considered my home online.
Daza ✭✭
A small group of my FB friends from secondlife invited me to this game way back in 2013 at a time I was looking for something new. I played with them for a few months but it was apparent no one knew what they were doing and had already started dropping out. I became curious about this "Alliance vs Alliance" thing and left "Wolves of Winter" and looked for and found a mid-sized alliance -- "We Are Not Serfs". I learned the bones of the game and explored many of its mechanics and features and shared what I was learning and quickly became part of Lindy's small council. After one particularly bloody phase against the scourge of that day (Red Viper's Bannermen) we combined with The Outcasts. Lindy's friends "Those Who Follow the Stars" somehow got invited as well and thus the birth of "A Thousand Eyes and One." I hated that name. I had a rough time on that small council and after one phase Lindy let off a sizable splinter group to form Dragonglass Citidel. I liked that name better and we had several good and fun phases although we seemed to attract the attention of one particularly troublesome alliance -- "Minstrels of Mayhem" wreaked havoc on us for thee entirety of the Eel Phase. We finally eeked out a regional second place finish thanks to help to Jen and friends at Elyssi Dracarys.
From my days at We Are Not Serfs, I had made an alt so that I could experiment with different gear and attack myself and see the results. Raygar was a Targ loyalist and I planted him in a different alliance ran by the same originator as We Are Not Serfs. Winnie Wylde was running The Wildlings which was basically an open alliance of alts and noobs. During 1K1 phase, I noticed I was actually having more fun playing with the Wildlings than I was in the new mega alliance. We weren't winning anything, but it was fun having two small alliances kick each other in the nuts repeatedly until one hollered and bent the knee.
Eel Shock was a pivotal phase for many reasons. It was the last phase of the 'old old' AvA-- the days when you had to click EACH time for EACH sword to attack pretty much like PtP. It was also the last phase where an aggressor could be an aggressor without building a camp of any sort. It was also the first 'mini phase' - 4 days long as opposed to 2-3 WEEKS! Yeah...we actually did that. Spent WEEKS clicking for AvA! Is it any wonder that long-time veterans are insane? Dragonglass was getting thrashed in our own region but all eyes were on Dorne where Elyssi was squared off against the campless Sand Snakes. Without a higher camp to attack there was a stand-off and no one wanted to build higher at the risk of becoming the target. Also at stake in Dorne was a set of nifty extra-wound gear that was unusual and generous for an AvA prize. We made a decision to abandon our Dragonglass goals and build that level 20 camp in Dorne for Elyssi and so the race for farming was truly borne. It had existed before but took on an entirely new look after this phase. We built the camp and combined our numbers with Elyssi to pull out a controversial victory. Apparently some Sand Snakes had been scripting and were penalized a substantial amount of VP before the end of the phase.
It would have been nice to let the phase play out to see if could have beaten then despite the scripting.
The 'Darkside - Lightside' was about to be born.
End of Part 1
Part 2 of my little Chronicle
So Elyssi Dracaris now became a mega alliance with the addition of Dragonglass Citadel . In a strange twist, Winnie was tired of leading the Wildlings and so Elyssi gained the dozen or so active members from there as well so my characters were again rejoined for a few months. But alts were much more controversial then as there were rules. Winnie, who had several alts of her own, ended up splitting off (again) and forming the True Wildlings and I sent Raygar off there, again to enjoy some small AvA.
Being in the small council of Elyssi was very educational as I was privy to many of the machinations of what passed for diplomacy. I was a strategist, who explored the game and different ways of doing things. My alt in the small alliance allowed a lot more freedom to discover than my main in the big alliance where you had to all fall in line in order to win regions. And that inevitably meant farming deals. "You build a camp for me in this region, we'll build one for you in that region ." We eventually squared off against Kong's Landing for an overall title that was an epic clickfest campaign that involved bring in new members from many different alliances (including Banshee from the Minstrels, who I still wanted to kill). We came up short in that one, but there was a clear divide in Westros.
I'm not going to chronicle the rise of the Goats here as this is already epic-ally long enough. Suffice it to say that I spent many hours, days and weeks attempting to strategize against Karl and his elite horde. There was a sort of religious anti-goat zeal that I found quite off-putting. While it was fun (and frustrating) trying to outwit and outplay him, often the desire to hunt and kill goats got in the way of the actual fun of the game, at least for me. There were many times where I wanted to try something else, somewhere else, but the rest of the council was fixated on bringing down that one single entity. Lindy ended up going back to Dragonglass Citadel with a small group but I stayed a while longer in Elyssi to witness the downfall and rise of several other mega alliances and personalities.
I was still having more fun in the smaller, leaner True Wildlings with my alt. In fact, Winnie took off for several weeks and in frustration, Raygar seized control. And that was a turning point for that alliance as I began cultivating some new leadership there. Many of those folks that started as noobs in the Wildlings would become members in the small councils of other large alliances including the Goats and Shagga and their associated splinters. You know who you are. I ended up leaving Elyssi before it morphed into its "unchained" iteration. Jen and Lindy have both long left the game but they were some special gals in those early days. I often clashed with alliance leaders but those two seemed to tolerate me better than most.
True Wildlings became Vice and Ire which became Black Sparrows which became Aegon Our Faces.
I did a short tour with the Goats before moving on. For about a year I ended up traveling and mercing for several small alliances for a phase or two before moving on and had a lot of great fun. Meeting those awesome folks in the smaller, lesser known but open and friendly alliances is what kept me playing the game when so many others were dropping out. Castle Deep Lake, Dragonglass, Guardian of the Direwolf Den, Wolves of the Wierwood, Knights of the Stag, Rickons Rebels...and a few more I have forgotten gave me an appreciation for the real community and culture of the game. People just having fun whether they win or not. Finding a similarly-sized rival and kicking each other in the nuts until they bend the knee. And then becoming frenemies. No titles, no diplomacy, no pit postings. Just a smackdown.
The past year I ended up with Taking the Blackfish, a Tully-based alliance that was growing learning and improving and we had some great fun trying some new things. Making Barter Great Again. Nice friendly group of folks. But I was getting itchy feet when the notice came that the game was closing. I made some plans to fight and be buried with some of my old Wildling friends but was foiled by the last disastrous AvA.
As of now, the Kickstarter is past the half-way point without even raising 1/6 of what it needs. The writing is on the wall with one week to go in the game. It's the end of an epic journey. DB made it an interesting, rarely boring and often frustrating run. But I will always have the fond memories of a half dozen open chat windows in FB and timers going off and trying to devise a newer and better strategy, bouncing ideas off the other war generals, checking and posting graphs and spreadsheets. But it's time. Time to move on to a post-GoTA life. Thanks for the memories. I wish you well.
Daza Mistwalker
aka Raygar
Davos Storm ✭
I just want to say I will miss this game even I had quit for a few years. It was a great time, and I will always have my memories of this forum whether it was long debates about something silly, watching drama unfold, and being a Gold Cloak.
Thank you DB for making a great game. And thank you players for making this a great community.
Lady Fletcher ✭
January 3 edited January 3
Thank You Disruptor Beam
I have been in this game EVERY day for 61 months, so it is not surprising that I view the end with
considerable sadness. But, I come away with so many great memories along the way:
As a newby, waking up extra early to empty the coffers of my counting house so I could squeeze out a little extra silver that morning; later learning I could make a FORTUNE selling stuff to the shop (I was never broke again).
Horrified that I mistakenly sent out a Sworn Sword to FIGHT in AvA, rather than AID as intended, & the relief that followed after I explained my error to the target's leader - who then offered friendship in return.
Feeling truly bummed out when I lost my first Sworn Sword in AvA.
The fun playing GAME OF THRONES PICTIONARY in the forums.
Elation when my small alliance built our first level 20 camp, after closely missing out oh so many times.
Stunned disbelief when I hatched my 1st Dragon on my 1st attempt!
Just some of the many memories that have me feeling so nostalgic as the sun sets...
And above all - the many friends made along the way. Without you, the game would not have been nearly as fun as it was, so thank you one and all - past and present - for your time, support, tips, & simple day-to-day chat along the way.
Best of luck & best wishes to you all!
But, as someone once said, ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END...
or as the Starks might say - WINTER IS COMING.
Lady Fletcher
DebraH ✭
As part of interacting in the game, (conspiring/strategizing/ prevailing), our alliance members have become fast friends, hosting each other in various countries for memorable and real-time reunions. It’s definitely the best part of the game for me! I’ll post a picture soon.
Rick Martel(l) ✭✭
Sad I couldn't finish the story. It was such an interesting game and the background music was tremendous. DB made a great choice picking "Black of Hair" as the main theme of Gota.
Here's to Daughter Jayne, Simon Groat, Septa Eleanor, Ser Hugo, Alvyn and all the other servants. *raises mug filled with Alpha-Currant Nectar*
Now the question is: Will Timelines suffer the same fate as Ascent some day? If so, I feel sorry for those who have spent dozens of bucks getting the characters they wanted.
Star Trek first season rankings from best to worst: DS9, TOS, ENT, VOY, TNG, TAS, ORV, DIS
It's taken me a bit to write this - I have a lot of mixed feelings about the game coming to an end.
In some ways, I'm a bit relieved. While it's been interesting and exciting to be a bit on the inside, and have input in some of the game's early development, it's also been difficult seeing people get hurt in their real lives by people who made a game of taking things too far. I think many will agree that the community made this game a special experience, but it was also some in the community who sucked some of the fun out of the game.
I started playing in April 2013 because of the books, and everyone at work was talking about the show. I really loved the anticipation of a new chapter being released after the episode premiered. I remember how excited we all got when each new fealty building was added, and how player strategy evolved with new talents. I had joined a small alliance that another FB friend was in, but it was not very active and the leader disappeared soon after. With AvA coming soon, I was not sure whether to start a new alliance or join a different one - but we had so many mats in different alliance challenges! Thankfully the "takeover" option was added, and I became leader of Knights of the Winter Rose.
I spent the next 5ish years trying to make KotWR a place where people could play their own game but still make sure everyone could get something out of AvA. We gained like-minded players, and lost some looking for more. We had players from around the world, and while some would stay anonymous behind their character name, some would become real friends.
I spent more then I intended to, but got way more then I expected.
Farewell GoTA, and all who play. May the sun shining brightly on your swordsand into the eyes of your enemies!
Freya Stormcloud - Knights of the Winter Rose
8.3K STAR TREK TIMELINES
1.2K Welcome to Starfleet!
671 Ready Room
492 Fleet Central
5K Starfleet Debriefing
3.6K The Bridge
321 Starfleet Communications
963 Make It So!
1.4K There will be tribbles
1.3K Engineering Room
164 Past Anomalies
565 Deutsche Foren
330 Ankündigungen
235 Allgemeine Diskussion
174 United Federation Of Planets
12 Universal Translator
111 Strange New Worlds
51 The Holodeck
536 GAME OF THRONES ASCENT
7 Remembering Game of Thrones Ascent
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mini-review game: non-metal edition (read OP before posting)
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Great review, and I'm kind of glad you got this one. The three The Cure albums you listed are my firm favourites as well, with Disintegration being the pick of the three with me. What I like most about Cold is that pure post-punk vibe it carries, while still being distinctly The Cure. The harrowing, tortured voice of Smith is beautiful here, capturing isolation, desperation and fear so accurately and, as you said, with authenticity. The simple song structure is another aspect which for me makes it prefect, letting everything breathe, with massive amounts of space further pushing the sense of overwhelming helpless abandonment.
Man, post-punk really dominates this thread.
@Necro
You think? Maybe some of us who post in here are just pretty old by your standards
Old people like other kinds of music too, mate!
Interpol - Narc
The song title goes hand in hand with the band name. Well anyways, this is reminiscent of post-punk mostly in the rhythm with a sort of post-punkish groove in the bass and drums, but other than that I found it to be very indie rock-like. It reminded me a bit of The Strokes I guess. I saw the song described as being "erotic" which is fitting for sure. The singer is definitely sensual in his crooning as far as this song goes. The whole thing sounded really radio friendly though, like something that would fit well after a Coldplay song. But there is a tad bit more honesty in this song, and I found myself really enjoying the 2:50 and on a lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvOcp3b8-7o
ThePoop wrote:
East Forest - Pacific Coast Highway
Never heard of this before, and had no idea where it would lead, judging by the name I almost expected some kind of quasi-environmental indie rock, which would have been slightly irritating... but instead, what we have here is a mellow, ambient piece of soothing music with what has to be samples of car tires along bitumen (given the name, not surprising). Indeed it IS rather soothing, with frog noises, chiming, simplistic piano work and some languid, smooth guitar licks here and there giving some shimmer and shine. The subtle beat underneath it does help add some impetus (though it's not very dynamic), as it gently wafts by you. Alas though, for all these positive points it just doesn't have any substance to it, nothing that really pulls you under it's intended spell - it kind of ends being... a little dull. It's not terrible by any measure, just flat, and was hoping it would expand or unfold somewhat more.
In keeping with atmosphere.
@CrushedRevelation
Yeah there is definitely not much to the song. It really shines for me when I sit back and smoke some ganja. It has an incredibly pleasant atmosphere which is why I like it so much. Certainly wonderful as a background when smoking with close friends, but not a particularly good song to sit and try to digest. In it's right setting it can bring a tear to my eye. Other times I just passively dismiss it. Probably should have went with another tune
Ordo Equilibrio - Where happiness ruled
This is some cool Neofolk. It was slow and had a prominent haunting atmosphere. The vocals were deep and somewhat subtle. Overall, I thought this was pretty decent. Not the best neofolk I've heard or anything, but still, not bad at all. The slow acoustic guitar, lingering creepy atmosphere and well done vocals all culminate to make something pretty convincing. I haven't really been in the mood for this type of stuff lately, but when I am I could see myself enjoying this band if this song is at all indicative of what they're about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7oasO4vA80
@dystopia4
I was LITERALLY listening to this album when you posted this track... utterly absurd coincidence.
It's weird, all of my friends who are really into rap have never heard of this album. In fact the only people I've talked to who have liked it (or even heard of it) are primarily into metal.
Cloudland Canyon- Fin Eaves
ok so as far as I can tell this is basically pretty normal indie rock/shoegaze put through a few million pedals/laptops and then sprinkled with a bit of krautrock (in the synths, and the propulsive drums), but it's pretty enjoyable. Quite lush, the whole thing varying between a real damaged, katamary-damsay-ish noise of synths and guitars rolling awkwardly forward, to relatively normal music but with enough pedals and weird swooping synths to keep it from getting too predictable. I rather like it, live it would destroy you'd think. Stays consistently melodic and pretty while still remaining a rather fascinating and unusual listen. It's albums like this that show you just how out of date MBV's newy is.
8/1'0
^ Uh, what happened to my track and who's track are you reviewing?
oh shit sorry man, I coulda sworn with this you just get an album you dig and review it. I shall review your one shortly
Cool, no worries, man.
ok, so here it is:
The Left - How We Live (feat. Hassaan Mackey)
Maaan as soon as I realised this was rap I was a pretty sad case. I made a big effort to like rap maybe 6 or so years ago and came to the conclusion that maybe 5 songs aside, I find rap boring as shiiiiiiiit. The dudes have good flow. But I just don't find a dude rapping over a repetitive loop for a few minutes enjoyable, never have, never will. Got 2 minutes into it then closed it. Maybe the last two minutes it abruptly turns into something awesome, but I imagine it's just more rapping over that same ol'loop. 2/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ7CU9QIHAA (try to play this on speakers that can handle a good bass drop)
Stars of the Lid - requiem for dying mothers part 2
A really nice track. Elegaic string layers building over each other in a stately, serene way. Very minimal, but in a good way, building up the maximum "tone painting" emotional impact out of the least "busy elements". I guess it's difficult to describe something like this because it's so much more about emotional resonance than it is about technique or recognisable style. I'm reminded of Boards of Canada or the incredible string band in the sort of blissed out rural atmosphere it conjured up. A great track for a hot Australian night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7haRgFMneg
FlaPack
Andrew King - Judas
After that air raid siren to start the track, that was really not where I saw this thing going. For the most part musically it's a repetitive martial drum beat with minimal synth behind it and some occasional cool violin adding tension while King tells the story of the betrayal of Judas in this wildly affected voice. I really wanted to hate this. I mean, the guy is reciting a middle English ballad (yeah, I had to look that up) in an accent that travels all over Europe without ever landing anywhere (except maybe Count Chocula). But despite its pretension and over the top theatrics I couldn't help but be won over by this thing. Hypnotic? Ritualistic? However you like to call it, it's music to do something unspeakable to. The angry chanting and screams that punctuate the song really add to the whole feeling of witnessing some kind of black and secret ritual. That left me feeling a bit on edge. I suppose that is a good sign. I can see a lot of people hating this. On any other day, I may hate it too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouV4Y_Tlg8U
Yeah, Mr.King is a really acquired taste, but I think he's fantastic. As well as being a sometime member of Sol Invictus he's one of the foremost authorities on traditional British music. Pretty much everything he does is like this track - very sombre and dark versions of old ballads.
Black Mountain - Queens will Play
I remember hearing Black Mountain quite a few years ago and not thinking much of them. However, when I listened to this I thought it was great. This song is laid back and fronted by the chick vocalist. It is very rhythmic and features classic rock sort of keyboards along with some bluesier guitar work. This almost reminds me of some of the female fronted "occult rock" that has been popping up lately. This has good songwriting and a good atmosphere, think I'll give these guys another shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnuhTeKQJg
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:18 am
A Global Threat - There's Your Threat
Uh, hardcore punk. This is the opposite of my area of expertise, and music I generally truly don't enjoy. But when it comes to the genre, this is probably the least terrible I've heard. It's very driving, agressive, thrashy power chord based riffing only. The vocals are rallying shouts, going on about whatever it is the singer is so pissed off about now, and they're competent. I certainly can't shout like that. I quite like the guitar tone and the bass in all of their respective clarity. I remember this genre sounding dirtier .Doesn't slow down for a second, just a short 2 minutes of agression in which to break shit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P3RTPevirM music to sip whine and get intimate to
Lovage - Anger Management
Interesting. Obviously the addition of that pseudo-madman that is THE Mike Patton is a welcome addition (even though at times I find him to be nothing more than an irritant...), with his trademark, multi-faceted vocal range. Musically this could almost be slotted between trip hop and... ummm lounge musak. The beats are lush, and I do love the vinyl scratch being abundantly evident within the rhythm loop. Immediately brought to my attention is the likeness (vaguely) of Portishead, only not as engaging, or atmospheric. Tinkling ivories flourish here and there amidst the quasi sultry persona this track aims to possess, but there seems to be something missing here, and I unfortunately can't figure out what it is, but it's maddening none the less. Maybe it's the somewhat stagnant nature of it, besides the aforementioned lushness, which it does pull off (ahem) easily. Perhaps it is the smell of underdeveloped song craft that is irking me? I'm not sure, as it is rather repetitive, and short. But hey, if you have your significant other (or next conquest) alone in the back seat of your estate wagon, or convertable under a beautifully lit starry sky overlooking the city lights, this may have some sway for you in your favour.
Something different.
That's close to my take on it, though I enjoy it quite a bit more than you do. It's an unpretentiously titled album that is exactly what it says on the cover.
Crushed, all the more reason we need to grab a goddamn beer.
Whores of Babylon - "Fall of Agade"
I'm not the biggest fan of WoB as a whole, but I dig this particular one - a staple in classic electro/industrial/dark-synth pop. Just a ton of fun and the fact that you know them makes my amphibian heart warm!
That being said, the only bands in this particular genre I'm a fan of all 80s poppy-synth based ones (Cruxshadows in particular) but I always had a soft spot for this song because it's just really well put together, excellently varied and has this wonderfully poppy vibe to it without osing its erotic gothic edge - like something that would be played during a vampire sex-scene in a club in some shitty early 2000s movie. It's kinda trashy, kinda lame, but at the same time, you can just move your hips and lose yourself in that killer chorus hook. Think Death in June mixed with demo-era Massive Attack and its about right. Muted vocals and overdriven synth guitar are two things I miss a ton when it comes to modern vs. classic electro music, and this song really makes me want to revisit Metropolis to see if my 11 year old self matches up with my 24 year old self
Bottom line: it's cheesy, it's dated, it's kinda lame.....but it's also a fucking blast.
My contribution, on the other hand, is quite modern, and I've shared with Necro awhile back....and it's arguably the best song of last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5g-DeG0MJc
PhiloFrog
Kind words good sir and I do adore this album, but the song I really wanted to post is not on YT (Stigmata), but Fall Of Agade is another excellent cut from this underrated album. Your review is spot on too with the conclusion, it IS all of those things, but fantastic none the less eh?
Dry The River - Weights & Measures
Ahh, some indie folk. And though I subscribe to the idea that no one should ever have any guilty pleasures in life, I hypocritically have exactly one guilty pleasure: indie-alt-contemporary-folky bands. The song was great, very emotional which is what I love from artists like these. The build in this song is awesome and the electric guitar provides enough loudness to make it more than just another acoustic-indie folk song. But my favorite part has got to be the singer. What a voice this guy has, and I could truly feel the emotion. Belting out "I was prepared to love you" in the last minute was a gorgeous moment. I liked this one. A lot.
Oh I'm stuck between three songs to choose..... GAH! I hope I've made the right decision....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7CPIXnaeeQ
I love that song. That moment when the build up is released and he's all I WAS ENPTY AS A DRRUUUMMMMMMM has too many feels for me to handle
The_Great_God_Pan
Mother Love Bone - Stardog Champion
This screams 90's at the top of its lungs, it can't get any more Seattle-esque. The guitars are crunchy and the song has a cool groove during it's entirety. That chorus with the children's voices towards the end is very nice. The riffs in the song create a somewhat "basement" atmosphere, the break in the middle of the song when there is no distortion is creepy and the solo that follows is probably the only thing I didn't enjoy as much. The singer has an amazing voice. Sad these guys just put out one album!
Something else from London Bridge Studios:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n38pOnwfkNI
EDIT - Listen with headphones or good speakers. It's worth it.
The_Great_God_Pan wrote:
Blind Melon - Deserted
So I got another one eh? Oh well here we go I guess... So. This is Blind Melon, and I will be blunt from the get go, this is nowhere near as good as the other track you posted a while back, because this one falls squarely in a style I loathe - indie/folk/whatever rock. I honestly can't stand this stuff, no matter how well it's put together. Now that's out of the way, you should know what we have on offer, and you'll be either drooling or indifferent. The vocals are good, yes they are, as is the band behind everything, and I know that the lyrical message is supposed to be forefront here, when he opines about how he's "tired of himself this way", but I just don't get it. It's dull and noodly, and oh so bland, that any impact emotionally this is aiming at just goes sailing over my head as I count down the seconds til it's end. The wiggly-woogly solo at the end over the, I guess, crescendo was nothing to elicit anything either. I am being harsh on what is essentially a well played song, as there is some good dual guitar work going on panning left and right, but it's nothing exciting, or perceptively brilliant. Didn't like it.
Now it's my turn to be pulled up on my tastes eh (Listen with headphones or good speakers)?
@The_Great_God_Pan
It does suck they only put out one album, but the band became Pearl Jam after the singer died so I guess it all worked out...
Mind.In.a.Box - Sanctuary
First of all, I don't know a lot about electronic music, so I wouldn't know how to classify this. Darkwave? At first this sounded like music from a videogame (it fits perfectly with the video). I was not sure if it would get my attention for the whole of the song. About a minute and a half into it, the vocals start and make the song a lot more interesting; the singer sounds to me like a modern version of that guy in The Sisters of Mercy. It was fun listening to the backing vocals during the chorus, so 80's at times. Very enjoyable. The song has a nice flow during it's entirety and a certain heavyness to it approaching the end. Not the kind of music I'd normally listen to, but it was not an unpleasant listen at all.
Side note: the video is fun, the guy beating this futuristic aircraft in a motorcycle with a katana or whatever the hell that is.
I guess this one fits in this thread:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55kc-6zZbtM
Hircine
Slipknot - The Heretic Anthem
Well, oddly I actually quite like this song, and is basically the only Slipknot song that I've got a bit of time for and would probably choose to listen to. Hater's gon' hate and all that.
Of course, the lyrics are all complete angsty wank that seems to cater for loner freaks in High School that don't manage to pull it off and make it look cool (basically, they look like this and not like this). However, it's difficult to find angsty wank done as well as this. Musically, this song ain't bad either and does exactly what you want it to do... Distorted riff throughout, aggressive drums... What you'd expect to find really. It's nothing amazing and obviously actual metal offers this only better and minus the angst and Corey Taylor is however, and incredibly annoying vocalist and this song is no exception with that weird thing he does trying to sound both angsty and aggressive at the same time. But then, this is nu-metal we're talking about, and it's been done a whole lot worse than Slipknot in it's time.
So yeah, Slipknot's The Heretic Anthem: Want music to trash your room to while crying because the jocks beat you up because they just can't accept someone different? Then look no further.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtOToiIDNRA
Life is your worst enemy.
Wolfgong wrote:
By the way I am straight and male and get a kick outta tricking chicks to get into their pussy
Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
Some serious Interpol vibes going down here! As someone mentioned a few pages back, we all seem to have a collective boner for depressing post-punk tunes.
Like all music of this stamp, the ghost of the Velvet Underground looms large over this track. Monolithic, repetitive drums over scratchy chords support a supremely bummed out, echo effected vocal line. The bass comes in twisting the focus into an even more distinctly minor chord. But it retains a trace of pop sensitivity, the after-echoes of mid-late 60's vocal harmonies along the lines of Lee Hazlewood, Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young etc. Really great track, will have to see about grabbing this L.P.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nehcDX3XqDs
@Scorntyrant
Do need to point out that that song is pretty unrepresentative of the album as a whole, which mostly consists of weird (i.e, good) indie folk and alt-country. Sort of a sexier, slightly more subversive Neil Young I guess. Still my favourite album of 2012, metal or otherwise. It's got a wicked streak of wit and humour running through it in a dark, drug addled existentialist sort of way.
Hircine wrote:
Oh, that's a pity then. Although I have been on a big Neil Young kick the last 2 weeks or so, so I might try and download it to see. Isn't that always a bummer - when the track you really like on an album is the one that is out of place among the rest of the songs.
Eh, I don't particularly think it sounds that out of place considering how diverse the album is, which is also helped by the rest of the album is just as good (mostly).
Sleaford Mods: "DOnkey"
I'm not really sure how to judge the quality of this stuff. It was sort of interesting but not very engaging for me. Cool noises/samples under funkified drum machine beat complete with cowbell, and stoned sounding minimal raps in a strange accent that I didn't really understand. I was reminded of some of the silly stuff a girl I know loves to listen to and sing along with really late at night while drunk out of her mind. Is it safe to say I didnt' really "get" it? Possibly. Did jump when that donkey sound went off at the beginning, and liked those low organ tones or whatever they were. I'm really struggling to find anything else to say about this, so I guess that's it. Sorry man...
Really recommend headphones for this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtyyc6Hr4Lk
White Noise - Your Hidden Dreams
This is some really out there stuff with a strong psychedelic bent. The most prominent vocals are quite bizarre, being half sung and half whispered. I'm not sure how I feel about them, but they certainly sound different. The female vocals that occasionally pop up are much more of the norm, and I dig them a bit better. The subtle psychedelic backing is certainly nice and the occasional carnivalesque melodies add to the bizarre vibe. It's a bit too avant-garde for me in sections, but in all this is quite intriguing, even if it's not something I normally would spin. Also, awesome trippy accompanying video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJHgeYSi9yY
Hank Williams Sr - Alone and Forsaken
First off, this is a bona fide classic. One of the best country songs ever recorded and easily one of the more dreary and ominous. The chord progression is haunting, beautiful, and enchanting. One of the most influential songs for my own guitar tunes. A perfect song, really and definitively American.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDBwGERsk0I
Sleep Party People - Heaven is Above Us
Well...this is amazing for the mood I'm in and just general night listening. Very smooth, calm, piano driven sadness and atmosphere with ethereal vocals. I'm not sure what else to say except that this sounds like it would be conductive to writing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MjFYHilo6Y
sherlockmist
Puscifer-"Conditions of my Parole"
This is just okay honestly. The song's not bad or anything, but in essence it's nothing more than generic grungy rock vocals over generic grungy rock riffs. The lyrics are fun, and the riffs are good enough to keep me vaguely interested in what's going on musically, but there's really nothing unique here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbtZyuOMdHI
MY MUSIC:
https://thevultureeye.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/thevultureeye
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VultureE ... 1827727215
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Home Indy Jetstar still awaiting court ruling on ’deceptive fares’
Jetstar still awaiting court ruling on ’deceptive fares’
By NOEL MURPHY
JETSTAR might have sold out its $29 fares to the Gold Coast in quick time today but its drip-charge fees – which result in much higher actual costs – are still under the scrutiny of the federal court.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took Jetstar to court late last year, alleging it engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and made false or misleading representations in relation to particular airfares.
The ACCC alleged Jetstar’s conduct was drip pricing – in which a headline price is advertised at the beginning of an online purchasing process and additional fees and charges, which may be unavoidable for consumers, are then incrementally disclosed.
This can result in consumers paying a higher price than the advertised price or spending more than they realised, the ACCC said.
Jetstar has announced new flights to the Gold Coast out of Avalon after a $26 million rescue package by the State Government and Linfox, owner of Avalon Airport.
The ACCC alleged Jetstar made representations on its website and mobile site that certain domestic airfares were available for purchase at specific prices, when in fact those prices were only available if payment was made using particular methods.
In relation to specific advertised airfares, the ACCC alleged Jetstar failed to adequately disclose an additional booking and service fee. In particular, it alleged that Jetstar charged a booking and service Fee of $8.50 per passenger, per domestic flight if payment was made by a credit card other than a Jetstar branded credit card or PayPal.
The ACCC alleged these fees applied to the substantial majority of online bookings and should have been disclosed upfront and prominently with or within headline prices.
While Jetstar made some adjustments to the disclosure of these fees during the ACCC’s investigation, the ACCC remained concerned with these pricing practices.
“The ACCC is concerned about advertising that draws consumers into an online purchase process but fails to provide sufficient upfront disclosure of additional fees and charges that are likely to apply,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.
“Drip pricing practices, such as those alleged by the ACCC in these proceedings, have the potential to cause both competition and consumer detriment.
“Not only can this practice lead to consumers potentially being misled, it may also make it difficult for businesses with more transparent pricing practices to compete on a level playing field.”
The court case, which wrapped up last December is still awaiting a court ruling. An ACCC spokesman said he had not indication when that ruling might be made.
ACCC
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A changing of the guard?
Previous Article Gersnet Podcast 046 - Disappointment in deepest Ayrshire
Next Article Gersnet Podcast 045 - Changing of the guard
Before Sunday's final Old Firm game of the season there was the usual manufactured controversy by the usual trolls in the media. Last week it was Chris Sutton's turn to take the lead by suggesting Rangers should give Celtic a guard of honour ahead of the match to show respect for their title win. Of course, given the rivalry between the clubs, this was never going to happen but it didn't stop several other journalists and pundits latching onto the 'debate' inferring Rangers lacked the class or humility to applaud the Celtic players onto the pitch. Even Alan Stubbs and Neil Lennon had their say with neither having the brains to remember they or their clubs didn't offer Rangers the same guard when they played Hibs and Celtic after winning leagues in previous seasons. As always, when it comes to Scottish football, the hypocrisy and mischief-making stood out more than any genuine point being offered.
No matter, this Celtic team do deserve praise. To be on the brink of an unprecedented 'treble treble' is worthy of such and, despite the context that goes with their eight titles in a row, to win nine trophies across three years is good going and it would be churlish not to recognise that. In fact, I'd go so far that if you're not prepared to do so, then it would just make Celtic's job easier in terms of extending their dominance. Indeed, whilst Steven Gerrard clearly wasn't in favour of any bizarre guard of honour, as a professional himself, he will be well aware of how difficult the job is to challenge our greatest rivals going forward and will respect their achievements. The current financial gulf alone makes his job a difficult one: not impossible but we are hamstrung fiscally and I do note the irony from when the boot was on the other foot twenty odd years ago. Yet, that fairly recent history also shows nothing is a certainty in this country's national sport (take note Hearts).
Despite an unsuccessful season per se, Rangers have shown they can meter out a challenge to Celtic in the coming years. Yes, Celtic won the league fairly comfortably in the end but in the four matches against them, we at last not only competed with them but came out the four games looking the better side. In the first match at Celtic Park, the hosts by and large dominated and ran out deserved winners but in the three games since, including the second game at Celtic Park at the end of March where we went down to ten men, we not only played the more composed football but we created the most chances whilst bettering them both tactically and physically. Sure, they still won that March contest but, make no mistake, our efforts from that day were reflected in our own win at Ibrox on Sunday. And, in turn, that result will have a bearing the next time we play them too. Most importantly, it should give our own players the belief to approach next season with more confidence, addressing our problems with consistency and our ability to keep winning games when it truly matters.
Of course nothing is certain despite our splendid performance from the weekend but we are in a good place. For much of this season we were too dependent on Alfredo Morelos and too one-dimensional in our play as a result. This made us predictable and occasionally easy to defend against: issues that have lingered from the managerial reigns of Warburton and Caixinha/Murty. Fortunately, this season has been different with Steven Gerrard and his coaching team quickly able to find an alternative system to improve results. The form of certain players has helped: not least the likes of Defoe, Davis and Katic but from being over-reliant on one or two individuals, we've played much better as a team since we lost Morelos to suspension. In that sense, it's no coincidence, our overall play has been better for longer periods of games and we've both conceded less and scored more than in other periods of the campaign.
Live Podcast this Sunday
This Sunday at 9.30pm we'll have another Gersnet Podcast live on Youtube. Don't miss it and remember you can take part via the chat facility!
With that in mind our current form is well worthy of examination. Since that unlucky defeat to Celtic at the end of March, we've won six games in a row. Not exactly noteworthy on its own but these matches have all been against the best the SPFL has to offer. We've beaten Hearts twice, Celtic, Motherwell, Aberdeen and Hibs: the latter two, teams we've struggled against earlier in the season. We've also scored 14 goals and conceded only once. Of course the season is nearing an end and some sides might well be ready for their holidays but, for me, that means our form deserves more praise, not less. After all, when we finish our season this Sunday at Rugby Park it will be our 60th game of the last 10 and half months. Yet the drive and hunger from the manager and his squad seems to be just as fresh as it was when we beat Shkupi last 12th July.
We're also well on our way when it comes to improving the squad for next season. Bosman signings like Jordan Jones, Jake Hastie and Greg Stewart might not take us to Champions League glory but Glen Kamara has already shown since he signed from relegated Dundee that cost need not dictate quality. If you were watching Liverpool's incredible comeback against Barca last midweek and their impressive domestic form throughout the season then Andy Robertson's less than glamorous background shows Scottish-based players can play at the highest levels: a belief that both Gerrard and Gary McAllister can offer any new signing. And there will be more - perhaps a few that will whet the appetite in the same way that Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis have shown their quality once up to speed.
Conversely we will lose several players as well with a long list set to leave. The vast majority of Foderingham, Alnwick, Hodson, Wallace, Worrall, McAuley, Coulibaly, Holt, Grezda, Dodoo, Herrera and Lafferty won't be here next season which is a large exodus. More importantly, key players such as Morelos, Tavernier and Kent are uncertain to be here - though at least the Colombian and our skipper will realise serious cash should they move on, which could help us afford to retain Kent. The reliable contributions of players like Goldson, Jack and Arfield will also be of interest to other clubs so new deals may be offered to keep their services. Meanwhile, even obvious talent such as Dorrans, Docherty and Rossiter have struggled to prove themselves at the club so their futures may well be undecided too. As such, whilst the squad turnover may not be as severe as we seen in Gerrard's first summer at the club, change will be obvious and next year's squad very different. Given we'll be starting the hard work again this time next month, we'll need improvement to avoid the downturn of form we seen last winter due to our European exertions. Ensuring the squad has the correct level of depth and quality therein is a big responsibility for Andy Scoulding and Mark Allen. After all, if we are to be successful next season then we'll need to play more than the 60 games we did this term.
All things considered Rangers fans asked for evidence of progress from Steven Gerrard and, as much as there have been some great disappointments this season, I think he's definitely provided improvement by and large. To qualify for the Europa League group stages was a laudable achievement and to arguably win the head-to-head versus Celtic over the course of those four games demonstrates improvement; mentally as much as tactically. Unfortunately, no cup finals and no league trophy shows work still needs to be done and a couple of wins over Celtic isn't enough to satisfy the support as long as they're the ones still celebrating trebles come mid-May. In that sense, Sunday's result may have been meaningless but there's no doubt in my mind any momentum Celtic had after our travails of the last 7-8 years has been halted. Perhaps not reversed (and they have plenty of financial fuel to apply) but enough of a marker to suggest a changing of the guard could be upon us.
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Rangers v Villarreal: Forget mathematics, just win!
Previous Article Boxing clever: Dundee v Rangers
Next Article Ambition v realism: Rangers v Livingston
Tonight, we welcome Villarreal to our rebuilt fortress Ibrox for the next game in the oh so exciting, or is it stressful, Europa league. These are the games we have been looking forward to since 2012. And what a group this has turned into.
Only two points split all four teams so every team can still survive until after the winter stop. There is no point in crying over spilt milk but we really should be sitting on easy street after the two games against Spartak Moscow. Although I never saw that game I can pull my hair out to think we scored three goals away from home and still came away with "Nul Points". That was magnified further if you remember the, perfectly good, chalked off goal from Alfredo Morelos. That goal would have put us 4-2 up and changed the whole complexion of the game. That said the defending on that evening left a lot to be desired so it is what it is.
Due to the resulting 3-4 defeat that result means if we want to keep qualification for the next round in our own hands then a win is a must against Villarreal. If we don't win then it means we are depending on some favourable results from the other matches. A win for Rapid Vienna over Spartak would keep it mathematically possible to qualify even if we lose, but it would playing Russian Roulette in the last set of games. Villarreal would also not need to play their first team against Spartak as they would be group winners already. If we lose and Spartak beat Rapid then the game's a bogey.
Villarreal have been having a pretty torrid time this season and are currently lying in sixteenth position in the Primera División. Before last Sunday's win against Real Betis they were actually lying seventeenth, just one place above the relegation zone. After that win they will have picked up a bit of confidence and their European form has not been too bad as they are currently unbeaten in their last ten away Europa League group stage matches. They have won three and drawn seven. However, I always say runs and records are there to be broken.
I actually watched the first-half of their game on Sunday against Betis and I can say that they do look dangerous when they are attacking, but they really look very shaky when defending. Although Betis didn't capitalise, they got in behind the full-backs on a number of occasions. Looking back on our match in Spain, that is also where our two goals came from. Getting in behind the full-backs is a particular strong point of ours with Tavernier and Candeias linking on the right and hopefully Barisic and Middleton linking on the left. Grezda may also be called to take that left wing position but Middleton has been hitting some fantastic free-kicks and corners and that will probably just give him the nod.
So what will Gerrard's tactics be? I certainly don't think we will go gung ho right from the start and I also think it will be wishful thinking to think we will be able to dominate for the greater part of the game, so I think we will set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. We definitely need the defence to be far better than they were in Moscow. Allan McGregor will also probably have to play an important role in that as the Villarreal strikers love to shoot on sight as we learned in Spain. I have heard a lot of people say that they would bring back Joe Worrall for the game but I have no idea why we would drop Gareth McAuley since he got into the team. Yes, he may be 38 years old but his positional sense and strength in the tackle make up for any loss of speed he may have. Don't forget Davie Weir took us to the UEFA final in 2008!
I also don't see the defence having the same difficulty with dead ball situations or having to make many headers in this game as the Villarreal mainly play on the deck. McAuley made Connor Goldson also look like a far more confident player with his constant instructions. Big Connor was also breaking into the midfield far more on Saturday probably because he trusted MçAuley to mop up at the back. Villarreal are a completely different class to Livingston of course.
As I said earlier think the team will be set up in a 4-2-3-1 and I am hoping that Borna Barisic is fit and will be making his return despite the manager suggesting otherwise in yesterday's press conference. In midfield, if Ejaria does get the nod over Coulibaly then he will need to play a lot better than he did on Saturday.
All in all, what a shame it would be to throw away what was an excellent start to the group section games and go out like a damp squib. However, I really do think we can get in behind the Villarreal defence though and come away with a 2-1 win. to appease what will a huge crowd again at Ibrox tonight. Come on the 'Gers!
Possible team:
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What is Vanilla?
What do people mean with the term "Vanilla"?
I see it more and more often. For example, with regard to World of Warcraft:
Which Vanilla achievements will be lost with Cataclysm’s release?
And also in this answer about Minecraft.
If you're playing Vanilla...
DamekDamek
It's worth pointing out that there's a Wikipedia Article on Vanilla software. – MrLemon Oct 7 '14 at 12:47
I could have sworn I've seen this question here before... – Kodama Oct 7 '14 at 14:58
Found it. Same question on English Stack Exchange: english.stackexchange.com/questions/182519/… I knew I've seen it before :) – Kodama Oct 7 '14 at 14:59
No whips or chains can be used – DVK Oct 7 '14 at 17:36
Remember that Vanilla is not the trendiest flavor, but is far and away the most popular. #foodforthought – corsiKa Oct 10 '14 at 19:21
Vanilla usually means the base game, without any modifications or in WoW's case DLC's/Expansion packs.
einpoklum
aytimothyaytimothy
Another term for this (often used by KSP) is "stock", or what ships with the game. – Elias Benevedes Oct 7 '14 at 16:21
Or, also used quite a bit in the WoW community, "classic". – Kroltan Oct 8 '14 at 10:52
Computer software [...] is called Vanilla when not customized from its original form, meaning that it is used without any customizations or updates applied to it.
Hence, not especially in WoW, it means only the base software without any expansions/add-ons.
As for the origin of the term..I don't really want to get into that, just look up "SMBC vanilla", right?
Robotnik♦
No. 7892142No. 7892142
In fact, the article specifically mentions World of Warcraft: "For example, World of Warcraft could refer to either the original game or one of the four expansion packs, so users may refer to the original as "vanilla" to distinguish it from the subsequent versions." – MrLemon Oct 7 '14 at 12:49
It is strange that "vanilla" means plain, when in fact vanilla is a flavouring, just as is strawberry or toffee. Why don't people just use "plain"? I don't know! – Paddy Landau Oct 7 '14 at 17:39
@PaddyLandau You'd probably get a more thorough explanation at the ELU site, but it seems that many ice creams are essentially vanilla plus added flavoring, e.g. vanilla with cherries in it. The base vanilla is thus the plain alternative to a more complicated mix. – Brythan Oct 8 '14 at 17:45
Vanilla is considered the "default" flavor of ice cream, at least in the US. – Russell Borogove Oct 9 '14 at 16:09
Please note that the explanation of SMBC is wrong: linguistrix.com/blog/?p=738 – kay Oct 11 '14 at 0:45
When applied to technology, the word vanilla means “ordinary, default, unmodified”. When specifically applied to gaming, it means the default game, without any add-ons.
Shaeldon speculated that this meaning might derive from vanilla ice-cream being the first and still the most frequent flavour. No. 7892142 hinted at a sexual meaning. They’re both right: the Online Etymology Dictionary has this to say about vanilla:
1660s, “pod of the vanilla plant,” from Spanish vainilla “vanilla plant,” literally “little pod,” diminutive of vaina “sheath,” from Latin vagina “sheath of an ear of grain, hull of a plant” (see vagina). So called from the shape of the pods. European discovery 1521 by Hernando Cortes’ soldiers on reconnaissance in southeastern Mexico. Meaning “flavoring extracted from the vanilla bean” is attested by 1728. Meaning “conventional, of ordinary sexual preferences” is 1970s, from notion of whiteness and the common choice of vanilla ice cream.
Etymological dictionaries tend to work in reverse chronological order, as they describe where words come from. So let’s recast this. A Latin word for a sheath, scabbard, or the hull of a plant was inherited into Spanish, where a diminutive (“little pod”) was applied to a certain plant. That plant name came into English where the meaning was expanded to include the flavouring extracted from the beans of the plant.
As this flavouring was the default in ice-cream, it was expanded metaphorically to refer to “conventional” or “ordinary” sexual preferences (i.e., non-BDSM) and from there to various other meanings of conventional, default, or ordinary. It is now particularly prevalent in technological circles.*
Incidentally, yes, the word vanilla is etymologically related to vagina but this is, in fact, completely unrelated to this usage. They developed independently.
* This, at least, is my experience. In fact, this use of vanilla is found in all sorts of contexts, but in my personal experience the two most prevalent contexts are the original (sex) and technology.
I spend far more of my time on English Language & Usage than I do on Arqade.
TRiGTRiG
Holy in-depth etymology batman! This is a wonderfully, over-the-top explanation, thank you. – AWinkle Oct 9 '14 at 13:55
Thanks, @AWinkle. I'm far more interested in language than I am in gaming, so this one was right in my bailiwick. And this is quite an interesting etymology, given the wonderful coincidence that two distinct sexual meanings evolved completely independently from the same root non-sexual word. – TRiG Oct 9 '14 at 14:46
Vanilla:
adjective - informal adjective: vanilla; adjective: plain vanilla
having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard. "choosing plain vanilla technology wherever you can will save you money"
(definition compliments of google).
When applied to games/software, it refers to the game without modifications (custom mods or expansions). It can also mean that no updates were applied to the base game.
Colin DColin D
protected by Frank♦ Oct 1 '15 at 22:44
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Russell Simmons Addresses Open Letter To Donald Trump With NewsOne Now
Despite a friendship that spans three decades, the entertainment mogul is denouncing Trump's bigoted views.
Christina Coleman | 12.10.15
UPDATED: Thursday, December 10, 2015:
Russell Simmons, a longtime friend of presidential hopeful Donald Trump, joined Roland Martin on NewsOne Now to discuss an open letter he wrote denouncing the Republican’s anti-Muslim comments.
“I probably lost my friendship with him when I said I’d rather Kim Kardashian be president than Donald Trump,” Simmons said. “I didn’t think he would be the president or that he would be a contender for the president and so our friendship is not worth it — there is something much bigger than us and that is what’s at stake in this country.”
“What’s scary is how many people applauded at the kind of statements he is making,” Simmons continued, referencing Trump’s recent proposal to ban all Muslim travel into the United States. “The Planned Parenthood attack was a Christian terrorist act. People don’t know that Muslim communities are conducting peace rallies all over this country and they are not being reported by the media…They are the most vocal not only against ISIS, but all terrorism and all extreme views,” Simmons said.
In a letter posted to GlobalGrind.com, the Def Jam co-founder previously called Trump out, urging him to “stop the bullsh*t” and end his anti-Islam, xenophobic rhetoric.
Simmons has not heard from Trump since the release of his letter. You can watch the entire clip above.
Since the announcement of a proposal to ban all Muslim travel into the United States “until our country’s representatives can figure out what’s going on,” Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been has staving off criticism with a strategic round of media appearances to defend a xenophobic and dangerously unconstitutional plan.
But despite condemnation from Democrats like Hillary Clinton — and a number of Republicans who rushed to distance themselves from what many are calling a hateful proposal — no criticism has been more scathing than that of entertainment mogul Russell Simmons, with whom Trump has been friends for over three decades.
Simmons, who appeared on NewsOne Now with Roland Martin Thursday morning to discuss the decision to blast his friend, took to the entertainment website GlobalGrind.com to urge Trump to “stop the bullsh*t.”
“You are a born leader, who is set to possibly win the nomination of your party, but don’t compromise what I know is in your heart to do it,” Simmons wrote. “You are a generous, kind man who has built a career on negotiating deals where everybody wins. Now, you seem like a one-man wrecking ball willing to destroy our nation’s foundation of freedom.”
“Stop the bullshit. Stop fueling fires of hate. Don’t feed into the rhetoric created by small-minded people. You’re smarter and certainly more loving then you let on.”
The co-founder of Def Jam, who is also the chairman of The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, “whose sole mission is to fight bigotry of all kinds,” asked Trump to recall a moment they shared at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York some years ago.
“You were very gracious,” Simmons wrote. “At that time, you walked into that house of worship and you felt all the love vibrating in that mosque. Try to remember how sweet and enlightened my good friend, Imam Shamsi Ali was, and all of the people you met with.”
It’s not clear if Trump read Simmons’ letter, but during a round of interviews this week, Trump ensured the public that his Muslim friends also agreed with his plan. While speaking to Don Lemon Wednesday evening, Trump even surmised that he was “doing good” for the Muslim community.
“I’m doing good for the Muslims,” Trump told Don Lemon in an interview for “CNN Tonight.” “Many Muslim friends of mine are in agreement with me. They say, ‘Donald, you brought something up to the fore that is so brilliant and so fantastic.’”
You can read Simmons’ full letter at GlobalGrind.com
Fun Facts About The Wives Of The 2016 Presidential Candidates
1. Bernie & Jane O'Meara Sanders
Source:Getty 1 of 14
2. Dr. Ben Carson & Lacena "Candy" Carson
3. Lincoln & Stephanie Chafee
4. Mike & Katie O'Malley
5. Jim & Hong Le Webb
6. Ted & Heidi Nelson Cruz
7. Jeb & Columba Bush
8. Mike & Janet Huckabee
9. Chris Christie & Mary Pat Foster
10. Marco Rubio & Jeanette Dousdebes
Source:Getty 10 of 14
11. Donald & Melania Knauss-Trump
12. Bill & Hillary Clinton
13. Carly & Frank Fiorina
14. John Kasich & Karen Waldbillig
Continue reading Fun Facts About The Wives Of The 2016 Presidential Candidates
Russell Simmons Addresses Open Letter To Donald Trump With NewsOne Now was originally published on newsone.com
Anti-Muslim , Donald Trump , Election 2016 , islamophobia , Russell Simmons
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Elliot Rodger and illusions of nuance
May 25, 2014 ~ glosswitch
Misogyny is not particularly nuanced. It has a long history and manifests itself in different ways across different cultures, but essentially it’s always the same: hating women, viewing them as less than human, denying them their subjectivity. None of these things is very refined; indeed, when you are on the receiving end of misogyny, you know that it is gut-wrenchingly blunt.
Responses to killer Elliot Rodger’s misogynist manifesto have not been nuanced. This is because there are no subtle shades in lines such as these:
Women are like a plague. They don’t deserve to have any rights. Their wickedness must be contained in order prevent future generations from falling to degeneracy. Women are vicious, evil, barbaric animals, and they need to be treated as such. […]I would take great pleasure and satisfaction in condemning every single woman on earth to starve to death. I would have an enormous tower built just for myself, where I can oversee the entire concentration camp and gleefully watch them all die. If I can’t have them, no one will, I’d imagine thinking to myself as I oversee this. Women represent everything that is unfair with this world, and in order to make the world a fair place, they must all be eradicated.
There is no reason for us to pore over these words, looking for the complexities, the justifications, the finely balanced decisions. This is someone who despised women for being women. And yet the language he uses – If I can’t have them, no one will – will be familiar to many of us. It’s there in descriptions of women as sluts, whores, prick teases, temptresses. It’s there in the way men treat women who reject them or try to leave them. It’s there in the belief that all men are entitled to penetrate women’s bodies. Such a view of women is all around us and if that sounds monstrous and extreme, that’s because it is.
Today has seen plenty of men desperate to claim that misogyny has nothing to do with misogyny because hey, that’s way too simple, ladies! Rodger could not have been more direct about the source of his hate yet instead of feeling anger, we are supposed to treat any discussion of his beliefs as a sixth form essay: beginning, argument, counter-argument, synthesis, end. Because obviously there must be a counter-argument to “this man hates women, says he hates women, says he is going to commit murder because he hates women, then goes on to commit murder”. There must be a counter-argument to “this man feels entitled to women’s bodies – just like every other heterosexual male in a pornified, patriarchal culture – and pissed off at the other men who are ‘getting’ them instead of him”. There just has to be, right? Otherwise it’s all a bit one-sided. As Ally Fogg writes,
I sense an inevitability to the debate that will unfold in coming days. Feminists and their allies are already spinning this as the work of an MRA and a consequence of men’s rights ideology. MRAs, I do not doubt, will become defensive and probably find some way to blame feminism – some PUAs are already going down that route. I don’t think any of that is meaningful or helpful, and may provide a convenient moral escape route for some people who should really be looking to their own hearts and consciences.
See? Two sides to every story and one nice, rational man in the middle, on hand to do the synthesis and write the conclusion.
Well, guess what? I don’t buy this. Patriarchy fucking well is one-sided. Misogyny is one-sided. I am sick of being told to play six of one, half a dozen of the other every single time women are devalued for being women. I’m sick of being told abortion is a “complex” issue. I’m sick of being told acquaintance rape is a “grey area”. I’ve had enough of hearing that the pay gap is about “women’s choices” and of being told that in terms of online abuse, “women give as good as they get”. I’m tired of hearing that male violence against women is “complicated” because “relationships are complicated”. I’m sick, above all, of being positioned as hysterical and extreme for pointing out that actually, there only is one side, the side that hates women. It is as clear as day and no one wants to say it even when, as is the case with Elliot Rodger, it couldn’t be made more obvious.
I might be a woman with a fluffy woman brain but I can do nuance and logic. I can do rationality. I can look at statistics. We all can. But manufacturing an illusion of balance for show is like putting on a lab coat and claiming that’s doing science. It might make men feel that their own hands are clean. It might even make some women feel safer. Nevertheless, you don’t create truth by giving a story a nicely shaped narrative. Misogyny is a jagged edge. It’s illogical, bitter and vicious. It is an outrage and any calls for “balance” should be treated with the contempt they deserve. And yes, there are no easy answers, but that’s not because the question isn’t right in front of us.
Posted in Feminism debateElliot Rodgerfeminismmisogynyviolence
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32 thoughts on “Elliot Rodger and illusions of nuance”
M.K. Hajdin says:
Reblogged this on Exiled Stardust and commented:
A must read.
druidwinter says:
Reblogged this on winterdominatrix and commented:
Indeed, a must read!
jacobetta says:
Replace women with an ethnic group and see how quickly the killer would be condemned by everyone. Replace women with Jews in Rodger’s hateful speech and he would be (rightly) labelled as a vile, racist extremist. No one would be calling Jewish people opportunist and unfair for pointing out the antisemitism. Jewish people online wouldn’t be getting abuse for saying this was a race crime. Say those things about women though and it’s, well, you know, Aspergers, lonely, not all men, men were killed too blah blah blah. Oh, and we are all crazy bitches for noticing the misogyny.
O'Shea says:
Sadly, there are people who accuse Jews of being opportunist for pointing out antisemitism
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/15/anti-semitism-prejudice-anti-defamation-league
lamentoid says:
Anti-semitism is real. So is the ethnocracy of Israeli settler-colonialism. It is dishonesty to act like the existences are mutually exclusive.
The Arbourist says:
@Glosswatch
Great piece. Thank you for writing so clearly.
Reblogged this on Dead Wild Roses and commented:
Glosswatch dispels the illusions growing around the murders in Santa Barbra
Too Good not to reblog.
womanofthewoods says:
The scary thing about Rodger to me is that he seems like a very typical man; his words are typical and his attitude toward women is typical. The only difference between him and most other men is that they usually commit their violence against women one-on-one and they try to hide what they do a little better.
I think we should be concerned that he is a hero to many men who are turning up the volume on their violence against women not only online, but in real life. In my April 1, 2014 post at my blog I mention that the MRAs are more openly advocating violence against women. A lot of us knew this was coming and if something isn’t done by men themselves to rein themselves in – which we know they won’t do – there will be more incidents similar to this one in the near future.
Beatrix Campbell has observed that due to the internet, we now know what men really think of women…and it is brutal and violent and full of hate. Because of the internet we know what Rodgers thought of women, and as you say it is no different to what is expressed every minute on twitter. As men become much more confident in being able to get away with their disgusting vitriol, and sites like Facebook refuse to see a page applauding Rodgers as hate, we can only expect more of this.
Bexcee (@ignorancecosts) says:
Men who can’t control themselves because they never submitted themselves to a higher code of morality. Not all men are like that. My world used to be filled with them, but I left the lifestyle I was living that kept me in close proximity to selfish narcissists. Now all the males I know are real ‘men’ that honor and respect women. As a matter of fact, my husband prefers me over himself in all areas, and unselfishly ‘serves’ my needs before his own.
Tobysgirl says:
And, frankly, though they are much less likely to become violent, I have as much trouble with liberal men who want to speak sympathetically of the problems of a Rodgers. (I will say that I think he was mentally ill; such attitudes are not the attitudes of health. What we need to realize is that we live in a society in which mental illness is the norm, and socially acceptable mental illness takes a different form from schizophrenia, bipolar, etc. Sociopathy and psychopathy are mental illnesses.) When I sent a list of threats transwomen have made against Cathy Brennan et al, to someone I knew, his sympathy seemed to be with the threateners, which disgusted me.
@womanofthewoods
If the typical man in your world is how you describe, then I suggest you should stay in the woods.
Pingback: Elliot Rodger and illusions of nuance | Mitherings from Morningside
Heretic says:
Reblogged this on I eat sacred cows. They make the best hamburger!.
Pingback: Mysogyny and Victim Blaming: UCSB Shooter Edition | La Feminista
Thil says:
1) using a mass murderer to represent most men (or even most misogynists actually) is totally unreasonable
2) generally speaking insisting your own view point is so obviously correct that the issue is devoid of complexity, is a sign of arrogance
3) Mind actually explaining why your viewpoints all those issue is the are correct if their so obviously simple?
4) that quote from Ally is taken out of context. He was arguing that Elliot wasn’t a men’s right’s activist, not that he was not a misogynists. Also he’s made it clear in past blogs more than one that he doesn’t all put the MRAs on equal ground with feminists as all
1) The phrase “using a mass murderer to represent most men” is nonsensical, or at best vague. Unless someone said “the shooter represents most men” (which would also be vague), it’s not a phrase referring to anything in real life.
2) Glosswitch isn’t talking about “view points”; she is saying reality is obvious. Facts are obvious.
3) Glosswitch points you to the shooter’s own words as citation for her summary of reality. Once again “viewpoints” have nothing to do with it.
4) Ally Fogg treats both feminism(s) and the men’s rights movements as “dogmas” (whereas he is the floating Rational Mediator), because that’s easier and (more importantly) attracts more readers than if he actually learned about what feminism is and involves. Rather than “taking him out” of context, it is a perfect illustration of the context he operates under.
Jymn says:
Anything to bring out thoughts of nullification. What a great world this would be without any men or progressives. At least for a few years. Me, I’m moving to Europe, where the women are generous and free.
Scallywagandvagabond (@ScallywagNYC) says:
Thoughtful members of Men’s rights group do not aspire to denigrate women but to challenge instances where they perceive inequity between men and women, in the same way feminists or women’s rights groups like to point out the inequity in a society that puts them at a disadvantage to men. Like it or not there are instances of unjust and inequity with respect to both genders and not to just one gender and it would behoove the media and journalists in general to keep this in mind rather than writing essays decrying the omnipresent existence of hate towards women. That is simply not the case.
And yet we are told at the same time that the reason Elliot Rodger went on a killing rampage was because he hated women. I think it would perhaps be fairer to say that Elliot Rodger hated humanity and women were an incidental desire given the rise of his puberty and his feelings of sexual inadequacy, rather than an abject loathing of women simply because of their very gender.
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2014/05/elliot-rodger-really-kill-cause-misogynist-feminists-fallacies/
Feminism, though there are many veins and types, is nothing like your reactionary embarrassment of a idea of how things work lol if you actually payed attention to feminists and tried to understand them you would know this. You can pontificate about “instances of inequality” all week but don’t compare it to the feminist insight that women are oppressed by men. The conception of oppression is a class-based analysis but it’s easier to focus on individuals and “equality” than actually listening to women.
He hated women because of their *sex* — their bodies that he could not own (for him blonde women were the pinnacle of the worthy female body for some reason). He hated men who, in his mind, had the talent and ability to own women’s bodies. Taking these two obvious realities together and saying “he was a misanthrope! those dogmatic feminists have it all wrong!” is a laughable misstep in logic and betrays a (willful?) inability to consider a more intricate situation than the one most convenient for shooting down women — or at least, attempting to and failing miserably.
Pingback: “But I’m a nice guy” | Murder of Goths
syrbal-labrys says:
Damn….first the shooting sent me to my bed, almost fetal-position with anger and shock. Then, I wanted to drink myself insensible, but as the daughter of an alcoholic, I long since conditioned myself to drink only in joyous celebration. So sober I remain. And bitter….bitter, more bitter than words can say.
NOW the cops say they never saw the videos that made the parents concerned, and the social worker call — why the hell NOT, are they too stupid to use youtube, for pity’s sake? Or is it as I’ve found — they think parents are just nervous nellies to be ignored.
I hope EVERYone who lost a person or was wounded SUES the police for not taking the threat seriously.
Reblogged this on herlander-walking and commented:
My own voice at this blog feels more and more stilled — in shock, in what feels like utterly futile rage. So I appreciated finding words not stilled to pass on to anyone still visiting here.
Pingback: Sunday Sweetly Twisting – Killer Drinking – Edited | Experiential Pagan
hatt0ri says:
There’s no better example of male privilege than seeing hard facts, black on white, and being able to look the other way. Can women afford themselves to pretend this is one isolated case of a “mentally ill” kid that affects no one whatsoever, like men can?
Feminasty says:
Not easily, but caring about girls and women, and the violence they suffer, is misandry (that made up word for something that doesn’t exist). So, you know, basically shut up.
Hi Glosswitch, Ally here.
I’m a bit puzzled by the misrepresentation here. I normally let these things wash over me, but about six people have now tweeted me demanding that I go read you, and it seems to make more sense to spell out my position here, since it is apparently needed.
I wholeheartedly agree with the first half of your post. However you then go on to say:
Today has seen plenty of men desperate to claim that misogyny has nothing to do with misogyny because hey, that’s way too simple, ladies!
You then go on on to quote me, so I presume it is me you are talking about. But anyone who reads my post will see that right at the top, after taking a moment to remember the victims the first point I make is this:
[Mental illness] was never an adequate explanation. Mental illness alone very, very rarely drives people to kill. Hate, bitterness and rage, on the other hand, does so daily. Rodger may or may not have been ill, he may or may not had diagnostic label on his personality or neurological function, we do not know. What we do know, without question, is that he was spitting with misogyny.
Does that read like someone claiming that this was nothing to do with misogyny?
It might also have been slightly fairer to quote me at slightly greater length, because immediately after the paragraph quoted, I go on to say:
Rodger does not appear to have identified as an MRA, and a debate as to whether or not he should be so described will be a pedantic distraction. The ugly truth is that, across much of the manosphere, his rantings are not especially unusual. Somewhere on the internet right this very moment – whether on an Insel site or an MRA site or an MGTOW site or Twitter or Facebook or an atheist forum, it really doesn’t matter – an angry young man will be spitting out his hatred of bitches, whores and sluts.
In other words, the point about whether or not he is an MRA is not me trying to get them off the hook, but the exact opposite. Inaccurately calling Rodger an MRA simply allows actual MRAs to dissociate themselves from him, and lets them dodge their culpability in their shared misogyny. That was my whole bloody point there, and I don’t think I explained it too be clumsily to be understood.
The other point I was making, which may have been missed, is that while I wholeheartedly agree that misogyny and patriarchal entitlement were the driving forces here, there are millions of men with those traits who do not become mass murderers, and the temptation to right Rodger off as a simple and clear cut case of misogyny risks cutting off inquiry into other factors that may have been involved. I mentioned bullying, as one specific detail that seems to apply to every single school / spree shooter, but there may be others.
In summary, I’ve found the arguments I’ve had over the past 24 hours a little strange. Primarily, I have been criticised for asking for nuance. (One tweet directing me to this blog simply said “no need for nuance,”
I just can’t buy into that. There is always need for nuance. When Lee Rigby was murdered, I wrote a vaguely similar blog, which also called for nuance. Yes, Rigby was murdered by two Islamist terrorists, but does the story end there? No, it didn’t at the time and it still doesn’t today.
A lot of this reminds me of what John Major once said: “sometimes I think we need to understand a little less and condemn a little more.”
I have no problem with people disagreeing with me on any point, telling me I am wrong. But very few people have been doing that over the past 24 hours. They haven’t been telling me I am wrong, they’ve just been saying “how dare you say that?”
I find that quite a depressing reaction in any circumstance.
Bitethehand says:
Ally Fogg claims “there are millions of men with those traits” ( misogyny and patriarchal entitlement) “who do not become mass murderers” and in the same paragraph says “I mentioned bullying, as one specific detail that seems to apply to every single school / spree shooter,”.
But most boys and a good number of men are bullied at some time in their lives and don’t become killers of women, so why use it as some kind of excuse for Rodger?
As always with Ally Fogg, he tries to please both sides of the debate in order to boost his own popularity. As one poster who’s known Fogg for years, writes on my own site “I’m encouraged to see that Ally Fogg has taken something of a twitter-kicking for his characteristically rancid attempts to harness the Elliot Rodger murders to further his dismal agenda.”
That agenda being his own popularity.
Far more about Ally Fogg’s anti-feminism here –
http://therealuntrusted.wordpress.com/dont-let-the-door-bang-yer-arse-on-the-way-out/
You wrote that “Feminists and their allies are already spinning this as the work of an MRA and a consequence of men’s rights ideology.” Glosswitch is pointing out that there’s no need for spin, the ideology is right there in the shooter’s videos and writings. Whether he called himself an MRA is pretty irrelevant (you basically said this yourself); for convenience, he can be categorized as “an MRA[-type person]”. If you can’t appreciate the nuance of that, maybe you shouldn’t be lecturing about nuance.
You also write as if you are the “rational man in the middle” as Glosswitch says. You write “Feminists and their allies” as if you’re some Great Voice of Reason, unwilling to “take sides” because it’s beneath you. It’s impossible that either “side” can be coming from a place of rational thought because if that were the case, there wouldn’t be the opportunity for you to pontificate yourself into the condescending paternalistic high horse. Glancing at your blog, this seems to be an opportunity that you rely upon springing up as much as possible. You have a vested interest in finding it, even creating it out of thin air, for your readership.
I’m male, I used to be way into the world super-rational Bertrand Russell New Atheism “all ideology is inferior to Rational Logic-Reason” from which you’re currently hurling hilariously embarrassing and tired “commentary”. It’s way appealing, I get it. But could you hold off just this once? People are injured and dead.
Thinking about it more and reading comments sections on your blog, it’s a wonderful business model: attract both moderate MRAs and male “feminists” or “feminist allies” by throwing the “dogmatic” pejorative only at the extremist misogynistic MRAs and semi-radical/radical women, making your mixed male audience feel fuzzy and superior. What I don’t understand is why Glosswitch bothers with such a clear example of marketing strategy. She treats you like a misguided fool, when it seems perfectly possible that you’re just a talented businessman.
elfkat says:
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Show ALL Forums > Dating and Love Advice > Home login
What to say after being dumped.Page 7 of 7 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
My original comment WAS a MAYBE the OP did something to drive him away.
Even if she did.. it doesn't excuse disappearing.
Good men dont bail on GOOD women
Good people don't just disappear when they're done.
"We" have not been posting on the quality of either him or her.. we've been posting on what (or how) he ended it. PERIOD..
From what she wrote.. it could have been ONLY 2 dates. It just says "we were dating" with NO timeline, NO presentation of the depth of the understanding between them.
TWO or even FIVE dates does NOT require some sort of CLOSURE where a potential scene of ugly could happen. NO NEXT DATE is a very clear "goodbye" message.
Yes.. it is a clear message but it's a message that the majority of daters male or
female have a hard time accepting.. It's cruel and it's rude.. and it can be done through email if it's a barely-off-the-ground type thing which will avoid anything "ugly" from happening.
Her ONLY post makes MY potential scenarios all the more possible than not.
In your mind perhaps.
.. 1KM4U: you are focusing on WHY he MAY have done it... we (your so-called haters) have been focusing on HOW he did it,we (mostly) left out any conjecture about the actual pair in question and just commented on his behaviour with regard to how he halted their, thus-far interaction(s)..
Doesnt care
What to say after being dumped.
Posted: 1/3/2010 5:36:19 AM
I know it's hard babe, you just have to pick up the pieces, stand up, and brush the dirt off you shoulder. :) I guess if you think of it as "swallowing the pill called pride" right on. With situations like this it's not your fault, so smile and find some other gentleman and bring joy to his life.
Discerning Virtuosa
You can't complain since you also tried to use him. You wanted to use him for: love, sex, romance, marriage, anti-depression, a chat buddy, or whatever, and so allowed him to use you for sex,laughs, or whatever he wanted
OMG! - I'm sure that must have been absolutely horrifying and humiliating for him. How dare she try to love somebody.
Now he is on to the next victory, because you are no longer a contest.
Yes - why did she have to be so willing and compliant?
Some guys are like that, and stalking him/whining about it won't change him.
Yes, some guys are like that. Stalking him is a waste of time and energy. At least discussing or venting about it is a healthy thing in order to move on. It's an attempt to try to understand it even though it may never be understood why people do this.
Are you really so psychotic that you want more pain, shame, etc?
Wow you think the OP is psychotic for simply asking on a forum why a man would suddenly disappear when she believed there was mutual interest?
It is not psychotic to question irrational behavior - it's only psychotic to react to it with irrational behavior.
Why not find a nice non-user?
If everyone would just put that in their profile it would make things so much simpler.
some people have a legimate reason to bail out on someone if they are worried about something regarding the person they are meeting.
Legitimate reasons for ending the 'relationship' are not whats being questioned.. He had every right to bale if he wasn't interested in taking it further.. It's THE WAY HE ENDED IT that is anti-social, narcississtic behaviour
I have no issue with someone ending things when they're not happy.. it's just nice if when wanting to bale that you let the other party know that you are in fact ending it.
I have bailed on ladies who have said something that bugged me or that got me concerned and I didn't say anything to them
And, as you can see by this thread.. when you do something as cowardly as disappearing without a word that you hurt people. If you're the gentleman and the 'lover' that you portray yourself to be ~ I hope you'll stop "poofing" without explaination when you don't like the way the relationship is headed.
Perhaps there's yet another question one has to ask before getting involved with someone from the internet: to ascertain if they've got a decent bone in their body.
.." Have you ever just left someone without saying goodbye?" ..
The saying "Hell hath no fury" is about WOMEN and their irrational thinking/behavior when it comes to relationships. MORE women have gone psycho and keyed a car, or thrown things. or physically attacked their "other" as he was trying to break it off cleanly than men ever have.
Women's fury and spite has had movies made about it.. songs written about it and down through time is beyond urban legend.
Lorena bobbit anyone?
The fact that you presume facts NOT presented that she was somehow faultless and DESERVED her "got to get the last word in" moment viewpoint seems to be ONLY coming from the women in this thread.
OneKindManForYou: I know there are hostile women out there, but please don't justify typical male behavior of just disappearing when they get bored. You're making a lot of assumptions on the part of the OP which is really being fair to her.
Something tells me your justification of a man just "poofing" strikes a personal chord with you. You're making assumptions that there is always a whole lot of drama involved, when many of us (men and women) can be adult enough to tell a partner or potential partner that it's just not working out and expect the other to act like an adult and move on.
I know I made jokes earlier in this thread but it was only to add some levity. Most intelligent people (women too) realize how ridiculous it is to act like a lunatic over some worthless guy.
It isnt gutless, it isnt backboneless.. it might be prudent for his own safety.
MAYBE after just a date or two he saw/heard her talk about how she keyed her last boyfriends car when he dumped her..
MAYBE he didnt want to be attacked, and THEN accused of the attack.
MAYBE he went to her house after the 2nd date and saw her 22 cats.
MAYBE he WAS in a car accident and is in a coma somewhere
MAYBE her psycho ex or family accosted him and told him to leave town
MAYBE she told him she has an incurable STD
Not a ONE of you is considering that it COULD have been justified as the most prudent way to end it.
I hope to God these weren't personal experiences for you. Yes - maybe he met her in a psych ward somewhere and either she or him went off their meds.
For most normal, bright non-violent people I don't condone just dumping them without a word - especially when you live in a small town.
ladyc4
What is considered ok to say to someone who just up and disappears, stops calling, emailing. etc? I was dating this guy and it was moving forward, then suddenly, he stops calling. Won't answer any texts. It's all very rude and I feel used and angry
"Closure" to the satisfaction of the recipient isnt always deserved nor is it prudent.
Of course.. the whiner.. the complainer is a woman.. and women NEVER do anything wrong in a relationship.. much less speculate when there never WAS a relationship to begin with.
MAYBE he's a cheatin'ass married man.
MAYBE he's just a conquest addicted bedpost-notcher.
MAYBE he has a pattern of dating someone long enough that it might be headed to exclusivity, then gets all whiny weinie "fearful".
MAYBE his ass is in jail for not keeping up child support payments.
MAYBE he got called back to the Mother Ship.
MAYBE he was abducted by aliens.
Maybe he went back to HIS 'ex'.
MAYBE he got hit on the head and developed amnesia.
Actually, the OT was a question about what might be OK to say to someone who just ceases contact / doesn't respond.
Actually, ANYTHING is OK to say, but why bother? Why look for the last word in an argument with somebody who does't have the BALLS to say..."This just isn't sustaining for me and it would be wrong for me waste your time by continuing to see you." Somebody who doesn't have that minimal level of courtesy and integrity isn't worth another minute of my life.
Cindy O
scorpiomover
Don't say anything. Consider yourself lucky that you found out he wasn't interested, and move on. Why waste any energy on this guy at all? It's your energy, and you are precious. So your energy is precious. Don't waste what is precious on what is not.
"Swallow" your pride? Hell, no! CLAIM your pride!! And admit yer picker's broke -- good pickers don't end up with poofers. . . Spend your recuperation time fixing that picker. . . . Meanwhile, it's good to remember that the Universe is very fond of grace and joy, and often rewards it. And men find it very attractive. . .
Live long and prosper!!
yourstillhere
^^^^^^ Now THATS a classic!!!^^^^^^
Instead.. the WOMEN seem to argue the point that NO woman is EVER deserving to be "poofed" on. THAT idea is filled with MORE holes than my SUPPOSITION of a potential POSSIBILITY presented to the non-present OP.
There are some mentally unstable people out there - male AND female. I listen very carefully to a potential date, and read their WORDS very carefully before I meet them. If they still carry resentment towards their ex it's highly likely that I won't be in relationship with them. I think men should do the same thing, but instead their judgement is clouded by the visual, they will BEGIN a relationship with sex and then find out she's unstable or has a tendency to be violent after it's too late.
Fact.. SOME women DO behave SO irrationally.. that it IS prudent to disappear on them.
I'm not defending this behavior, however many times a woman like that doesn't get angry over nothing. Usually she feels a man has mislead her or was decietful, especially in a relationship that is not well established.
Their IRRATIONALITY and hysterics is JUST CAUSE to avoid the CLOSURE TALK. Now.. If you argue contrary to that.. you are just plain delusional and might as well ALSO be saying that a battered wife should go get her things from her battering husband house WITHOUT an armed escort.. so HE can have CLOSURE and understand why she is LEAVING his battering ass.
Women are the weaker sex in the physical sense and have much more to fear with a man who has a violent past. It is with astounding frequency that women are killed, injured, or raped more often by men they know very well or sometimes men they just met.
It is very unlikely and rare that a man is killed by a woman he just met.
Women have much more to fear in online dating I believe.
If a man is that fearful of women in general and assuming so many women are into that kind of drama, he is likely either used to leading them on, or is attracted to the more aggressive types of women.
It sounds like you are speaking from experience, 1kindman. That doesn't give anyone here the right to send you belittling messages in private email.
One date is NOT a relationship, but I really don't see the harm in an email communication. Even a post-it note is better than nothing.
A man is still accountable for HIS behavior - he needs to ask himself "Am I a man of integrity or am I a spineless cowardly worm"? If it is a hardly established relationship it is highly unlikely that saying goodbye before you've even been intimate is going to escalate to violence. Men just are afraid it's going to be uncomfortable - which it very well may be, but communication is a beautiful thing.
I don't believe the OP's profile indicates low self esteem at all. She knows who she is as a person and what she has to offer. Some of us are quite content to be average and realistic. It is our character that we hold to high standards.
My question is simple. What is considered ok to say to someone who just up and disappears, stops calling, emailing. etc? I was dating this guy and it was moving forward, then suddenly, he stops calling. Won't answer any texts. It's all very rude and I feel used and angry. Do I confront him and risk being labeled a "stalker" or do I just swallow my pride and not say anything and still feel used?
This is the OT, in it's entirety.
Now lets fast forward to messages 137 and 139, not meaning to DISinclude prior messages by this and other posters who seem to think the OP is asking WHY the guy poofed.
Please point out to me, in the OT where she asks anything about "why" he might have poofed. What she WANTS is opinions on whether she should attempt to contact the guy and speak up about the situation. I'm not even really getting a sense that she's interested in rekindling the involvement. She just wants opinions of whether it's worth it to contact the guy and let him know her opinion of his chickenshit way of squirming out of a dating involvement that, for WHATEVER reason, failed to hold his interest. I'm sure that it would have been unbelievably traumatic for the guy to send an email letting her know he thinks she's a great person but he just doesn't see this building into a meaningful relationship. Or he could even make up a polite white lie(met someone else, not over his previous failed relationship, might have to relocate).
The "fell off the face of the earth" act doesn't make someone a "bad" person,but having the GUTS to inform the other person that it's just not gonna sustain, certainly establishes that the party possesses a spine.
The fact that the OP has NOT re-visited her own post to even clarify what happened to correct us all.. tells me that it was a red herring.. and that MY deductive analysis was probably MORE right on than the rest of the comments.
No, she probably decided that very few posters actually GOT what she was asking, that SOME posters had actually gotten their boxers in a knot over it, and that she could get better advice from a group of high school students.
Again.. reading comprehension..
Now THERE'S your irony.
WE dont KNOW if the woman DID behave that way in the least.
The woman DID NOT ASK "why" the guy "poofed'...she asked opinions on whether it would be appropriate, and ideas of what to say, if she chose to contact the guy and express her OPINION of the "poofing" itself.
Please point out to me WHERE she asks "WHY he ceased contact. All she wants is opinions of her desire to give the guy a piece of her mind about his chickenshit behavior.
Am I the only woman who ever heard this from a man in person?
No, Fifi, I've dated men who had the grace and decency to clearly inform me, (not always in person maybe) that they didn't see a sustainable dating/relationship process, for a variety of reasons. I've also dated guys who 'poofed'. Speaking directly to the OP about my own experiences, my position with "poofers" and "flakes" is to not waste another minute of my life on a man who clearly hasn't the necessary level of honesty and bravery,in MY opinion,t
even make a platonic friendship worthwhile.
What part of the POSSIBILITY.. let me say it again.. POSSIBILITY that the woman in question WAS quite the irrational, illogical histrionic-if-not-property defacing, violence prone WACKO and CAUSED the man in question to avoid her like the plague?
It doesn't matter.because that was NOT the question in the OT.WHY the guy might have done the "poofing"thing is certainly an interesting topic of discussion, but it was NOT the question posed in the OT.
We don't need a talk. All I ever wanted was a simple "it's not working for me, goodbye" rather than a poof when I had been dating someone and he disappeared. I expect nothing after one date. I think silence is golden in this situation, and in fact have received email from men asking me why I did not email them to ask what is wrong with me when I did not email them and tell them that I liked them, I suppose, or did not receive an email from them after meeting them. After being dumped after dating someone I have never said anything except have a nice life, take care. Every time the man has seemed weirded out that and asked me why I did not beg him to take me back or act mad like he seemed to think I was supposed to. I don't do those kinds of things because I am a sane, sexy, intelligent woman who has no need to grovel at the feet of anyone begging for anything.
DING DING DING...we have a winner!
I have to agree with dadeeword, The best thing to do is just move on and forget about that person, but if you can get some sort of shot in and vent you're opinion in a dignified sort of way ( if there is one ), then do it. No, you're not going to feel as though you worked it out with this person, but you will feel somewhat dignified as long as your points are valid and real.
is also a valid option if you really need to get your opinion of the "vanishing act" off your chest.
Msg 152..although not directly on topic, certainly sums up MY thoughts about the side track that some postes seemed to be trying to send it down.
as for the final question in msg 152...I, for one, was toodisgusted to cringe with embarrassment or anything else.
What an Ahole, didn't even have the decency to end things the right way. Cut your losses & walk away, or send him a dead fish. Don't wrap it in plastic, just a fish in a box. Time it so it gets delivered when you know he's out of town for a few days...
daffie
i'd say...
"his/her loss"...
and move on,
right away!...
Page 7 of 7 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Skadi Forum > Human Bio-Diversity (HBD) > General Anthropology > Cultural & Linguistic Anthropology > Archaeology > Oldest Tools Outside Africa Found, Rewriting Human Story
View Full Version : Oldest Tools Outside Africa Found, Rewriting Human Story
Blod og Jord
Saturday, July 14th, 2018, 08:17 AM
Modern humans’ distant relatives left Africa earlier than previously thought—rewriting a key chapter in humankind’s epic prequel, according to a discovery unveiled on Wednesday in Nature.
Nearly a hundred stone tools found at the Shangchen site in central China may push back the spread of our ancient cousins—hominins—out of Africa by more than a quarter million years.
The toolmakers lived at Shangchen on and off for 800,000 years between 2.1 and 1.3 million years ago, leaving behind tools that are unprecedented outside of Africa. The site’s oldest tools are roughly 300,000 years older than Dmanisi, a 1.8-million-year-old site in the Republic of Georgia with the oldest known fossils of our extinct cousin Homo erectus.
“Finding artifacts that you knew were around two million years old—and therefore the oldest outside Africa—was for me, as a palaeoanthropologist, really exciting,” says study coauthor Robin Dennell, a professor at the University of Exeter.
{snip}
“I’ve always said that once the Chinese researchers start looking for evidence on a similar scale as all the money spent in Africa, things will turn up!” exclaims Gerrit van den Bergh, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wollongong who wasn’t involved with the study.
Early Wanderers
Today’s modern humans, Homo sapiens, trace back to a migratory pulse that left Africa some 60,000 years ago. But that migration was hardly the first to leave the continent—nor were modern humans the only hominins to make the trip. Remains of Homo erectus have been found from Georgia to Java. Neanderthals’ ancestors trekked to Europe roughly half a million years ago. At least 700,000 years ago, early hominins somehow swept through the South Pacific, giving rise to the “hobbit” Homo floresiensis and other island toolmakers.
Some sites have hinted at an even older hominin presence in Asia. In the 1980s, researchers suggested that stone tools in Pakistan could be as old as two million years old. In 2004, a Chinese team found 1.66-million-year-old stone tools in north China’s Nihewan basin. And in 2015, researchers made the case that a Homo erectus skull found less than three miles from Shangchen was more than 1.6 million years old.
Nestled on a hillside in China’s Shaanxi Province, this dig site exposed Shangchen’s oldest stone tools. Chinese Academy of Sciences geologist Zhaoyu Zhu and his colleagues excavated the area for 13 years.
But precisely when were the tools made? To find out, Zhu’s team measured the varying magnetic fields in the tool-bearing soil layers.
As each layer formed, minerals within the soil preserved the orientation of Earth’s magnetic field at the time. Because Earth’s magnetic field sometimes reverses polarity, some of the layers’ fields flipped in kind—as did the magnetic fields of similarly aged sediments all over Earth.
By comparing Shangchen’s sediments to well-dated African soils that preserved the same magnetic reversals, Zhu could accurately assign ages to each Shangchen layer. Six of the 96 tools discussed in the study were found in a layer dating back 2.12 million years.
Who Made the Tools?
Since there aren’t hominin fossils alongside Shangchen’s tools, nobody knows for sure who made them.
María Martinón-Torres, the director of Spain’s National Center of the Study of Human Evolution (CENIEH) and a world authority on Asian hominin fossils, says that even some Chinese hominin fossils once labeled as H. erectus are worth a second look.
“It is time to accept that not all hominins found in Asia fit in the Asian H. erectus taxon, a species that has been largely employed as a blanket term,” she says. “I think that the question about the first Asian hominin identity is not closed yet.”
Regardless, Shangchen’s toolmakers would have had brains about a third the size of our own. While brain size isn’t everything, experts say that it’s astounding that such early, small-brained humans made it from Africa to China some two million years ago.
“For a long time [the] scientific community has given a secondary role to Asia versus Africa in explaining relevant episodes of our evolution,” says Martinón-Torres. “With more fieldwork at Asia I am sure that more surprises are to come.”
[Editor’s Note: The original article concerning this find is in Nature and is available here (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0299-4.epdf?referrer_access_token=1gWzojgiUKh BhL_CUO_979RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0NuqOfFPQK DXkWRblHdS9EzeCqnjmNI5d0d17GaIE4n1RKtGgO hqAuhEHKzikQHg9bFuf5TC_euCPTaoQyRBcTv8_i RGNM0g40KmtRFOyXrstkN9dUsL3W7kGsDEve3hSH gwplfsEF3o9yiejZcMUYQaraWZA1ILjApPNP7mNb DlQ%3D%3D&tracking_referrer=www.nationalgeographic .com).]https://www.amren.com/news/2018/07/oldest-tools-outside-africa-found-rewriting-human-story/
Saturday, July 14th, 2018, 04:07 PM
Maybe one day all the evidence from other places than Africa and the absense of evidence that any of the so far found "early hominins" is our direct ancestor will allow the idea of a multi-regional evolution. High time to trash the nonsensical out-of-Africa theory into the bin.
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Skadi Forum > Human Bio-Diversity (HBD) > Physical Anthropology > Europoid > Alpinid > The Alpinids in France [by Dr. George Montandon, in 'L'Ethnie Francaise']
View Full Version : The Alpinids in France [by Dr. George Montandon, in 'L'Ethnie Francaise']
visigodo
Thursday, October 20th, 2005, 10:35 PM
https://forums.skadi.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=112738&stc=1&d=1480496214
I would like to add to this sub-forum some information about the alpinids in France. I took the text from the work made by Dr. George Montandon: "L'Ethnie Francaise". The text was translated from the French by a good friend (Duchemin) who kindly made possible to have the text in English for non-French speaking people.
The Alpine component.
It's rather rare, have we said, that a race fits to an ethnia, and if there's a country which has not any proper race, it's indeed France. However, if one wished at all cost designate a proper racial type for the French nation, it would be the Alpine type. The Alpine type has synonymous like Celtic type, Cevenol, Celto-ligure, Celto-Slav. The Alpine type term is highly preferable.
Involontarly, the Cevenol word gives back to a local discussion; the one of celtic type has the same disadvantage in an inferior degree, but it has above all the inconvenient to make mistaken a racial notion for a ethnic notion, and that even if the reader is aware, as it is the case in this book, "Celts" do not mean a people, but only a race, race which, as predominant as it may have been in some ethnias, is not for that less represented in all ethnias which have been created on the French soil.
The Celto-Slav expression, comes from the time where one wanted to assimilate, because of their brachycephaly among other reasons, the Eastbaltic type with the Alpine type. Last, the fact that Strabon talks about Ligures as being short and stocky, we have inferred that the Ligures were a brachycephalic "race".
Then, since we have a brachycephalic race in their country, the Alpine race (and we have no data which can make us conlude to the simultaneous presence of two brachycephalic races), there is no reason to consider the Ligures as a race, but as an ethnia; we give the name of Ligures, as we make it usually, to the first Gaul population whose latin writers talk to us about, but, as that population seemed to have its center Southward, it is really likely that that ethnia was predominantly composed of not only of Alpines -short, stocky, broad head-, but also of Mediterreaneans -short, thin (hurled) , average head in a secondary type-, all of three being brownish, and all of three still being the dominant types in Southern France.
Later, forward it seems, from an invasion comparable to germanic invasions, but which would have taken place a few thousand years before (invasion called Gallic or Galate), Northern France subnordic element was reinforced (it was not free of it, taking in account the formation of more or less important blondism in all those Northern region) and the political preponderance moved more Northward; the new ethnia wich formed, gallic ethnia, was composed in a majority of Subnordic elements and Alpine or Celtic elements. So France is mostly made of Mediterranean element in the South, Alpine in the center, Subnordic in the North, the celtic element or Alpine being the pivot of the raciologic history of Gaul and France.
What's the Alpine accurate description?
- The complexion (hair color, eyes color) is brownish. Withouth being as dark as the Mediterranean's complexion, hair and eye are dark by born; in the pure Alpine, hair is not dark chestnut but blackish. Concerning is nature, hair can be straight, but straight and thin and not straight and thick (roide?) as in Mongoloid, or soflty module, but far less module than blond hair. The skin is a mat white, which is not rosy as the Nordic's one, nor swarthy as the Mediterranid's. The stature is usually said short, but it is in reality under-average, with 163 cm on average in France (so Ibero-insulars have a under-average stature, which is nearly short since it is 162-161 cm.); moreover the Alpine body shape is very different from the Ibero-insular: the Alpine is stocky, the Ibero-insular is gracile. Up here, in our description, it is this body shape difference which more distingue the Alpine from the ibero-insular, and the capital second description between the two types is made thanks head's morphology.
- Indeed, if, on the man, it is the Nordic who, at first sight, is opposed to the other European types, on the skeleton it is the Alpine which is opposed to Nordic and Ibéeo-insular joined together. While these two last have a more or less lengthened skull (slightly for the Nordic slightly, strongly for the Ibero-insular), Alpine has a broad skull, very broad, with 86 cephalic index on average. The opposition between the Alpine skull and Nordic skulls and Ibéro-insular is thus brutal and it is not necessary to insist there; on the other hand, just as it is necessary to insist on what differentiates the differential of Alpine diagnosis must be established by comparision with another closed skull, since belonging with the Alp-Armenian race as well, namely with Dinarid skull; and this diagnosis is important for France, because a number of Dinaric dwell France.
The Alpine skull can be called a broad skulled and the Dinaric a short skulled - which is moreover the same for the calculation of the cephalic index and made both of them brachycephalic indivials. But Alpine skull, seen from the top, is more rounded, the more angular skull is Dinaric, as if its posterior part had been cut of a blow of axe.
It is the same of remainder on some side as one looks at skull : Alpine has more rounded countours, Dinaric more angulars; thus the forehead will be more rounded, seen from the top from profile, in Alpine than it is in Dinaric. But the main difference between the two skulls comes from the fact that its unit is harmonious in the Alpine, not harmonious in Dinaric - in the pure Dinaric- i.e. the Alpine's face is broad like the skull box, while the Dinaric's face is lengthened. Here is the capital difference, it is the case to say it, between the two types in question, whereas many anthropologists seem to know only the difference of stature that distinguishes them.
The observation of a short type, squat, of broad diameters, generally blood humoured, in opposition to a hurled type with diameters rather narrow and temperament lymphatic, gave place, in the early XXth century, to works of the school known as constitutionnist. Its first reports were born in France (Sigaud, Chaillou, Mac-Auliffe, Thooris) and the movement, since, extended out of of this country' borders.
This school wanted to see, in the differences of the individuals, personal differences, due to the constitution, the race being thus more or less denied or, at least, being put in the background. Without disputing the interest of many work to which the new tendency - as all new tendency - gave place, misfortune, for the attempt to deny race, it is that :
1º the major races, Whites, Yellows, Blacks, etc., can't be all denied, apart from all constitution facts
2º certain races offer such constitution rather than such other, so that the constitution can be racial
3º the geographical distribution of races, and, for France, that of the Alpine type for example, as chart 20 shows it, is territorial and not ubiquitous, the state of the things in Paris not having to make illusion on the distribution of the racial types by areas.
However, it is manifest that the constitution called Eurysom (?) (with broad body) or Pyknic (compacts) is very frequent among the Alpine type, but it is precisely that this constitution is to be mentioned like one of the characteristics of the Alpine subrace.
A series of recent work, of which those of the Lwow School, make necessary to come to a conclusion about the relation of the Alpine type with the Lapponoid type. By geometrical methods, that only awkwardly confirm morphology data, and that lead to an involuntary anti-evolutionism considering the postulated immutability of the basic types, this school admits 4 fundamental Europoid types (4 angles of a square) from where 6 secondary races by interbreeding are derived (diagonals and sides joining together the 4 angles of the square), thus 10 racial types - the figure of DENIKER, from which the aforementioned types are borrowed, except for some alternatives.
These 4 fundamental types are, for CZEKANOWSKI and its school, the standards: Nordic, Mediterranean, dinaric and alpine, which correspond about, in the current raciologic language, with the types: nordic, Mediterranean, dinaric and alpine (these two last returning for us, very different that they are, in the alp-Armenian race). We can ask ourselves : is the Alpine of the majority of the authors to assimilate to Czekanowski Lapponoid ?
The Lapponoid is generaly annexed to Mongoloids and we formerly shared this manner of seeing (in "L'ologénèse humaine"). A more attentive study of the question, namely of the literature, plates and skulls, has made us since fact of considering (in "La RACE. Les races") Lapponoid like an ancient branch of Europoids, in which the Mongoloid characters are not yet separated from Europoid characacters. On this particular point of the appartenence of Lapponoid to the major Europoid race, we thus agree with the Lwow School. This one recognizes in Lapponoids Alpine features added with Mongoloid features, as it comes from the characters enumaration that the aforementioned School allots it (see above mentioned SCHWIDETZKY) :
Relatively short stature (less than 165 cm).
Long-shaped trunc.
Short and wide hands and feet.
Dark hair and eyes.
Yellowish skin.
Short nose, moderately wide, flat.
Wide face with high cheekbones.
Very short head.
The mention in particular of the yellowish skin and the high cheekbones indicates Mongoloid factors and the double question that, of agreement on the presence of Europoid elements and some Mongoloid elements add to Lapponoid, it is necessary to ask is the following :
a) How is it necessary to conceive the type or the Laoponoids types as for their formation?
b) Can the Lapponoid type replace the alpine type in the consideration of the European raciology like one of the basic types?
The association of the Alpine type with certain Mongoloid characters can reliever of three processes:
1º A relatively recent interbreeding, and it appears certain that given the Asian invasions of the historical period numbers skulls more or less Mongoloids of Poland and moreover in the West arose with this process.
2º A very old interbreeding, protohistoric if it is not prehistoric, the consideration of the alive Lapp like Lappish skull (of Lapland) incentive to this manner of seeing: nose much more raised than it is the case among any other race in the world (thus not a borrowed and attenuated character), low orbits, contrary to what one finds in Mongoloid, which orbits are high, the two orbits on the same horizontal level, which is a primitive character, noticeable among others on Cro-Magnon skulls and those recently described of Afalou-bou-Rhummel connected to those of Cro-Magnon: all that meaning that the Mongoloid characters are not associated with the Alpine type paradigm, but with a Lapponoid type if one wants, but old.
3º An association even older of characters, dating from the time when the Eurasiatic relatively undifferentiated type had both Europoid characters and mongoloid characters, of which thereafter the ones were reinforced, the others attenuated, while they separated in two types, the ones more Europoids, others more Mongoloids. These processes are dictated by the theory ologenist, but it is acceptable by those who, without wanting all the theses of the theory, accept the thesis of the old types less differentiated than the current ones.
However, wether it is by old interbreeding or lack of differentiation by origin, the Lappish type and the Lapponoid type - standard Lappish outside Lapland - show a facies that is valid only for themselves and could not be mistaken for the Alpine type, even if the latter derives from the Lapponoid type (besides current Lapponoid which can have reinforced some of its characters); what it is necessary to put in parallel, these are the skull of the same time, without what there would be no reason not to replace, in the enumeration of the fundamental types of Europe, such other current type by the type of Cro-Magnon.
And if the Lwow school claims that there are today Laponoid subjects outside Lapland, it should be wondered, without denying the existance of true Lapponoid outside Lapland, if the surface methods of this school make it possible to dissociate the pseudo-Lapponoids (moderne Alpines crossbred of modern Mongoloids). Instead of to consider Alpine as secondary compared to Lapponoid (relation which could be right as for the evolutionary succession of the types), one must, for the analysis of the current constitutive types of whole Europe, to thus maintain the Alpine like the facial type alp-Armenian paradigm of Western Europe, and the Dinaric like the racial type alp-Armenian paradigm of South Eastern (?) Europe, while the lapponoid type, any relative that it is of the Alp-Armenian and perhaps older than him, must be maintained with the variation, precisely from its characters of old europoidism, associated with mongoloidism characters.
This discussion shows that there are undeniable affinities between the Alpine one and Lapponoid, and Deputy for Drôme, reporter on the 1934 war budget, Léon Archimbaud, can be given like one these Alpines with Lapponoid affinities.
Another assumption, of historico-social value, was proposed as for the Alpine or Celtic type. It would represent, compared to subnordic, something of more democratic, moreover popular, and would be the prolongation of the brachycephalic race subjugated by Subnordics - those being not only consisted by the Germanics, but also Gallics.
The French revolution and the democrasitation era which followed would be thus a revenge of the indigenous element on the dominant caste, allogenous (alien) in the beginning, of larger stature in any case, more or less blonde, more or less dolichocephalic (when its representatives are tall and blondes, and dolichocephalics, one does not have any more business with subnordics, but with Nordics).
It may be that there is something fair in this appreciation of historical facts, but like very general indication only, because, today, the executives of the nation are recruited in all the racial types populating the territory. It is striking however to note how much the Alpine type is frequent in the services of the Parisian police force, not as much among the agents in uniform, than among the special services agents who are dressed like civilian. Perhaps it is due to the fact that they are recruited among the "strapping men (strong)". In any case, it is an unquestionable fact. The blond Frankish type (nordic) put aside, the Alpine type is the most recognizable racial type in France.
It is that it is also a frank (not Frankish) type, extrem. Any moment, in the street, you can label without hesitating Alpine the small, solid, brownish, with blood face passer. The type strikes by its clearness and its frequency: it looks like a mass production. One could almost, for France, oppose the Alpine one to not-Alpine, the latter containing, in an infinite gradation, all those who oscillate between this Alpine dominating, the much more rare Ibero-insular and very rare pure Nordic. The true alpine type will constitute approximately 30% of the population of France.
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HomeLatin AmericaSALES LEADS LATAM: LATAM Airlines Group, DogHero, Holiday Inn Express…
A summary for Corporate Marketers, Media Sales Executives and Advertising Agencies to see what clients are moving into the market and/or targeting Latin American consumers right now.
For prior Sales Leads LatAm editions, click here.
LATAM Airlines Group, Latin Americas leading airline group with one of the largest route networks in the world, announced a yearlong collaboration with The Bucket List Family, a family of five, including three small children, who travel the world together documenting and sharing their adventures. The family will travel with LATAM Airlines throughout the South American region, checking off places from their bucket list with some of the most popular destinations in the region.In addition, LATAM is bridging a partnership between The Bucket List Family and TECHO, a nonprofit organization that seeks to overcome the poverty situation that millions of people live in across Latin America through the joint work of its inhabitants and young volunteers.During a yearlong adventure, LATAM will take the family to key destinations in South America to explore the variety of cultures, and via their partnership with TECHO, present the family with the opportunity to give back to the communities by collaborating with local leaders and share their efforts and accomplishments for building better communities.The Bucket List Family will begin its tour in March of 2019, running through 2020. They are expected to visit Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Peru.
Brazilian pet care app, DogHero, has received a US$7 million from Rover. A U.S. pet-sitting marketplace named Rover led a US$7 million round for Brazilian pet care app, DogHero.As Rovers international influence grows, its the first time the Seattle-based company invested not only in Brazil but also Latin America. Mexican VC firm, IGNIA Partners, also contributed in hopes of expanding service across the region.Known as the “Brazilian Airbnb for pet-sitting,” DogHero is a marketplace for pet owners based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Over the last five years, DogHero has raised around US$13 million while securing a staff of 58. Approximately 800,000 pets plus 16,000 hosts and walkers belong to DogHeros network. Today, the startup operates in 750 cities in Brazil, Argentina, plus Mexico.Rover is one of Seattles most valuable startups with 475 employees, new headquarters, as well as booming business in Europe and potentially Latin America.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced the opening of the newly-built 116-room Holiday Inn Express Asunción Aviadores hotel located in the business and commercial district of Paraguay's capital city. The property will be the firsRead More – Source
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"Teen Vogue" is officially leaving newsstands
Olivia Harvey
teenvogue / www.instagram.com
One of the staples of your local magazine stand will soon disappear. New York-based publisher Condé Nast has ordered the end of Teen Vogue‘s printed edition in an attempt to cut costs and focus more on its digital content. The decision comes with major budget cuts and layoffs Condé Nast has recently made across the board.
For fans of the publication, fear not — the magazine will definitely maintain its online presence, TeenVogue.com.
Condé Nast has been in the process of restructuring its businesses for the past two years. The current closing of Teen Vogue’s print office will coincide with the elimination of approximately 80 jobs — which is about 2.5% of the company’s overall workforce. Condé Nast is also expected to make major budget cuts in many departments — some as high as 20%. According to WWD.com, a representative from Condé Nast declined to comment on this week’s cuts.
In 2016, Teen Vogue’s publishing frequency was reduced to four issues per year, so in many ways the transition to solely digital isn’t totally unexpected.
Teen Vogue isn’t the only print magazine being targeted by Condé Nast’s cuts. Bon Appétit, GQ, Allure, Glamour, W, Condé Nast Traveler, and Architectural Digest are all slimming down their yearly printed publication numbers.
This development is one more sign that the future firmly lies with digital content. And while we know this is 100% practical, a part of us will always mourn the death of print magazines. So long, old friend. Fare thee well!
By Olivia Harvey
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Home › News › Mukesh Ambani stepped in to bail out younger brother Anil Ambani in Ericsson payout case day before SC deadline
Mukesh Ambani stepped in to bail out younger brother Anil Ambani in Ericsson payout case day before SC deadline
RCom cleared the entire dues to Ericsson India to purge the contempt of a Supreme Court order
Romita Majumdar
Source: Business Standard
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani stepped in to bail out younger brother Anil Ambani by helping him repay Reliance Communications’ (RCom’s) dues to Ericsson. The last-minute rescue spares the younger Ambani a three-month jail term for contempt of court.
RCom on Monday cleared the entire dues to Ericsson India to purge the contempt of a Supreme Court order. The debt-ridden company had already paid Rs 118 crore of the Rs 550-crore dues. In addition, the company had paid around Rs 3 crore in penalties to Ericsson.
“My sincere and heartfelt thanks to my respected elder brother, Mukesh, and Nita for standing by me during these trying times and demonstrating the importance of staying true to our strong family values by extending this timely support,” said Anil Ambani in a media statement. RCom had time until Tuesday to make the payment, failing which Anil Ambani, its chairman, would have had to serve a three-month jail term, according to the court’s order.
“My family and I are grateful we have moved beyond the past, and are deeply grateful and touched with this gesture,” he added. On February 20, the apex court had held Ambani and two others guilty of contempt for willfully violating its order by not paying Rs 550-crore dues to Ericsson.
RCom had requested for the withdrawal of Rs 260-crore tax refunds, lying in a trust and retention account, to pay the Swedish telecom equipment manufacturer, but the plan was opposed by its lenders, including State Bank of India (SBI). Following this, RCom had approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) with a plea that since the apex court order had asked RCom, and not Ambani personally, to pay Rs 453 crore, the money lying in the two accounts was all it had to make payment to Ericsson. RCom’s plea was, however, rejected by the NCLAT on March 15.
On May 30, 2018, the NCLAT had stayed a May 15 order of the Mumbai Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitting the insolvency petition against RCom, Reliance Telecom, and Reliance Infratel. The insolvency petition had been moved by Ericsson. It was in the NCLAT that the three Reliance Group companies and Ericsson India had reached an agreement under which the former would pay Rs 550 crore, failing which the Swedish firm would be at liberty to revive the insolvency petition.
The company’s failure to repay lenders and service providers coupled with Ambani’s personal repayment guarantee made him liable of contempt of court in case of non-payment.
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Tags: Anil Ambani, Ericsson, Mukesh Ambani, RCom
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Home Community Development Anti-Boko Haram militia, civilian JTF frees 894 children – UN
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Anti-Boko Haram militia, civilian JTF frees 894 children – UN
Anti-Boko Haram militia, civilian JTF frees 894 children – UN Source: https://punchng.com/anti-boko-haram-militia-civilian-jtf-frees-894-children-un/
Anti-Boko Haram militia
Nearly 900 children held by a pro-government militia force fighting Boko Haram insurgents in northeastern Nigeria were freed on Friday, the UN said.
The 894 children, including 106 girls, had been in the ranks of the government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a local militia which supports regular soldiers battling the insurgents.
At a ceremony in the northeastern town of Maiduguri, they were released as part of the CJTF’s “commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children,” the UN children’s agency (UNICEF) said.
“Children of north-east Nigeria have borne the brunt of this conflict,” said UNICEF chief in Nigeria Mohamed Fall.
“They have been used by armed groups in combatant and non-combatant roles and witnessed death, killing, and violence.”
The CJTF is a militia formed in 2013 to protect communities from attack, but it has also recruited hundreds of children.
In 2017, the militia signed a promise to stop recruiting child soldiers and release the ones they hold.
The children freed on Friday bring the total released since then to 1,727 children, UNICEF said.
It was not clear how many children remain in its ranks, but the UN welcomed the news on Friday.
“Any commitment for children that is matched with action is a step in the right direction for the protection of children’s rights, and must be recognized and encouraged,” Fall said.
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The freed children will be enrolled in a reintegration programme with education and training to help them return to civilian life.
Boko Haram’s decade-long uprising to establish a hard-line Islamic state in Nigeria’s northeast has spilled into neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
The jihadis have also recruited thousands of children to fight in their ranks.
“We will continue until there is no child left in the ranks of all armed groups in Nigeria,” Fall said, noting that children “have been abducted, maimed, raped and killed.”
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Home Fitness Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hat-trick leads Arsenal into Europa League final
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hat-trick leads Arsenal into Europa League final
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired Arsenal into the Europa League final by scoring the hat-trick that ended Valencia’s hopes of another dramatic European comeback on Thursday
Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Valencia made the perfect start at Mestalla when Kevin Gameiro finished at the back post but goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangand Alexandre Lacazette left the home side needing four in 40 minutes.
Gameiro scored again to spark hopes of a revival to trump even the efforts of Liverpool and Tottenham this week but Aubameyang hit his second and then completed a brilliant hat-trick to complete a 4-2 Arsenal win, 7-3 on aggregate.
It keeps alive Arsenal’s chances of securing a place in the Champions League next season and, realistically, their last chance, given they need to overturn three points and an eight-goal swing on Tottenham to finish fourth in the Premier League this weekend.
Standing in their way will be London rivals Chelsea or Eintracht Frankfurt, in Baku on May 29.
Valencia had been relying on the Europa League for Champions League qualification too, given they sit three points behind Getafe, who face a demoralised Barcelona on Sunday, with two games left in La Liga.
But over the two legs, Marcelino’s side could have few complaints. They were second best at Emirates Stadium and defensively frantic here.
Arsenal, usually so fragile away from home, were able to pick them off with ease on the counter-attack. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lacazette, boasting 48 goals between them this season, are a first-class attack in a second-tier competition.
Valencia made a brilliant start as Jose Gaya headed wide at the near post and Goncalo Guedes fired over, with Petr Cech playing for time as early as the fifth minute in the hope of gaining a chance for breath.
Instead, Arsenal conceded, caught upfield after Alex Maitland-Niles shot at Neto, who rolled out to launch the counter-attack. Rodrigo swept wide to Guedes and ran ahead of him, receiving and firing to the back post, where Gameiro slid in.
Read also, Jose Mourinho Gives Lionel Messi New Nickname ‘The God Of Football’
Valencia looked like they could score six let alone the one more required, only for Arsenal to find an equaliser against the run of play.
Cech punted downfield and Lacazette flicked on, with Aubameyang nipping in and, before his opponents could recover, driving into the bottom corner.
The rest of the half was high on intensity but low on quality as Valencia struggled to reboot. Aubameyang shot at Neto and Lacazette’s whipped effort clipped the outside of the post.
Arsenal’s Spanish head coach Unai Emery celebrates his team’s third goal during the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg football match between Valencia CF and Arsenal FC at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on May 9, 2019. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)
Half-time should have been timely for Valencia but it was Arsenal that scored shortly after.
Dani Parejo’s careless pass put them in trouble before Gaya was outmuscled. Lucas Torreira found Lacazette, who spun out of the clutches of Cristiano Piccini and buried the ball into the corner.
The tie looked done, Valencia needing four in 40 minutes, but they got one back eight minutes later, Gameiro diverting Rodrigo’s shot over the line after Daniel Wass had pulled back.
Valencia believed again but only briefly because Aubameyang added his second and Arsenal’s third. Maitland-Niles ghosted past Guedes and crossed to the near post, where Aubameyang was quickest.
Some of Valencia’s fans headed for the exits and then even more followed when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lashed the ball into the roof of the net from the angle for his third, and Arsenal’s fourth.
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Rumor: Guy Ritchie Wants Tom Hardy for Jafar in ‘Aladdin’
Matthew Monagle
John Phillips / Stringer, Getty Images
Is Tom Hardy doing OK? I mean, financially? After years of alternating between prestige films (The Revenant, Dunkirk) and more idiosyncratic projects (Legend, The Drop), Hardy seems to have accepted a streak of surprisingly mainstream blockbuster roles. After being attached to Ubisoft’s video game adaptation Splinter Cell for several years, Hardy recently shocked fans by accepting the title role in Sony’s Venom spinoff. And now, perhaps most surprising of all, is the rumor that Hardy is considering signing on for the role of Jafar in Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake. At this point, maybe we should create a GoFundMe for whatever gambling debt Hardy seems to have racked up.
This particular rumor comes courtesy of The Sun (via Heroic Hollywood) which recently spoke with a source saying that director Guy Ritchie had approached Hardy about playing the role of the villainous Jafar in their remake of the classic animated Disney film. Here’s what their insider had to say:
Guy is a huge fan of Tom’s work and securing him would be a major coup. There have been conversations and, although nothing is set in stone and things are subject to change, he’s certainly one of Guy’s favoured choices. It just depends on schedules whether he’ll be able to sign up.
In an absolute vacuum, I would certainly be excited to see Hardy give his take on a classic Disney villain, but there’s some pretty obvious extenuating circumstances here. Throughout the development process, Disney has promised its fans that Aladdin would honor the story’s Middle East roots and emphasize diversity in its casting process. Should Hardy sign on for Aladdin, he would instantly put a bullseye on both the film and his own performance, and actors (or at least their agents) should be smart enough these days to know when they’re courting a PR disaster with a role. And while I’ve enjoyed Ritchie’s last two movies, the director hasn’t exactly bought himself a great deal of leeway with the flop of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Do you really want to strap yourself to a ship that could possibly be sinking? Jafar is all downside, no upside for an actor like Tom Hardy. Seems like a good idea to sit this one out.
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Source: Rumor: Guy Ritchie Wants Tom Hardy for Jafar in ‘Aladdin’
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Paes, Bopanna to begin Wimbledon campaign today
London [U.K], July 6 (ANI): India's Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna will begin their campaign at Wimbledon when they play their respective opening rounds of the men's doubles event later today.
Unseeded Paes and his Canadian team-mate Adil Shamasdin will take on the Austrian team of Julian Knowle and Philipp Oswald, while the eighth placed Indo-French duo of Bopanna and Edouard Roger-Vasselin will face German pair of Dustin Brown and Mischa Zverev.
Meanwhile, in the singles event, third-seed Roger Federer, world number two Novak Djokovic, top seed Angelique Kerber and Milos Raonic are among those who will play their second round matches today.
Yesterday, all India pairing of Purav Raja and Divij Sharan made it to the second round after registering a hard-fought 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over Portuguese-South African pair of Joao Sousa and Kyle Edmund in the men's doubles event.
In Women's Doubles, Sania Mirza and her Belgian team-mate Kirsten Flipkens progressed to the second round.
The Indo-Belgian pair eased past Japanese-Chinese pairing of Naomi Osaka and Shuai Zhang 6-4, 6-3 in a one-sided opening round clash that lasted an hour and 12 minutes on Court 11.(ANI)
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Novak Djokovic News
No third wheel
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Wimbledon 2019, tactics in final: Body serves, backhand and percentage tennis
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This match showed vividly what separates Djokovic from the pack. Once again he proved that, when it comes to guts and gumption, when it comes to pure ability to handle crunchtime, he is as unwavering as any player in tennis history.
Wimbledon 2019 Men's Singles Final Live Streaming, Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic: What is score of Federer vs Djokovic final?
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French Open 2019: Novak Djokovic vs Dominic Thiem French semis to resume on Saturday
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French Open 2019: Alexander Zverev poised to present hurdle to Novak Djokovic, says Boris Becker
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Novak Djokovic routs Rafa Nadal for record seventh Australian Open title
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Novak Djokovic beats Juan Martin del Potro to win third US Open title
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Wimbledon 2017: Winners of Men's title in ten previous editions
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No meltdown as Djokovic, Serena cruise in Melbourne
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Australian Open: Shockers in searing heat
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‘We need to break the law’: Extinction Rebellion brings Edinburgh to a halt
29 arrests were made as demonstrators blockaded a bridge in the Scottish capital
Hundreds of people took part in the Extinction Rebellion protest (Photo: Getty)
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Group wants Scottish Government to be bolder on climate change and is promising further disruption
Protest comes after more than 120 arrests were made in London over similar road blocks
Hundreds of climate change protesters brought part of central Edinburgh to a standstill during Tuesday’s evening rush hour, blocking one of the capital’s main thoroughfares to traffic.
Supporters of the Extinction Rebellion group took part in a go-slow bike ride before gathering on North Bridge at 3pm, with only pedestrians, cyclists and emergency vehicles allowed through.
“We need to break the law, we need to be prepared to be arrested”
Dr Anna Fisk
The planned protest, which is part of a wider movement demanding global political action to stop climate change, led to long tailbacks in the city centre as buses and cars were diverted.
Organisers said 29 arrests had been made, but Police Scotland said the operation was “still ongoing” and could not yet confirm a figure.
Demonstrators who refused to move from the bridge were filmed being led away to waiting police vans or loaded onto a local bus.
The group wants the Scottish Government to be bolder on climate change by committing to achieve net zero carbon commissions by 2025 and forming a citizens’ assembly to create new policies.
Some demonstrators banged drums, chanted and played football on the traffic-free bridge, while others held banners reading “The planet is dying” and “We need you to care”.
North Bridge in the Scottish capital was closed to traffic due to the road block (Photo: Getty)
The protest is part of an international week of action calling for governments and councils around the world to declare a “climate emergency”, with the group seeking to cause maximum disruption.
‘I’m willing to be arrested’
Dr Anna Fisk, 35, a lecturer in theology and religious studies at the University of Glasgow, told i there was “massive frustration” at a lack of action from politicians.
“We wish we didn’t have to disrupt people’s days or cause them inconvenience, but we need to do things like this to get people’s attention, and more importantly the government’s attention,” she said.
“Unfortunately, things like signing petitions and more conventional protest marches people have been doing for 30 years just haven’t worked.
“Now we need to break the law, we need to be prepared to be arrested. I’m willing to be arrested.
“It’s not something that I’m looking forward to or think is going to be fun, but I am prepared to do that because it’s so important.”
Lauren McGlynn, 38, a professional photographer, added: “I have two kids and I am terrified for their future.
“I have been donating money to charity, signing petitions and showing up to climate protests for decades and emissions have only continued to soar.
“To not take action would be the same as signing their death warrants and I refuse to do that.”
The protest in Edinburgh was held after similar action in London on Monday saw widespread disruption, with demonstrators refusing to end their road blocks and more than 120 arrests made.
Superintendent Bob Paris said Police Scotland had been made aware of the protest in advance and had put in place an operation to provide a “proportionate response”.
“The police have both a duty to prevent crime and disorder, and balance the qualified rights of protesters with the rights of the wider public under the European Convention on Human Rights,” he added.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Climate change is an extremely serious global issue. Scotland has been praised internationally for our world-leading efforts in this area.
“We are demonstrating this global leadership by setting the most ambitious statutory climate change targets of any country in the world for 2020, 2030 and 2040, which will mean Scotland is carbon neutral by 2050.
“We want to go further and achieve net-zero emissions for all greenhouse gases as soon as possible. We are currently awaiting advice from the UK Committee on Climate Change, which is due on 2 May.
“If the Committee advise that we can now set even more ambitious targets, we will act on that.”
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How a giant Scottish bog could become an unlikely World Heritage Site
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IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Analysis
IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] – 17th September 2018
Categories IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Analysis
IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains
Focus)- 17th September 2018
(PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS)
More river stretches critically polluted: CPCB
Part of: Prelims and mains GS III – Environment and pollution
Based on the recommendations of the NGT, the CPCB last month apprised the States of the extent of pollution in their rivers.
Findings of CPCB
The number of polluted stretches in India’s rivers has increased to 351 from 302 two years ago.
The number of critically polluted stretches — where water quality indicators are the poorest — has gone up to 45 from 34.
While the ₹20,000 crore clean-up of the Ganga may be the most visible of the government’s efforts to tackle pollution, but several of the river’s stretches — in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh — are actually far less polluted than many rivers in Maharashtra, Assam and Gujarat.
These three States account for 117 of the 351 polluted river stretches.
Mithi among the worst, from Powai to Dharavi — with a BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of 250 mg/l, the Godavari — from Someshwar to Rahed — with a BOD of 5.0-80 mg/l; the Sabarmati — Kheroj to Vautha — with a BOD from 4.0-147 mg/l; and the Hindon — Saharanpur to Ghaziabad — with a BOD of 48-120 mg/l.
In its compilation of polluted stretches in Uttar Pradesh, the Ganga with a BOD range of 3.5-8.8 mg/l is indicated as a ‘priority 4’ river.
Pic: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/svd6lj/article24962439.ece/alternates/FREE_320/REV%20Troubled%20waterscol
Measuring health of the rivers
The CPCB, since the 1990s, has a programme to monitor the quality of rivers primarily by measuring BOD, which is a proxy for organic pollution — the higher it is, the worse the river.
The health of a river and the efficacy of water treatment measures by the States and municipal bodies are classified depending on BOD, with a BOD greater than or equal to 30 mg/l termed ‘priority 1,’ while that between 3.1-6 mg/l is ‘priority 5.’
The CPCB considers a BOD less than 3 mg/l an indicator of a healthy river.
A priority 1 river may show high pollution but it also means more resources for clean up, whereas a priority 4 can mean achieving a clear river with relatively fewer resources.
U.P. to launch first-ever dial-FIR
Part of: Prelims and mains GS II – Governance
The Uttar Pradesh Police are set to launch a first of its kind dial-FIR scheme in the country.
In this scheme, a common man can register regular crimes without going to a police station.
The scheme will also prepare an online photographic dossier of criminals that will be provided to policemen on 22,000 new i-pads.
Besides this, the UP Police is also expanding the counter-terror combat and response grid in the State by training over 100 fresh commandos in special skills including a maiden batch of women personnel.
The aim is to enhance the strength of the ATS both qualitatively and quantitatively.
An e-FIR or dial-FIR scheme is the FIR (first information report) that sets the law into motion and to start investigation.
In managing water, Surat takes lead
Part of: Prelims and mains GS III – Environment; Water conservation
India’s ‘Diamond City’ offers a lesson for the country’s ever-expanding cities on water management and the optimal use of water.
Surat’s civic body is setting up state-of-the-art sewage treatment plants (STPs) to ensure every drop of waste water is treated and reused for purposes other than drinking.
From March 2019, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will be supplying 115 MLD (million litres per day) treated water to industries located within the city, in order to meet the entire industrial requirement of water through treated or recycled water.
The entire quantum of water will be treated from domestic sewerage water in tertiary treatment plants, for supplying to mainly textile factories.
Surat was the first city in the country to start selling recycled water to industries in 2014.
Surat’s cost effective water management system is most advantageous for its contribution towards reducing the dependency on conventional resources of water, and thus optimal use of the resource.
So far, the SMC has invested ₹ 280 crore in creating tertiary water treatment facilities in the city.
Pic: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/e3a30f/article24962210.ece/alternates/FREE_660/TH17%20plantcol
India is facing its worst water shortage in history, according to a new report prepared by the Niti Aayog.
Nearly 600 million Indians faced high to extreme water stress.
About 2,00,000 people die every year in the country because of inadequate access to safe water.
CIC wants break-up of how MPLADS funds are utilised
Noting that ₹12,000 crore of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds remains unspent, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman to come out with a legal framework to ensure its transparency and hold parliamentarians and political parties accountable for their obligations under the scheme.
What is MPLADS?
The MPLADS allots ₹5 crore per year to each MP to be spent on projects of their choice in their constituency.
The scheme is funded and administered through the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
Projects are to be recommended to and implemented by the district-level administration.
What CIC said?
The CIC’s orders asked the leaders of the two Houses of Parliament to consider providing the “necessary legal frame” for the scheme, which would “make all Parliamentary parties and MPs answerable and accountable for MPLADS funds as public authorities under the RTI Act to prevent MPLADS irregularities.”
The framework should make transparency a legal obligation, with all MPs and parties required to present the public and Parliament with a comprehensive report on the number of applications received for their constituency, works recommended, works rejected with reasons, progress of works and details of beneficiaries.
Liabilities for any breach of duties should also be imposed, said the order. Further, the framework should prohibit and prevent MPs using the funds for their private works, or diverting them to private trusts or to their own relatives.
District administrations must provide regular information — work-wise, MP-wise, and year-wise details on progress — which are to be compiled by the MoSPI and made available to the public.
Everything you need to know: When the world collapsed around Lehman Brothers
Part of: Prelims and mains GS III – Economics
It has been ten years since the investment banking firm Lehman Brothers collapsed in mid-September 2008. Shortly after, there was a meltdown in global financial markets, including India.
What triggered the crisis?
From 2005 to 2007, at the height of the real estate bubble, mortgages were given to many homebuyers who could not afford them, and then packaged into securities and sold off.
Lehman Brothers bought several mortgage brokerages and posted record profits. But in mid-2007, defaults on sub-prime mortgages rose exponentially.
A credit crisis erupted in August 2007 with the failure of two Bear Stearns hedge funds while payment defaults triggered massive declines in banks and real estate incomes. In 2008, Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy.
Was there any ‘rescue act’ by banks?
In 2008, when America’s two biggest banks Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers reported high losses due to huge exposure to risk assets, all triggered by sub-prime lending by banking institutions, Bank of America came to the rescue of Merrill Lynch while Lehman Brothers had to file for bankruptcy.
What is a sub-prime loan?
Sub-prime refers to a loan given to a borrower who does not qualify for a regular home loan because of a poor credit record, low income and lack of job security.
If the customer has a poor credit record, why did banks offer a loan?
The main reason was banks expected the value of the underlying security or the property to go up.
So, they increased the mortgage interest rate (higher than the conventional loan) and called it a sub-prime mortgage.
They could earn more with the higher mortgage interest rate and if the borrowers discontinued repayment, they could sell the property for a higher consideration due to appreciation in property prices.
Was India insulated?
The impact on the Indian economy was less severe due to lower dependence on exports and the fact that a sizeable contribution to the GDP came from domestic sources.
Indian banks had limited exposure to the U.S. mortgage market, directly or through derivatives, and also to the failed and financially-stressed global financial institutions.
(MAINS FOCUS)
WELFARE/SOCIAL ISSUE
TOPIC: General Studies 2
Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes
Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections
Lethal filth – on manual scavenging
Five young men who were employed to clean a septic tank in an upmarket residential community died during the process. Around the same time as the Delhi incident, five workers died in a septic tank in Odisha.
What is manual scavenging?
Manual scavenging is a term used mainly in India for a caste-based occupation involving the manual removal of untreated human excreta from bucket toilets or pit latrines by hand with buckets and shovels.
Manual scavenging has been officially prohibited by law in 1993 due to it being regarded as a dehumanizing practice (if not done in a safe manner).
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’ came into effect from 6thDecember, 2013 replacing Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines(Prohibition) Act, 1993.This Act intends to achieve its objectives of eliminating insanitary latrines, prohibition of employment as manual scavengers etc
The act says National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)would monitor implementation of the Act and enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of the Act.
What does the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 say?
A violation can be punished with two years of imprisonment or fine or both.
Under the provision, no person, local authority or agency should engage or employ people for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
Mechanised cleaning of septic tanks is the prescribed norm.
The law (Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013) is not being enforced, and there is no fear of penalties.
The workers in Delhi were apparently asked to perform the task in violation of Section 7 of the Act;
In spite of a well-funded programme such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in operation, little attention is devoted to this aspect of sanitation.
The requirements of worker safety and provision of safety gear for rare instances when human intervention is unavoidable are often ignored.
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in its manual of 2016 on toilet design acknowledges that in rural areas, mechanical pumps to clear septic tanks are not available.
In the southern States, sanitation has expanded along with urbanisation, but it has brought with it a higher number of deaths as workers clean septic tanks manually. For instance, Tamil Nadu recorded 144 fatalities of workers engaged for septic tank cleaning in the past three years, according to official data.
Toilet designs proposed by the government include those in which fully composted waste must be removed from pits every two years.
In the absence of political will and social pressure, more lives could be lost because more tanks are being built in rural and urban areas as part of the drive to construct toilets.
Way forward:
If the law on manual scavenging is to be effective, the penalties must be uniformly and visibly enforced.
It is equally important for State governments to address the lack of adequate machinery to clean septic tanks.
The Centre must ensure that the proposals for new toilet design does not become a fresh avenue to oppress members of some communities who are expected to perform such work, reflecting social inequalities.
The incident is a shocking reminder that India’s high-profile sanitation campaign has done little to alter some basic ground realities. India’s sanitation problem is complex, and the absence of adequate toilets is only one lacuna.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should make expansion of the sewer network a top priority and come up with a scheme for scientific maintenance that will end manual cleaning of septic tanks. The law should be enforced vigorously to eliminate manual scavenging in its entirety.
Connecting the dots:
Comment in brief on Manual scavenging in India. What are the steps taken by government to end this menace?
ECONOMY/AGRICULTURE
Agriculture economy
Farmer issues; crop insurance
Use of technology in agriculture
Covering the last field – On Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
Excess rains and floods in Kerala, deficit rainfall in eastern and north-eastern India, and associated large-scale crop losses have again highlighted the need for providing social protection to poor farmers.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY):
A highly subsidised Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched in 2016 to provide insurance to farmers from all risks.
The scheme was aimed at reducing basis risk and premium burden of the farmers
The scheme’s total expenses today are almost Rs. 30,000 crore.
In comparison to earlier schemes, the PMFBY is more farmer friendly, with sums insured being closer to the cost of production.
The scheme’s linkage with parallel programmes like the ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’ and ‘Digital India’ makes it a truly inclusive and welfare-based scheme.
The scheme therefore led to increased coverage of 5.7 crore farmers in 2016 and the sum insured crossed ₹200,000 crore. However, notwithstanding its ambition and intent, the scheme since its operation has been scrutinised more for its misses than its hits.
What are some of the problems inherent in the scheme:
Outmoded method of crop loss assessment
Inadequate and delayed claim payment
High premium rates
Poor execution
Consequently, in 2017, the expansive coverage of the scheme suffered some setback as seen in a drop of nearly one crore farmers in enrolment (about 17%). Such shortcomings inspired recent announcements such as that of Bihar to start its own scheme, the “Bihar Rajya Fasal Sahayata Yojna”.
How can the scheme be made more effective?
In order to make the PMFBY a sustained developmental action for a comprehensive climate risk protection for every Indian farmer, the following action points are suggested:
Faster and appropriate claim settlement: The weakness of the PMFBY is the methodology deployed for crop loss assessment: the crop cutting experiments (CCEs).
Crop Cutting Experiments: are periodic exercises conducted nationwide every season to determine crop yields of major crops. Sample villages are chosen through scientifically designed surveys, and crops are physically harvested to determine yields.
Improvement in the efficacy of the PMFBY: technology use must be intensified. With options available today, such as detailed weather data, remote sensing, modelling and big data analytics, the exercise of monitoring crop growth and productivity can be not only more accurate and efficient but also resource saving. Hybrid indices, which integrate all relevant technologies into a single indicator, are good ways to determine crop losses.
Creation of an online portal: the whole process of monitoring can be made accessible and transparent to farmers, policy-makers and insuring agencies alike through an online portal.
Universal and free coverage for all smallholders: Farmers’ awareness about the scheme and crop insurance literacy remain low in most States, especially among smallholders in climatically challenged areas in most need of insurance. To increase insurance coverage a system should be thought of whereby every farmer automatically gets insured by the state.
Improved and transparent insurance scheme design: Insurance companies are supposed to calculate actuarial rates, and based on tenders, the company quoting the lowest rate is awarded the contract. Science has the capacity today to characterise risks and reconstruct reasonably long-time series of yields. The premium rates, and hence subsidy load on the government, can come down significantly if we make greater use of such proxies and appropriate sum insured levels.
If a comprehensive social protection scheme is implemented, there would be opportunities for further rationalisation of subsidies.
The government today spends more than Rs. 50,000 crore annually on various climate risk management schemes in agriculture, including insurance.
This includes drought relief, disaster response funds, and various other subsidies. Climate-risk triggered farm-loan waivers are an additional expense.
All these resources can be better utilised to propel farm growth. Reinvigorating the crop insurance scheme will provide better social protection to every farmer.
There are enough number of schemes and programs for farmers, still large number of farming population is living in poverty. Critically analyse.
(TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE)
Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section)
Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”.
IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.
Q.1) Increase in Biological Oxygen demand (BOD) in a water body indicates:
Increase in microbial pollution
Decrease in microbial pollution
Absence of microbial pollution
Can’t say
Q.2) The biological oxygen demand of water is reduced mainly by:
Primary treatment
Secondary treatment
Tertiary treatment
Q.3) Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a standard criterion for
Measuring oxygen levels in blood
Computing oxygen levels in forest ecosystems
Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems
Assessing oxygen levels in high altitude regions
Q.4) Consider the following statements about MPLADS Scheme
It is a centrally-sponsored plan scheme fully funded by the government of India
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been responsible for the policy formulation, release of funds and prescribing monitoring mechanism for implementation of the Scheme
Funds from MPLADS Scheme can be converged with MGNREGA with the objective of creating more durable assets
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
Q.5) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is constituted under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Q.6) Which of the following are the objectives of part of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY)?
To provide insurance coverage and financial support to the farmers in the event of failure of any of the notified crop as a result of natural calamities, pests & diseases.
To stabilise the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming.
To ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector.
Select the code from below:
Where goes the rupee?
The power of Kudumbashree
Transforming agriculture
What not to post online: how Europe law proposes to protect copyright
Iran on the edge
The urban Naxal subterfuge
In Good Faith: The natural fallacy
Tag:IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs, IASbaba's Daily News Analysis, UPSC/IAS Current Events Analysis
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 67]
RSTV - HIV AIDS Act, 2017
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Thursday, July 18 @ 6:30PM Thu, Jul 18 @ 6:30PM The Leadmill (w/Kenny Wayne Shepherd) The Leadmill, Sheffield, UK The Leadmill, Sheffield, UK
Friday, July 19 @ 7:30PM Fri, Jul 19 @ 7:30PM City Hall (w/Kenny Wayne Shepherd) City Hall, Salisbury, UK City Hall, Salisbury, UK
Friday, August 2 Fri, Aug 2 Countryfile Live Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, UK Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, UK
Saturday, August 3 Sat, Aug 3 Gunton Festival Gunton Festival, Norfolk, UK Gunton Festival, Norfolk, UK
Sunday, August 4 Sun, Aug 4 Cambridge Folk Festival Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge, UK Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge, UK
Wednesday, August 28 @ 7:00PM Wed, Aug 28 @ 7:00PM City Winery (Grant-Lee Phillips' Parlor of Stars) City Winery, Nashville, TN City Winery, Nashville, TN
Saturday, November 23 @ 7:30PM Sat, Nov 23 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled Broadhempston Church, Totnes, UK Broadhempston Church, Totnes, UK
Sunday, November 24 @ 7:00PM Sun, Nov 24 @ 7:00PM Unplugged & Distilled Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, UK Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, UK
Monday, November 25 @ 7:30PM Mon, Nov 25 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled Gullivers, Manchester, UK Gullivers, Manchester, UK
Wednesday, November 27 @ 8:00PM Wed, Nov 27 @ 8:00PM Unplugged & Distilled The Lantern, Halifax, UK The Lantern, Halifax, UK
Thursday, November 28 @ 7:30PM Thu, Nov 28 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled Waterfront Studio, Norwich, UK Waterfront Studio, Norwich, UK
Friday, November 29 @ 7:30PM Fri, Nov 29 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled (SOLD OUT!) The Cavendish Arms, London, UK The Cavendish Arms, London, UK
Saturday, November 30 @ 6:30PM Sat, Nov 30 @ 6:30PM Unplugged & Distilled (SOLD OUT!) Prohibition Recording Studios, Liverpool, UK Prohibition Recording Studios, Liverpool, UK
Sunday, December 1 @ 7:30PM Sun, Dec 1 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled The Blue Arrow, Glasgow, UK The Blue Arrow, Glasgow, UK
Tuesday, December 3 @ 7:30PM Tue, Dec 3 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled The Cluny 2, Newcastle, UK The Cluny 2, Newcastle, UK
Thursday, December 5 @ 7:30PM Thu, Dec 5 @ 7:30PM Unplugged & Distilled Rough Trade, Bristol, UK Rough Trade, Bristol, UK
Saturday, December 7 @ 6:30PM Sat, Dec 7 @ 6:30PM Unplugged & Distilled Ulster Sports Club, Belfast, UK Ulster Sports Club, Belfast, UK
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iWAM Profiling System
iWAM Profiling System.
The version of the iWAM profiling system you'll find on this part of the site is our demonstration system. It is available for the public at large. Its use is FREE for non-commercial purposes and is limited to one test for each e-mail address. If you use this demo, you will get a summary report explaining how your work attitude and motivation will be interpreted. The sample section of our site shows you which other reports are available.
Some of our "commercial" customers install the technology behind these pages on their own website, taking over the graphical presentation (look and feel) of the job section of their website. Other customers get closed user groups on this website which are available exclusively to them. (Go to the Closed User Groups)
We'll use the demo system to collect statistical data about the world population, and will NOT use the individual data for commercial reasons without asking the individual iWAM test takers explicitely for their permission. We do NOT sell, rent, or give away your name or address to anyone.
The Public Profing System has moved to http://jobeq.net/PPElogin.php
OTHER CHOICES:
< See jobEQ test & report samples > / < Go to the Closed User Groups > / < Return to the jobEQ homepage >
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For more information, send an e-mail to jobEQ
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Home»Posts tagged with»Enforcement Directorate
LS passes bill to give NIA more teeth
By Press Trust of India on July 16, 2019 Top News
New Delhi: Seeking to give more teeth to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to allow it to probe terrorist acts against Indians and Indian interests abroad. The amendments will also allow the NIA to probe cybercrimes and cases of human trafficking. The NIA was set up in 2009 […]
Separatist leaders used funds from abroad for personal gains: NIA
By Press Trust of India on June 17, 2019 Top News
New Delhi: The NIA alleged on Sunday that its probe into terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that hardline separatist leaders received funds from abroad and utilised them for personal gains – from amassing properties to paying for foreign education of their kin. In a statement, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the […]
Funding case: Delhi court sends 3 separatists to judicial custody till July 12
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday sent Kashmiri separatists Shabir Shah, Asiya Andrabi and Masarat Alam Bhat, arrested by NIA in connection with a militancy funding case, to judicial custody till July 12. The case relates to alleged militancy funding in the Valley and involves Pakistan-based Jama’at-ud-Da’wah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed. Special Judge Rakesh […]
Amnesty International not allowed to hold presser in Srinagar
By Press Trust of India on June 13, 2019 City
Srinagar: Authorities refused permission to Amnesty International to hold a press briefing in Srinagar on Wednesday on misuse of the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu & Kashmir. An Amnesty spokesperson said that the authorities had not given permission for holding a press briefing on the subject. “We have been told that we have been […]
JRL voices concern over plight of Kashmiri prisoners
By K Reader on June 13, 2019 City
Srinagar: The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) on Wednesday voiced concern over the plight of Kashmiri political prisoners and alleged that they are being denied basic amenities. In a statement, JRL comprising of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik also condemned what they termed as “inhuman” treatment meted out to the incarcerated pro-freedom […]
Masrat Alam sent to NIA custody: ML
By K Reader on June 8, 2019 City
Srinagar: Muslim League chairman Masrat Alam Bhat has been sent to NIA custody for ten day, the spokesperson said on Friday. “Alam was shifted from Jammu jail to New Delhi’s Tihar Jail,” he said in a statement. He said: “He (Alam) is behind bars for the last 9 years during which judicial houses itself have […]
DFP condemns booking Shah, Alam, Asiya in fresh cases
Srinagar: Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) on Friday condemned the booking of political prisoners – Shabir Shah, Masrat Alam and Asiya Andrabi by the NIA in fresh cases before Eid. In a statement, the spokesperson said: “Instead of releasing Kashmiri political prisoners on the eve of Eid, New Delhi has booked them in fresh cases which […]
Funding case: NIA arrests 3 separatists; court grants 10-day custody
By Press Trust of India on June 5, 2019 Top News
NEW DELHI: Kashmiri separatists Shabir Shah, Asiya Andrabi and Masarat Alam Bhat were arrested Tuesday in connection with a militancy funding case and produced before a Delhi court which allowed NIA their 10-day custodial interrogation. The case relates to alleged militancy funding in the Valley and involves Pakistan-based Jama’at-ud-Da’wah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed. The National […]
Geelani condemns shifting of Masarat Aalam to Tihar jail
SRINAGAR: Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani has strongly condemned shifting of incarcerated chief of Muslim League J&K Masarat Aalam Bhat to Tihar jail by NIA. Geelani in a statement said Aalam is behind bars for the last 9 years and his detention has been quashed 37 times, but authorities have disobeyed the court […]
NIA summons Geelani’s grandson
By K Reader on May 4, 2019 Top News
Srinagar: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has summoned Anees-ul-Islam, grandson of Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani, to New Delhi for questioning. Anees-ul-Islam, whose father Altaf Ahmed Shah is languishing in Delhi’s Tihar jail since 2017, has been summoned to the NIA headquarters in New Delhi on May 6. The notice, as per sources, […]
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Tyler Farr
Tyler Farr Signs to Jason Aldean's Night Train Records
He's got a new home — with a friend!
Brett Eldredge, Brantley Gilbert to Headline Tailgate Fest 2019
The second annual festival has stepped up its game.
Tyler Farr Tackled by Festival Security, Heads to Emergency Room
It happened completely out of the blue.
What Did Your Favorite Country Stars Look Like as Kids? See Pics!
Have you ever wondered what your favorite country singer looked like when he or she was pint-sized?
The Boot Staff
Tyler Farr Keeps it Real in 'Love By the Moon' Music Video
"The lyrics totally match how I live. That's who I am."
Carena Liptak
Tyler Farr Opens Up About the Death of His Beloved Dog
The singer is devastated by the loss.
2017 Taste of Country Music Festival Kicks Off — See Pics!
The 2017 Taste of Country Music Festival is in full swing, and so far it's been one big country music and camping party!
Tyler Farr Reveals Premiere Date for Reality Show
Fans of Tyler Farr will soon have the opportunity to get a glimpse into his personal life when his new docu-series, A Little Too Farr, premieres.
Lady Antebellum, Tyler Farr Set for 2017 Super Bowl Pre-Game
Lady Antebellum and Tyler Farr are both getting in on the action at Super Bowl LI. The country stars will perform at an exclusive pre-game party prior to the Super Bowl on Feb. 5 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Tyler Farr, 'Our Town' [Listen]
Tyler Farr's "Our Town" is a straight-forward country lyric that seems to be more relevant with each passing day.
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ILSJCCL
Submission Guidlines
Student Editors
Author: Rahul Tiwari
Co-Author : Abhishek Pandey
Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune
Laws for Dowry
Social Atrocities for Man
Mental Cruelty, Loss of Reputation, Fair Trial and Job
Role of Society and Judiciary
Role of Society
Role of Judiciary in Respect to Prevent the Misuse of Dowry Laws
Safeguard Against False Dowry Compliant
The research work done in this study is doctrinal in nature and is qualitative research. Doctrinal research methodology, which is used in this paper, includes various legal principle and concepts of all types, such as cases laws, legal statutes, commentaries etc. The researchers have also studied various judgments of the Supreme Court and High Court for this paper. The paper includes Qualitative research of various national and International books and journal on the same topic.
NCRB – National Crime Reporting Bureau
NFHS – National Family Health Survey
CrPC – Criminal Procedure Code
IPC – Indian Penal Code
UP – Uttar Pradesh
UNFPA – United Nations Population Fund
CBI – Central Bureau of Investigation
AIR – All India Report
Vs. – Versus
RCR – Restitution of Conjugal Rights
NRI – Non Resident Indians
SC – Supreme Court
HC – High Court
IEA – Indian Evidence Act
A lot of unnatural deaths of newly married females following disputes over the dowry are a dark spot on our society. This research paper has made an effort to scrutinize and evaluate legal provisions which have been adapted and adopted by the Indian Legal System to minimize nuisance of Dowry Deaths, highlight loopholes and along-with its betterment in the legal system & the society and also to spotlight the available remedies as also how to further augment such remedies. The State has made various strict anti dowries laws such as S.498A IPC, The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 in order to put crimes related to dowries in check. In today’s time Women in the shield of feminism and started to harass their husbands and their in-laws. As many laws being pro-woman and the implementation of these laws can penalize the man with harsh imprisonment has led to gross violation of the laws which was meant to be safeguards. The misuse of dowries laws has created uproar in the society and has also led to suicide of many men. This research makes an in-depth analysis of the cause, effect, consequences, and the recent development with regards to the misuse of anti-dowries laws. At last the researcher through this research has also recommended various suggestions through which the misuse can be curbed.
Key Words – Dowry Death, Dowry Prohibition, Anti Dowry Laws, Section 498A, Feminism, S.498A IPC
Dowry is one of India’s ancient evil social practices. It is something, unfortunately practiced across all communities in India. The societal mindset regarding dowry is very rigid and the practise and the casualties related to it has grown over the years. It has turned into a national crime in which woman of all the class has suffered. The legal definition according to Section 2of Dowry Prohibition Actmeans that it is something which signifies any property or a profitable security given by bride to groom. This definition excludes dower or mahr outside its ambit as it is an essential customary practise in Muslim marriage[1]. Another clarification which said section makes, is that the term “valuable security” is synonymous in the criminal law of the country[2].
The dowry normally involves cash, costume jewelry, household apparatuses, decorations, bedding, kitchenware and other family unit machines that assistance the newly wedded home. This practise is one of the main reasons which have led to the distortion of the sex ratio of India[3] and increase in social malaise of female feticide[4] and infanticide. This practise is banned under in India. The judiciary has further clarified the definition of Dowry for various legislations and has given judgments which say that offering or actually taking of property or valuable security should be connected to the marriage of the parties, so it is important to have a relationship between the demanding party and offering party[5]. Further it was also observed by the court that if there lays a persistent demands from the bride or her parents for TV and Scooter after marriage, it will be still consider as a crime of dowry[6].Like other social problems, the crime related to dowry has increased over the years. It includes crimes such as dowry- based violence against women; domestic violence etc. Dowry demands affect the lives of women in every aspect, be they social, economic or cultural. The NCRB[7]shows that 91,202 dowry deaths were reported in the India in the previous decade. One can also safely conclude that there are thousands who do not report the dowry harassment case. It is rightly asserted that is kind of mob lynching against woman not only from man but from the society who have continuously butchered the soul of society, but it is also true that the anti-dowries laws have become a weapon to lynch a soul of a innocent man with various anti-dowries laws by educated women.
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
This legislation says that giving or taking dowry is a criminal offence and there is a imprisonment of 5 years along with the fine of rupees 15,000 thousands or the amount equivalent to dowry or the higher amount between the two. Mere a simple demand of dowry can lead to six months jail which can be further increased till two years in addition to the fine of 10,000 rupees[8].
Indian Penal Code, 1860
The provision related to death caused due to demand of dowry is explained in the Section 304 B, which states that if a woman dies an unnatural death inside seven years of marriage and the deceased woman was subjected to cruelty or physical torture for the sake dowry, then those cases are referred as dowry death. There is 7 years imprisonment of such offences under the said section. The apex court has further laid down the following guideline for the purposes of establishing the offense under section 304(b)[9][10],which says that there should be a continuous demand of the dowry along with torture of the victim, the death of the victim under unusual conditioninside seven years of marriage.
Another section which is provided for the safeguard of the woman is Section 498A[11]. This section provides safeguard to woman against cruelty done by her hsuabnd and his other relatives. This section invites imprisonment up to three years. The meaning of the word “cruelty” is that any willful conduct of her husband and his relatives that causes a woman to attempt suicide, seriously injure her physically, endangers her life, mental torture in relation to dowry, immovable property, and valuable property. The Apex Court in one of his judgmentheld that not only the marriage relationship but also the live-in relationship is also included in the term ‘domestic relationship[12]. There are more than 3.4 lakhs cases pending related to section 498A[13]. The High Court of Punjab and Haryana held that Section 304b and Section 498A are not the same. An individual can be charged under section 304B and get acquittal but can be convicted under section 498A[14].
Indian Evidence Act, 1872
The word “presumption” is an important in criminal law and procedure. It explains the motive of the court of court while initiating a criminal trial. The presumption related to dowry death explainedin section 113B[15].During trial if it is shown that the victim was suffering harassment due to dowry before her death then in such cases the court presumes that the person has caused dowry death to his wife. The burden of proof lies on accuse invalidate the presumption[16]. It is also important to establish the hypothesis in order to attract the presumption of dowry death, that the deceased was cruelty due to dowry just before her death[17]. There should be an established chain of events, without any alternative hypothesis created, with the demand of dowry, cruelty and the death[18]. The word “shall” makes it mandatory for the court to presume the person who has caused cruelty for dowry is also liable for the victim’s death. The onus to prove innocence shifts absolutely and conclusively on the part of accused in cases where section 113-B of Evidence Law and section 304-B of Penal laws are read together[19][20]. Another term in the section “soon before her death” is also explained by the Supreme Court that the expression does not imply “immediately before” as both the expression are not synonyms.The first expression implicates the idea of proximity test and no specific and explicit period has been specified. It implies that the interval between cruelty and death is not much and there must be a proximate link between dowry demand the concerned death[21][22][23].
The laws discussed above are very strong but the society has witnessed misuse of these laws to a great extent. Until July 2014, Section 498a enabled the police to capture the people alluded to in the grievance with no warrant or examination[24]. The crime of dowry is a non-bailable offence and due to lack of proper safeguards for husbands, they end up losing their job and reputation while staying in jail[25]. On 2 July 2014, the Supreme Court order automatic arrests which is made under the Section 498a to be stoppedand police must look into section 41 of CrPC and satisfy themselves first whether the arrest is necessary or not[26]. Another disadvantage for the accused is that the complainant in case of reconciliation cannot withdraw the complaint. This is one area in the criminal justice system which needs reform and recently an amendment has also been recommended[27][28]. There are 3, 72,706 cases related to IPC 498A pending in the different courts of India[29]. The arrest made under 498A comprised 6% of the total arrests made under IPC and has the third spot after theft and hurt[30]. Out of these, 10% of cases are found to false or on vendetta and conviction rate under 498A is mere 15% far less than the total conviction rate of the country[31][32]. Former Judge of Delhi High Court accepted that these anti dowries laws after often misused by the alleged victims to pester their in-laws. He also advised that parents should not solemnise the marriage if dowry is demanded[33].There are SIFF a famous NGO after analsying these laws, termed it as legal terrorism[34][35].There were 10,193 false cases registered in the year 2011, the number increased to 10,235 in 2012 and 10,864 in the next[36].The complainant doesn’t need to produce any evidence of violation, abuse occurred on her part while complaining under section 498A of criminal law, and here the violation takes place. The law states that the husband, if found guilty will land up in prison up to three years and is also subject to pay fine[37].Legal cruelty is established and constructed in the mind of the complainant while making the complainant. It is the malafide intention in the mind of the alleged complainant to misuse the procedure and safeguards of laws, which is meant for protection, to distort the fact and use it for personal vendetta. Physical cruelty is tangible and in this evidence is direct and in mental cruelty the court has to apply its mind and discretion to establish the evidence to probe further into the matrimonial dispute[38][39]. Due to this the apex court held that an allegation against the husband and his family needs to be inspected with great and proper care[40].
It was observed by the honourable court that these laws have become a tool for women to extort money from their in-laws and ends up having an adverse effect on the mental health of the husband and his family[41]. It is very shocking that today suicide rate is much higher for married man than woman. The suicide rate is 508 per 100,000 people for married man aged between 30 t0 44 and for married woman it is 220 and in the age group of 45 to 59 years the suicide rate is 1812 per 100,000 people compared to 550 per 100,000 for women in same age group[42]. The Malimath committee also reported the same victimization of married under our criminal justice system[43]. These arrests also give excuse to corrupt police officer to blackmail, threaten and extort money from innocent vulnerable husbands[44]. Thus, this law has widely discriminated fundamental right against discrimination on the basis of sex[45].
Violation of fundamental right to reputation, dignity, occupation, fair trial of a man along with Mental Cruelty
Many times few dowries cases are reported in the media too and the accused even before been declared guilty losses its reputation and valuable during the trial[46]. Mostly in these cases the media which is not allowed to report the matter which is sub-judice, end up ignoring the law and the accused are declared guilty in the society even before the actual verdict comes out. Without safeguard, these anti-dowries lawsuit have become a weapon for educated woman for exploitation and victimize the accused.
In the case of Nisha Sharma, the alleged victim falsely co complained against the prospective in-laws and husband for demanding dowry, who were later arrested[47]. This was got widespread publicity by media, both at national and at international level and the complainant was projected as a role model of upcoming woman[48]. After the trial all the accused were acquitted and the court found that the complainant charges were fabricated[49][50]. The false accusation resulted in loss of reputation and a time of 9 years for the accused who was supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, but had to face the humiliation till the end. The slow administration also fails to update the development regarding the case in the syllabus taught to students[51]. The misuse of anti-dowries law has also resulted in loss of jobs for the accused before the completion of trial. The private employers, due to fear of loss of reputation and to avoid any legal hurdles removes the employees from the job during trial. Alternatively, the numerous court and police visits also force the accused to leave the job, which puts the accused in the financial distress. These fallacious complain, media trial, misuse of law and incompetency of administration results in denial of fair trial to the victim. The concept of presumption of innocent until proven guilty is violated and the accused the declared guilty in the society before the final verdict of the court.The apex court has observed thatfalse allegation against the spouse, false assassination of husband character amount to mental cruelty[52]. The Apex court has also corroborated that such allegation made not only against the husband, but his family member, colleagues has an adverse effect on the mental health of the falsely accused person and lowers his reputation in the eyes of peers and society[53]. This misuse of law violates the Right to dignity, privacy and personal liberty along with freedom of occupation of a married man protected under Indian Constitution[54][55].
The role of society is very important in this. The rate of crime is going up year by year and also the misuse of this law. Due to the excessive commercialization the greed has also increased among the people. According to the NCRB reports there were more than 7,500+ cases of reported related to Dowry deaths[56].
The administration should come forward to spread awareness about the evils of society. Just by making strong will not give the desired results. They need to take step in educating the society. Heavy spending on the marriages should be checked and discouraged and more spending on education and skill development should be give more focus.
Although in recent times the judiciary has taken steps in order to check the misuse of dowry laws, but it has a long way to go. Dowry evils needs to teach in schools and should be part of curriculum, so that it helps in changing the mindset of the youth.
Judiciary from time to time has taken cognizance of the matter which violates the legal as well as the fundamental rights of the citizen. The judiciary has played an important role in curbing the crime of dowry and also the misuse of the law[57]. The Malimath Committee[58] too recommendedthat section 498A should be made bailable and compoundable but I was rejected after the protest of Amnesty international[59].
The Supreme Court issued strict guidelines which are as followed[60];-
Police officer needs not to arrest the accused automatically and instead they should use the provision of Section 41 of CrPC and make the desired inquiry.
Police officer arresting the accused should make a checklist and present it in front of magistrate for further detention.
The authorized magistrate will allow the detention only when he/she is satisfied with the charges and will allow detention after recording his/her observation, failing to which will be liable for action.
This is applicable to section 498A of IPC as well as the section 4 for Dowry Prohibition Act.
Passports of NRI should not be routinely compounded.
Appearance in the court can be done through video conferencing.
The above directives are not applicable for the offence of deaths or tangible physical injuries.
In Rajesh Sharma vs. State of UP[61], the apex court issues fresh guidelines in order to further avoidance of the misuse of section 498A.
The family welfare committee needs to be established in each districts by District Legal Service Authority which should have 3 members consisting of paralegals, social workers, and volunteers.
Every such complaint must be referred to committee.
Till report of committee is receipted, till the no arrest should be made.
Complaint under section 498A may be investigated by designated investigating officers of the area.
If settlement is made in cases relating to matrimonial discord the district/session judge can dispose the proceeding and close the criminal case.
In respect to NRI impounding of passport should not be a routine or mechanically applied.
Personal appearance of all family members may not be required and allow the appearance by video conferencing.
Further dealing with 498A, the Apex Court has ordered that all the High Courts of respective States have the power to quash the dowry cases and a third party created by the court cannot execute the functions in its discretion[62].
It ought to be comprehended that this law is likewise profoundly abused by numerous individuals for individual quarrel. Many women are utilizing the Section 498A and the Dowry Act to record a false objection against their spouses. The husbands of the complainant are arrested without legitimate examination on non-bailable warrants, irrespective of the nature of the complaints. As the onus lies on the part of accused one must resort to the following steps to present his case in more effective manner such as:
Gathering Evidence in order to quash the complaint or to get bail.
One can resort to recording of the conversation whether it is voice, email, phone etc. Electronic evidence and phone recording are admissible in the court under Section 65-A of Evidence Act[63][64].Keep the evidence and the device through which the evidence is collected safe and undamaged in order to prove its authenticity in the court[65]. Through this evidence one can also demonstrate that fallacious nature of the complaint made against himand can also show that the spouse has reported a matrimonial dispute in the name of dowry and also wants to walk out of marriage without substantial reason. This will also help accused in the trial by getting anticipatory bail[66], quashing of FIR[67] or a regular bail[68] quickly. Anticipatory bail can applied on the ground of false charges, gravity of offences under which the accused is charged and accusation is made with the intent to cause injury, in High Court or the session court.
The High Court has special and ineradicable power to quash such FIR with adherence to section 482 of CrPC[69].The victim can move to their respective high court to exercise this in order to protect themselves from false dowry police case from their spouse. The High Court has the authority in its inherent power to quash complains to prevent the abuse of court and in order to provide justice to the people. The Apex Court too observed that in order to prevent the miscarriage of justice, the High Court and the Supreme Court has the power to quash such complaints and trial, the court in its discretion feels that continuation of such trial will end in harassing the accused and the accused is likely to be acquitted[70].
There are various grounds on which a High Court can quash the FIR[71] if the HC is satisfied that the FIR lodged on acts do not constitute an offence or the offences for which the FIR has been lodged never happened or there is no reasonable ground or the allegation are baseless[72]. These quashing of charges are done on various stages such as before filing of the charge sheet by the police, if the FIR is against the natural justice, and if the charge sheet has been filed and if there is no prima facie evidence, insufficient or inadmissible evidence, then husband has right to file an discharge application under section 227[73] of CrPC to get discharged from the offences on which the false FIR has been lodged. If the trial has been commenced and the discharge application has been rejected then the application under section 232[74] of CrPC can only be filed for the acquittal.
Blackmailing complaint and false allegations
The husband can file a lawsuit against the wife in the nearest police station regarding blackmailing under section 503 of IPC[75]. The objection ought to contain the subtleties of pursuing, false claims and the terrible conduct of the spouse.
If the police decline to give an accepting duplicate, at that point one can send the objection to the police headquarters by the enlisted post. The common mistake done on the part of victim of false dowry case or 498A[76] is non-involvement of legal expert and managing entire issue of their own. The legal experts understand the criminal proceeding and the result of such complaints and are in better position to explain the victim regarding the safeguards and consequences.
Document RCR (Restitution of Conjugal Rights) and avoid monetary settlement
In the event that the spouse has abandoned her conjugal place after all the coercing and undermining, at that point the husband can record the RCR[77][78] referencing the conditions that she should initially concur with before she begins living with you once more. If the accused husband wants to go for compromise, then it should be done without paying any amount of money to the wife or after final order of compounding the IPC 498A including the divorce decree by High Court or Supreme Court, as by paying the accused himself unintentionally and indirectly accept the guilt and the blackmailing. This will further encourage the wife to commit such acts. These settlements must be written and submitted to court by both the parties along with their legal representatives.
What is the punishment for filling false FIR?
It is a criminal offence to file wrong police compliant against anyone and it is punishable under section 182[79]& 211[80] of Indian Penal Code. It is done after the accused gets such complaints quashed by High Court or if the accused is acquitted by the court. The accused has the right to file compliant against the police officer too[81]. The punishment for providing false information to police to cause harm to others is punishable with 6 months imprisonment along with fine under section 182 of IPC. It is observed that common man is harassed by police officer too and their legal rights are violated. In these cases the accused has the right to file an application under section 156(3)[82] of CrPC or to file a complaint under section 200 of CrPC[83] against such police officers for lodging false FIR and the police officer will be held guilty under section 167[84], 218[85] and 220[86] of IPC. Section 167 is applied when the authorised officer frame incorrect documents with a malafide intention to cause injury and this section has a provision for punishment for an imprisonment of three years. Section 218 is applied when the concerned police officer frames incorrect record to protect the criminal from getting any punishment and such acts are punishable for an imprisonment up to three years and fine. When the police officer confines an innocent person for trial on fallacious complaints then such officer are liable under section 220 of IPC which has a punishment of imprisonment up to seven years and fine.
Section 221[87] of IPC says that if a person with an intention to cause harm to others files a false FIR is punishable with an imprisonment of two years and fine and if the false complainants for the offences punishable with death or life imprisonment or seven years imprisonment or upwards then such persons are liable to punished with an imprisonment up to seven years and fine.
Other useful section for the people accused of false dowry charges
The accused can also file a case of criminal conspiracy under Sec 120B IPC[88]. The evidence collected by the victim can be used to make a ground of criminal conspiracy against the wife and her parents or the other party helping the wife, for making false charges against him. It is punishable for two years. If the wife is exhibiting false evidence in the court and to police, then he can bring the original and authentic documents to the court and it will make the entire charges false. Providing false evidence and fabricating the evidence are offences under 191[89]& 192[90] of IPC respectively and they are punishable with an imprisonment up to three years and fine under section 193[91] of IPC. If a wife or any of her relative gives false testimony to the court then it a criminal offence under section 197[92] of IPC and it invites the same offence as mentioned in section 193.
The husband also has a right to file a case under section 500[93] of IPC for defamation. Reputation and respect is the greatest resource of a man. So on the off chance that somebody endeavors to slander somebody using any and all means; one can drag them to court for the damage endured by that Person in view of their lead. They will be approached to pay for the harms to the offended party as pay. The act of filing false dowry complaint by wife violates the presumption to be innocent until proven guilty but his reputation is tarnished in society forever. The criminal defamation is punishable with an imprisonment up to two years along with the fine. The wife making false dowry charge is also libel for punishment under section 506[94] of IPC for criminal intimidation.
If the wife suddenly enters into house and suddenly starts making noise or create a scene or lies that the husband has manhandled her, then in such cases record a harm recuperation body of evidence against her under Section 9 of CPC. Legitimately, one must issue see around the same time or the following day[95][96].
The accused right to compensation
If the accused is acquitted by the magistrate against whom false FIR was registered then the accused has the right to demand compensation for accusation without any reasonable cause from the person who has made fallacious complaints against him. The scope of compensation is mentioned in the section 250 (2) of CrPC[97].
It is true that Dowry is a social abhorrence and to control this shrewdness Anti-Dowry Laws been legislated by the State but its misuse is equally cruel. Our legislature has made very strict and harsh laws in order to control this crime but its effect and implementation at grassroots level is still a distant dream. Ladies take the shield of these expert ladies laws to satisfy their mala-fide expectation. They bug their significant other and his family, the police just by virtue of their grumbling, without proving with any proof put the spouse’s and his relatives in bars. Men therefore experience gigantic mental anguish. The creation of Men’s Commission is also required on urgent basis with a panel of legal experts who can check into the violation in the procedure made by woman for personal vendetta. The legislature also needs to come up with harsh laws such as imprisonment of five years along with the fine for the damage caused to the reputation of the husband for woman who file false cases and after the trial are proven guilty by the court. The police personnel also comes from the same society so they also needs to be given proper training and counseling so that their attitude and outlooks towards a crime changes and they work in more unbiased manner while dealing with important and sensitive manner. It is heart wrenching to see that women today have fallen down to level where they can‘t be trusted or respected as they used to be earlier in society. Women by their very nature are innocent, kind, generous, loving and all such characteristics which made them at par with goddesses. Not all women have lost their sanity, but because of some all the others face the consequences. At last the Media also needs to work on their ethical part in order to minimize the media trial and reporting the matter which are sub-judice.
[1] THE DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT, 1961 ACT NO. 28 OF 1961
[2] Section 30 of the Indian Penal Code of 1860
[3] 940 women per thousand males in India, Annual Health Survey 2011 – 12 Fact Sheet,
[4]Is dowry system in India still the reason for female infanticide? 14th January, 2017, Save The Children NGO
[5]KunjuMoideen vs. Syed Mohammed (1986) Ker HC 48
[6]Pawan&Ors vs. State Of Haryana(1998) SCC 958
[7] Ministry of Home Affairs, National Crime Report Bureau, (Crime in India 2016)
[8]PandurangShivramKawathkar vs. State Of Maharashtra (2001) CriLJ 2792
[9] SN Mishra, Indian Penal Code, CENTRAL LAW AGENCY; Ninteenth Edition (Rep.) edition (2012) pg. 610
[10]VemuriVenkateswaraRao. Vs. State Of Andhra Pradesh (1991) ALT 237, 1992 CriLJ 563
[11] Ibid 9 pg. 890
[12]D.Velusamy vs. D.Patchaiammal (2010) SCC 273-2274
[13] Rebecca Furtado, Dowry Death and Cruelty in Indian Law: Suggested Reforms,
June 22, 2016, (available at https://blog.ipleaders.in/dowry-death-cruelty-indian-law-suggested-reforms)
[14]Smt. Shanti vs. State Of Haryana (1991) SCR Supl (2) 675
[15]Batuklal, Law of Indian Evidence, Central Law Agency (CLA); 2018 edition (2018) Pg. 524
[16] Ibid 15 pg. 527
[17]Ramaiah v. state of Karnataka, (2014) Sc 3388
[18]Surinder Singh v. State of Haryana, (2014) SC 817
[19]Bansilal v. state of Haryana, (2011) SC 691
[20] Mohan Lai v. State, (1984) UP HC 1 Chan d LR 647)
[21]RameshwarDass v. state of Punjab (2008) SC 890
[22]Ashok Kumar v. State (1990) SC 2134
[23]AqulaRavinder v. state (1991) SC 142
[24]Nagendar Sharma, Misuse forces a review of dowry law, Hindustan Times, Feb. 28, 2011
[25]Dowry cases: panel for amending IPC section, Monday, Nov 17, 2003, The Hindu
[26]Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar (2014) SCC 1277
[27]DeeptimanTiwary, Anti-dowry law to be amended, will allow room for compromise, Updated: May 14, 2015, Times of India.
[28]“Dowry cases: panel for amending IPC section”, Staff Reporter, The Hindu, 17 November 2003
[29] Ibid 28
[30] D MahapatraNo arrests under anti-dowry law without magistrate’s nod: SC, TOI, Jul 3, 2014, New Delhi
[32]DivyaShukla, An analytical study of decreasing rate of conviction in India, International Journal of Law, Volume 4; Issue 2; March 2018; Page No. 91-94
[33]Harish V Nair, Inside the new ‘legal terrorism’: How laws are being abused to settle personal scores, PUBLISHED: 22:21 GMT, 30 November 2013, DailyMail India
[34]Sushil Kumar Sharma Vs. UOI, (2005) 6 SCC 281
[35]Monobina Gupta,Malevolence for women’s law – Men go to PM against female ‘terrorist activity’Published 26.10.06, Telegraph India.
[36] Shweta Sengar, This Woman Is Fighting For The Rights Of Men Implicated In False Dowry Cases By Their Wives, Jul 14, 2018, 15:26 PM IST, (available at https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/this-woman-is-fighting-for-the-rights-of-men-implicated-in-false-dowry-cases-by-their-wives-349261.htm)
[37]Avneet Arora, Manpreet K Singh , Maya Jamieson, The Dowry Trap: The untold story of male victims, 27 FEB 2019 – 11:24AM, (available at https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/punjabi/en/article/2018/12/05/dowry-trap-untold-story-male-victims)
[38] A. Jayachandra v. AneelKaur, : (2005) 2 SCC 22
[39] S. vs. M.K., (2018) Delhi HC 0972
[40]Preeti Gupta v. State of Jharkhand, (2010) 7 SCC 667
[41]Savitri Devi Vs. RameshChand& Others, (2003) (69) DRJ 6
[42] *SoumiChatterjee, ** Dr. PankajDwivedi, Misuse of Anti-Dowry Laws- A Dark Side of Marriage, Misuse of Anti-Dowry Laws- A Dark Side of Marriage, Quest Journals Journal of Research in Business and Management Volume 6 ~ Issue17 (2018) pp: 01-08 ISSN(Online) : 2347-3002
[43]Supra 42
[45]DD Basu, Introduction to Constitution of India, Lexis Nexis 23rd Edition (2015) Page. 102
[46]Suresh Sharma vs Dr. Sukhdev Sharma, HP High Court I (2006) DMC 144
[47]RajyasriRao, Dowry demand lands groom in jail, 14 May, 2003, BBC News,
[48]Monica Chadha , Three ‘weddings’ and no dowry, 19 November, 2003, BBC News,
[49]KapilDatta, 9 yrs later, accused let off in Nisha Sharma dowry case, Mar 01, 2012, HT,
[50]AniruddaGhosal, Rebel bride’s dowry charge junked, Mar 1, 2012, Greater Noida, TOI
[51]AyswariaVenugopal, Dowry Cases in texts haunts teacher, 17/09/2004, Delhi, The Telegraph
[52] Rita vs. Jai Solanki, (2017) Delhi HC 1929
[53] Ravi Kumar vs. Julmidevi, 2010 (4) SCC 476
[54]Supra 45 Pg.120
[55] Supra 45 Pg. 110
[56] Supra 8
[57] Women’s attitudes towards Dowry System in India, International Journal of Enhanced Research in Educational Development (IJERED), Vol. 2, Issue 1, ISSN: 2320-8708
[58] Committee on Reforms of Criminal Justice System, Report VOLUME I INDIA March 2003, CHAIRMAN Dr. Justice V.S. Malimath Formerly, Chief Justice of Karnataka and Kerala High Courts (available at https://mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/criminal_justice_system.pdf)
[59] AkanshaVidyarthi, Legal steps to take if a false FIR is filed against you, January 12, 2018 (available at https://blog.ipleaders.in/false-fir-against-you-steps-to-take)
[60] Supra 26
[61]Rajesh Sharma vs. State of UP (2017) SCC 1265
[62]Social Action Forum for ManavAdhikar vs. Union of India, Ministry of Law & Justice and others. (2018) SCC 1265
[63] Supra 15Pg. 423
[64]NikietaAggarwal, Can Voice Recording be Used As Evidence in Courts in India?January 28, 2017, Ipleaders Blog (available at https://blog.ipleaders.in/voice-recording-evidence/)
[66]Ratanlal and Dhirajlal’s the Code of Criminal Procedure – As amended by the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, Lexis Nexis; Twenty Second 2017 edition (9 May 2017) pg.887
[67]Ibid 66 pg. 985
[70]SomMittal v. Govt. of Karnataka, (2008) SCC 206
[72]AbasahebHomme versus the State of Maharashtra, (2008) Bombay HC 856
[75] Supra 9 pg. 921
[77] G Deepak, Next step after filing RCR against wife, August 08, 2017, (available at https://www.lawfarm.in/question/next-step-after-filing-rcr-against-wife)
[78] Adv Kunal Tiwari, How to make RCR case strong against wife?, visited on 12th April, 2019 7.45 pm (available at https://lawrato.com/family-legal-advice/how-to-make-rcr-case-strong-against-wife-60003)
[81]Harbhajan Singh Bajwa vs. Senior Superintendent of Police, Patiala &Anr, (2000) CriLJ 3297 Punjab & Haryana HC
[95] CK Takwani, Civil Procedure with Limitation Act 1963, Eastern Book Company (2018) pg. 39
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B-Movie Review: U.F.O. Abduction, a.k.a, The McPherson Tape (1989)
Paying tribute to one of the pioneers of the 'found footage' genre - and quite possibly the greatest backyard horror movie ever made.
By and large, I think "found footage" movies get a bad rap. Yes, there are a lot of formulaic, shitty ones out there, but there are also plenty of all-time great pseudo-documentaries, too, ranging from Cannibal Holocaust to Rec to Snow on tha Bluff. Of course, most normies consider The Blair Witch Project to to be the much-maligned genre's great-granddaddy, but really, found footage horror flicks have been around since at least the 1970s, pending you want to call Faces of Death "found footage," which for all intents and purposes, we probably should.
With newer movies like Unfriended and Paranormal Activity,however, there's no longer an attempt to break cinematic kayfabe, if you will. We all know The Last Exorcism is just Hollywood-produced, big-budget hokum designed to look like it cost zero dollars to make, and there's really no effort by the filmmakers or the film distributors any more to hoodwink audiences into thinking the movies are on the up and up. Nobody, to put it bluntly, ambles into a "found footage" horror movie thinking what they're about to see onscreen is even remotely authentic these days, which is one of those things that really peeves me about contemporary horror flicks. I mean, isn't that the whole point of going the found footage route to make people *think* they've secretly stumbled upon real footage of people getting carved up by maniacs or getting done in by evil supernatural forces? Like pro rasslin', these found footage movies were a whole lot more fun back when the people making them tried to keep the illusion alive, and few flicks demonstrate the appeal of the subgenre's carny roots more than U.F.O. Abduction.
Also known as The McPherson Tape, the hour-long movie first surfaced in 1989. As far as I know, the movie never had a theatrical release, or even a formal VHS distribution deal. Indeed, I'm not even sure the people who made it even had a plan in place to profit off the flick (and we'll get more into the people behind U.F.O. Abduction towards the tail end of the article.) What we do know is that, somehow, someway, the movie wound up at some sci-fi convention or alien truthers get-together and apparently somebody was passing it off as concrete proof of the existence of aliens and from there, the thing became a heavily pirated and traded video among the tight knit ufologist community. So, basically, you could say the video went viral 15 years before YouTube was a thing.
Now, my first introduction to the movie was on that old Fox TV show Sightings, which dedicated an entire episode to the purported facticity of the movie. Naturally, being an eight-year-old retard, I bought all of the nonsense hook, line and sinker and was terrified that grey midgets from Pluto were going to kidnap me in the middle of the night and stick things up my butthole, and for years - no joke, years - I would try to go to sleep clinging to the side of my bed so if any goddamn Martians tried to tractor beam me out of my Batman: The Animated Series pajamas, that have to kick that fucker into overdrive and waste a lot of space gas in the process.
Of course, the arrival of streaming video in the late 2000s finally allowed everybody to catch U.F.O. Abduction, but by then the makers of the movie had already come out and said it was all a bunch of bullshit but thanks for the compliments. Strangely enough, though, even though the movie had no merit as a documentary anymore, it all of a sudden gained value as one of the earlier efforts as a first person horror movie. Remember, this sumbitch came out a whole decade before the Blair Witch, and it (purposefully or inadvertently) laid the groundwork for practically every "found footage" genre movie that followed. Naturally, the begs the question - does the movie still hold up all these years later, or does it just feel like a throwaway cheapie that was only aesthetically ahead of the curve? Well, kids, how about we boot up this old ass VHS cassette and find out for our damn selves?
A quick message to everybody who complains about the shaky camerawork.
The movie begins with a long scrolling text intro giving us some background on Project Blue Book, a real U.S. Air Force investigation of unidentified flying object sightings. The flick says that the following video is titled "UFO Case 77" and was filmed Oct. 8, 1983 in Northwoods, Conn. Apparently, whoever filmed it was just looking to record his five-year-old niece's birthday, but as fate would have it ... some unannounced guests wound up crashing the party.
The beginning of the video is pretty much every Christmas video filmed in the 1980s ever. Everybody has goofy haircuts and even goofier sweaters and there are big ass plates of mashed potatoes everywhere. Of course, everybody speaks in an intonation that's just a little bit too clear, and their hairdos seem just a wee bit too freshly primped, especially for a get-together as informal as a fucking five-year-old's birthday party. And nobody trips over their words or talks over one another, when in real life hardly anybody ever speaks in complete sentences (which is one of those things you notice and then can't stop noticing when you've conducted enough interviews like I have.) That said, the actress playing granny is absolutely superb - in fact, I don't think I've ever heard anybody playing a character in a movie ever sound less like they were playing a character in a movie than this bitch. It's hard to explain, but within five minutes of the movie, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about and you'll be just as awed as I am of her performance.
So we've got these two brothers who keep talking shit about each other while the camera guy zooms in on the macaroni and some chick's teeth. The banter here sounds pretty scripted, with everybody's voices projected a little bit too audibly. "This isn't a porno," one of the actors (seemingly) ad libs, before adding "this isn't a movie, it's her birthday," in what could be construed as self-referential humor.
The lights go out while the girl blows out her birthday cake candles. The guys think a fuse is blown and everybody runs around trying to find flashlights and more candles in the pitch blackness. Three of the party guests go into the basement and tinker with the breaker, but to no avail. Then they go outside and call each other "dick heads" a lot (really, the entire cast could be lifted from any number of bad 1980s teen sex comedies) and they see this weird flashing light in the woods they initially mistake for a helicopter. "It was bitchin,'" one of the mullet-heads remarks.
After that, they do some more walking around in the woods, telling jokes about lighting farts on fire when they were kids and having wet dreams, then they bemoan the fact their mother is turning into an alcoholic who watches Johnny Carson a lot. And one of them sounds JUST like Matthew McConaughey, which is pretty much the funniest thing in the world ever whenever he refers to his cast-mates as "dick heads."
And to think - these assholes drove 90 million miles for nothing more than an intergalactic drug deal.
Sure as sugar, they find an alien craft, leading one of the brothers to repeatedly shout "holy shit, it's a spaceship" about 15 times over the course of one minute. I'm not really sure how to describe what the space ship looks like, but I'm assuming it's one of those underground tornado shelter modules with a tent socked over it - regardless, I assure you it looks WAY better on tape than you'd probably expect it to.
So one of the guys keeps asking if it's going to zap them or something, and then three aliens briefly appear on screen. They look pretty much what you would expect them to look like - lanky monsters with big grey heads and huge ass eyes, although for all the rubles in Russia it looks like they're wearing black spandex leotards. So the aliens look at 'em and they get all freaked out and run all the way back to the house, where they do the only sensible thing anybody would in that situation - they break into the rifle cabinet, tell everybody else to duck and get ready, because the house is now surrounded by, and I quote "Martians and shit."
Of course, granny is just chill as fuck, thinking her boys are just pulling her leg. Then something starts banging on the backdoor and one of the guys says, as casually as if he was discussing the weather, "I get really nervous when there's space-things outside." Granny responds by saying "if they can fly, they wouldn't need a space ship" and suggests they all go back to eating cake. And amazingly, that's EXACTLY what they do, as they resume the birthday party festivities like nothing happened.
So they just sit around drinking Pepsi and talking about the extended family for ten minutes (there's an emerging subplot about everybody's watches stopping, but to be honest, it never really goes anywhere) then when everybody is about to leave one of the guys picks up a picture his niece drew of a giant ass alien head and he asks her where he came up with it and she tells him she just drew the thing that was peering in at 'em the whole time from that window right over there. So he reacts about as reasonably as any responsible adult would and grabs the gun and starts shooting at the window.
He goes outside and sure enough, he popped one of 'em right in the friggin' skull. Then he brings the alien corpse into the living room, stating "they've got to come through the house to get him," which prompts one of the other brothers to yell "get that god-man, uh, goddamn thing" outta here. Meanwhile, even though there is an extra-terrestrial homicide victim on the coffee table, the only thing granny's concerned about is finding more candles and making sure everybody puts their coats on before going outside.
If you squint hard enough, you might see an alien life form. Or maybe even a titty, it's hard to tell.
So some of the guys decide to make a run for the truck, but one of the brothers is missing. His wife, naturally, goes nutso and to help relieve the tension, granny suggests they play a game of cards instead of trying to locate her lost adult child, and yep, they play Go Fish for the next ten minutes.
Then the wife of the missing guy says "fuck this shit" and bolts for the door. She faints, though, and the clan immediately resumes their game of rummy. Then granny says she's being telepathically compelled to open the door, then one of her kids' turns on the radio so nobody else can be brain-possessed by Martians. You know, in a lot of ways, this whole thing is basically just an R-rated alien invasion episode of Mama's Family, the more I think about it.
Anyway, they go back into the living room but oh shit, the alien corpse is GONE. This leads to granny saying not only the best line of the whole movie, but perhaps the greatest bit of dialogue in the history of the motion picture: "Is it loose in the house? The bathroom? Jesus, not the bathroom!" which she immediately follows up with "Michael, put that goddamn camera down before I wrap it around your neck!" All I can say is fuck Jessica Tandy, that best actress Oscar from 1989 went to the wrong old bitch.
So Michael does indeed put the camera down, and there's a long static shot with the VHS tracking going to shit. And in the waning seconds of the movie, you can just barely see the aliens creeping into the house, and I'm not gonna lie to you, I found that shit terrifying as fuck. Then the screen fades to black, and we get a stern, somber wall of text asking viewers to call a telephone number if they've seen any of the missing individuals. Then there's a quick slideshow of all the actors in the movie gliding by, and it legit feels like something out of Unsolved Mysteries.
And then, we get the real credits, as we learn the whole thing was an elaborate ploy concocted by same asshole named Dean Alioti, who also played the guy holding the camera the whole time (which, uh, makes a lot of sense, I guess.) And for those of you wondering just how proper a film production this was, may I remind you that THE Gary Clayton Shick provided catering services for the movie? Because he totally did, and you KNOW it's big time filmmaking when the producers can actually afford to feed the cast and crew.
Wait a minute. If everybody is named "Van Heese," why is the movie subtitled The McPherson Tape?
Well, you really can't call U.F.O. Abduction a great movie. I mean, pretty much half of it is just long stretches of pitch blackness with guys calling each other "dick heads" over and over again, but that's not to say it is without any kind of merits.
For starters, the pace on this thing is marvelous. You always hear big name movie directors talking about how great a "less is more" approach is, but the folks who made this one really adhered to it. The aliens might be onscreen for maybe a minute, tops, but every time you see 'em it gives you goosebumps. I'm not bullshitting about that ending, either - the first time I saw those aliens slowly slink into the frame, I jumped a tad, and I NEVER succumb to jump scares. Secondly, the acting is by and large better than you'd anticipate, even if the actions of the actors is often downright retarded. Really, how these fucksticks react to being home invaded by Martians is the biggest indicator the whole thing is a great big ruse. Looking back on it, you'd have to be one dense sonofabitch to think anything about the movie is authentic, but as evident by the success of Rick and Morty, there's a lot more retards out there than we'd care to acknowledge.
Which brings us to director Dean Alioto, the mastermind behind the infamous VHS, uh, classic? Anyhoo, his IMDB page says he went to USC and after the surprising popularity of this movie, UPN reached out to him to do a bigger budget remake that was eventually aired in 1998 as Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County. Since then he's mostly stuck to making TV movies and directing TV shows, most notably Watch Over Me. And believe it or not, a few cast members in U.F.O. Abduction have garnered regular film work, including Tommy Giavocchini, who has since gone on to, umm, "star" in such flicks as American Streetfighter and L.A. Dicks. Alas, this is the only film credit for one Shirly McCalla, whose one-and-done performance as Ma Van Heese in this movie might just be the single greatest one-shot acting job in the history of cinema, and I'm not even being facetious, except a little.
Alas, U.F.O. Abduction has never really gotten the retroactive respect and appreciation it probably deserves for - unintentionally, for sure - kick starting the whole found footage concept. And while it is predated by stuff like Snuff and Flower of Flesh and Blood, it at least deserves some props for being the first supernatural found footage horror flick to make the tape trader rounds. And the backstory behind the movie is every bit as entertaining as the flick itself, but I'll let you figure that shit out on your own time.
All in all, despite some obvious flaws, U.F.O Abduction still holds up surprisingly well. It feels dated and chintzy and cheesy as shit, but it's undoubtedly effective and engaging from start to finish (although you will probably want to skip past all the card playing scenes.) It's an interesting and historically important film if only for its technical motifs, and if you're looking for a WAY off the beaten sliver of miniature classic proletariat American folk cinema, this one will probably be right up your alley. And if nothing else, it sure is intriguing to catch all the similarities between this movie and M. Night Shama-Lama-Ding-Dong's Signs from 2002. You know, not that he would EVER ripoff obscure pieces of low culture and shamelessly regurgitate it into multi-million dollar box office gold or anything like that ...
Posted in 1989, incident at lake county, livestream, original, real abduction, real alien, real UFO, review, Shirly McCalla, The McPherson Tape, UFO Abduction, watch online on October 16, 2017 by Your Friendly Neighborhood Jimbo | Leave a comment Edit
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Home › Featured › Big profits are hiding in the 13F filings of Activists
Big profits are hiding in the 13F filings of Activists
By Mark Gaffney on May 11, 2018 • ( 4 )
Originally written by: Mark Gaffney
As of May 1, 2018, over 5200 stock positions were held by the 55 funds classified as activist investors. That’s according to data from WhaleWisdom.com. Most of these stocks will be unremarkable performers, generating little alpha for the fund or investors.
But hidden among the many stocks in activist funds’ portfolios are a few positions that will be big winners. Like Shutterfly (Nasdaq: SFLY), an online photo book company which first appeared in the portfolio of the activist hedge fund SpringOwl Associates on November 15, 2017. Following SpringOwl into SFLY at $40 would have led to a 126% gain less than six months later.
A simple strategy designed to identify and profit from the most promising small-cap stocks held by activist managers would have averaged 26.3% annually since 2009. That’s a compounded return of over 690% through April of 2018.
Activist managers target companies with share prices viewed as undervalued compared to the true value of the company’s operations and assets. After accumulating a large block of shares in the target company, the activist manager then goes public with a plan to engage management and force corporate changes intended to close the valuation gap and generate profits for the fund.
However, not all public companies held in activist fund portfolios are actively targeted. It seems that the best activist managers also do very well with the passive investments held in their funds.
It’s apparent that independent investors who follow the moves of activists in and out of target stocks can generate substantial profits.
It should come as no surprise that following the investments of activists can be profitable. Academic studies, along with empirical evidence, have shown that on average, activist managers generate positive returns for themselves and their followers. The challenge for investors is zeroing in on the few specific positions most likely to generate significant alpha.
The 13D Activist Fund is in the business of profiting from activist campaigns. The mutual fund manages a portfolio of what it deems the top activist positions. According to its website, the fund has averaged a 15.78% annual total return since its inception in 2012. That’s before annual fees that range from 1.51% to 2.51%. Over the same period, the S&P 500’s average total annual return has been 15.11%
While the Activist Fund has produced solid returns, it’s apparent that independent investors who analyze the moves of activists in and out of target stocks can generate substantial profits on their own.
According to Activist Insights, from 2009 through 2017 the total compounded “follower return” of activist investors was about 240%. In 2017, the average follower return from all stocks targeted by activists was 13.2%. That compares to the S&P 500’s total return of 21.8%.
The follower return is based on buying when an activist files a 13D report with the SEC reporting a target position and selling when the activist discloses exiting the position. Of course, to achieve the average follower return investors would have had to invest in every one of the nearly 800 13Ds filed by activists last year. Good luck with that…
Using WhaleWisdom.com’s 13F backtester, I was able to create a simple hypothetical activist-following strategy that generated a 26.3% annualized return since 2009 following all of the famous activist managers, as well as some more obscure activist managers. This strategy holds a portfolio of 10 stocks which represent the activists’ highest conviction positions. It rebalances four times a year — not an onerous task.
Here are some unique aspects of this strategy:
Many top-performing activist managers are not famous.
I reduced the 55 funds WhaleWisdom categorizes as activist investors to 25, by eliminating very small funds with less than $100 million under management. I also excluded funds holding fewer than 11 positions and more than 100 positions. I further reduced the list by deleting a handful of funds with the worst historical performance. Below are the funds I was left with. Most of these activists are widely known, but some are more obscure, despite having shown good performance.
AWM INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
BAUPOST GROUP LLC
BLUE HARBOUR GROUP, L.P.
CORVEX MANAGEMENT LP
ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT CORP
FARALLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
FRONTFOUR CAPITAL GROUP LLC
GREENLIGHT CAPITAL INC
ICAHN CARL C
JANA PARTNERS LLC
LUXOR CAPITAL GROUP, LP
MARCATO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP
NORTHERN RIGHT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P.
PAR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC
QVT FINANCIAL LP
RAGING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
SACHEM HEAD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP
SANDELL ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP.
SARISSA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP
SEIDMAN LAWRENCE B
SPRINGOWL ASSOCIATES LLC
STARBOARD VALUE LP
TCI FUND MANAGEMENT LTD
THIRD POINT LLC
VALUEACT HOLDINGS, L.P.
Using WhaleWisdon’s backtester, I created a portfolio of the top 10 positions held by these leading funds. I chose the “combined percent of portfolio rebalancing option” for rebalancing this portfolio. So, if stock XYZ represents 15% of fund A’s portfolio and 20% of fund B’s portfolio, then XYZ is 35% of the combined fund holdings. The top 10 combined holdings are then equally weighted, with each one comprising 10% of the portfolio.
The activist portfolio is rebalanced quarterly based on new 13F filings. 13F reports are mandated by the SEC — all funds managing $100 million or more must disclose their long positions within 45 days after the end of a quarter. You can find more information on 13F filings here.
Buying right after a 13D filing typically means chasing a stock that has surged higher in recent days.
Most activist followers only focus on 13D filings. Once an activist acquires 5% or more of a public company, it must file a 13D disclosing this holding within 10 calendar days. Investors keen on replicating activists’ positions typically buy as soon as possible after the 13D filing.
However, buying immediately after a 13D announcement typically means chasing a stock that has surged higher in recent days.
The price of an activist targeted stock typically rises in the days before a 13D is filed. Whatever the reason – the activist’s buying driving shares higher, insiders catching word of the upcoming filing, or a combination of factors – target stocks usually go up just before a 13D activist filing. Then comes the 13D announcement, and the price spikes even higher. Depending on many factors, including the notoriety of the activist and market conditions, a target stock can climb 10%, 20% or even more from the period days before a 13D disclosure to the day after the filing.
So, chasing an activist-targeted stock following a 13D filing usually means you’re buying into strength. Likewise, selling into weakness after an activist discloses its exit is a problem. When investors learn an activist has sold a position, there’s typically wholesale selling. Buying into price strength and selling into price weakness are not ideal entries and exits, and can destroy the alpha of a strategy.
The WhaleWisdom activist strategy gains an advantage by entering activist-followed positions quarterly when 13Fs are filed. Reactions to 13F filings are typically muted, so basing entries on 13Fs tends to avoid the volatility associated with 13D filings.
I’ll also emphasize that activist funds typically have significant non-activist holdings. Given that top activist managers are astute appraisers of value, it’s no shock that leading activists’ non-13D holdings may perform very well. Following activists’ 13F filings appears to be more profitable than following their 13D filings.
Below is a graph showing the performance of a 10-stock equally-weighted portfolio combining the top 13F holdings of the 25 best activist funds. The portfolio is rebalanced 46 days after each quarter’s end. The light green is the activist portfolio total return, the dark green the S&P 500 total return.
Since 2009, the hypothetical strategy has a cumulative total return of 690.6%, 2.68X the S&P 500’s total return. Note that standard deviation of returns is 17.8% for the WhaleWisdom activist strategy compared to 12% for the S&P 500. So, this strategy would have achieved almost triple the S&P 500’s performance with only 50% more volatility.
I’ve tweaked this strategy in a few small ways: I’ve excluded the ticker IEP from the backtest. That’s the symbol for Icahn Enterprises L.P. common stock. It kept popping up in the portfolio, and I decided I’d rather invest in Icahn’s picks and not his fund. Also, I’ve eliminated MSFT, FB and all ETFs, as I can get exposure to these securities elsewhere. WhaleWisdom allows the user to exclude any number of tickers from the backtest.
There’s one more change we can make that may result in even better results.
The next chart reflects one alteration to the above strategy: We restrict the stocks purchased to between $250 million and $2 billion market cap. We don’t invest in mid-cap to mega cap stocks with market caps of $2B and higher.
Also, we skip the micro-cap stocks with less than $250 million market cap.
The WhaleWisdom activist small cap strategy showed a total return of 894.2% since 2009 — 3.49X the S&P 500 total return. Standard deviation was 21.5% vs 12%.
Backtesting this small cap activist strategy back to 2001 shows equally impressive performance — a 21.6% annualized return and a cumulative return of 2705%. The period coming out of the 2008 downturn was very strong for small cap stocks that had been decimated in the bear market.
Will these activist strategies based on 13F filings perform in the future like the historical backtests? That’s the million-dollar question. However, the best activists are skilled value investors, adept at finding cheap companies and closing the valuation gap by forcing corporate change. This is a formula that has worked for decades and is likely to work into the future, though it’s not immune to bear markets.
I encourage anyone interested in activist investing strategies to test their own ideas for uncovering hidden opportunities in the 13F filings of activist investors.
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Tags: Activist Investors, featured, Strategy
13Fs: Activist Funds Cleaned Up in Q1 – Retirement Cheat Sheet
13Fs: Activist Funds Cleaned Up in Q1 – PANAMAS
13Fs: Activist Funds Cleaned Up in Q1 – BANKNEWS
13Fs: Activist Funds Cleaned Up in Q1 – REMMITANCE
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Quiz: The Ultimate Auto Identification Quiz!
The Ultimate Auto Identification Quiz!
By: Robin Tyler
Image: Wiki Commons by Rex Gray
Surely the motor car must rank as one of the greatest ever inventions (you pipe down over their, airplane). In just over a century and a bit, the motor car has revolutionized the world. I wonder if Karl Benz could have known what the world would be like thanks to his Benz Patent Autowagen. Just don't ever tell him about the traffic, or CO2 emissions.
All kidding aside, his invention led to pickups, SUVs, crossover vehicles, trucks and much, much more. Each and every one of them has their unique place in our daily lives, be it taking us from point A to point B, transporting goods across the country or even providing a little bit of recreational fun. And over the years, car designers continued to improve the automobile. Just think about how different the modern car is to say a model of 20 years ago. And in the future? Already we have driverless cars ... maybe they soon will fly as well.
But let's get back to the task at hand. This is a car identification quiz, taking in vehicles from many countries and certainly from many different periods in motoring. Do you think you have what it takes to ace it?
Let's see!
This vehicle served as a pace car at Indy in 1990. Can you identify it?
Wiki Commons by Dante93GTZ
Designed by Jerry Palmer, the Beretta, a front-wheel-drive two-door coupe based on the Chevrolet L body platform was manufactured between 1987 and 1996. It offered seven engine options with the most powerful a 3.1-liter V6.
1.4 million examples of this vehicle were made over a 20-year period. What is it?
Wiki Commons by SG2012
The most classic Citroen of them all, the DS certainly seemed way ahead of its time design-wise when released in 1955. It was produced for a period of 20 years, and over 1.4 million were made. It was available in three body shapes during this time, 4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon and 2-door convertible.
Can you name this modern muscle car that will cost you a cool $250,000?
Equus Bass via YouTube
Ford Meteor
Equus Bass 770
A modern '60s throwback, this muscle car takes design features from all the classics and packages it together with a 6.4-liter V8 LS9 engine from General Motors which produces 640 brake horsepower. It will set you back a cool $250,000, however.
It's old! Do you know what the car in this image is?
Wiki Commons by William Creswell
Dodge La Femme
Chevrolet Belair
Stutz Bearcat
Ford Model N
The Ford Model N was produced between 1906 and 1908. It was only made in the color maroon and featured an engine at the front of the car, unlike the Model A and Model C. Over 7,000 were built.
Who produced the electric car seen in this image?
Wiki Commons by RightBrainPhotography
Ford Prefect
General Motors EV1
The first electric car offered by General Motors, the EV1 was offered as a model between 1996 and 1999. Only 1,100 sold with General Motors eventually recalling them all and destroying them.
This pickup was also called the Bighorn. What other name did it go by and who made it?
Wiki Commons by Niels de Wit
Opel Corsa Utility
Also known as the Bighorn, the Trooper was produced over two generations from 1981 to 2002. The off-road credentials of the Trooper are borne out by the fact that these models won a number of international off-road races, including the marathon section of the 1994 Paris-Dakar rally.
Known as the Rogue in the United States and the Qashqai elsewhere, what vehicle is shown here?
Wiki Commons by Tennen-Gas
Nissan Dualis
Zigato Vision
Also known as the QashQai, the Dualis is yet another compact crossover SUV offered by Nissan. It first entered the market in 2006 and is currently in its second generation. The Dualis is marketed as the Nissan Rogue in the United States.
Electric power certainly doesn't hold this car back. What is it?
Wiki Commons by Jeremy
The Tesla Roadster not only can travel up to 250 miles on a single charge, but it also goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. That puts many gasoline-powered sports cars to shame in the acceleration stakes.
Any ideas as to the name of the muscle car pictured in this image?
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
The Rebel, particularly the 1970 models, took AMC straight into the muscle car fight. This was a real looker, blessed with a muscle car stance. With “Up with the Rebel Machine!”, AMC's slogan for the car, they were certainly trying to buy into the younger market.
What off-roader is shown in this image?
Wiki Commons by Welcomematt22
Bowler Wildcat
Built between 1998 and 2007, the Wildcat was made by Bowler industries using a range of parts, even those from Land Rover Defenders. This all-wheel-drive off-roader is particularly light thanks to its tubular construction. Wildcats had a range of engine options including three gasoline (4, 4.6 and 5-liter V8s) and two turbo diesel (2.2 and 2.5-liter).
This pickup was marketed in the late 1960s and early '70s. What is it?
Wiki Commons by CZmarlin
Toyota Publica
Dodge Adventurer
The Dodge Adventurer was a version of the Dodge D-Series pickup and was marketed by Dodge from 1968 to 1971. By 1970, there were three Adventurer models for customers to choose from - the base model, the Sport and SE.
The vehicle in this image will set you back over $2 million! Any clue as to the make and model?
Wiki Commons by El monty
Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta
So good they named it twice ... well sort of! Another hypercar with breathtaking (or is that neck-breaking) acceleration, the Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta reaches 62mph from a standing start in around 3 seconds. Hand over up to $2.2 million to experience it, however.
A 2-door coupe, can you name this vehicle which is powered by a 1.5-liter engine?
Wiki Commons by KotVadim
Subaru R1
Geely CD
Also known as the China Dragon, this is a 2-door coupe model from Geely. It was produced between 2009 and 2011 and was a powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine built under license from Toyota.
Also known as the Jazz in some parts of the world, what is the name of this vehicle, please?
Wiki Commons by Nissangeniss
Now in its third generation, the Honda Fit is a subcompact car which first entered production in 2001. Current models include either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox and either gasoline or diesel engine options. This vehicle is known as the Honda Jazz in certain markets.
This image shows a limited edition off-roader. What is it?
Wiki Commons by N8ary
Jeep Golden Eagle
Chevrolet Blazer Chalet
Dodge Sweptside
The Golden Eagle trim package was available for both the Jeep CJ-5 and CJ-7. It was introduced in 1977 and featured one color option initially, thrush brown. More colors were added from 1978. Golden Eagle Jeeps also included a large eagle decal on the hood, a Levi's soft top cover and large spoked wheels.
Can you name this two-seat convertible please?
Wiki Commons by Rex Gray
Mini Mk 1
Maserati 3500 GT
Available as a two-seat convertible and hardtop, the 3500 was built by the legendary manufacturer Maserati from 1957 to 1964. This was a front-engined rear-wheel drive car powered by a 3.5-liter straight-6 engine which produced around 220 brake horsepower.
In some parts of the world, this is a Lexus model. Do you know what it is?
Wiki Commons by Mytho88
This SUV has been marketed in Japan since 1997. In other markets, it is known as the Lexus RX. A range of power plants are on offer, with the current generation including a hybrid. They also include the Toyota Safety P system, which includes a pre-crash safety system.
What is the name of this commercial van?
Wiki Commons by Sven Storbeck
VIA Electric Truck
A commercial van model, the Sprinter first entered the market in 1995. It is also available as a people carrier. The Sprinter has proved to be a popular model, especially for those who want a slightly upmarket van option.
This impressive luxury sedan competes with more expensive rivals. Any ideas as to what it is?
Wiki Commons by Bull-Doser
Mercedes Benz C Class
The K900 boasts a spacious, well-finished interior, many impressive standard features as well as offering a comfortable, smooth ride. Where it does slip against some of its rivals is the fact that it posts some puny gas mileage numbers.
They don't make cars like this anymore. If you want one, you will have to pay around $5 million! Can you name it for us, please?
Wiki Commons by Mr.choppers
Chevrolet Series Capitol
Bugatti Type 35
Horch 853A Special Roadster
Built in 1939, the Horch Special Roadster is a vehicle of rare beauty and shows off those classic lines of a pre-World War II car. Recently, a Horch 853A Special Roadster sold for $5.1 million in California.
Please can you tell us the name of the vehicle featured in this image?
Wiki Commons by Vauxford
1925 Old Number One
Chrysler Airstream
Dodge B Series
Much debate surrounds this vehicle. Some say it was the first MG ever built although it only came to light two years after the brand had already in production. What is known is that it was built to race in sporting events. It was powered by a 1.6-liter engine.
This vehicle is only marketed in China presently. What is the make and model?
Wiki Commons by Navigator84
Acura CDX
Chrysler Royal
Currently only available in China, the CDX is a compact luxury crossover SUV and the first vehicle from the brand to include a turbocharger. Future markets for the vehicle might include the United States.
Can you name this car which saw 90% of the models produced sent to America?
Wiki Commons by eigenes Foto
Built between 1959 and 1967, the Austin Healey 3000 was powered by a 2.9-liter straight-6 engine. This two-door vehicle was available as a roadster or convertible and many 3000s made their way to North America. In fact, in 1963, over 90% of the 3000’s produced actually ended up in the USA.
Any idea as to the name of this pickup?
Wiki Commons by Sah68
AutoVaz VAZ-2329
Tata Tecoline
This four-wheel drive pickup truck is made by the Russian auto manufacturer VAZ. It was first introduced in 2000.
German luxury at its finest. Which of these vehicles are we referring to?
Wiki Commons by JanS
First introduced in 1989, the first generation 8 Series was marketed until 1999 as a Grand Tourer and powered by either a V8 or V12 engine. BMW has plans to relaunch the series at some point in 2018.
Essentially a moving bench, can you name this odd vehicle?
Wiki Commons by Zairon
Benz Auto Wagen
Briggs and Stratton Flyer
Lohner-Porsche
The Briggs and Stratton Flyer was essentially a wooden bench that moved. It had no protection for the driver from the elements and no shock absorbers. By 1920, however, cars had already evolved to a point of relative comfort, and the Flyer just wasn't what the public was looking for.
What is the make and model of this executive car, please?
Wiki Commons by Leonard R Williams
Cadillac STS-V
This high-performance executive car didn't sell massive numbers from 2005 to 2009. In fact, only 2,503 were produced. It remains an impressive car, however, with a 4.4-liter Northstar LC3 V8 engine producing an impressive 469 brake horsepower. The STS-V was capable of 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.
Can you name the van in this image?
This van was first produced in 1961. Four different generations were built up until 2014 when the brand was replaced by the new Transit. The E-Series dominated the van market in North America, claiming well over 70% market share at times.
A pickup truck from China! Can you tell us its name?
Wiki Commons by order_242
Tang Hua
Geely Merrie
Released in 2007, the SoCool is a pickup truck from Great Wall Motors. It offers two powerplant options, a 2.2-liter gasoline and 2.8-liter diesel.
It will cost you, plus only 20 were built, so finding one of these beauties will be hard. What vehicle are we talking about?
Wiki Commons by Alainrx8
Lamborghini Sesto Elemento
With only 20 built, it will cost you $2.2 million to experience the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, unless you know the right people.
Please identify this SUV. Can you name the make and model?
Wiki Commons by Robert Basic
The Opel Mokka is the German car manufacturer's current SUV offering. It was launched in 2012 and is available in a number of markets. Interestingly, this SUV is marketed in China and the USA but as the Buick Encore. The Mokka offers both gasoline and diesel power plants.
Off-road driving in style. Which of the vehicles below are we talking about?
Wiki Commons by IFCAR
While it won’t take you on the tougher trails like a Range Rover might, the LR4 does provide enough to tackle those country trails and paths you might enjoy on weekends. It includes a powerful V8 engine and an air suspension to help you along the way.
Can you name this small 5-door van that was marketed exclusively in Australia?
Wiki Commons by FotoSleuth
Holden Scurry
Marketed by Holden between 1985 and 1991, the Scurry was based on a Suzuki platform. The Scurry was a compact 5-door van.
The words "performance pickup" sum up this beast. What is it?
Wiki Commons by Steve
Dodge Ram SRT-10
Dodge Ram SRT-10 -
A Dodge Viper engine in a pickup? Yes, it really happened. The Ram SRT-10 was the fastest production truck at the time, completing 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds and able to reach 155 mph. And all of that power was channeled through a manual transmission! Scary!
Effectively, this is a rebadged Lancia. Do you know what it is?
Wiki Commons by TTTNIS
A rebadged Lancia with the same model name, the Ypsilon is currently sold in Japan and the United Kingdom. It has four engine options ranging from 900cc to 1.2-liter.
Can you name this American car made between 1973 and 1975?
Buick Apollo
Holden Monaro
Produced between 1973 and 1975, the Apollo from Buick was available as a 2-door coupe and hatchback and a 4-door sedan. The most powerful engine option available to the Apollo was a 350 cubic inch 5.7-liter V8.
A failure due to lack of funds, can you name this vehicle from the 1970s?
Wiki Commons by ilikewaffles11
Baja Beetle
Bricklin SV-1
The Bricklin SV-1 was the brainchild of Malcolm Bricklin. Simply put, there was never enough money to see the project off the ground properly, and although a few cars were made, they did not generate enough revenue for the project to continue.
What is the name of this British hyper car?
Wiki Commons by Edvvc
MG BGT
Aston Martin Vulcan
A V12 engine which produces 800 horsepower is the driving force behind the Aston Martin Vulcan. Not only does it cost $2.3 million to own one, but Aston Martin sends you on a special driving course before they hand it over to you.
Can you name this vehicle? It was the first ever designed and produced by a prestigious German manufacturer.
Wiki Commons by Janusz Recław
The 3/15 was the first car produced by BMW and made its debut in 1927. It was originally made under license from Austin in Great Britain until in 1929 when BMW made their own version. BMW also released the DA-3 Wartburg, a sports car version of the 'Dixi' as it was known.
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Home > African-American Culture, Athletics, Don Benning, Omaha, Race, Social Justice, Sports, UNO (University of Nebraska at Omaha), Wrestling, Writing > UNO wrestling dynasty built on tide of social change
UNO wrestling dynasty built on tide of social change
March 17, 2011 leoadambiga Leave a comment Go to comments
In my view, one of the most underreported stories coming out of Omaha the last 50 years was what Don Benning achieved as a young black man at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. At a time and in a place when blacks were denied opportunity, he was given a chance as an educator and a coach and he made the most of the situation. The following story, a version of which appeared in a March 2010 issue of The Reader (www.thereader.com), charted his accomplishments on the 40th anniversary of making some history that has not gotten the attention it deserves. He made history at then-Omaha University as the nation’s first black coach of a major team sport at a predominantly white institution of higher education. I believe he was also the first black coach to lead a team at a predominantly white high education institution to a national championship. He laid the groundwork for the UNO wrestling dynasty that followed some years later under the leadership of Mike Denney, who always credited Don with getting the whole thing started.
In leading his team to the 1970 NAIA national title, when they roundly beat teams from from larger schools, he gathered around him a diverse group of student-athletes at a time when this was not the norm. A team coached by a young black man and comprised of whites, blacks and Latinos traveled to some inhospitable places where race baiting occured but he and his student-athletes never lost their cool. They let their actions speak for them.
One of the pleasures in doing this story was getting to know Don Benning, a man of high character who took me into his confidence. I shall always be grateful.
©by Leo Adam Biga
Version of story published in a March 2010 issue of The Reader (www.thereader.com)
As the March 12-13 Division II national wrestling championships get underway at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, it’s good to remember wrestling, not hockey, is the school’s true marquee sport
Host UNO has been a dominant fixture on the D-II wrestling scene for decades. Its No. 1-ranked team is the defending national champs and is expected to finish on top again under Mike Denney, the coach for five of UNO’s six national wrestling titles. The first came 40 years ago amid currents of change.
Every dynasty has a beginning and a narrative. UNO’s is rooted in historic firsts that intersect racial-social-political happenings. The events helped give a school with little going for it much-needed cachet and established a tradition of excellence unbroken now since the mid-1960s.
It all began with then-Omaha University president Milo Bail hiring the school’s first African-American associate professor, Don Benning. The UNO grad had competed in football and wrestling for the OU Indians and was an assistant football coach there when Bail selected him to lead the fledgling wrestling program in 1963. The hire made Benning the first black head coach of a varsity sport (in the modern era) at a predominantly white college or university in America. It was a bold move for a nondescript, white-bread, then-municipal university in a racially divided city not known for progressive stances. It was especially audacious given that Benning was but 26 and had never held a head coaching position before.
Ebony Magazine celebrated the achievement in a March 1964 spread headlined, “Coach Cracks Color Barrier.” Benning had been on the job only a year. By 1970 he led UNO to its first wrestling national title. He developed a powerful program in part by recruiting top black wrestlers. None ever had a black coach before.
Omaha photographer Rudy Smith was a black activist at UNO then. He said what Benning and his wrestlers did “was an extension of the civil rights activity of the ’60s. Don’s team addressed inequality, racism, injustice on the college campus. He recruited people accustomed to challenges and obstacles. They were fearless. Their success was a source of pride because it proved blacks could achieve. It opened the door for other advancements at UNO by blacks. It was a monumental step and milestone in the history of UNO.”
Indeed, a few years after Benning’s arrival, UNO became the site of more black inroads. The first of these sawMarlin Briscoe star at quarterback there, which overturned the myth blacks could not master the cerebral position. Briscoe went on to be the first black starting QB in the NFL. Benning said he played a hand in persuading UNO football coach Al Caniglia to start Briscoe. Benning publicly supported efforts to create a black studies program at UNO at a time when black history and culture were marginalized. The campaign succeeded. UNO established one of the nation’s first departments of Black Studies. It continues today.
Once given his opportunity, Benning capitalized on it. From 1966 to 1971 his racially and ethnically diverse teams went 65-6-4 in duals, developing a reputation for taking on all comers and holding their own. Five of his wrestlers won a combined eight individual national championships. A dozen earned All-America status.
That championship season one of Benning’s two graduate assistant coaches was fellow African-American Curlee Alexander. The Omaha native was a four-time All-American and one-time national champ under Benning. He went on to be one of the winningest wrestling coaches in Nebraska prep history at Tech and North.
Benning’s best wrestlers were working-class kids like he and Alexander had been:
Wendell Hakanson, Omaha Home for Boys graduateRoy and
Mel Washington, black brothers from New York by way of cracker GeorgiaBruce “Mouse” Strauss, a “character” and mensch from back East
Paul and Tony Martinez, Latino south Omaha brothers who saw combat in Vietnam
Louie Rotella Jr., son of a prep wrestling legend and popular Italian bakery family
Gary Kipfmiller, a gentle giant who died young
Bernie Hospokda, Dennis Cozad, Rich Emsick, products of south Omaha’s Eastern European enclaves.
Jordan Smith and Landy Waller, prized black recruits from Iowa
Half the starters were recent high school grads and half nontraditional students in their 20s; some, married with kids. Everyone worked a job.
The team’s multicultural makeup was “pretty unique” then, said Benning. In most cases he said his wrestlers had “never had any meaningful relationships” with people of other races before and yet “they bonded tight as family.” He feels the way his diverse team came together in a time of racial tension deserves analysis. “It’s tough enough to develop to such a high skill level that you win a national championship with no other factors in the equation. But if you have in the equation prejudice and discrimination that you and the team have to face then that makes it even more difficult. But those things turned into a rallying point for the team. The kids came to understand they had more commonalities than differences. It was a social laboratory for life.”
“We were a mixed bag, and from the outside you would think we would have a lot of issues because of cultural differences, but we really didn’t,” said Hospodka, a Czech- American who never knew a black until UNO. “We were a real, real tight group. We had a lot of fun, we played hard, we teased each other. Probably some of it today would be considered inappropriate. But we were so close that we treated each other like brothers. We pushed buttons nobody else better push.”
“We didn’t have no problems. It was a big family,” said Mel Washington, who with his late brother Roy, a black Muslim who changed his name to Dhafir Muhammad, became the most decorated wrestlers in UNO history up to then. “You looked around the wrestling room and you had your Italian, your whites, your blacks, Chicanos, Jew, we all got together. If everybody would have looked at our wrestling team and seen this one big family the world would have been a better place.”
If there was one thing beyond wrestling they shared in common, said Hospodka, it was coming from hardscrabble backgrounds.
“Some of the kids came from situations where you had to be pretty tough to survive,” said Benning, who came up that way himself in a North O neighborhood where his was the only black family.
The Washington brothers were among 11 siblings in a sharecropping tribe that moved to Rochester, N.Y. The pair toughened themselves working the fields, doing odd-jobs and “street wrestling.”
Dhafir was the team’s acknowledged leader. Mel also a standout football lineman, wasn’t far behind. Benning said Dhafir’s teammates would “follow him to the end of the Earth.” “If he said we’re all running a mile, we all ran a mile,” said Hospodka.
Having a strong black man as coach meant the world to Mel and Dhafir. “Something I always wanted to do was wrestle for a black coach. It was about time for me to wrestle for my own race,” said Mel. The brothers had seen the Ebony profile on Benning, whom they regarded as “a living legend” before they ever got to UNO. Hospodka said Benning’s race was never an issue with him or other whites on the team.
Mel and Dhafir set the unrelenting pace in the tiny, cramped wrestling room that Benning sealed to create sauna-like conditions. Practicing in rubber suits disallowed today Hospodka said a thermostat once recorded the temperature inside at 110 degrees and climbing. Guys struggled for air. The intense workouts tested physical and mental toughness. Endurance. Nobody gave an inch. Tempers flared.
Gary Kipfmiller staked out a corner no one dared invade. Except for Benning, then a rock solid 205 pounds, who made the passive Kipfmiller, tipping the scales at 350-plus, a special project. “I rode him unmercifully,” said Benning. “He’d whine like a baby and I’d go, ‘Then do something about i!.” Benning said he sometimes feared that in a fit of anger Kipfmiller would drop all his weight on him and crush him.
Washington and Hospodka went at it with ferocity. Any bad blood was left in the room.
“As we were a team on the mat, off the mat we watched out for each other. Even though we were at each other’s throats on the wrestling mat, whatever happened on the outside, we were there. If somebody needed something, we were there,” said Paul Martinez, who grew up with his brother Tony, the team’s student trainer-manager, in the South O projects. The competition and camaraderie helped heal psychological wounds Paul carried from Vietnam, where he was an Army infantry platoon leader.
An emotional Martinez told Benning at a mini-reunion in January, “You were like a platoon leader for us — you guided us and protected us. Coming from a broken family, I not only looked at you as a coach but as a father.” Benning’s eyes moistened.
Joining them there were other integral members of UNO’s 1970 NAIA championship team, including Washington and Hospodka. The squad capped a perfect 14-0 dual season by winning the tough Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament in Gunnison, Colo. and the nationals in Superior, Wis. It was the first national championship won by a scholarship team at the school and the first in any major sport by a Nebraska college or university.
Another milestone was that Benning became the first black coach to win an integrated national championship in wrestling and one of the first to do so in any sport at any level. He earned NAIA national coach of the year honors in 1969.
University of Washington scholar John C. Walter devotes a chapter to Benning’s historymaker legacy in a soon-to-be-published book, Better Than the Best. Walter said Benning’s “career and situation was a unique one” The mere fact Benning got the opportunity he did, said Walter, “was extraordinary,” not to mention that the mostly white student-athletes he taught and coached accepted him without incident. Somewhere else, he said, things might have been different.
“He was working in a state not known for civil rights, that’s for sure,” said Walter. “But Don was fortunate he was at a place that had a president who acted as a catalyst. It was a most unusual confluence. I think the reason why it happened is the president realized here’s a man with great abilities regardless of the color of his skin, and for me that is profound. UNO was willing to recognize and assist a young black man trying hard to distinguish himself and make a name for his university. That’s very important.”
Walter said it was the coach’s discipline and determination to achieve against all odds that prepared him to succeed.
Benning’s legacy can only be fully appreciated in the context of the time and place in which he and his student-athletes competed. For example, he was set to leave his hometown after being denied a teaching post with the Omaha Public Schools, part of endemic exclusionary practices here that restricted blacks from obtaining certain jobs and living in many neighborhoods. He only stayed when Bail chose him to break the color line, though they never talked about it in those terms.
“It always puzzled me why he did that knowing the climate at the university and in K-12 education and in the community pointed in a different direction. Segregation was a way of life here in Omaha. It took a tremendous amount of intestinal fortitude of doing what’s right, of being ready to step out on that limb when no other schools or institutions would touch African-Americans,” said Benning. He can only surmise Bail “thought that was the right thing to do and that I was the right person to do it.”
In assuming the burden of being the first, Benning took the flak that came with it.
“I flat out couldn’t fail because I would be failing my people. African-American history would show that had I failed it would have set things back. I was very aware of Jackie Robinson and what he endured. That was in my mind a lot. He had to take a lot and not say anything about it. It was no different for me. I had tremendous pressure on me because of being African-American. A lot of things I held to myself.”
Washington said though Benning hid what he had to contend with, some of it was blatant, such as snubs or slights on and off the mat. His white wrestlers recall many instances on the road when they or the team’s white trainer or equipment manager would be addressed as “coach” or be given the bill at a restaurant when it should have been obvious the well-dressed, no-nonsense Benning was in charge.
Hospodka said at restaurants “they just assumed the black guy couldn’t pay. They hesitated to serve us or they ignored us or they hoped we would go away.”
Washington could relate, saying, “I had a feeling what he was going through — the prejudice. They looked down on him. That’s why I put out even more for him because I wanted to see him on top. A lot of people would have said the heck with this, but he’s a man who stood there and took the heat and took it in stride.”
“He did it in a quiet way. He always thought his character and actions would speak for him. He went about his business in a dignified way,” said Hospodka.
UNO wrestlers didn’t escape ugliness. At the 1971 nationals in Boone, N.C., Washington was the object of a hate crime — an effigy hung in the stands. Its intended effect backfired. Said Washington, “That didn’t bother me. You know why? I was used to it. That just made me want to go out there more and really show ’em up.” He did, too.
“We were booed a lot when we were on the road,” Hospodka said. “Don always said that was the highest form of flattery. We thrived on it, it didn’t bother us, we never took it personal, we just went out and did our thing. You might say it (the booing) was because we were beating the snot out of them. I couldn’t help think having a black coach and four or five black wrestlers had something to do with it.”
Hospodka said wherever UNO went the team was a walking social statement. “When you went into a lot of small towns in the ’60s with four or five black wrestlers and a black coach you stuck out. It’s like, Why are these people together?” “There were some places that were awfully uncomfortable, like in the Carolinas,” said Benning. “You know there were places where they’d never seen an African-American.”
At least not a black authority figure with a group of white men answering to him.
The worst scene came at the Naval Academy, where the cold reception UNO got while holed up three days there was nothing compared to the boos, hisses, catcalls and pennies hurled at them during the dual. In a wild display of unsportsmanlike conduct Benning said thousands of Midshipmen left the stands to surround the mat for the crucial final match, which Kipfmiller won by decision to give UNO a tie.
The white wrestling infrastructure also went out of its way to make Benning and his team unwelcome.
“I think there were times when they seeded other wrestlers ahead of our wrestlers, one, because we were good and, two, because they didn’t look at it strictly from a wrestling standpoint, I think there was a little of the good old boy network there to try and make our road as tough as possible,” said Hospodka. “I think race played into that. It was a lot of subtle things. Maybe it wasn’t so subtle. Don probably saw it more because of the bureaucracy he had to deal with.”
“Some individuals weren’t too happy with me being an African-American,” said Benning. “I served on a selection committee that looked at different places to host the national tournament,. UNO hosted it in ’69, which was really very unusual, it broke a barrier, they’d never had a national championship where the host school had an African-American coach. That was pretty strange for them.”
He said the committee chairman exhibited outright disdain for him. Benning believes the ’71 championship site was awarded to Boone rather than Omaha, where the nationals were a big success, as a way to put him in his place. “The committee came up with Appalachian State, which just started wrestling. I swear to this day the only reason that happened was because of me and my team,” he said.
He and his wrestlers believe officials had it in for them. “There was one national tournament where there’s no question we just flat out got cheated,” said Benning. “It was criminal. I’m talking about the difference between winning the whole thing and second.” Refs’ judgements at the ’69 tourney in Omaha cost UNO vital points. “It was really hard to take,” said Benning. UNO had three individual champs to zero for Adams State, but came up short, 98-84. One or two disputed calls swung the balance.
Despite all the obstacles, Benning and his “kids” succeeded in putting UNO on the map. The small, white institution best known for its Bootstrapper program went from obscurity to prominence by making athletics the vehicle for social action. In a decade defined by what Benning termed “a social revolution,” the placid campus was the last place to expect a historic color line being broken.
The UNO program came of age with its dynamic black coach and mixed team when African-American unrest flared into riots across the country, including Omaha. A north side riot occurred that championship season. UNO’s black wrestlers, who could not find accommodations near the UNO campus, lived in the epicenter of the storm. Black Panthers were neighbors. Mel Washington, his brother Dhafir and other teammates watched North 24th St. burn. Though sympathetic to the outrage, they navigated a delicate line to steer clear of trouble but still prove their blackness.
A uniformed police cadet then, Washington said he was threatened once by the Panthers, who called him “a pig” and set off a cherry bomb outside the apartment he shared with his wife and daughter.
“I found those guys and said, ‘Anybody ever do that to my family again, and you or I won’t be living,’ and from then on I didn’t have no more problems. See, not only was I getting it from whites, but from blacks, too.”
Benning, too, found himself walking a tightrope of “too black or not black enough.” After black U.S. Olympians raised gloved fists in protest of the national anthem, UNO’s black wrestlers wanted to follow suit. Benning considered it, but balked. In ’69 Roy Washington converted to Islam. He told Benning his allegiance to Black Muslim leader Honorable Elijah Muhammad superseded any team allegiance. Benning released him from the squad. Roy’s brother Mel earlier rejected the separatist dogma the Black Muslims preached. Their differences caused no riff.
Dhafir (Roy) rejoined the team in December after agreeing to abide by the rules. He won the 150-pound title en route to UNO capturing the team title over Adams, 86-58. Hospodka said Dharfir still expressed his beliefs, but with “no animosity, just pride that black-is-beautiful. Dharfir’s finals opponent, James Tannehill, was a black man married to a white woman. Hospodka said it was all the reason Dharfir needed to tell Tannehill, “God told me to punish you.” He delivered good on his vow.
It was also an era when UNO carried the “West Dodge High” label. Its academic and athletic facilities left much to be desired. “The university didn’t have that many things to feel proud of,” said Benning. Wrestling’s success lifted a campus suffering an inferiority complex to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Wrestling was one area where UNO could best NU, whose NCAA wrestling program paled by comparison.
“Coach Benning and his wrestling teams elevated UNO right to the top, shoulder-to-shoulder with its big brother’s football team down the road,” said UNO grad Mary Jochim, part of a wrestling spirit club in 69-’70. “They gave everyone at the school a big boost of pride. The rafters would shake at those matches.”
“You’d have to say it was the coming-together of several factors that brought about a genuine excitement about wrestling at UNO in the late 1960s,” said former UNO Sports Information Director Gary Anderson. He was sports editor of the school paper, The Gateway, that championship season. “There were some outstanding athletes who were enthusiastic and colorful to watch, a very good coach, and UNO won a lot of matches. UNO had the market cornered. Creighton had no team and Nebraska’s team wasn’t as dominant as UNO. It created a perfect storm.”
Benning said, “It was more important we had the best wrestling team in the state than winning the national championship. Everybody took pride in being No. 1.” Anderson said small schools like UNO “could compete more evenly” then with big schools in non-revenue producing sports like wrestling, which weren’t fully funded. He said as UNO “wrestled and defeated ‘name’ schools it added luster to the team’s mystique.
NU was among the NCAA schools UNO beat during Benning’s tenure, along with Wyoming, Arizona, Wisconsin, Kansas and Cornell. UNO tied a strong Navy team at the Naval Academy in what Hospodka called “the most hostile environment I ever wrestled in.” UNO crowned the most champions at the Iowa Invitational, where if team points had been kept UNO would have outdistanced the big school field.
“We didn’t care who you were — if you were Division I or NAIA or NCAA, it just didn’t matter to us,” said Hospodka, who pinned his way to the 190-pound title in 1970. The confidence to go head-to-head with anybody was something Benning looked for in his wrestlers and constantly reinforced.
Said Hospodka,”Don always felt like we could compete against anybody. He knew he had talent in the room. He didn’t think we had to take a back seat to anybody when it came to our abilities. He had a confidence about him that was contagious.”
The sport’s bible, Amateur Wrestling News, proclaimed UNO one of the best teams in the nation, regardless of division. UNO’s five-years of dominance, resulting in one national championship, two runner-up finishes, a third-place finish and an eighth place showing, regularly made the front page of the Omaha World-Herald sports section.
The grapplers also wrestled with an aggression and a flair that made for crowd-pleasing action. Benning said his guys were “exceptional on their feet and exceptional pinners.” It wasn’t unusual for UNO to record four or five falls per dual. Washington said it was UNO’s version of “showtime.” He and his teammates competed against each other for the most stylish or quickest pin.
Hospodka said “the bitter disappointment” of the team title being snatched away in ’69 fueled UNO’s championship run the next season, when UNO won its 14 duals by an average score of 32-6. It works out to taking 8 of every 10 matches. UNO posted three shut outs and allowed single digits in seven other duals. No one scored more than 14 points on them all year. The team won every tournament it competed in.
Everything fell into place. “Nobody at our level came even close to competing with us,” said Hospodka. “The only close match we had was Athletes in Action, and those were all ex-Big 8 wrestlers training for the World Games or the Olympics. They were loaded and we still managed to pull out a victory (19-14).” At nationals, he said, “we never had a doubt. We had a very solid lineup the whole way, everybody was at the top of their game. We wrapped up the title before the finals even started.” Afterwards, Benning told the Gateway, “It was the greatest team effort I have ever been acquainted with and certainly the greatest I’ve ever seen.”
Muhammad won his third individual national title and Hospodka his only one. Five Mavs earned All-America status.
The foundation for it all, Hospodka said, was laid in a wrestling room a fraction the size of today’s UNO practice facility. “I’ve been in bigger living rooms,” he said. But it was the work the team put in there that made the difference. “It was a tough room, and if you could handle the room then matches were a breeze. The easy part of your week was when you got to wrestle somebody else. There were very few people I wrestled that I felt would survive our wrestling room.”
“It was great competition,” said Jordan Smith. “One thing I learned after my first practice was that I was no longer the toughest guy in the room. There were some recruits who came into that room and practiced with us for a few days and we never saw them again. I was part of something that really was special. It was a phenomenal feeling.”
This band of brothers is well represented in the Maverick Wrestling and UNO Halls of Fame. The championship team was inducted by UNO and by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Benning, Mel Washington, Dhafir Muhammad and Curlee Alexander are in the Nebraska Black Sports Hall of Fame. But when UNO went from NAIA to NCAA Division II in ’73 it seemed the athletic department didn’t value the past. Tony Martinez said he rescued the team’s numerous plaques and trophies from a campus dumpster. Years later he reluctantly returned them to the school, where some can be viewed in the Sapp Fieldhouse lobby.
UNO’s current Hall of Fame coach, Mike Denney, knows the program owes much to what Benning and his wrestlers did. The two go way back.
Benning left coaching in ’71 for an educational administration career with OPS. Mike Palmisano inherited the program for eight years, but it regressed.
When Denney took over in ’79 he said “my thing was to try to find a way to get back to the level Don had them at and carry on the tradition he built.” Denney plans having Benning back as grand marshall for the March of All-Americans at this weekend’s finals. “I have great respect for him.” Benning admires what Denney’s done with the program, which has risen to even greater heights. “He’s done an outstanding job”
As for the old coach, he feels the real testament to what he achieved is how close his diverse team remains. They don’t get together like they once did. When they do, the bonds forged in sweat and blood reduce them to tears. Their ranks are thinned due to death and relocation. They’re fathers and grandfathers now, yet they still have each other’s backs. Benning’s boys still follow his lead. Hospokda said he often asks himself, “What would Don want me to do?”
At a recent reunion Washington told Benning, “I’m telling you now in front of everyone — thank you for bringing the family together.”
U. of Neb.-Omaha plans to move to Division I (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Nebraska at Omaha to join D-I’s Summit League (sports.espn.go.com)
UNC Greensboro cuts wrestling program (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Dean Blais Has UNO Hockey Dreaming Big (leoadambiga.wordpress.com)
UNO Wrestling Dynasty Built on a Tide of Social Change (leoadambiga.wordpress.com)
Categories: African-American Culture, Athletics, Don Benning, Omaha, Race, Social Justice, Sports, UNO (University of Nebraska at Omaha), Wrestling, Writing Tags: African-American Culture, Black Sports Legends, Don Benning, John Christensen, Mike Denney, Race, Social Justice, Trev Alberts, UNO (University of Nebraska at Omaha), UNO wrestling
Roy Napora
The Regents had already made up their minds. Get rid of the Regents. Roy Napora
Don Benning: Man of Steel (from my Omaha Black Sports Legends series, Out to Win: The Roots of Greatness) « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Marguerita Washington: The Woman Behind the Star that Never Sets « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Prodigal Son, Marlin Briscoe Takes the Long Road Home (from my Omaha Black Sports Legends series, Out to Win: The Roots of Greatness) « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Coloring History, A Long, Hard Road for UNO Black Studies « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Hidden In Plain View, Rudy Smith’s Camera and Memory Fix on a Critical Time in Struggle for Equality « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Redemption, Boys Town Grad Tyrice Ellebb Finds His Way « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Omaha Black Sports Legends featured in my series Out to Win: The Roots of Greatness « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Former Husker All-American Trev Alberts Tries Making UNO Athletics’ Slogan, ‘Omaha’s Team,’ a Reality « Leo Adam Biga's Blog
Tyler Owen: Man of MAHA Letting 1,000 Flowers Bloom: The Black Scholar’s Robert Chrisman Looks Back at a Life in the Maelstrom
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Students Share STEM Kits in Little Free Libraries
by Megan | Cool Library Designs, For Stewards, Library crafts and activities
Sheley Wimmer is a teacher and the steward of Little Free Library book-sharing box #84277 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her Library is a repurposed newspaper vending box, and it’s one of ten Little Libraries that her students are creating for their community.
Five Little Free Library book-sharing boxes await installation in neighborhoods around Albuquerque.
“This year one of our long-term projects is ‘Project Literacy–Let’s Read!’ Students used salvaged newspaper dispensers, donated by the Albuquerque Journal, in order to create Little Free Libraries, which will be placed in various communities in our city. Student teams aimed to inspire parents to work with early readers to embrace literacy, science, technology, and math by giving them free access to books,” says Wimmer.
Library themes include Alice in Wonderland and Color your Imagination!
Each Library will be registered with a charter sign on it, and decorated according to a particular theme, such as Dr. Seuss or Alice in Wonderland. But Wimmer and her students aren’t just sharing books in their Little Libraries, they’re sharing STEM kits that Library patrons can take with them, as well. Imagine visiting your neighborhood Little Library and being able to take home a mini-science project, how cool!
A Dr. Seuss-themed Little Free Library book exchange stocked with STEM kits.
“Our goal is to place and monitor ten Little Libraries around the city … the first five are now complete. One of them has the theme of ‘STEM with Seuss!’ Parents are encouraged to take a free STEM project provided by our students, along with a Dr. Seuss book,” says Wimmer. “The first one has been a huge success and we’ve had to refill it with STEM kits twice. We used a lot of ideas from Little Bins Little Hands to create the kits. Our goal is to place ten Libraries in communities that really need more adult/child interaction … and this has been a real eye-opening project for our students!”
Learn how to start a Little Free Library in your neighborhood, or search the Little Free Library world map to find one near you!
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Back to trips
The ultimate Transylvania road trip - Discover the best of Romania
Day 1: Sibiu - walking tour of Sibiu's sights & traditional Romanian food
Fly into Sibiu International Airport and kick off your sightseeing at the Bridge of Lies
Welcome to Romania! After you've landed in Sibiu International Airport (as early as possible, preferably), rent a hire car and make your way into the city - it should only take around 25 minutes.
Drop your stuff off at your hotel, freshen up and head out to explore Sibiu - day one is all about a relaxed self-guided walking tour of the main sights to ease you in to your Transylvania road trip.
This beautiful Saxon city is seriously photogenic as well as being a little quirky and bohemian, and a great place to start your tour is at the famous Bridge of Lies.
Aside from its practical function to connect the lower and upper towns of the city, this bridge is surrounded by myths and legends that attract many to cross it every day.
Legend has it that the bridge has ears, and if you tell a lie whilst you're walking over it, the bridgr will begin to creak, and if the lie is big enough the bridge will collapse. Try it for yourself, if you dare…
Dziewul/Shutterstock.com
Have a staring contest with the buildings
Believe it or not, the bridge isn't the only part of this city with a human quality: many of the buildings have eye-shaped windows built into their roofs, making it feel like they're constantly watching you as you explore.
Although they might seem fun and quirky today, these windows are echoes of the German influence in Romania, and were installed by the German occupiers to instil fear in the people of Sibiu, reminding them they were always being watched.
You'll be able to find loads of these windows dotted around, so have a wander once you're done at the bridge, snap a few photos to show your sceptical relatives back home, and take in this (slightly sinister) fragment of Sibiu's heritage.
VictoriaSh/Shutterstock.com
Go for lunch at Lili's Cafe
Your stroll will probably take you up to lunch time, at which point we recommend heading to Lili's Cafe: a cosy spot in the historic centre that's modern yet rustic, with loads of natural light and comfy leather chairs to relax in.
The food is fresh and beautifully presented. Try and leave room for dessert because the coffee and cakes are amazing too!
Relax, refuel, then head off to the Brukenthal National Museum whenever you're ready.
Spend the afternoon browsing the Brukenthal National Museum
The Brukenthal Museum is less than a five-minute walk away from the cafe, past the stunning Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church (pop inside to see the breathtaking painted ceiling, if you like.) Take your time walking over and admiring your surroundings.
The Brukenthal National Museum is one of the oldest of its kind in Romania, and is split into six different museums across the city, each with its own cultural significance.
Do some research on the different exhibitions to find out which area of the museum you want to prioritise, or take our word for it and admire the four floors of European Art at Brukenthal Palace (address: Piața Mare 4 - 5) and visit the 15th-century painted murals at the vaulted Fresco Hall (Piața Mică 22).
It costs 20 lei (around £4) to visit Brukenthal Palace, and 1 lei (20p) to visit the Fresco Hall.
Boerescu/Shutterstock.com
Celebrate at one of Sibiu's many festivals
Sibiu is known for hosting a whole range of different festivals, so spend the rest of your afternoon enjoying whatever's on during your visit.
A few of the best events to hit up are the Sibiu International Theatre Festival and the Sibiu Jazz festival, which are both in May, the Astra film festival in October, and the Medieval Festival - showcasing the Medieval culture and history of Transylvania- in August.
If your trip doesn't happen to fall during any festivals then don't worry, there's plenty more sights you're yet to discover around the city, so spend these few hours of downtime doing some extra exploring.
Some highlights to look out for include the Stairs Passage, The Council Tower (which has a viewpoint offering panoramic views), Sibiu City Hall, and the Reformed Church.
End day one with dinner and drinks
Once you've finished exploring for the day and have freshened up at your hotel, head out for some great food and drinks to celebrate the start of your Transylvania road trip.
There are countless amazing bars and eateries across the city offering a whole range of local and international dishes, so it shouldn't be hard to find a place to eat.
That being said, we do have two good recommendations if you can't decide:
Atrium Classic Cafe - if you want your dinner, drinks, and evening entertainment all rolled into one, then this is the place to go. Located right next to the Bridge of Lies, this spot offers great international food (the pizza is amazing), regular live music, a large selection of wines, and a buzzing atmosphere. Expect a lively welcome to Romania here.
Kulinarium - this central restaurant is definitely the more laid-back option of the two, and focuses on Romanian dishes with an international twist. To go really authentic, try the peasant bean soup served in a bread roll, and enjoy your food with a glass of wine to toast your trip.
Day 2: Sibiu to Cluj-Napoca - drive to Cluj-Napoca, see the sights, & explore the Botanic Garden
Miles: 108
Set off early on day two to drive to Cluj-Napoca
Try to set off as early as possible from Sibiu for your first day of driving - you'll want to have the maximum time to explore Cluj-Napoca (or Cluj) later on.
If you drive direct, it should take around two and a half hours to reach Cluj through beautiful green countryside. However if you fancy a dip in a thermal pool (don't we all?) then you could stop at Ocna Sibiului on the way and extend your journey a little.
This complex of several small thermal lakes and a mud pool is located just outside of Sibiu, and is a lovely place to go for a relaxing soak (plus, the pools are rumoured to have healing powers, so it's worth checking out). Stop for an hour if you're in no rush to arrive in Cluj.
Entry costs 10 lei and grants you access to all the pools.
Balate Dorin/Shutterstock.com
Grab a quick lunch then take a look around St Michael's Church
You probably won't arrive in Cluj much before lunch time (particularly if you went to Ocna Sibiului), so check into your hotel and grab a quick bite to eat before heading to St Michael's Church.
Located in Piața Unirii in the heart of the city, this 14th-century church is the second largest in Romania (after the Black Church in Brașov), and is famed for being the place where the 1458-90 King of Hungary and Croatia, King Matthias I, thought to be the most powerful king to rule Hungary, was baptised.
Although the church isn't intricately decorated, it's an incredible Gothic structure to visit that's full of atmosphere and character. Plus, it's a true symbol of Cluj.
Make sure you look up to admire the impressive vaulted ceilings and frescoes, enjoy the light shining through the colourful stained glass windows, and visit the Schleynig Chapel where the King was reputedly baptised.
You can also climb the tower to get uninterrupted views across the city, or visit one of the organ concerts that regularly take place in the church to hear some unforgettable music.
Note: the church has been undergoing a lot of restoration lately, so be aware that some areas may be closed during your visit. We'd recommend checking ahead to avoid disappointment.
cge2010/Shutterstock.com
Continue to explore the Historic Centre
When you leave the church, snap a quick photo with the Matthias Corvinus Statue (the King you've just learnt about), then continue to explore the historic Old Town.
We'd recommend heading east to Piața Avram Iancu, where you'll find the beautiful Assumption Cathedral with its domed towers, the Statue of Avram Iancu, the Cluj Tailors' Tower, and the National theatre Lucien Blaga all in a line.
Admire each of the sights, but we'd recommend giving the most attention to the National Theatre, which shares its building with the Romanian Opera. This beautiful bright yellow building was built between 1904 and 1906, and still puts on regular opera, ballet and theatre performances.
Snap some pictures of the building and try and bag some tickets for a show this evening if you want to see the inside (booking tickets online in advance of your trip is definitely advisable).
tony4urban/Shutterstock.com
Although we think the best way to fully experience a place is to have a leisurely walk around, by all means fill this time with a trip to one of the city's many museums instead, if you'd prefer.
A few to choose from include Bánffy Palace art museum, the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania, and the Museum of Pharma, which are all fascinating in their own unique ways.
Spend the rest of your afternoon at the Alexandru Borza Cluj-Napoca University Botanic Garden
Once you're satisfied you've seen the Historic Centre, spend the rest of the day enjoying the natural beauty of the Botanic Garden.
Located a short walk south of Piața Unirii, this garden is home to approximately 10,000 different species of plant from around the world, which you'll find throughout the leafy gardens and in three greenhouses.
Enjoy the calm, learn about the plants, and definitely check out the beautiful and peaceful Japanese and Roman Gardens.
We'd also recommend you don't miss the enormous lily pads housed in one of the greenhouses, and the statue of Romanian botanist Alexandru Borza, from whom the garden gets its name.
belu gheorghe/Shutterstock.com
ELEPHOTOS/Shutterstock.com
Entry to the Botanic Garden costs 10 lei.
Have dinner then hit the town to experience Cluj's buzzing nightlife
Time for some more Romanian food, except this time it's without the international twist. Roata serves up home-style, authentic dishes native to the Transylvania region, offering a true taste of this area of Romania.
This restaurant is small and simple, serving up hearty meat and cabbage dishes, steaming bowls of soup, and Transylvanian Platters for two which let you sample a little of everything.
Try something completely new (you never know, it might be your new favourite dish), and leave the restaurant feeling all cosy and satisfied (read: very very full).
If you've got the energy left after dinner, we'd suggest hitting the town to experience Cluj's nightlife.
With a really high student population, this town comes alive at night, with quirky bars and cheap drinks taking centre stage.
You can either just head to a busy local bar for a few drinks (try lively Old Shepard), or go all out at one of Cluj's many nightclubs (such as Revolution Club or Flying Circus).
Stay out until the early hours or go back to your hotel after a few beers - the choice is yours. But remember, you have to drive in the morning, so don't go too crazy!
Day 3: Cluj-Napoca to Sighișoara - Drive to Sighișoara, discover its Saxon culture & drink Pálinka
Miles: 98
Discover Sighișoara's UNESCO World Heritage Old Town
Your drive to Sighișoara should take around two hours and 45 minutes, so aim to arrive around midday.
The small fortified city of Sighișoara celebrates the fast-disappearing Transylvanian Saxon culture, and looks as if it's been lifted straight from a fairytale.
Think cobbled streets lined with pastel-hued houses, picturesque squares, and medieval spires poking out above the rooftops (have your camera at the ready).
Jeroen Mikkers/Shutterstock.com
The main area in which you'll find this stunning architecture is the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, which is made up of a medieval citadel (the core fortified area of the city) spread across a steep hill.
The citadel is enclosed within majestic walls and watchtowers, which were once used to protect Sighișoara from Turkish attacks.
Nine towers and two bastions survive today, so see how many you can find as you spend some time looking around, starting at the Clock Tower which marks the main entry point to the citadel.
Dumitrescu Ciprian-Florin/Shutterstock.com
Relax and have a coffee break in Fortress Square
When you're ready to take a break, end up at pretty Fortress Square in the middle of the citadel for a well-earned sit down.
There's a great no-frills cafe here called House on the Rock that's the ideal spot to have a rest and rejuvenate before continuing your sightseeing. Either just stop here for a quick coffee and a slice of cake, or settle in for a longer lunch - the choice is yours!
photosmatic/Shutterstock.com
Climb up the Scara acoperită to the Church on the Hill
From here, take a short walk south to the Scara acoperită, or the 'covered staircase'. This wooden stairway was originally built in 1642 with 300 steps to make it easier for students to reach the school at the top of the hill, and was modified in 1845, reducing it to the 175 steps you can climb today.
Granted, there's not a whole lot to the steps, but they do have a story to tell and look pretty amazing if you peer through from either end.
Peter Zamorowski/Shutterstock.com
The stairs will lead you to the beautiful Gothic Church on the Hill (aka the Biserica Evanghelică Din Deal), the school, and a serene graveyard which are all lovely to explore.
Admittedly, this road trip is pretty church-heavy, so feel free to skip this one if you want to (you've got one more coming up in Brașov), however this triple-naved example features some stunning remains of fading 15th-century frescoes and an intricate altarpiece that are well worth a few minutes of your time.
Philip Bird LRPS CPAGB/Shutterstock.com
The hill in itself is a really pretty area of winding cobbled pathways with beautiful buildings and panoramic views peeking through the trees.
It's a super relaxing place to spend some time, particularly when the sun is shining, so stick around for a bit once you've seen the church for a moment of calm.
Sample some Pálinka at Teo's Distillery
Head back down the stairs if you want to, or follow Strada Scării back to the bottom for a change of scenery; either way you'll end up in exactly the same place in prime position to head to Teo's Distillery (or Teo's Cellar) to sample some Pálinka.
This traditional Romanian tipple is a kind of brandy that's classically made using plums and is typically drunk before meals and to toast happy occasions. Tradition states that it must be gulped down in one whilst shouting 'norac!' (Romanian for 'cheers').
At Teo's you can try more than just the original plum version, with loads of fruity flavours on offer including, peach, apple, pear, and forest fruits.
Have a chat to friendly owner Teo about all the different flavours of Pálinka and his production methods to get a feel for this classic Romanian tradition, and buy a bottle or two of your favourite flavour to take home and enjoy later.
A word of warning: these spirits are aged for up to five years and can contain an alcohol level of 50%, so make sure you only have a small sip of each one!
Get spooked at Dracula's house
Okay so you've had a bit of Pálinka and you're feeling a little merry, which makes it the perfect time to visit Casa Vlad Dracl, where Vlad Ţepeş (or Vlad the Impaler) is thought to have been born.
Seeing as Transylvania was the setting of Bram Stoker's classic vampire story Dracula, it would be wrong not to indulge in a little vampire fun during your trip, so make your way to the house as evening starts to fall.
Built on the site of Vlad's house (note: it's the true location of his residence but the house has since been rebuilt), this attraction is now a bar and restaurant with a spooky Vlad Room that you can access for 5 lei.
We'll admit, the room is a little gimmicky, decorated with red silk sheets and a coffin (as well as staff on hand to give you a surprise scare!) Still, it's an inexpensive bit of harmless vampire fun that'll definitely make you smile.
Grab some dinner at the house or find somewhere else nearby, then head back to your hotel to get some rest.
Day 4: Sighișoara to Brașov - explore Brașov & scale Tâmpa Mountain
Kick off your Brașov stay by exploring Piața Sfatului
After you've arrived in Brașov (the drive is around an hour and 45 minutes) and dropped off your things at your hotel, head straight out to begin your sightseeing at the main square, Piața Sfatului (or Council Square).
This picturesque main square is located in the historic centre of Brașov, and is fringed with the colourful pastel-hued buildings of the city's Old Town.
In the centre of the square you'll find the former Council House (Casa Sfatului) and Trumpeter's Tower.
Built in 1420, this is both one of the most visited and most controversial buildings in Brașov (it's thought that it contained a torture chamber in the 16th century), and today houses the Brașov County Museum of History (Muzeul Județean de Istorie Brașov).
The museum contains a really interesting account of Transylvania's history including its Roman, Medieval, and Saxon heritage, and provides a great opportunity to step inside one of Brașov's most historic buildings.
Visit the museum if you're in the mood (admission costs 7 lei), or just take a seat at one of the surrounding cafes to enjoy the square and indulge in a little people watching.
Walk south to visit the Black Church
Just to the south of the Square you'll find your next stop - the Black Church (Biserica Neagră). This towering Gothic church is the largest in Romania, and is particularly striking next to the quaint colourful buildings next door.
The Church was built between 1385 and 1477, and got its name after it was charred during Brașov's Great Fire in 1689. It took around 100 years to fully restore the building, and today it's another of the city's most iconic landmarks.
It's definitely worth going inside. Things to look out for include the enormous 4,000-pipe organ, the ornate collection of 17th and 18th-century rugs donated to the church by the craftsmen, merchants and citizens of the city, the intricate sculptures and portals, and the large bronze font.
Visiting hours are between 10am and 5pm in summer, and 10am and 3:30pm in winter (it's closed on Sundays year round). It costs 4 lei to enter.
It's also good to note that you're not allowed to take pictures inside, but definitely snap some of the blackened outside whilst you're visiting.
Climb up to some of the Old Town Fortifications
As in Sighișoara, the Old Town of Brasov was once surrounded by fortified walls to protect the city from attacks by the Turks. A visit to some of these fortifications is your next port of call.
Seven bastions were built in the city's most exposed areas, two of which you can access from close to the Black Church. So grab a quick lunch nearby (there are plenty of cafes and restaurants), and walk up Strada După Ziduri to head towards the Black and White Towers.
Both of these watchtowers are located on the hillside overlooking the orange-tiled rooftops of Brașov on the popular pedestrianised western section of the walls.
Climb first to the Black Tower before continuing to follow the path to the White Tower, taking in these spectacular buildings up close and enjoying the amazing views.
Calin Stan/Shutterstock.com
Top off your day four sightseeing with a trip up Tâmpa Mountain
Walk back down from the towers and cross Piața Sfatului, heading south east to get to the foot of Tâmpa Mountain: you've got time for one last activity before it gets dark.
You're likely to have already noticed the Hollywood-esque Brașov sign perched high on the mountain, and scaling this leafy peak to reach it is where you'll get the best views of the town (even better than from the Old Town Fortifications).
It is possible to hike to the top, but it'll probably be getting a little late by this point, and we're betting your legs are already pretty tired. Hop on the cable car instead, which will whizz you to the top in two and a half minutes (17 lei for a round trip).
The destination of the cable car is around 1,400 feet above the city, and if you're up for a short walk, we'd recommend walking west to the viewing platform which is next to the 'v' of the Brașov sign.
From here you'll be able to spot all of the sights you've visited so far, and look out across the green fields and rocky mountains in the distance. Trust us, you won't regret making the trip up Tâmpa!
Wrap up day four with another traditional Romanian meal
Such a busy day definitely calls for some more hearty Romanian food. Once you've freshened up at your hotel, head back into the centre of town to hunt down an authentic dinner spot before you call it a night.
We've selected two great traditional restaurants in Brașov with slightly different vibes but equally delicious food:
La Ceaun - this traditional spot focuses mainly on hearty, homemade soups and stews - the ultimate comfort food after a long day of sightseeing. The locally-sourced ingredients and cosy atmosphere ensure that this place remains a firm favourite for visitors and locals alike. Note: there are two sites, but opt for the one on Piața Sfatului for maximum ambience.
Restaurant Sergiana- this elegant restaurant offers the full traditional package, with authentic dishes made with all local ingredients served up by waiters sporting traditional Romanian dress. Although there is a big focus on meaty dishes, there are still plenty of veggie options, making it the perfect spot for any visitor to enjoy a traditional dining experience.
Day 5: Brașov to Sibiu - visit Bran Castle and drive the Transfăgărășan Road
Wake up as early as possible to get going on day five - today is completely focused on one of the most scenic drives in the world along the Transfăgărășan Road (with a pit stop at iconic Bran Castle).
Although covering just over 180 miles, this drive is likely to take upwards of six hours due to all the twists and turns and tricky sections of road, so leave as much time as you can. You should also plan on bringing a packed lunch, and sharing the driving if possible.
Drive to your first stop, Bran Castle
Before you get to the Transfăgărășan, make a quick stop at Bran Castle around 18 miles outside of Brașov.
This castle is one of the most famous national landmarks in Romania, mainly due to its reputation as 'Dracula's Castle' - the home of Bram Stoker's notorious fictional vampire.
emperorcosar/Shutterstock.com
In reality, the connections between Dracula and the castle are pretty tenuous (with a loose link to Vlad the Impaler and a couple of Stoker's descriptions), so don't go expecting a dark, creepy, vampire-themed attraction, or you'll be disappointed.
The Castle is thought to have been built in the 14th century and used in defence of the expansion of the Ottoman Empire between 1438 and 1442, as well as serving as a customs port to hold goods going in and out of Transylvania via the Bran Gorge.
Photo by Clay Gilliland - Link
On your visit you're more likely to get a feel for its more recent history as a royal residence for Queen Maria, which was its purpose from 1920 until the royals were exiled by the Communist regime in 1948.
It was then used as a museum for a number of years before finally being returned to its royal heirs in 2009.
As you explore, you'll find simply decorated rooms with heavy wooden beams and whitewashed walls made to look as they would have in Queen Maria's day, with added displays of beautiful royal relics.
Spend around an hour here exploring before heading back to the car.
Photo by Jorge Láscar - Link
Admission to Bran Castle costs 40 lei, and the walk up to the Castle is a little steep so wear your comfy shoes!
Travel tip: if possible, try to plan your trip so that day five doesn't fall on a Monday as the Castle only opens that day at 12pm. Every other day it opens at 9am which is way better to give you time for the drive ahead.
Drive west to join up with the Transfăgărășan
Now for the bit all the driving enthusiasts among you have been waiting for: Transfăgărășan.
Drive south west from Bran Castle to get to the south end of the Transfăgărășan Road at Curtea de Argeș - the scenic leg of your trip starts now.
Roughly 56 miles long, the road was built in the 1970s under the orders of Nicolae Ceausescu, the then-Communist President of Romania, to create a strategic route across the Fagaras Mountains, thereby enabling troops to push north if they were invaded by the USSR.
Today, the road is more for entertainment than practicality, attracting both local and international driving enthusiasts to its tarmac. There's been a recent increase in British tourism in particular, thanks to its mention as one of the best roads in the world on TV show Top Gear in 2009.
DaLiu/Shutterstock.com
Note: the road is only open between June and October, as it's too dangerous during the snowy season. If it's not open, take E81 north to get to Sibiu instead. It goes through the Romanian countryside so is a lovely scenic alternative to the Transfăgărășan.
Things to see as you drive along the Transfăgărășan
Driving the length of the road is likely to take around three hours, however there are some really interesting, scenic attractions along the way that make great stop off points, so expect the drive to take a little longer.
Here are a few of the best bits to look out for as you drive through:
Poenari Castle ruins
The first main sight you'll come to as you drive along the road is the Poenari Castle (or Poenari Citadel) ruins.
Also known as the 'Real Dracula Castle' (although this also has no legitimate connections to Bram Stoker's novel), this 13th-century building sits high on the hill to the left of the Transfăgărășan.
You'll be able to catch a glimpse of the ruins ahead of you just after you've driven through Capatineni town, and you can stop by the Hidrocentrala Vidraru power station if you fancy taking a picture.
From here it is possible to climb up to visit the Castle, however you can only climb up twice a day with a guide due to the bear risk in the woods, and it takes a pretty long time to get there.
In light of that, we'd recommend that you just admire it from the road before you continue your drive.
Vidraru Dam
Continue driving on from the ruins, navigating around an epic hairpin turn, before reaching the Vidraru Dam.
Okay, so visiting one of the largest hydroelectric plants in Europe doesn't exactly sound like a must-see attraction, but you'll have to trust us that it's actually a really beautiful feature of the road.
This sweeping arch was built in 1966 to produce hydroelectricity, but we think its role as an incredible viewpoint over Lake Vidraru is far superior (well, in road trip terms anyway).
You can't stop on the actual dam, but there are parking spaces at either end, so find a spot and walk across, taking in the stunning views of the lake and green hills in the distance.
Yevhenii Chulovskyi/Shutterstock.com
Have your picnic here if you're peckish, and make sure you spot the electricity pylon disguised as Prometheus; it's pretty unique!
Climb up to the statue if you want to, then make your way back to the car to continue your drive.
Bâlea Lake
The next leg of your drive from the Dam is pretty remote, so enjoy a long stretch of unspoilt countryside as you wriggle around the Transfăgărășan's bends until you reach the Bâlea Tunnel.
At 884 metres long, this road tunnel is the longest in Romania, taking you out at the highest point of the Transfăgărășan: Bâlea Lake.
The glacial lake is located at 2,034 metres of altitude in the Făgăraș Mountains (aka the Transylvanian Alps), and is a pretty spectacular sight to behold, with its mirror-like surface reflecting the surrounding mountains.
There's ample parking just after you come out of the tunnel, so we'd recommend hopping out of the car and wandering down to the edge of the water to stretch your legs and take a break.
Drive the rest of the Transfăgărășan and continue on to Sibiu
When you're ready, get back in the car (this would be a great opportunity to switch drivers) and continue on to the most iconic section of the road - you've probably seen photos of this bit.
While a lot of the road winds through beautiful woodland, here you're snaking through an open valley, with the road wriggling ahead of you as if it's been draped over the hill side.
Photo by Lorenzo Castagnone - Link
Enjoy the rest of the road (it'll be one to remember), then meet up with the DN1 to take you west back into Sibiu.
Have the last dinner of the trip
The main thing on your mind when you arrive in Sibiu will probably be food, so ditch the car and have a wander round to find a restaurant for dinner.
Either opt for somewhere you didn't get time to try first time round in Sibiu, or grab a table somewhere new.
We've got a few suggestions of places we think would be perfect for a final, celebratory meal to round off your trip:
Hochmeister- this modern, stylish restaurant is a small-but-perfectly-formed spot in the centre of town to grab some great food. With both traditional and international options on the menu, it's up to you how authentic or foreign you go, with dishes ranging from Romanian to Chinese, French, Indian and Mexican. If you're after lots of choice, definitely bag a table here.
Old Lisbon - for something international, opt for Portuguese food at Old Lisbon. This restaurant focuses on all things fish with a piri piri kick, serving up the freshest seafood and Portuguese wine in a relaxed atmosphere.
Hermania Restaurant - this spot dishes up traditional Saxon cuisine that sums up the heritage of Sibiu (and many of the other places you've visited on this trip) perfectly. Serving up comforting dishes made with fresh, local produce, this restaurant is the ideal place to celebrate the journey you've just taken through Transylvania.
Once you've eaten, find a bar if you're after one last shot of Pálinka, or just head back to your hotel to relax - either way, make the most of your final night away!
Day 6: Sibiu - see any last sights and head home
Your day six all depends on your flight time and when you need to start heading home, so your itinerary is in your hands today.
If you have time we'd recommend having one final look around the city, going to any sights you missed on your first day, and enjoying one last hearty Romanian feast before you need to head to the airport.
We hope you've had a great Transylvania road trip!
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Big Debate : Controversy over Amaravati bonds
The AP Government has focused on building its capital Amaravati and it is alleging that the centre is not giving enough financial support for the capital. The AP Government has started raising funds for building the capital on its own and bonds were put in Bombay stock exchange. Out of the 1300 crores worth of bonds, the Amaravati bonds could get 2000 crores through these bonds at the interest rate over 10.32 %. The YSRCP and BJP are criticising the TDP Government over these bonds and watch the video for the debate on these bonds.
Tags: Big News Big Debate, Amaravati,
Tue, Aug 21, 2018, 09:08 AM
Watch: Teenmar Savitri Shocking Makeover For Bigg Boss 3
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Former congressional candidate Rick Saccone starts a blog called Veritas007 to expose "hidden agendas"
by Ryan Deto
Screenshot from YouTube.com
Rick Saccone
“Saccone, Rick Saccone” is a phrase that not even the most virulent QAnon conspiracy-believing, Trumped-up conservative would ever find themselves thinking. Equating the former special-election loser and former state Rep. Rick Saccone (R-Elizabeth) with James Bond makes absolutely no sense.
Before his defeat to U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Mount Lebanon) last year, Saccone was best known for being a far-right state representative who wanted all Pennsylvania public schools to be emblazoned with the words “in God We Trust” and thought that gun-owners should be a protected class under the state’s civil rights laws.
He was never a spy, but rather a diplomat who worked with North Korea. He also was never particularly good at charming voters, as he lost an election to a political newcomer in a district that President Donald Trump won by almost 20 points.
But Saccone’s latest venture literally begs for a James Bond comparison. It’s a blog with a URL of commentary.vertitas007.com and hosted on blogger.com.
The actual title of the website is Veritas: Truth is Freedom. In an introductory video filled with unlicensed stock images, Saccone lays out the truth-telling he hopes to accomplish:
“Tired of fake news and lying politicians? I know you are. … From this platform, I will bring you the truth about what is occurring and developing in our world. Commenting in national and international affairs. Educating and inspiring people to think deeper about current events.”
He then goes on to complain about Planned Parenthood, and “our Godly heritage,” all with the goal to “sift through the hidden agendas and falsehoods of the liberal left.”
Of course, his first two blog entries contain multiple falsehoods.
In a July 7 post titled “Cecil Richards,” about the former Planned Parenthood president, Saccone falsely claims that abortions generate 40 percent of Planned Parenthood’s revenue.
According to Planned Parenthood’s 2017-2018 annual report, revenue from non-government health services, which include abortions and other contraception services, comprised 22 percent of the organization's total revenue. According to the Washington Post, “advocates and opponents of abortion rights have calculated somewhere between 15 percent and 37 percent of the organization’s annual non-government health services revenue comes from abortion services.” Even taking the high end of that estimation would mean than abortion services provide around 8 percent of Planned Parenthood's total revenue.
Screenshot from commentary.veritas007.com
Saccone then compares Richards to Adolf Hilter and Nazi chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels.
“Richards is a hero to the pro-abortionists but a Hitler to many of the pro-lifers fighting the infant holocaust she perpetuates. She is her own Joseph Goebbels Reich Minister of Propaganda for abortion.”
Pennsylvanian Republicans have a habit of comparing those advocating abortion access to Nazis, as House Speaker Mike Turzai did so in April. Saccone also called abortion "a lie," without elaborating further.
In a July 6 post about high rates of suicide among veterans, Saccone claims that he has not heard any Democratic presidential candidate “talk about ensuring our veterans actually receive care.”
Democratic presidential candidates Beto O'Rourke and Elizabeth Warren have recently supported proposals to ensure better health care for veterans. O’Rourke has called for the creation of the Veterans' Health Care Trust Fund, which would be funded through a tax on households without active service members or veterans. Warren, currently serving as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, has co-sponsored a bill to establish Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs, with the goal of “improving the VA's outreach, health care and benefits for Native Americans.”
Before starting this blog, Saccone had been spending a lot of time on Twitter and Facebook, spewing MAGA talking points and tagging Trump incessantly. He even addressed that usage in his introductory video, letting his followers know that Veritas007.com would “expand” on those issues of interest.
Our great president @realDonaldTrump always honors our National Motto In God We Trust. God is blessing him and our country. #MAGA #Trump2020 #KAG2020 #Conservative pic.twitter.com/Q2FFkHGmwb
— Rick Saccone (@RickSaccone4PA) May 9, 2019
Interestingly, even though Saccone has entered the video and blogger world of the right-wing media, he has initially adopted a calm and professor-like demeanor, as opposed to the more typical vein-popping delivery of conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones.
Maybe he intends to keep his far-right conservative dogma classy, just like James Bond would want.
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News Media Politics Rick Saccone Donald Trump James Bond Veritas007. Planned Parenthood
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You don't have to go to the gym to get your exercise
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Identification technology swings to focus on heartbeat
June 28, 2019 by Nancy Cohen, Phys.org
Credit: tswg.gov
A laser from a distance can identify people by their heartbeat. The Pentagon has the technology in a new device, which was developed for the Pentagon after US Special Forces requested it. The prototype can pick up on a unique cardiac signature from 200 meters (219 yards) away, even through clothes, said MIT Technology Review.
Scientists' curiosity is beyond the fingerprint as a way of telling people apart but gaits, and faces, are not always adequate for distinction.
(Facial identification needs frontal view of the face, which, especially from a drone, may be hard to obtain, said David Hambling. Not only that, but recognition may be confused by beards, sunglasses or headscarves.)
An individual's cardiac signature is unique, though, and unlike faces or gait, it remains constant and cannot be altered or disguised, said Hambling.
Say hello to Jetson.
The device is intended to capture cardiac signatures. It's an aid for positive identification of an individual (at the distance of up to 200 meters). "Being able to measure unique cardiac signatures obtained from an individual at a distance provides additional biometric identification when environmental conditions and changes in facial appearance hinder the use of more common facial recognition systems," according to a review describing projects.
How Jetson works: It uses a laser vibrometry technique to detect the surface movement caused by the heartbeat. This works with clothing such as shirt and jacket though not with thicker clothing such as winter coat.
An invisible, quarter-size laser spot kept on a target takes about 30 seconds to get a good return. At present, said Hambling, the device is effective only where the subject is sitting or standing. The other limitation for the time being is how long it takes to get a result—it takes around half a minute, which limits its effectiveness to subjects that are sitting or otherwise standing in one place.
Nonetheless, said Paul Lilly in HotHardware, "when it works, it works well. The team that developed it claims it is over 95 percent accurate in good conditions, and could further improve over time."
Zak Doffman in Forbes said, "Cardiac identification joins gait recognition, voiceprint, facial recognition and fingerprinting as biometrics become ever more commonplace in identity assurance."
Rachel England, Engadget, said that " it could have other applications as well. As MIT notes, doctors could check heartbeats without having to touch the patient, while hospitals could wirelessly monitor a patient's vitals."
In TechSpot, Cal Jeffrey, meanwhile, said, outside of the Pentagon, the heartbeat as a marker for discovery has been around. Jeffrey quoted Wenyao Xu of the State University of New York at Buffalo, who developed a cardiac sensor that uses radar. "Compared with face, cardiac biometrics are more stable and can reach more than 98% accuracy,"
Jeffrey, too, shared some thoughts about applications. "Wireless heart monitors are a possibility as are stethoscope-free checkups with your doctor. Badge-less entry systems for secured buildings would be another use case."
More information: Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office: www.tswg.gov/Documents/ReviewB … 18ReviewBook_web.pdf
Enhancing face recognition tools with generative face completion
Researchers achieve 100 percent recognition rates for half and three-quarter faces
The seven ages of face recognition
Chinese 'gait recognition' tech IDs people by how they walk
Recognizing people by the way they walk
Biometrics researchers report on facial recognition technology
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How to Defeat the Tyrannosaurus Rex in Tomb Raider Anniversary
This is to help any Tomb Raider beginners or those struggling to play Tomb Raider: Anniversary. This is about how to defeat only the Tyrannosaurus Rex, but I will post how to defeat the other three bosses.
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Tyrannosaurs Rex is found in Peru, Level 3: The Lost Valley. There will be a cutscene before the actual battle. During the cutscene, there will be two parts involving you. When the glowing white arrows appear, press the required keys W/S/A/D (I have only played on PC, but the rule goes for all gaming systems) depending on where the arrow is pointing.
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Begin battling the Tyrannosaurus Rex by simply shooting at him with your pistols from afar. (Note: The Tyrannosaurus' rage bar at the top right of your screen) it will increase the more you shoot at the Tyrannosaurus. The Tyrannosaurs battles by advancing on you, chomping, and slashing with his tail. He's slow, so he's easy to avoid.
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Adrenaline Dodge: Once the Tyrannosaurs' rage is at its peak, the Tyrannosaur will charge. If you have time, move to stand in front of a spiked bar. Once the screen turns blurry, use the Adrenaline Dodge (going either left or right) while locked on the Tyrannosaur. The moment it strikes red, shoot at him. The Tyrannosaur will fumble, and ram into the spiked bar (if Lara is standing in front of one) causing extreme damage to the Tyrannosaur. You can also defeat the Tyrannosaur without the use of the spiked bars in case you can't get to one in time; however, it takes longer time to defeat the Tyrannosaur.
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Repeat Step #3. Eventually the Tyrannosaur's health will decrease all the way, and you can continue Lara's adventure.
How do I defend for the first time?
When Lara meets the T-Rex, a series of quick events will occur. Press the button/key according to the one displayed on screen, successfully evading each attack. In the arena, shoot the T-Rex repeatedly until the "rage" bar flashes. The T-Rex will storm towards Lara. Line yourself up with the spiky mounted things placed around the edges. You will have to do this three times in succession. Be sure to distance Lara so you have time to line up. After the T-Rex runs into all three, a final, quick event sequence will occur and cause the T-Rex to collapse... unconscious or dead? It's for you to decide.
Thanks! 3 0
How do I do Adrenaline Dodge?
Repeatedly shoot an enemy until its "rage bar" flashes. The enemy will storm toward you. Leap out of the way with your pistols drawn, and Lara will enter "adrenaline mode." You also can shoot the enemy; wait until the white circle turns red, then fire.
How do I beat the T-Rex using bugs?
I found that always crashes the system. The only time it didn't was when I used the bugs after I dipped them in nectar.
TipsEdit
Adrenaline Dodge: This is a new feature to the Tomb Raider games. This move is needed in Anniversary to defeat the three major bosses. The Adrenaline Dodge is used differently depending on which gaming system you are playing Anniversary on. I, myself, have only played the PC version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary, so I can help you from there. (The rules imply, however, with all the gaming systems Anniversary is available on) Just read the guide that comes with the game.
5 Helpful? 1
In Tomb Raider, when you provoke the enemies by shooting at them, their rage will increase, and some of them will charge Lara. When they do, the screen turns blurry, and time slows down, giving Lara the chance to counterattack. For PC, when the screen goes blurry, swiftly use the cursor keys W/S/A/D (much easier than trying to use the arrow keys - unless you have three hands!)along with the left Shift key to dodge, and only fire when the lock-target turns from gray to red! For smaller enemies: wolves, raptors, mummies, etc... the results usually an instant kill. For the bosses, it will only stun them, startle them, or trip them.
Tyrannosaurs Rex Tips: The battle moves along fast if you shoot at the Tyrannosaur while standing in front of a spiked bar. But do not get ahead of yourself. If the Tyrannosaur gets close, move aside, even if it means using the Adrenaline Dodge away from a spiked bar.
Make sure to save your game! Always! I had one occurrence where the game froze on me during my battle with the Tyrannosaur and I got pushed far back into the game, having to do most of the level all over again.
Use Zerg Properly
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Tweak an Old Tomb Raider Game to Work on a New Windows Machine (Xp, Vista, 7 Etc.)
Kill the Dragon in Tomb Raider 2
Defeat Boaz in Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness
Run Tomb Raider I on Windows XP and Vista
Beat Home Sweet Home Level in Tomb Raider 2
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Defeat Sophia Leigh in the Tomb Raider 3 Video Game
Categories: Tomb Raider Video Games
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Home/Ryan
Ryan is a professional nerd, teaching engineering in the frozen north. Somewhat less professionally, he is a costumer, author, blacksmith, juggler, gamer, serial enthusiast, and supporter of the Oxford comma. He can be found on twitter and instagram @studentofwhim. If you like what I do here, feel free to leave a tip in my tipjar.
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Feeney named SAC Runner of the Week
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Mars Hill University's Nyla Feeney has been named the AstroTurf South Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for races Oct. 9 - 15, the League announced today.
Feeney, a junior from Waxhaw, N.C., was the top Lions' runner at the Queen City Invitational. She placed 44th overall crossing the finish line with a time of 19:59. As a team Mars Hill finished 12th in their final race before Saturday's SAC Cross Country Championship. The award is her first Runner of the Week honor this season.
July 11, 2018 Exciting changes to the Cross Country and Track & Field programs at MHU
February 13, 2018 Mars Hill earns USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for 22nd straight year
November 4, 2017 Mars Hill close out season at Southeast Region Cross Country Championships
October 21, 2017 Lions place 10th at SAC Championship
October 18, 2017 Feeney named SAC Runner of the Week
October 13, 2017 Jones runs personal best, Lions finish 12 at Queen City Invitational
September 29, 2017 Feeney, Burns run personal bests at Royals XC Classic
September 23, 2017 Lions finish fifth at Columbus State Cougar Invitational
September 9, 2017 Feeney notches personal best at Furman Invitational
September 9, 2017 Lions place 15th at Furman Invitational
September 1, 2017 Feeney leads Lions to open 2017-18 campaign
August 30, 2017 Lions picked eighth in SAC preseason voting
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Are you a pet governor? A home chairman?
By Ben Bowles June 25, 2019
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (Image: ) (Image: YouTube screen grab)
Earlier this month, LU contributor Rusty Weiss informed readers that the National Basketball Association was considering doing away with the word owner (as in “team owner”) because it can be construed by some as “racially insensitive.” On Monday the change became official. CBS News reports:
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA will look to move away from the use of the term “owner” to describe those with controlling interest of teams in favor of terms like “Governor of the team,” “alternate Governor,” or even “Chairman.”
“I don’t want to overreact to the term because, as I said earlier, people end up twisting themselves into knots avoiding the use of the word ‘owner,'” Silver said, via TMZ Sports. “But we moved away from that term years ago with the league. We call our team owners ‘Governors’ of the team and ‘alternate Governors.’ So I think it makes sense. As I said, I don’t want to overreact … but I’m sensitive to it and I think to the extent that teams are moving away from the term, we’ll stick with using governor.”
He doesn’t want to overreact? Who wants to tell him that ship has sailed. Rather than contorting the language to a point of absurdity, Silver could have patiently explained to Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green, who opened this can of worms, that the term owner is common in the world of business. As Dallas Mavericks owner (er, governor!) Mark Cuban said in reaction to Green’s assertion that owner has racial overtones, the term designated an individual who runs the organization like a business, not someone who owns players.
But alas the die is cast. From now on I will refer to myself as a car governor.
(h/t Randy Savage)
Posted in: Politics, Sports and CultureTagged: basketball, Political Correctness, racism
Ben Bowles
Ben Bowles is a freelance writer and regular contributor to "Liberty Unyielding."
Reporter asks Ocasio-Cortez if Planned Parenthood is concentration camp for unborn
Migrant aid bill is reportedly cutting the Democrats in two
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Memoirs of a Teapot
Objects have stories to tell
If Walls Could Talk: The Kitchen
DocumentariesMemoirs of a Teapot May 20, 2017 0
A month ago, I posted a review on Lucy Worsley’s documentary series If Walls Could Talk. As a recap, this is a four part series covering the history of the most important rooms in the house: the living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Just recently I watched episode 4 of the series about the evolution of the Kitchen from Medieval times to modern day.
6 Cool things I learnt about the Kitchen from If Walls Could Talk Episode 4:
In the Medieval Period the peasant’s kitchen was also the living room. The original open-plan living! From the Tudor period the wealthy moved their kitchens further and further away from the social areas of the house. Mainly they were concerned about the risk of fire to the rest of the house. But the smell and noise associated with kitchens was also seen as distasteful. This trend slowly filtered down into the middle and lower classes, who also began to build separate kitchens.
Henry VIII only hired male servants to work in his kitchens at Hampton Court – 200 of them all up! In this period, employers paid male servants a higher wage than women. Henry wanted to show that he could afford the most expensive workers!
In the 1600’s interesting inventions were created to make cooking a roast less labour intensive. Instead of one person slowly turning a spit for hours on end, a new invention connected the spit to a dog wheel. The Turnspit dog was bred specifically to turn the wheel, but is now extinct.
In England in the 1800’s, French culinary utensils, kitchen-ware and recipes were in vogue. In fact, a man could give a trendy, new copper pan to his beloved to indicate that an engagement was coming!
Cast Iron kitchen ranges were used from the 1800’s until the invention of gas and electric cookers. Scullery maids cleaned and blacked the range daily and the cook checked the temperature of the oven by hand. Cast Iron ranges required a constant source of coal to stay heated. So by the 1920’s the new gas cookers were advertised as ‘wageless servants’! A crafty ploy as many servants didn’t return to their jobs after World War I.
Victorian housekeepers used kitchen scraps for a range of profitable purposes. Food scraps, known as ‘wash’, could be sold to the wash man to feed pigs. The word hogwash! is said to come from this practice.
It’s curious that open-plan kitchen and living, so popular today, were not the design of choice for quite a long time. Since the Medieval period where it was a necessity for most, the design wasn’t back in vogue until the 1960’s and still wasn’t a trend until the 1980’s.
If you’d like to see how the lower and middle classes cooked bread in the Middle Ages or to find out more about the evolution of the kitchen in western history, check out If Walls Could Talk Episode Four.
Posted in DocumentariesTagged cast iron range, gas cookers, Henry VIII, If Walls Could Talk, kitchen, Lucy Worsley, Turnspit, WWI
This blog is all about objects, historic buildings, museum exhibitions, and teacher tips for the history classroom.
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Rome: City and Empire Exhibition
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Seminarian Voices: Being the Church
By Patrick Jackson MDiv II
Matthew 25:34-40 says
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37... Read more about Seminarian Voices: Being the Church
Seminarian Voices: To the Edge of the Margin and Back
By Danny Ballon MTS II
Expanding the Boundaries of Christian Inclusivity
On the weekend of September 27, 2015, the Memorial Church at Harvard was blessed to host the illustrious Rev. Dr. Yvette A. Flunder, Founder and Senior Pastor of City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, California, and Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries. Bishop Flunder is a dynamic preacher and captivating storyteller — as anyone who listened to her Sunday morning sermon can attest to.... Read more about Seminarian Voices: To the Edge of the Margin and Back
Seminarian Voices: Making Meaning
By Westley Conn MDiv II
This summer, I had the pleasure of serving as Seminarian at Fourth Presbyterian Church in South Boston. In addition to preaching and leading mid-week worship services, I took part in regular Bible studies. One particular topic was King’s Solomon’s dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8: 4–26). The text begins with a vivid description of the priests bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple and ends with Solomon’s prayer for the Temple.... Read more about Seminarian Voices: Making Meaning
Seminarian Voices: Capitalism, Character, and Harvard's View from Below
By Adam Vander Tuig MDiv III
As with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, the Harvard Campaign’s moments of highest drama have also centered upon a man’s extravagant remarks, at his view from above, buoyed by his incomprehensible wealth. “I’m really rich,” conveys both campaigns, on repeat, as if neither can help but express much otherwise.
In this moment of gaping, near-historic economic inequality, managers of already the world’s largest university endowment could have agreed not to launch the most ambitious fundraising...
Read more about Seminarian Voices: Capitalism, Character, and Harvard's View from Below
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Posts Tagged ‘Mendocino’
#OccupyMendocino
Posted in #OccupyMendocino, #OccupyWallStreet, News, Peaceful Protest, tagged #OccupyFB, #OccupyMendo, #OccupyMendocino, #OccupyUkiah, #OccupyWallStreet, Day of Rage, Fort Bragg, General Assembly, Global Day of Rage, Mendocino, Mendocino County, Peaceful Protesters, Ukiah on October 18, 2011| 1 Comment »
October 18, 2011, Mendocino Coast
La st Saturday #Occupy activists in Fort Bragg joined the global ‘Day of Rage’ gatherings with half a dozen folks and a dog waving flags and carrying signs at the US Post Office, also standing in solidarity with #OccupyWallStreet and activists around the world.
Following #OccupyFB, more than 35 #OccupyMendocino activists gathered for general assembly, working together and sharing at the library, organizing and brainstorming #OccupyMendocino actions.
Please join us, join in and bring your own sign ~ WE ARE THE 99%!
Calendar of Upcoming #OccupyMendocino Actions:
#OccupyFB: Wednesday, 10/19/11, 3-6pm, Fort Bragg Farmers Market, Corner of Franklin & Laurel
#OccupyFB at Congressional Candidate Dinner, Wednesday, 10/19/11, 6-10pm, Silver’s at the Wharf parking area
#OccupyUkiah General Assembly, Wednesday, 10/19/11, 6-7pm, Alex Thomas Plaza, Ukiah
#OccupyMendo: Friday, 10/21/1, 12-2pm, Mendocino Farmer’s Market, Howard Street, Mendocino
#OccupyFB: Friday, 10/21/11, 4-6pm Chase & Bank of America Action, Alder & Main St. parking area, Fort Bragg
#OccupyMendocino General Assembly, Saturday, 10/22/11, 2:30-5pm, Fort Bragg Library
#OccupyUkiah General Assembly, Sunday, 10/23/11, 10-11am, Alex Thomas Plaza, Ukiah
GreenWave Misses FERC Permit Deadlines
Posted in California, Electricity Generation, FERC, Hydrokinetic Energy, Marine Energy, Mendocino, MLPA, News, Ocean Energy, Offshore Renewable Energy, Pacific Ocean, Renewable Energy, U.S., US Energy Policy, Wave Energy, Wave Energy Trials, Wave Farm, tagged California, FERC Pilot Permit License, FERC Preliminary Permit Withdrawal, GreenWave, Mendocino, MLPA, Renewable Energy, Tony Strickland, U.S., Wave Energy on June 24, 2010| Leave a Comment »
FRANK HARTZELL, Mendocino Beacon, June 24, 2010
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) told the Southern California partnership planning to develop wave energy off Mendocino that the firm’s permit will probably be canceled
Kenneth Hogan of FERC wrote that GreenWave Energy Solutions had failed to file both a required notice of intent and a pre-application document (PAD), in a letter sent Monday.
Both documents were due in early May for GreenWave’s two proposed wave energy farms off San Luis Obispo and Mendocino. Both documents are intended to determine the scale of the projects now being considered and the “probable revocation” applies to both projects.
Earlier this year, GreenWave announced they had entered into an agreement with Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) of New Jersey, one of the world’s top companies in the field to get the two projects going.
GreenWave has so far pushed the biggest wave energy project idea of all, one that would generate a whopping 100 megawatts of power off Mendocino.
GreenWave was granted a preliminary permit in May 2009, after FERC had sent the permit back for more details and deliberated for nearly a year. A preliminary permit is an exclusive right to study an area of the ocean.
At the end of a successful preliminary permit process, that developer gets first right to install wave energy devices, by virtue of being the first to file for the preliminary permit.
The area now claimed by GreenWave had previously been claimed by Chevron.
But GreenWave is now told they will probably lose their claim to that area.
“The failure to timely file a [Notice of Intent] and PAD warrants the cancellation of a preliminary permit,” Hogan wrote. “This letter constitutes notice under section 5 of the Federal Power Act of the probable cancellation of both preliminary permits no less than 30 days from the date of this letter.”
The cancellation would be bad news for Tony Strickland, a Southern California Republican who made his work as one of the four GreenWave Partners a key plank in the campaign with which won his state Senate seat by the narrowest of margins two years ago. He lists “alternative energy executive” as his occupation.
Now, Strickland is using his status as a green energy businessman in his campaign to be state controller. He won the Republican nomination last month by a wide margin.
“Tony serves as Vice President of GreenWave Energy Solutions LLC, a company that seeks to harness the power of ocean waves to provide energy to Californians,” his campaign website states.
GreenWave has never held a single local meeting to introduce or explain its claim of the waters off Mendocino village. Some locals are amazed at how much Strickland makes of a project that exists only on paper.
“GreenWave Energy Solutions was the recipient of the United Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award for 2008 and Tony has been featured on CNBC for his work with the company,” the Controller 2010 campaign website states.
On the other hand, the permit termination would be good news for the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. According to a California Attorney General opinion, the MLPAI is banned from putting any new marine parks (of any of the three kinds) in areas where there are pre-existing ocean leases, which includes the GreenWave lease off Mendocino and the PG&E lease off Eureka. Thus, a big area of ocean real estate is currently off limits to creation of new protected areas by the MLPAI.
Earlier this year, GreenWave promised FERC several rounds of local meetings for March and April, which failed to materialize. And the company has filed other documents late during its FERC process.
But FERC’s revocation threats may be premature. A review of the FERC lease documents shows GreenWave may have a valid reason why they didn’t file the documents that resulted in this week’s letter from Hogan.
The FERC lease gives GreenWave the option of filing a Notice of Intent and Draft License in two years, instead of the one-year filing requirement for the NOI and PAD. However, to further complicate matters, GreenWave actually promised the NOI and PAD would be done in June 2010. That promise was made in GreenWave’s 45-day filing in June 2009.
GreenWave Energy Solutions is described as a limited liability company with five members, President Wayne Burkamp, Strickland, engineer Bill Bustamante and prominent Southern California housing developers Dean Kunicki and Gary Gorian.
Attempts to reach GreenWave president Burkamp or FERC’s Hogan weren’t successful by press time.
GreenWave Pursuing Mendocino Wave Energy Project
Posted in California, FERC, Fishermen, Hydrokinetic Energy, Marine Energy, Mendocino, Northern California, Ocean Energy, Offshore Renewable Energy, Pacific Ocean, Renewable Energy, U.S., US Energy Policy, Wave Energy, Wave Energy Trials, Wave Farm, tagged California, FERC, FERC Preliminary Permit, FISH, GreenWave, Hawaii, Mendocino, Mendocino Coast, Mendocino County, MOU, Northern California, OPT, Oregon, Reedsport, Renewable Energy, U.S., Wave Energy, Wave Energy Farm on February 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »
FRANK HARTZELL, Mendocino Beacon, February 25, 2010
The Southern California investment company with a federal permit to develop wave energy in waters off Mendocino has entered into a partnership with one of the world’s top companies in the field.
GreenWave Energy Solutions recently entered into a memo of understanding, or MOU, with Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) of New Jersey, a move which makes wave energy off the village of Mendocino much more likely than ever.
Earlier this month, Ocean Power Technologies earned a federal license to develop wave energy off Reedsport, Ore., a groundbreaking move in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) process.
Ocean Power Technologies had its own FERC wave energy preliminary permit off Cape Mendocino but last year gave up on that site as impractical. OPT, which has since eclipsed many of its hydrokinetics competitors, plans to bring its experience to developing waters off Mendocino, the FERC permit states.
OPT recently deployed one of its Power Buoys off Hawaii, where it is also developing wave energy. OPT has been granted the exclusive right to sell their patented WEC devices to GreenWave for the generation of electrical power off Mendocino.
The existence of GreenWave’s FERC preliminary permit already spells doom for the creation of any new Marine Life Protection Act (MLPAI) Initiative protection of the claimed area.
GreenWave told FERC in its latest progress report that the firm has a target date of April 2012 for filing a license to actually develop electricity off Mendocino.
A preliminary permit gives exclusive study rights to an area to the applicant and also provides automatic preference to a license to actually produce power in the ocean.
“The proposed 100 megawatt GreenWave Mendocino Wave Park is estimated to generate an average of 250 GigaWatt-hours annually. GreenWave has contacted most or all of the stakeholders … and will continue to conduct community outreach and informational efforts to keep all stakeholders apprised of progress and plans related to the environmental studies and development of this proposed wave energy project,” the FERC filing by GreenWave President Wayne Burkamp states.
GreenWave and Ocean Power Technologies plan joint meetings locally beginning in March, the filing states. The two firms plan to file full details of the wave energy project with FERC by March and then discuss those plans in public meetings with locals.
Wave energy has generated substantial local opposition led by local fishermen. The environmental community in Mendocino has also opposed wave energy. Environmentalists in Humboldt County have not been involved in the issue.
PG&E, faced with local opposition, withdrew its Fort Bragg wave energy development application and continued its effort in friendlier Humboldt County, then added a second site in Southern California.
National environmental groups signed off on wave energy in a letter to president Obama. But the Obama administration studied the issue and, like Fort Bragg residents, learned the technology raised serious environmental issues and was too theoretical to help with the nation’s energy needs in the foreseeable future. In the meantime, fishing and civic groups have been seeking to construct a public process that protects the ocean.
A group formed in Fort Bragg, Fishermen Interested in Safe Hydrokinetics (FISH) is the lead plaintiff on a lawsuit against FERC challenging FERC’s issuance of the exclusive development rights to waters off Mendocino to GreenWave. The city of Fort Bragg, County of Mendocino, the Ocean Protection Council, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen and the Recreational Fishing Alliance are also part of the challenge.
The lawsuit, with filings due in federal court this spring and summer, asserts that FERC failed to follow environmental laws or create a comprehensive plan before issuing wave energy permits.
“GreenWave has reviewed the allegations contained in the complaint and believes the allegations are without merit. GreenWave is monitoring this litigation and will provide any support that FERC believes necessary,” GreenWave’s recent filing states.
PG&E said the reason it abandoned its Fort Bragg development site was Noyo Harbor is unsuitable. That hasn’t discouraged GreenWave so far.
The exclusive three-year preliminary permit granted in May 2009 to GreenWave stretches from just north of Albion to off Point Cabrillo, about a half-mile to three miles offshore.
Five men from the Thousand Oaks area of Southern California, including Tony Strickland, a Republican state senator, formed GreenWave Energy Solutions about two years ago.
Strickland, one of the state’s most ardent deregulators and anti-tax advocates, won the state Legislature’s closest race last November by a handful of votes, California’s closest major race. He made his involvement in alternative energy a key part of his campaign.
Green Wave Energy Solutions when formed was composed of Burkamp, Strickland, engineer Bill Bustamante and prominent housing developers Dean Kunicki and Gary Gorian.
Calls to GreenWave’s message phone number revealed Strickland and the others are still involved.
GreenWave does not mention Strickland, or any local members of the California Legislature among its communications with the Legislature in its report to FERC.
“GreenWave has participated in numerous meetings with California state government officials regarding various aspects of the permitting process and the political dynamics of development of a wave farm, in this district. GreenWave has met with various legislative personnel including California State Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (39th District). Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (75th District), and Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Chief Deputy Legislative Assistant, John Moffatt.
“These meetings involved discussions regarding the future of wave energy in California, working to streamline the permitting process in California and questions related to legislation which would assist in wave energy development,” the FERC filing states.
The Marine Life Protection Act Initiative process has concentrated solely on restricting and banning fishing, despite broader general ocean protection goals in the act. An opinion issued by the California Attorney General’s office states that any prior legal claim (such as a preliminary permit for wave energy) precludes the establishment of any type of new marine protected area. However, that fact has not yet been introduced into the discussions of creation of “arrays” or fishing restricted areas, despite large areas off limits in both Humboldt and Mendocino counties due to permits granted to PG&E and GreenWave.
Editor’s Note: Phenomenal reporting by Frank Hartzell, thank you!
North Coast California & MLPA Lacking Accord
Posted in California, Coastal Conservancy, Coastal Protection, Environmental Issues, Federal Waters, Fishermen, Fort Bragg, Marine Mammal Plan, News, Ocean Conservancy, Ocean Ecology, Ocean Fishery, OCS, Over Fishing, Pacific Ocean, U.S., tagged California, Coastal Protection, Del Norte, Environmental Issues, Humboldt, Mendocino, MLPA, North Coast, Ocean Conservancy, Over Fishing, Pacific Ocean, U.S. on January 31, 2010| Leave a Comment »
TIM STELLOH, North Coast Journal, January 28, 2010
“Consensus” isn’t a word that comes to mind with the Marine Life Protection Act, Mendocino County branch.
Consider a Monday night meeting in Fort Bragg, where fishermen, seaweeders and enviros convened at St. Micheal’s Episcopal Church to do one thing: figure out which areas along the Mendocino Coast to “protect” — that is, which coastline to turn into no-take reserves and protected areas that limit or block fishing and harvesting, as required under MLPA.
Brevity was important. So was compromise, as the deadline is Feb. 1 for Mendocino, Del Norte and Humboldt counties — together the North Coast region of the MLPA — to officially make their choices as a single, unified group. If the coalition blows the deadline, the state will have a whole lot more power to make those decisions for them — particularly for Mendocino, said Jennifer Savage of the Ocean Conservancy. (Ed. note: Savage is the Journal’s art and poverty columnist.)
This process, of course, has been mired in conflict. Fishermen, seafood harvesters and other critics have called the science behind those protected zones — which the state says should be about nine square miles every 30 to 60 miles — bogus. They’ve described the process as an unfair, underfunded burden on communities, as obfuscatory and hostile to public input. Some have described the entire premise of MLPA as, at best, misguided and, at worst, a conspiracy to wrest control of California’s coast. On the flip side, enviros say the process has been transparent, and the protected areas are necessary to safeguard against overfishing and other harmful activities.
Del Norte has done just fine in deciding which parts of its coast to protect. Humboldt has slogged through. Then there’s Mendocino, which, let’s just say, has had a few problems.
It was about about two and a half hours into the Monday meeting when the mood soured. Bill Lemos, a local teacher who’s working with National Resources Defense Council (or “Big Green,” as MLPA foes call it) and Conservation First!, had, using a computer model map and projector, just cataloged all the areas he thought suitable for protection — areas near Cape Vizcaino and Pt. Cabrillo, among others.
A group of fishermen from the Salmon Trollers Marketing Association weren’t having it. Until now, most of them had, well, been fishing, and unable to attend any of the create-your-own map meetings that recently began, said Ben Platt, a salmon and crab fisherman. No longer. Were the state to implement one of Lemos’s suggestions near Usal Beach, he said, they’d lose 80% of their crab.
“That would gut the crabbing area,” another fisherman said. “I don’t know why you’d even put that up there.”
Another fisherman chimed in: “We’ve got to take in the economic value of our community. Commercial, recreational, everyone here. We’re supposed to be doing adaptive management not protective management — ”
Lemos had had enough.
“Folks, we’ve been through this before. We walked out of this meeting before saying, ‘We are not here to take your negative input,'” Lemos said, referring to a meeting earlier this month that ended on less than cordial terms. “We’re here to share with you what our ideas are. We understand that these [changes] will cause you to be less active in the ocean and cause you some economic hardship. We understand that part of it. But folks, these are coming from somewhere, and we are trying to adapt them to places that would have the least impact. Thank you for your input, but I really don’t want to be here all night arguing with you. We’ve done the best we can.”
Another debate followed — one that shows how bewildering the process is: Just how much coastline does the state require that the North Coast region set aside in order to comply with MLPA rules? And just how important is that rule anyway? According to Dave Wright, a recreational fisherman, it’s not a top priority.
Lemos disagreed.
Even though there’s not a strict number, for the next echelon of scientists to even consider the map of protected coastline — the one that’s due in under a week — 15% of the North Coast should be protected, he said, adding that even that would be on the low end. In other parts of the California coast where MLPA has been implemented, between 16% and 22% of coastline has been turned into reserves and protected areas.
“I thought they were re-evaluating that for the North Coast,” Wright said. “Aren’t they re-evaluating that?”
“I don’t know,” Lemos said.
And that’s pretty much where the meeting ended — almost an hour past the scheduled end time, with no apparent compromise and no single, unified map.
Which gives Mendocino’s many coastal stakeholders even less time. If they don’t pull an all-nighter between now and next Monday and come up with that map, several maps will have to be submitted to begin the slow slog through the MLPA bureaucracy toward the final destination: a blue-ribbon panel appointed by the state, and the Department of Fish and Game, which the MLPA is officially part of.
With that last-gasp, non-public effort just days away, Jeanine Pfeiffer, the UC Davis scientist who’s been moderating the discussions, had a stern warning to Mendocino’s enviros: “If we fail to protect our cultural heritage — which in this region means small-scale fisheries, coastal towns and Native American tribes — if we fail to protect our cultural heritage with the same passion and attention as our biological heritage, then we’re not doing our best,” she said.
Ladies and gents, get your NoDoz.
Recent Earthquake Illustrates Force of Plate Movement
Posted in California, Earthquake, Eureka, Fort Bragg, Humboldt, Mendocino, News, Oregon, Pacific Ocean, U.S., tagged California, Earthquake, Geological Survey, Gorda Plate, Humboldt, Mendocino, Mendocino Fracture Zone, Oregon, Pacific Plate, Strike-slip, U.S. on January 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »
DAVID PERLMAN, San Francisco Chronicle, January 11, 2010
The powerful earthquake that rocked the seabed off the Northern California coast near Eureka on Saturday underscores the complexity of seismic dangers within the Earth’s crust, and is likely to be followed by a large aftershock this week – but it is not expected to exceed the 6.5 magnitude of the temblor that was felt as far away as Reno, scientists said Sunday.
A “probability report” from the U.S. Geological Survey said there is a 65% chance for a “strong and possibly damaging aftershock” from the temblor in the next seven days. As many as 90 weaker aftershocks are expected to be felt in local communities, the report said, but it’s not probable any will be larger than Saturday’s mainshock.
More than 20 smaller aftershocks – some with magnitudes larger than 4 – churned the seabed throughout the day Sunday.
Although Californians are most conscious of the quakes that constantly hit the San Andreas Fault Zone, where its many offshoots include the dangerous Rodgers Creek and Hayward faults, offshore quakes are extremely common.
Saturday’s quake was unrelated to the San Andreas, but struck within the southern end of an offshore geological feature of the Earth’s crust called the Gorda Plate, according to David Oppenheimer, a seismologist with the Geological Survey’s main research center in Menlo Park.
Scientists have long known that the entire crust of the Earth is composed of vast crustal plates that are constantly in slow movement. The familiar San Andreas Zone, for example, marks the boundary between the huge Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, and when these two plates suddenly slip after building up pressure grinding past each other, potentially deadly quakes are the result.
The Gorda Plate, with its eastern edge along the coasts of California and Oregon, is a much smaller slab of the crust, and above it lies a far larger segment of the crust called the Juan de Fuca Plate that extends along the coast well north of Seattle and Vancouver Island.
The San Andreas Fault’s northern end veers sharply west at Point Arena in Mendocino County, and there the fault is known as the Mendocino Fracture Zone. That area – the most seismically active in the continental United States – marks the southern edge of the Gorda Plate and the boundary between the Gorda and Pacific plates.
“It’s a highly complex region,” Oppenheimer said, “and the convergence of all these plates has generated earthquakes of many types.
Saturday’s powerful temblor was known as a “strike-slip” quake, where the convergence of the Pacific and Gorda plates caused one side to slip past the other.
The Gorda and Juan de Fuca plates, however, form part of an offshore crustal segment called the Cascadia Subduction Zone where the huge slabs dip deep beneath the North American Plate and can cause truly giant quakes every few hundred years. Those quakes actually are the tectonic forces that have raised the volcanic Cascade Mountains, including – in California – Mounts Shasta and Lassen.
Saturday’s offshore quake struck 18 miles deep within the Gorda Plate, in an area very close to the epicenters of two large aftershocks that followed a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on land near Petrolia and Cape Mendocino on April 25, 1992.
Those two aftershocks, centered 16 miles offshore and within the Gorda Plate’s southern edge, registered magnitudes of 6.6 and 6.7. They were very similar, Oppenheimer said, to Saturday’s 6.5 magnitude mainshock – which struck at 39 seconds past 4:27 p.m., 23 miles northwest of Ferndale and 29 miles southwest of Eureka.
City of Fort Bragg, CA General Plan for the Mill Site
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Mackenzie Mettey
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Mackenzie Mettey Chooses Miami University
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December, 12 2016 - Miami University
Mackenzie was awarded this badge for 6 achievements. Click on the stories below to view them.
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Resignations take arms deal probe from mess to 'farce'
Glynnis Underhill 11 Aug 2014 00:00
The leaked joint resignation letter of advocates Barry Skinner SC and Carol Sibiya has revealed the arms deal commission to be 'farcical', according to a retired banker. (Madelene Cronje, M&G)
The leaked joint resignation letter of advocates Barry Skinner SC and Carol Sibiya has revealed the arms deal commission to be “farcical”, according to retired banker Terry Crawford-Browne.
Read the leaked joint resignation letter
In 2011 Crawford-Browne approached the Constitutional Court in a bid to force President Jacob Zuma to set up a commission of inquiry into alleged corruption in the multibillion-rand 1999 arms deal.
“It continues to be a mess and it is really farcical,” Crawford-Browne said from Instanbul in Turkey, where he is attending a conference. “I have been called to testify, but those are my evidence leaders that have now resigned.”
The two advocates who quit as evidence leaders of the Arms Procurement Commission two weeks ago gave a damning insight into the inner workings of the investigation.
M&G releases letter
The Mail & Guardian on Monday released the full 15-page letter, which seems to back the view of most critics that the commission is nothing but a cover-up of corruption in the arms deal.
Skinner and Sibiya say:
• Commission chairperson Willie Seriti denied them the right to re-examine witnesses, even though it was a crucial part of their job;
• Vital documentary evidence was withheld from them;
• The commission’s so-called hatchet man, Fanyana Mdumbe, led an “attack” on Richard Young, a man described by Skinner and Sibiya as “an extremely important witness”; and
• They were aware of duplicity at the commission.
They also criticised Seriti’s decision not to permit as evidence a damning leaked report that showed that German arms dealer Ferrostaal paid R300-million, through a web of middlemen and offshore accounts, allegedly to influence senior politicians to secure the sale of submarines to South Africa.
Sibiya and Skinner said that for Seriti to deny the admission of documents such as the report into evidence “nullifies the very purpose for which the commission was set up”.
Quitting the commission
The two advocates join a growing list of senior legal figures who quit the commission in the past 18 months and expressed disquiet in public or to their colleagues about the clandestine way in which the commission was being run.
They include commissioner Judge Francis Legodi, senior investigator and attorney Mokgale Norman Moabi, principal legal researcher attorney Kate Painting and evidence leader Tayob Aboobaker.
The resignations snowballed after Moabi claimed in his resignation letter that the commission had a “second agenda”. Those who left claimed this was to protect members of the ANC, including President Jacob Zuma, from being implicated.
Hennie Van Vuuren, a research associate at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, will appear before the Arms Procurement Commission soon. “Based on the letter, I am reviewing the impact on my evidence before the commission,” said Van Vuuren. “Other witnesses, who want the truth told, are no doubt doing the same.”
Van Vuuren said the resignation by advocates Sibiya and Skinner was a “radical step”.
“It was also brave and principled because, as lawyers, they clearly refuse to draw a salary from a commission whose integrity they believe has been deeply undermined. They, together with Judge Legodi and four other senior legal figures, have helped shine the light on the many internal troubles, and allegations of a second agenda within the commission. If the grounds for their resignation is correct, Judge Seriti owes an explanation to the public, who rightly now fear another cover-up of the arms deal secrets,” asked Van Vuuren.
The co-author, with Paul Holden, of Devil in the Detail: How the Arms Deal Changed Everything, Van Vuuren said the question Judge Seriti must answer is: Whose interests will his commission serve? “Is it the powerful with the corporations and political establishment who benefited from the arms deal – or the people of South Africa who demand the right to know the truth?” he asked.
Alleged duplicity
The advocate’s resignation letter outlines their experiences of alleged duplicity at the commission. The final straw was “an attack” on Young by Mdumbe at the meeting on July 21, the day assigned for him to give evidence at thehearings.
In a speech he made at the hearings, Mdumbe failed to disclose that Young had made it known he would be unavailable on that date, they said.
Young is still waiting for the commission to come back to him to ask him why it can’t print the 1 061 documents of evidence he gave Mdumbe on a disk. In their resignation letter, Skinner and Sibiya said Mdumbe withheld the disk from them, even though they were Young’s evidence leaders.
“It wasn’t a matter of not being able to open the document, but not being able to print,” he clarified. “I inadvertently in Acrobat Action Wizard set the document restrictions to ‘no print’ in addition to ‘no changes’. But the last laugh is still intact because it means that neither Mdumbe, nor the Armscor, nor the department of defence legal teams could have printed one single one of them to paper form – which is required for the collation of an evidence bundle.”
Young said the Arms Procurement Commission owes him six months of his life for discovering and producing all the documents, which were then withheld from his own evidence leaders Skinner and Sibiya.
Commission hits back at Skinner and Sibiya claims:
The commission’s spokesperson William Baloyi has confirmed that Seriti did point out in one of the hearings that the regulations made provision only for re-examination by witnesses’ legal representatives and not by evidence leaders. “Nonetheless, evidence leaders have been routinely allowed to re-examine the witnesses and the record of the commission’s proceedings thus far will confirm this.”
The commission’s response to advocate Fanyana Mdumbe being accused by Barry Skinner and Carol Sibiya of withholding evidence, and allocating Richard Young a day when he had already said he was unavailable:
Baloyi said the commission “categorically denied” that Mdumbe had withheld evidence from the evidence leaders.
Young’s failure to appear on July 21 2014 and the reasons for this formed part of the commission’s record, he said. “There clearly was a difference of opinion on the matter between advocate Skinner and advocate Mdumbe and it had been necessary to put all of this on record.
“Otherwise the letter of resignation referred to is a confidential communication between the advocates concerned and the commission and we will not discuss it in the media.
“Richard Young is still earmarked to testify before the commission and we will not discuss in the media matters relating to his evidence,” said Baloyi.
Glynnis Underhill
Glynnis Underhill has been in journalism for more years than she cares to remember. She loves a good story as much now as she did when she first started. The only difference is today she hopes she is giving something back to the country. Read more from Glynnis Underhill
@glynnisu
Seriti commission of inquiryArms deal commission
Seriti: Mbeki denies knowing about international investigations
Mbeki 'can't recall' deal details
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Election Changes Urged In Florida Storm-Ravaged Areas
Filed Under:Campaign 2018, Elections, Florida, Hurricane Michael, Local TV, Politics
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA) — Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux, who serves as president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, wants the state to consider changes for the general election — from emailed vote-by-mail ballots to combining precincts — to help people directly affected by Hurricane Michael.
Noting polling places may not be available and that some poll workers might not have returned to their homes, Lux in an email Sunday to Secretary of State Ken Detzner urged the creation of “mega-precincts” for election day.
Detzner, the state’s chief elections official, advised Lux he wanted to hear firsthand from county supervisors of elections before making decisions. Detzner made a similar comment to the media on Monday.
In a separate email, Lux noted that Madison County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Hardee has delivered gas and other supplies to election officials in Calhoun and Liberty counties, which are running on generators. He also noted that the supervisor’s office in Gulf County “miraculously, survived basically unscathed,” while in Bay County, which has been offline, the voting equipment “is okay and their early voting equipment and supplies are still ready to deploy.”
GALLERY: Damaged Caused By Hurricane Michael In Florida Panhandle
“It sounds as if most of the hardest-hit counties fared pretty well considering the utter devastation around them,” Lux wrote. “Many are without power and are likely to remain so for weeks to come; but most have generators filling that gap. Connectivity continues to be the biggest problem.”
Among his suggestions, Lux said the state should consider emailed vote-by-mail ballots for non-military evacuees and deployed power workers. For people who have lost forms of identification, Lux would like voters to get regular ballots rather than provisional ballots if provisional ballot materials are in short supply in impacted counties.
Also, Lux asked if there is a way the counties that have taken in nursing-home residents can deliver the correct ballots in local facilities.
Early voting statewide runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, though county supervisors can add some extra days.
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 453,000 people statewide had cast vote-by-mail ballots for the election, including 166,409 ballots cast by Democrats and 205,297 by Republicans. Hard-hit Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty and Washington counties haven’t updated their vote-by-mail numbers since before Michael came ashore.
The deadline to register to vote in the November election was Oct. 9 — the day before Michael made landfall in Mexico Beach and tore through parts of Northwest Florida.
Detzner has granted a partial extension of the voter-registration deadline in counties where elections offices were closed Oct. 9. Those counties will be able to accept paper voter-registration applications on the day they reopen. Detzner did not extend an Oct. 9 deadline for registering to vote online.
“The News Service of Florida’s Jim Turner contributed to this report.”
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ISIS militants abduct at least 70 people from Christian villages in Syria
Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria.
Image: Raqqa Media Center of the Islamic State group, File/Associated Press
By The Associated Press 2015-02-24 10:43:37 UTC
Islamic State (ISIS) militants have abducted at least 70 Assyrian Christians, including women and children, after overrunning a string of villages in northeastern Syria, two activist groups said Tuesday.
See also: Video purports to show ISIS militants beheading 21 Christians
The extremist fighters swept through the Assyrian villages nestled along the banks of Khabur River near the town of Tal Tamr in Hassakeh province around dawn on Monday.
In the assault, the militants took between 70 and 100 Assyrians captive, said Nuri Kino, the head of the activist group A Demand For Action that focuses on religious minorities in the Middle East. Kino said his organization based its information on conversations with villagers who fled the onslaught and their relatives.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the abductions, but put the number of Assyrians held by the ISIS group at 90. The Observatory relies on a network of activists inside Syria.
Both activist groups said that most of the captives come from the village of Tal Shamiram, located some 85 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of the provincial capital of Qamishli.
It was not immediately clear what the ISIS group planned to do with the Assyrians.
Post by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The militants have a long history of killing captives, including foreign journalists, Syrian soldiers and Kurdish militiamen. Most recently, militants in Libya affiliated with the ISIS group released a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians.
But the ISIS group also could use its Assyrian captives to try to arrange a prisoner swap with the Kurdish and Christian militias that it faced off against in northeastern Syria. There is a precedent: the extremists have released Kurdish school children as well as Turkish truck drivers and diplomats after holding them for months.
Topics: Islamic State, Middle East, World
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Tag Archives: dystopian
Book Blitz – Resurrection: Sign of Six by Summer Lane
Posted on December 9, 2018 by Mirrigold
Resurrection: Sign of Six | Summer Lane
Resurrection Series #3
Publication date: December 7th 2018
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult
There are many words used to describe Cassidy Hart:
President. General. Sniper. Soldier.
Girl.
Now, just one word echoes through her head: Infected.
Cassidy Hart has been infected with a nanovirus that turns her own body against itself. As civil war with the technologically advanced Eastern Coalition and President Ayad begins to escalate, the need for more advanced weaponry and reinforcements arise.
When the United Kingdom makes Cassidy and the Western Republic an offer they can’t refuse, they board a plane to London to forge an alliance with the first known surviving European country they have truly communicated with since Omega’s defeat. Unknowingly, leaving their home turf may be more dangerous than they think…
Uriah True and Chris Young – two men whom Cassidy cares deeply for – will be pitted against each other in the most unimaginable way.
While Omega may be gone, loyalty to the cause remains. Yet a new, more dangerous enemy arises. An enemy who promises to reshape the known world. Omega was nothing. He will be everything.
Look for his sign. The sign of the sixth.
Heed his promise:
The end of the world was only the beginning. The worst is yet to come.
Even Cassidy Hart may not survive this time…or will she?
From Summer Lane, the #1 bestselling author of more than 20 hit books.
Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of more than 20 hit books, including the popular Collapse Series and Resurrection Series, featuring feisty heroine Cassidy Hart.
She owns Writing Belle Publishing and Writing Belle, an online magazine. Lane is also an established journalist and writing teacher.
Summer lives in the Central Valley of California with her husband, Scott, and their two German Shepherds, Kona and Gibbs.
Release Publicity: Mainstream
Cover Reveal: ECHO Academy by Christina Bauer
Posted on November 27, 2018 by Mirrigold
ECHO Academy | Christina Bauer
Dimension Drift #2
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult
Our heroine Meimi Archer has been assigned to attend ECHO Academy.
There, the evil Headmaster believes that Meimi will help the government conquer other dimensions.
But Meimi has some very different ideas. She’s starting a revolution.
That is, if the Headmaster doesn’t find out and murder her first.
This new series is perfect for: fans of urban fantasy, action & adventure, cool science, evil corporations, forbidden romance and hot new classmates who may or may not be aliens.
Goodreads / Amazon / Kobo / Google Play
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women.
In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Instagram / LinkedIn
Book Blitz: Sunscorched by Jen Crane
Posted on October 25, 2018 by Mirrigold
Sunscorched | Jen Crane
Subterranean Series #1
Publication date: October 23rd 2018
Death at daylight. Danger at dark.
Life can’t possibly get more treacherous than a violent sun allergy in a solar-blighted world.
At least that’s what seventeen-year-old Nori Chisholm thought before news of an impending sunscorch delivered her death sentence.
Desperate to survive the scorch, she’s forced to shelter underground and discovers a secret subterranean world where life is hard, and so are the people. Betrayed and left for dead by the man who pledged to help her, Nori is sold to a gritty pit fighting ring. There she makes a friend—and plenty of enemies.
Speeding by motorcycle through the underground world, Nori makes a shocking discovery that shatters everything she thought she knew. Can she use the knowledge to save what’s left of the world?
Winner of the Rosemary Award for excellence in young adult fiction, Sunscorched is a tale of survival and self-discovery at breakneck speed.
Though she grew up on a working cattle ranch, it’s fantasy and sci-fi that shine Jen Crane’s saddle. Her latest novel, Sunscorched, received a Rosemary Award for excellence in young adult fiction.
Jen has a master’s degree and solid work histories in government and non-profit administration. But just in the nick of time she pronounced life *too real* for nonfiction. She lives in The South and creates endearing characters and alternate realms filled with adventure, magic, and love.
Book 2 in Jen’s fantasy romance series, Descended of Dragons, was selected by iTunes/iBooks as “Our Pick” in fantasy/sci-fi.
**Sign up for Jen’s newsletter to get release updates and freebies: bit.ly/Jen_Crane_Newsletter**
Book Blitz: Qualify by Vera Nazarian
Posted on October 2, 2018 by Mirrigold
Qualify | Vera Nazarian
The Atlantis Grail #1
Publication date: December 20th 2014
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult
The Atlantis Grail has been optioned for development as a feature film series and/or TV series.
You have two options. You die, or you Qualify.
The year is 2047. An extinction-level asteroid is hurtling toward Earth, and the descendants of ancient Atlantis have returned from the stars in their silver ships to offer humanity help.
But there’s a catch.
They can only take a tiny percent of the Earth’s population back to the colony planet Atlantis. And in order to be chosen, you must be a teen, you must be bright, talented, and athletic, and you mustQualify.
Sixteen-year-old Gwenevere Lark is determined not only to Qualify but to rescue her entire family.
Because there’s a loophole.
If you are good enough to Qualify, you are eligible to compete in the brutal games of theAtlantis Grail, which grants all winners the laurels, high tech luxuries, and full privileges of Atlantis Citizenship. And if you are in the Top Ten, then all your wildest wishes are granted… Such as curing your mother’s cancer.
There is only one problem.
Gwen Lark is known as a klutz and a nerd. While she’s a hotshot in classics, history, science, and languages, the closest she’s come to sports is a backyard pool and a skateboard.
This time she is in over her head, and in for a fight of her life, against impossible odds and world-class competition—including Logan Sangre, the most amazing guy in her school, the one she’s been crushing on, and who doesn’t seem to know she exists.
Because every other teen on Earth has the same idea.
You Qualify or you die.
Grab your copy for free
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play / Smashwords
VERA NAZARIAN is a two-time Nebula Award Finalist, a Dragon Award 2018 Finalist, an award-winning artist, and member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, a writer with a penchant for moral fables and stories of intense wonder, true love, and intricacy.
She is the author of critically acclaimed novels DREAMS OF THE COMPASS ROSE and LORDS OF RAINBOW, the outrageous parodies MANSFIELD PARK AND MUMMIES and NORTHANGER ABBEY AND ANGELS AND DRAGONS, and most recently, PRIDE AND PLATYPUS: MR. DARCY’S DREADFUL SECRET in her humorous and surprisingly romantic Supernatural Jane Austen Series, as well as the Renaissance epic fantasy COBWEB BRIDE Trilogy, and the high-octane adventure YA / teen dystopian apocalyptic bestselling science fiction series THE ATLANTIS GRAIL that has been optioned fordevelopment as a feature film series and/or TV series.
After many years in Los Angeles, Vera lives in a small town in Vermont, and uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art.
Her official author website is http://www.veranazarian.com
To be notified when new books come out, subscribe to the Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/hKaeo
Website / Goodreads / Facebook Author Page / The Atlantis Grail Page / Twitter / Bookbub / Pinterest / Wattpad
Take the Atlantis Color Quadrant Quiz here!
Cover Reveal: Umbra by Christina Bauer
Posted on August 14, 2018 by Mirrigold
Umbra | Christina Bauer
Dimension Drift Worlds #2
Publication date: January 29th 2019
One day, eighteen-year-old Thorne will be the Emperor of the Omniverse, the single being who rules countless worlds.
Trouble is, his father Cole–who’s also the current Emperor–is a sadistic freak.
In fact, Cole won’t even keep his promises to the very humans who got him his throne.
Thorne won’t stand for it. He decides to travel to the human world and make good on his father’s promises. What he doesn’t count on is falling in love….
A prequel novella to the new series from USA Today author, Christina Bauer.
Book Blitz: The Gathering by Bernadette Giacomazzo
The Gathering | Bernadette Giacomazzo
The Uprising #1
Publication date: March 31st 2018
Genres: Adult, Dystopian
The Uprising Series tells the story of three freedom fighters and their friends in high — and low — places that come together to overthrow a vainglorious Emperor and his militaristic Cabal to restore the city, and the way of life, they once knew and loved.
In The Gathering, Jamie Ryan has defected from the Cabal and has joined his former brothers-in-arms — Basile Perrinault and Kanoa Shinomura — to form a collective known as The Uprising.
When an explosion leads to him crossing paths with Evanora Cunningham — a product of Jamie’s past — he discovers that The Uprising is bigger, and more important, than he thought.
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Sign up for the blog tour here!
With an impressive list of credentials earned over the course of two decades, Bernadette R. Giacomazzo is a multi-hyphenate in the truest sense of the word: an editor, writer, photographer, publicist, and digital marketing specialist who has demonstrated an uncanny ability to thrive in each industry with equal aplomb. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and many, many more.
She served as the news editor of Go! NYC Magazine for nearly a decade, the executive editor of LatinTRENDS Magazine for five years, the eye candy editor of XXL Magazine for two years, and the editor-at-large at iOne/Zona de Sabor for two years. As a publicist, she has worked with the likes of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit record label, rapper Kool G. Rap, and various photographers, artists, and models.
As a digital marketing specialist, Bernadette is Google Adwords certified, has an advanced knowledge of SEO, PPC, link-building, and other digital marketing techniques, and has worked for a variety of clients in the legal, medical, and real estate industries.
Based in New York City, Bernadette is the co-author of Swimming with Sharks: A Real World, How-To Guide to Success (and Failure) in the Business of Music (for the 21st Century), and the author of the forthcoming dystopian fiction series, The Uprising.
She also contributed a story to the upcoming Beyonce Knowles tribute anthology, The King Bey Bible, which will be available in bookstores nationwide in the summer of 2018.
A powerful tale about the importance of touch
Wireless by L.A. Witt
This was a little bit different than my usual read from this author but no less enjoyable.
Thought provoking and somewhat disturbing, as this kind of reality isn’t too hard to imagine in a dystopian future where the Government controls everything, including reproduction.
Keith and Aiden were a fascinating pair and their relationship followed the same path as any pair of lovers, even with all the added complications which came with a world where touch is considered a crime.
The plot was tight and carried its hint of danger well and I was terrified half the time they were able to be together that they’d either get caught or the building would collapse on them!
Loved the ending too, a HFN given the circumstances but one which carried such hope and love.
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Doug Ford, Drugs, Robocalls, and the Harper Mob
It was another chilling moment in a story that just keeps getting more and more disturbing.
Doug Ford, Rob's big brother, turning to the camera this afternoon to say this to the editor of the Globe and Mail:
"John Stackhouse you are a disgusting human being...if you have a family if you have kids how would you like me to do some investigative reporting on you?
After the Globe published this story.
What has emerged is a portrait of a family once deeply immersed in the illegal drug scene. All three of the mayor’s older siblings – brother Randy, 51, and sister Kathy, 52, as well as Doug, 48 – have had ties to drug traffickers.
Ten people who grew up with Doug Ford – a group that includes two former hashish suppliers, three street-level drug dealers and a number of casual users of hash – have described in a series of interviews how for several years Mr. Ford was a go-to dealer of hash. These sources had varying degrees of knowledge of his activities: Some said they purchased hash directly from him, some said they supplied him, while others said they observed him handling large quantities of the drug.
You can watch the very soft interview with Doug Ford here. And make up your own minds about what he says and what he doesn't.
Or decide what to call this new Ford brothers reality TV show.
All I can say is that I have no idea whether these allegations are true or not. But Dougie's menacing tone did disturb me. And it did make me wonder what HAS happened to these drug dealers?
Because what I do know, as I pointed out the other night, is that during the last election the Ford gang went to extraordinary lengths to limit the damage from another drug-related story.
So I can only imagine what they might do to get their hands on that cellphone video.
And what I also know is that Doug Ford is the REAL Mayor of Toronto, his powerful organization is staffed with Con operatives, Stephen Harper was counting on him and the so-called Ford Nation to deliver Toronto to him in the next election.
And all of this does help explain why the PMO tried so hard to suppress this video:
Because Boss Harper wants to have his cake and eat it. He wants to use the Ford gang, but not be seen in their company. Lest he remind Canadians that he is the leader of the worst political mob this country has ever known.
A shameless mob that would claim that Friday's robocall ruling CLEARED them of trying to steal an election.
The Conservative government cheered Friday a federal court ruling that found a widespread, “thinly scattered” but ineffective vote suppression effort “likely” stemmed from the governing party’s own database.
When their closely guarded Con database was used by the criminal or criminals to perpetrate this monstrous scam, they were the beneficiaries, and the Harper gang did everything they could to impede the investigation.
Most disturbing of all is the Conservatives’ response. The judge is at his most scathing in describing the party’s determined efforts to, as he writes, “block these proceedings by any means.” Party lawyers engaged in “trench warfare in an effort to prevent this case from coming to a hearing on the merits,” raising a series of dubious procedural objections “in transparent attempts to derail this case.”
None of which proves anything. But it raises the same question that has been cropping up elsewhere of late: Is this the behaviour of people who have nothing to hide?
And I think you know what I believe eh?
This isn't a government, it's a criminal conspiracy. This country is being run by the wrong kind of people. The kind of people my parents warned me about.
And until the Cons are driven from power, it will not be clean, and it will not be safe.
Oh boy. I live for the day when we can send the whole scummy gang packing.
And put the Big Boss where he belongs...
For his Canada is too grubby to be my Canada.
And I want mine back...
Click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
Labels: Con Mob, Crack Video Scandal, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, RoboCon Scandal, Stephen Harper
Rene 7:06 PM
With the latest news just released by the Globe and Mail on the ongoing Ford drug scandal, and Ford Nation's obstinate defense of the Mayor, when Mayor Ford himself can only offer half-hearted denials, the city of Toronto will soon have an international reputation to rival certain cities in Mexico, portrayed as being under the sway of the Ford drug cartel. For no longer is it simply a matter of the Mayor being accused of consorting with, partying with drug dealers and being videotaped in their presence, but that the Mayor's current administration and inner circle , who ran for political office on an anti-crime, anti-drug platform, is composed of former members of an Etobicoke drug gang, the Royal York Drifters gang. The Ford clan and friends, alleged by the Globe and Mail to have constituted the Royal York Drifters gang in the 1980s , were their own crime wave, involved in crimes ranging from drug-dealing to robbery to kidnapping to homicide involving drug-dealers, on a level altogether not that much different from the crime wave of the Millard and Smich gang currently sitting in a Hamilton jail. Yet while the Ford Nation minions demand torture and the death penalty for one gang, they demand and defend the highest political office for the other, arguing they should continue to exert control over the city of Toronto and its business, including authority over the Toronto Police and its "war on crime" . Quite an object lesson in political corruption, when leaders of an alleged drug cartel can run for political office on an anti-crime platform, dupe the electorate, win the election and hold that office.
hi Rene...it's not just Toronto, it's Montreal, Laval, Ottawa, wherever you look in this country it's corruption and sleaze. And yes, as if our reputation in the world wasn't hitting rock bottom, now we're the home of the grubbies. You'd think that everybody, from all political parties, would be offended by what's going on, but it just keeps getting worse. Oh well, as I said the other night, the good part is that the grossness of one group of Cons only helps to magnify the corruption of the others. And when you add it to all their other crimes it will help progressives win the next election...
To Rene.
I'm not sure where you get your info (my ignorance speaking here) but you are one awesome blogger/reporter. If you have a site of your own (not to worry, Simon. I'll keep tuning into this time and channel every day :-) ), what is it? I'd like to be able to check out more of your info. Cheers
Rene 1:30 AM
To anonymous, Simon, and other readers, I don't have my own blog, there is a rich variety of blogs already. I do comment on Simon's blog, on BigCityLibs blog, and I enjoy Graeme Decarie's blog, the Moncton Times@Transcript for his outspoken views as critic and historian. I pursued my education largely at Laval and at the University of Ottawa, so was in the opposing cultural/political camp from Decarie two to three decades back, but enjoy the exchanges. There is a wealth of outspoken bigotry, ignorance, hate-mongering and war-mongering on sites such as Yahoo Canada, so I often do make contributions to these exchanges. A good example this evening was a story on Yahoo Canada about an auto accident in Montreal resulting in critical injuries to a well known Quebec journalist. It drew the bigots out in hordes, expressing fake sympathy laced with malice. Most however skipped the sympathy and went straight to malice - and then complained about the bad blood between English Canada and Quebec. So I did throw in a few comments of my own.
janfromthebruce 9:50 AM
One suggests that the next election progressives would win except of course in BC, where both provincial Ontario Liberal operatives teamed up with Conservative operatives to best the progressive NDP.
So we have a problem here with your theory of future election victory.
Remember that Globe story above is all nice but the Globe did endorse Ford for mayor and now they are showing regret because their dark horse is bringing shame to conservatism.
That said, one needs to be careful in what kind of progressive politics will come to the fore in 2015 - will it be the faux kind of Trudeau Jr., who is on record for wanting to keep the corrupt house of patronage appointments - the discredited Senate.
So we are back to throwing out one corrupt corporate elite party for the other one and around and around we go in the hamster wheel.
hi Jan...I was very disappointed by the election result in BC, and know what it feels like to go around and around on that hamster wheel. But I know no other way to keep my spirits up than by hoping for a better result next time. I think Canadians are beginning to recognize the true nature of the Con regimes in Ottawa and Toronto, and that can only help us defeat them...
A Political Junkie 10:56 AM
What I found interesting about Doug Ford's interview on CBC yesterday was his repeated attempts to vilify "the left". It always fascinates me to see how one side of the political spectrum seeks to divide and conquer voters, setting us up for an "us versus them" scenario. Rather than the left versus the right, I tend to think that, in the current political environment in Canada, it's us versus the politicians of all stripes.
hi political junkie...yes it's Ford's modus operandi, blame the left-wing conspiracy or the media instead of himself. It's almost as ridiculous as Ford claiming he is a "champion of the people" when he's a grubby millionaire. However although I am greatly disappointed in the political class, they are the only democratic instruments we have to fix this mess and make this country better. The Cons are the ones who are always seeking to suppress the vote of the majority of Canadians, by claiming that all politicians are the same, so why bother voting. It has worked for them in the past, but not for much longer...
Scotian 7:46 PM
One thing MS (and yes I know this is a linguistic/editorial nit-pick, but part of the reason I'm doing this is because you tend to be such a good writer that it hurts to see it here, as well as hoping that if you start using it correctly it helps start getting others to also), anyone can have their cake and eat it, the real trick (and what the expression actually is despite the massive amount of people that for some reason forget this despite the obvious nature of the logic) is to eat your cake and have it. The expression means trying to have two or more opposing things at the same time aka trying to have it both ways, which is why the latter is the proper usage, not the former. Sorry, it is just one of those things that whenever I come across it for me makes listening to fingernails on a blackboard lyrical by comparison.
hi Scotian...thanks for the correction, I actually do appreciate it. What you say does make sense. And it actually could have been worse. I was going to write "have his chicken wings and eat them..." ;)
As a humorous aside, related nonetheless to the topic of Ford, Harper, and Toronto Police, The Canadian Press is running an anniversary piece on Yahoo on Magnotta's crime wave, to which I commented:
Good catch, Toronto Police. As per report in last year's May 31 Globe and Mail, Montana lawyer Roger Renville having viewed on May 27 a bizarre internet video he believed to be snuff film on an Alberta-based website, contacted local sheriff's office,Denver FBI and Miami Police to be rebuffed at every turn. Seeing clues in the video that pointed to Canada , a " poster in the background matched another video that pointed to a Canadian man, .. Mr. Renville called police in Toronto."
"But he says the official on the other end wasn’t interested."
"'He told me that what I was seeing was almost certainly fake — that special effects were very good,' Mr. Renville recalled Thursday."
“I told him, ‘You have to see the video to determine that.’ He told me my story didn’t make sense and ‘why would a killer film his own crime and then post it on the Internet?’
“I asked him to at least give me an email address and I would at least send him the link to the video and he said ‘no.“’
The Toronto mayor quite likely provided guidelines to Toronto Police as to real as opposed to "almost certainly fake" videos, sight unseen, and conveyed his distaste of gay internet porn and the credibility of witnesses who would view such material to local police.
The body parts were discovered in a suitcase left for trash by a janitor in a low-rent apartment in Montreal on May 29, and Montreal police were called to investigate.
There is some dark humour in the twisted doings of this psychopath, as that same date a foot was discovered in a package mailed to the Conservative Party office in Ottawa, not the Prime Minister's Office, yet fearless leader Harper panics as if he is still responsible for opening mail in the mailroom, and a worldwide manhunt is on for Magnotta, facing charges of "first-degree murder, committing indignity to dead body, mailing obscene material and criminally harassing (the) Prime Minister" of Canada.
hi Rene...I'm trying to ignore the Magnotta case, so as to not give that maniac any more publicity. But I will make a prediction. Stephen Harper will try to use the trial to push his law and order agenda, and maybe even use it to divide the population with a debate about restoring the death penalty. Please remember that you first heard that here. I want to be able to say later I warned them about EVERYTHING.... ;)
More sleaze in BC too. Christy Clark denied she took any part in, Gordon Campbell's theft and sale of the BCR. Seems Christy lied as usual. There is also a big bunch of tax dollars, Christy used for her lying ads on TV. Millions so they say.
However. It is common knowledge, the Campbell/Clark BC Liberal work for the the Boss Criminal, P.M. Harper.
Christy didn't take long for her first election lie. She is running as fast as she can, to Premier Redford, to get the Enbridge pipeline going as fast as possible. We all knew she works for Harper, as Campbell did before her.
I think the most honest party, is the Greens. Many of us have decided, to vote for Elizabeth May. She is the one who caught Harper, doing his sleazy dirty work.
hi anonymous...the sleaze is spreading everywhere. And it's so widespread it can't just be blamed on the politicians. A lot of Canadians must also share the blame for being too rabidly partisan to notice, or too lazy to care. However, they say a fish rots from the head down, so you know who I blame...
Why Stephen Harper Will Never Escape Mike Duffy
The Final Degeneracy of Stephen Harper
The Day Stephen Harper Was Grilled Like a Criminal...
Boss Harper and the Ford Duffy Nightmare
The Real Horror of the Rob Ford Show
Rob Ford and the Con Kingdom of Denial
The Amazing Last Stand of Senator Duffy
Why the Rob Ford Scandal is also Hurting the Harpe...
Stephen Harper and the Great Peruvian Apology
Stephen Harper and the Piggy That Won't Go Away
Stephen Harper and the Horse Whisperer
Nigel Wright and the Corruption of Stephen Harper
How the Coalition Came Back to Haunt Stephen Harpe...
Rob Ford and the Incredible Exploding Cons
Rob Ford and the Crack Cocaine Video
Mike Duffy and the Dark Heart of the Scandal
The Con Mob and the Senate Scandal
Stephen Harper and the Ghastly Con Cult
The Leaf Nation and the Flight of the Cons
The Ugliness of Harperland and the Great Chris Had...
The Nasty Cons and Great Macho Man Leader
Pierre Poilievre and The Con War on Pensions
Stephen Harper's Scary Roman Nightmare
The Mutilated Census and the Madness of Stephen Ha...
Stephen Harper and the Porky Action Plan Scam
Is Stephen Harper Going Over the Deep End?
The Birds of Spring and the Deadly Flu Strain
The Harper Cons and the War on Truth
Stephen Harper and the Wizard of Wrath
Can An Anti-Bullying Video Be Too Shocking?
Stephen Harper and the Nightmare Night
Stephen Harper and the Fatal Boondoggle
The Revolt of the Con Porn Peddlers
Stephen Harper's Monstrous CBC Birthday Present
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Rural Co-op Fiber Draws New Business, Bolsters Established Firms In MN
Mon, January 23, 2017 | Posted by Lisa Gonzalez
High-quality connectivity from the local cooperative is attracting economic development to rural Minnesota. Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC), began developing a fiber-optic network in the Brainerd area in the early 2000s; as the cooperative has expanded the network, businesses are getting fast, affordable, reliable connectivity.
Connected Satellites
A recent Brainerd Dispatch article highlighted several businesses that credit the local workforce and the network for their decision to build satellite offices in the Brainerd area. In addition to “battle-tested sales people who can establish relationships with customers and can ‘close the deal,’” GovMint.com’s Director of Sales Jim Martin told the Dispatch:
Equally important is the area's fiber optic network, a high-speed Internet connection that allows the sales staff to access the company's giant customer and product database, and efficiently complete online sales forms.
Martin said the company relies on its computer system for call routing, customer information, online orders and sales leads that come through the Internet. GovMint.com's sales staff makes 150-300 customer calls a day.
"The system has to be reliable or Jim's phone starts ringing," Martin said. "The service we have in Crosslake is very fast and very reliable."
The company sells rare and unique coins and has headquarters in Burnsville, Minnesota; the satellite office employs 25 people. The company has doubled revenue over the past five years and needed to expand so established the office in Crosslake, near Brainerd and on the CTC network.
Great For The State
The Minnesota Department of Human Services chose Brainerd for its service center in part because they needed access to a network that could handle its technology demands. Applications are processed digitally with high bandwidth applications that require access to large state databases. Fiber-optic technology is the obvious choice to handle the work efficiently. There are 160 employees now working in the state’s DHS service center.
Growing Locally
Using the network, established companies are finding ways to increase business and expand. Northern Tool + Equipment switched to a VoIP phone system and uses fiber connectivity for representatives to work from home. With online sales and 97 stores across the country, the ability to communicate to Pequot Lakes contact center staff must be fast and efficient.
"The fiber infrastructure is crucial to our operation," said Todd Mouw, contact center operations manager. "We depend on the bandwidth not only for data processing capabilities but for our telephone infrastructure as well."
Clow Stamping, a local manufacturing firm, relies on the CTC network to send and receive data heavy files; for businesses, the ability to upload quickly and reliably is just as important as receiving downloads. As President and CEO Reggie Clow describes in the video below, customers have certain expectations:
CTC is very important to us. Our customers expect their suppliers to be world-class and without the technology to support that, it wouldn’t happen.
The network also serves residents in the area. Last fall, the cooperative released a report that described their findings from a survey. One revealing result - fifty-six percent of CTC residential customers said they use their home connections for work purposes. The true impact of the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network is likely more significant than we know.
Image of their factory courtesy of Clow Stamping.
consolidated telecommunications company
Lac qui Parle Video: "Come For The Jobs, Stay For The Lifestyle"
Connectivity's Community Impact: Looking At The Numbers
Bill to Boost Broadband in Minnesota Struggles in Legislature
Tennessee Local Authority Bill Halted In Committee
Kandiyohi County And CTC Co-op Team Up For Connected Future
Municipalities are not primary motivated by the desire to make a “profit,” as that term is understood by Wall Street, but by the need to meet important needs of the community. Chief among these are enhancing economic development, educational and occupational opportunity, access to affordable health care, digital equity, public safety, homeland security, environmental protection, efficient government service, cultural enrichment, and all of factors that contribute to a high qualify of life. A public FTTU system can contribute to the fulfillment of each one of these goals.
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Meet Robert
Our Ward
CONGRESSMAN GARCIA ENDORSES MURPHY FOR ALDERMAN IN THE 39TH WARD
by murphyfor39 | Jan 23, 2019
Chicago, IL — Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia endorsed Robert Murphy for alderman of the Northwest Side’s 39th ward today. “Robert Murphy had the courage to stand up to Joe Berrios and the machine,” Garcia said. “His leadership will help bring much-needed...
NDFA Endorses Murphy for 39th Ward Alderman
39th Ward Democratic Committeeman Robert Murphy’s Statement on Ald. Margaret Laurino Forgoing Re-election
Committeeman Murphy Files Petitions for Referendum on Lead in Our Drinking Water
39th Ward Democratic Committeeman Murphy Calls on Madigan to Step Down as Party Chairman
Paid for by Neighbors for Robert Murphy. Contributions are not tax deductible. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website (www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
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Jack Black’s next gaming voice role revealed
Jack Black is not unfamiliar to the gaming world, as the School of Rock actor has featured in Brutal Legend as the hero Eddie Riggs, and the beloved comedian is now in Tim Schafer’s new game, Broken Age.
Jack Black will play Harm’ny Lightbeard, a character you encounter in the game.
Also featured on the voice talent list is Richard Horvitz (Psychonauts), Nick Jameson (Full Throttle), Grey Delisle, and Cree Summer (Brutal Legend).
“I could not be more excited about being reunited with Jack, Jennifer, Richard, Nick, Grey, and Cree for Broken Age,” said Schafer.“The early voice sessions have been amazing, and we’re not even done yet!”
Double Fine’s Broken Age was a huge Kickstarter success when it was announced, smashing its goal and growing far beyond the expectations of the team.
Broken Age is a point-and-click adventure telling the stories of a young boy and girl leading parallel lives.
The girl has been chosen by her village to be sacrificed to a terrible monster–but she decides to fight back. Meanwhile, a boy on a spaceship is living a solitary life under the care of a motherly computer, but he wants to break free to lead adventures and do good in the world.
Source: Double Fine
More gaming news:
Nintendo Wii U’s upcoming games
Remote downloading confirmed for Xbox One
Diablo 3 PC-to-console conversion challenges
Kevin Spacey: Music, movies, series must learn from games
Jeremy Proome
Tags active, Broken Age, Double Fine, Double Fine Productions, Jack Black, Tim Schafer
Psychonauts 2 – Double Fine gives a look at gameplay
Leaked Windows 10 “Game mode” will reportedly make your PC games run better
A look at the new Overwatch map – Oasis
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News Home » Asia » Ahead of proposed summit, North Korea rips Trump national security advisor John Bolton
Ahead of proposed summit, North Korea rips Trump national security advisor John Bolton
North Korea has a message for U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of next month's summit: Don't listen to your new hard-line national security adviser, John Bolton.
After announcing early Wednesday that it was pulling out of high-level talks with Seoul because of a new round of U.S.-South Korean military exercises, the North took aim at Bolton and said it might have to reconsider whether to proceed with the summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un because it doubts how seriously Washington actually wants peaceful dialogue.
The moves give the clearest indication yet of North Korea's mindset heading into the summit, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore.
New National Security Adviser John Bolton listens as U.S. President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, April 9, 2018.
Though North Korea has been for the most part silent about its intentions for the meeting, the announcements underscore two of its biggest concerns — the future of the nearly 30,000 U.S. troops in South Korea and claims coming out of Washington lately that sanctions and Trump's "maximum pressure" policy are what drove Kim to the negotiating table.
But defanging Bolton, the most militant of Trump's advisors, is now also apparently a major priority.
"We do not hide our feeling of repugnance toward him," North Korea said of Bolton in a statement attributed by state-run media to senior Foreign Ministry official Kim Kye Gwan.
A hard-liner's hard-liner, Bolton was a key advisor to President George W. Bush when the U.S. tore up a nuclear agreement with North Korea in 2002. The North conducted its first nuclear test four years later. In August, Bolton defended the idea of a preventive military strike against the North, and last month suggested negotiations in 2004 that led to the shipping of nuclear components to the U.S. from Libya under Moammar Gadhafi would be a good model for North Korea as well.
Not surprisingly, North Korea bristles at the mention of Libya.
Gadhafi, who agreed to abandon his fledgling nuclear program, was later deposed after a 42-year reign and was killed in 2011 — the year Kim assumed power in North Korea — while his country spiraled into chaos.
North Korea's statement Wednesday did not directly criticize Trump, or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has made two trips to the North to lay the groundwork for the summit. Instead, it stressed that North Korea welcomes Trump's position for ending the deep-rooted hostilities between their countries and concluded that if the Trump administration approaches the summit with a sincere desire to improve relations, the result will be positive.
It warned, however, of a "ridiculous comedy" if Trump listens to Bolton and "quasi-patriots" who insist on "abandoning nuclear weapons first, compensating afterward."
"We have already stated our intention for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and made clear on several occasions that precondition for denuclearization is to put an end to anti-DPRK hostile policy and nuclear threats and blackmail of the United States," the statement said, using the abbreviation for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"But now, the U.S. is miscalculating the magnanimity and broad-minded initiatives of the DPRK as signs of weakness and trying to embellish and advertise as if these are the product of its sanctions and pressure," it added.
North Korea's dual moves Wednesday can be seen as an attempt by Kim to fortify his position.
In an announcement issued hours before the anti-Bolton statement, North Korea said it was pulling out of talks in the Demilitarized Zone that were supposed to be held later Wednesday with senior South Korean officials because of the military maneuvers that began earlier this week.
Annual military drills between Washington and Seoul have long been a major source of contention between the Koreas, but the current exercises, called "Max Thunder," are particularly sensitive from North Korea's perspective because they reportedly involve nuclear capable B-52 bombers and F-22 stealth fighters.
The North fears the aircraft could be used to carry out a pre-emptive nuclear attack or a precision strike that would target Kim and his top lieutenants — the kind of thing Bolton advocated publicly before taking his current office.
But Kim has already won one round of bargaining on the military front.
At South Korean President Moon Jae-in's request, Washington agreed to delay the much larger "Foal Eagle/Key Resolve" drills in the spring because of the North-South diplomacy surrounding February's Winter Olympics in South Korea. Kim told visiting South Korean officials in March that he understood the drills would take place but expressed hope that they would be modified once the situation on the Korean Peninsula had stabilized, according to South Korea's government.
North Korea's announcement regarding the talks on Wednesday was in keeping with that position. And by playing the doves against the hawks in Seoul and Washington, it, too, might have been made with Bolton in mind.
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Climate change education, Evolution education, Science
Booster Clubs: Coast to Coast Update
Three months ago, NCSE launched a national expansion of our Science Booster Club (SBC) program. Many of the new clubs have already started holding events, and more are scheduled through the spring and summer. We estimate that in just the first three months of operation, around 3,000 people have participated in SBC events held by volunteer-led clubs in California, West Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, and Indiana. Events are also scheduled in Kentucky, Virginia, and Oklahoma.
The March for Science Speech I Would Have Given
I spent Saturday wet, cold, but exhilarated nonetheless, on the National Mall, with some 40,000 other participants in the March for Science. NCSE was one of the earliest partners of the march, and our logo was prominently displayed on the big stage. There were dozens of speakers with stories that spanned generations and disciplines. NCSE didn't have a speaking role, but I found myself wondering what I would have said if we did.
Polls, Science
Fresh Hot Data!
I’m sure everybody reading this is as excited as I am for another dose of scientific literacy data. You may remember our last data update, where we revealed the exciting news of significant improvement in scientific literacy in Cedar Rapids over a six month time period. Now we’ve collected data for a year and can show you some cool numbers not only from Cedar Rapids, but now also from Iowa City.
Climate change, Climate change denial, Science
Stephanie Keep
More Climate Scientists on TV, Please
As reported last week by Glenn Branch, NCSE board member Ben Santer was on Late Night with Seth Meyers this past Wednesday. If you haven’t watched it yet, please do so now—you won’t regret it.
Grand Canyon, NCSE, Science
Grand Canyon and Fear of the Water
NCSE's annual raft trip down the Grand Canyon just returned, and Teacher Scholarship winner Crystal Davis offered to describe her experience on the river with us. Enjoy, and consider donating to the scholarship fund to support future trips like this.
Climate change, Evolution, General, Grand Canyon, History, Science
Happy Birthday to the National Parks
Climate change, Evolution, NCSE, Science
A Debate To Look Forward To
Here at NCSE, we tend to frown on formal staged debates, especially about science itself. But in this political season, there’s an exception to be made.
Attack on science education, Climate change denial, Climate change education, Evolution denial, Science
Sure, the Olympics have the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. But do they have the thrill of discovery (Neanderthal fashion, dinosaur armageddon)? And how about the agony of denial (Ark Encounter X 3, and even some flat-earthers)? No, no they don't. That's OK. As a reader of NCSE's blog, you get both.
Rediscovering the Milky Way
Only 1 in 5 people in North America live in a place where they can see the Milky Way. That’s the staggering finding of a new paper in Science Advances, in which the authors painstakingly matched satellite images with ground measurements of light pollution around the world.
Science Denial Kills
Party Time! Part 1
Creationism: A House Divided?
(-) Remove May 20, 2014 filter May 20, 2014
13:__ Apply 13:__ filter
Evolution denial Apply Evolution denial filter
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About ASNT
Overview of ASNT
ASNT Strategic Plan
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Executive Director's Letter
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ASNT National Structure
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About Nondestructive Testing
What is NDT?
International Nondestructive Testing Sister Societies and Related Organizations
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Charles Kirkland – Media Buyer Association Torrent Download 3.5 out of 5 based on 14 ratings.
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Marta Kauffman Net Worth
Marta Kauffman Net Worth 2019: Wiki Biography, Married, Family, Measurements, Height, Salary, Relationships
Marta Fran Kauffman net worth is
Marta Fran Kauffman Wiki Biography
Marta Fran Kauffman was born on the 21st September 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, and is a TV producer and writer, best known as a co-creator of the cult TV series “Friends” (1994-2004), together with David Crane. Kauffman was also an executive producer of “Related” (2005-2006), and writer of “Joey” (2004-2006). Thanks to her producing and mainly writing skills, Kauffman’s net worth has significantly increased. Her career started in 1987.
Have you ever wondered how rich Marta Kauffman is, as of mid-2016? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Marta Kauffman’s net worth is as high as $200 million, an amount earned through her successful career as a writer and producer. In addition to creating such popular series’, Kauffman has also worked as a director which has improved her wealth.
Marta Kauffman Net Worth $200 Million
Marta Kauffman was born into a Jewish family, a daughter of Dorothy and Herman Kauffman and grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs. She went to Marple Newtown High School – where she actually directed the school play “Our Town” in 1974 – and then studied at Brandeis University from where she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Theater in 1978, and where she met her friend and future collaborator, David Crane.
Kauffman started her writing career when wrote an episode of comedy series “Everything’s Relative” in 1987. Her bigger project came in 1990 when she and David Crane created the series called “Dream On”, starring Brian Benben, Denny Dillon, and Wendie Malick. The show went on for six seasons until 1996, and won two Primetime Emmy Awards. It launched Kauffman and Crane out of anonymity, and they subsequently worked together on numerous projects.
They created the comedy show “The Powers That Be” (1992-1993) with John Forsythe, Holland Taylor, and Eve Gordon, which aired for two seasons and 21 episodes in total. Kevin Bright joined Kauffman and Crane in making the “Family Album” in 1993, but the series lasted only six episodes and was cancelled due to low ratings. Kauffman and Crane did a TV movie called “Couples” (1994) before creating one of their most popular series in the ’90’s – “Friends”.
“Friends”, with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry went on for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004, and received plenty of great critiques and rewards, including a Golden Globe, Six Emmy’s and a BAFTA Award. The show had 236 episodes overall and significantly increased Marta Kauffman’s net worth.
Kauffman hasn’t been quite as successfuk since, but had other projects including “Veronica’s Closet” (1997-2000) starring Kirstie Alley, Kathy Najimy, Dan Cortese, Wallace Langham, and Daryl Mitchell. She was also an executive producer of 34 episodes of “Jesse” (1998-2000) starring Christina Applegate, and later the executive producer of “Related” (2005-2006), and the TV movie “Gifted” (2007), which also added to her net worth. In the meantime, she wrote the title character for the series “Joey” (2004-2006) starring Matt LeBlanc. Most recently, Kauffman was a creator of TV movie “Five” (2011) with Patricia Clarkson, Rosario Dawson, and Lyndsy Fonseca, produced the documentary “Hava Nagila: The Movie” (2012), wrote three episodes of “Georgia” (2012), produced “Call Me Crazy: A Five Film” (2013), and created the series “Grace and Frankie” (2015- ) starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, increasing further her net worth.
Regarding her personal life, Marta Kauffman was married to Michael Skloff – composer of “Friends” theme song – from 1984 to 2015, and they have three children together.
Full Name Marta Kauffman
Net Worth $200 Million
Date Of Birth September 21, 1956
Place Of Birth Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Profession Writer, Producer, Miscellaneous Crew
Education Brandeis University
Spouse Michael Skloff
Children Hannah Skloff, Sam Skloff, Rose Skloff
Parents Dorothy Kauffman, Herman Kauffman
IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0442035/
Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off Broadway Lyrics
Nominations Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical
Movies Five, Hava Nagila (The Movie), The One Where Monica Gets A Roommate
TV Shows Friends, Veronica's Closet, Dream On, The Powers That Be, Grace and Frankie, Family Album
1 [when 'Friends' was canceled] We did not want to go out on the bottom. We wanted to feel more like it was time for your child to go to college, not die.
2 [on 'Friends'] It was so surprising to us how invested the audience was in these characters, how desperately they wanted them to be happy, how putting them together made some kind of weird sense.
1 (November 25, 2015) Filed for divorce from her husband of 31 years Michael Skloff.
2 Has 3 children with her estranged husband Michael Skloff - a son named Sam Skloff and daughters named Rose Skloff and Hannah Skloff.
3 Daughter of Herman and Dorothy Kauffman.
Grace and Frankie TV Series created by - 39 episodes, 2015 - 2017 written by - 5 episodes, 2015 - 2016
Georgia 2012 TV Series 3 episodes
Five 2011 TV Movie creator
Joey TV Series character: "Joey Tribbiani" - 29 episodes, 2004 - 2006 character: Joey Tribbiani - 2 episodes, 2004
Friends TV Series created by - 236 episodes, 1994 - 2004 written by - 18 episodes, 1994 - 2004 teleplay by - 2 episodes, 2000 - 2004 story by - 1 episode, 1995
Friends: The One Before the Last One - Ten Years of Friends 2004 TV Movie creator / teleplay
Veronica's Closet TV Series created by - 66 episodes, 1997 - 2000 written by - 1 episode
Dream On TV Series created by - 119 episodes, 1990 - 1996 written by - 17 episodes, 1990 - 1993
Couples 1994 TV Movie
Family Album 1993 TV Series created by - 6 episodes
The Powers That Be TV Series created by - 21 episodes, 1992 - 1993 teleplay - 2 episodes, 1992
Sunday Dinner 1991 TV Series written by - 1 episode
Everything's Relative 1987 TV Series written by - 1 episode
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves TV Mini-Series executive producer announced
Grace and Frankie 2015-2016 TV Series executive producer - 26 episodes
Independent Lens 2010-2015 TV Series documentary executive producer - 2 episodes
Mimi and Dona 2014 Documentary executive producer
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film 2013 TV Movie executive producer
Hava Nagila: The Movie 2012 Documentary producer
Five 2011 TV Movie executive producer
Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh 2008 Documentary executive producer
Gifted 2007 TV Movie executive producer
Related 2005-2006 TV Series executive producer - 19 episodes
Friends 1994-2004 TV Series executive producer - 236 episodes
Friends: The One Before the Last One - Ten Years of Friends 2004 TV Movie executive producer
Veronica's Closet 1997-2000 TV Series executive producer - 66 episodes
Jesse 1998-2000 TV Series executive producer - 34 episodes
Couples 1994 TV Movie associate producer
Dream On TV Series co-executive producer - 40 episodes, 1991 - 1992 producer - 14 episodes, 1990
Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh 2008 Documentary major funding
Dream On 1993-1994 TV Series creative consultant - 24 episodes
Back in Time for Dinner 2015 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt 2015 TV Series writer - 1 episode
We're the Millers 2013 writer: "I'll Be There For You"
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 2012 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Dancing with the Stars 2011 TV Series writer - 1 episode
20 to 1 2010-2011 TV Series documentary writer - 2 episodes
Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control 2008 Video writer: "I'll Be There For You"
Idool 2004 2004 TV Series writer - 1 episode
3rd Rock from the Sun 1996 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Top of the Pops 1995 TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Dream On 1990 TV Series lyrics - 1 episode
Grace and Frankie 2017 TV Series 1 episode
Friends 1996-1997 TV Series Director / Hypnosis Tape
The Invisible War 2012 Documentary special thanks
Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh 2008 Documentary without whom this film would not have been possible
Close Up with the Hollywood Reporter 2016 TV Series Herself
Friends: Friends from the Start 2012 Video documentary short Herself
Friends Final Thoughts 2005 Video short Herself
The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 2002 TV Special Herself - Co-Winner: Outstanding Comedy Series
2004 TV Quick Award TV Quick Awards, UK Best Comedy Show Friends (1994)
2002 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Friends (1994)
2002 OFTA Television Award Online Film & Television Association Best Writing in a Comedy Series Friends (1994)
2000 People's Choice Award People's Choice Awards, USA Favorite Television Comedy
1993 CableACE CableACE Awards Writing a Comedy Series Dream On (1990)
1992 CableACE CableACE Awards Comedy Series Dream On (1990)
2004 Gold Derby TV Award Gold Derby Awards Episode of the Year Friends (1994)
1993 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series Dream On (1990)
1991 ACE CableACE Awards Comedy Series Dream On (1990)
Friends (1994-2004)
Grace and Frankie (2015-2017)
Dream On (1990-1996)
$200 Million 1956 1956-9-21 American Brandeis University Brian Benben Christina Applegate Courteney Cox Dan Cortese Daryl Mitchell David Crane David Schwimmer Denny Dillon Dorothy Kauffman Dream On (1990) Eve Gordon Friends (1994) Grace and Frankie (2015) Hannah Skloff Herman Kauffman Holland Taylor Jane Fonda Jennifer Aniston Joey (2004) John Forsythe Kathy Najimy Kevin Bright Kirstie Alley Lily Tomlin Lisa Kudrow Lyndsy Fonseca Marta Fran Kauffman Marta Kauffman Net Worth Matt LeBlanc Matthew Perry Michael Skloff Miscellaneous Crew Patricia Clarkson producer Rosario Dawson Rose Skloff Sam Skloff September 21 Virgo Wallace Langham Wendie Malick Writer
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Skimmers or Fliers
Stacey Reusser
The first phase began with a jar of specimens from the Smithsonian. Submerged in alcohol, the stoneflies were suspended eerily in cotton stoppered vials. The mottled brown insects ranged from puny little quarter inchers that hardly seemed to merit the lengthy scientific names recorded on the outside of their vials to whopping behemoths that threatened to push the alcohol soaked cotton wads clear out.
Kathleen Walsh clipped off portions of the stoneflies' wings, treated them, and embedded them in individual blocks of resin. Then, using a scanning-electron microscope, or SEM, she brought their tiny tubelike wing vein structures into vivid view.
"That was really one of the coolest parts of the research," says Walsh, "looking into the SEM for the first time and seeing so much there."
Two glowing blue close-ups of stonefly wings, images captured under the microscope, show the thickness of the veins—a mere 5 microns for a "wimpy" stonefly that can only skim across water, a "whopping" 10 microns for a stonefly graced with flight.
Until recently scientists had no explanation for how swimming critters managed to leave behind their water bound lives and take to the air. Then in 1994, Penn State biologist James Marden and then-undergraduate Melissa Kramer published a paper in the journal Science about their work with stoneflies. "Within the stonefly order," explains Walsh, who learned of Marden and Kramer's research as a sophomore, "you have both fliers like Paragnetina media and skimmers like the Taeniopteryx." Skimmers come in three different types. "The first guy has wings that act like sails," says Walsh. "Gusts of wind push him along. The second one flaps his wings. He can fly when it's warm but he's a very clumsy flier. The third one goes up on his hind legs and skims across the water. All of them move above the surface of the water, but they rarely fly. That's why Marden thought it was a good order to look at for the evolution of flight."
Marden first set his sights on these America's Cup—evoking insects as they skimmed along the frigid surface of a river in upstate New York. This variety used their wings as sails, catching a breeze and gliding across the water's surface. Fascinated for years by the missing link of flight evolution, Marden wondered if these sailing stoneflies could offer any answers. After he came to Penn State in 1992, he began researching his hunch with Kramer. Creating a miniature movie set for the flies, complete with a wind machine and videocameras, Marden and Kramer simulated a breezy river setting and filmed insect travel. Even when their wings were chopped down to mere stubs, the flies could still sail. That wings could develop from gills had already been proposed by scientists, but no one had been able to explain what good these pathetic nubs would be. Marden and Kramer's experiment proved that even rudimentary wings would have been useful 300 million years ago. From wings suitable for sailing, larger, stronger wings necessary for flight could have gradually evolved until the insects could finally go airborne.
Now Walsh works to prove not only that flight could have evolved from gliding, but that it did. "I started out just looking at wings under the SEM," says Walsh. "I looked at the wing vein thickness first because you'd think a flier would have thicker wing veins. He'd need more support to be able to push his wings down to fly."
In the second phase of her research, Walsh and graduate student Melisande Wolf sequenced the ribosomal DNA of dozens of stonefly specimens from around the globe. A stack of blue three inch binders contains the results: Each sequence, resembling a crazed blue, black, green, and red seismograph, depicts a segment of DNA approximately 660 base pairs long. Now using special computer programs, Walsh is examining these DNA sequences for changes in the order of base pairs. The more changes in the DNA sequence, the more the species has evolved.
"We made a tree based on the molecular data," says Walsh. From the DNA samples she has so far, Walsh helped to construct a branched line drawing called a phylogenetic tree—a lineage that shows the evolutionary relationships among present day stonefly species. On the tree each node, or intersection, is assigned a number. The shape of the wing and the species name are marked at the tip of each branch. "We thought that the more ancestral species would be at the bottom of the tree and the more recent at the top." Taeniopteryx, a weak winged skimmer, occupies one of the bottom branches.
"We made the tree, then plotted the vein thickness for some of the species," says Walsh. "So far the two have corresponded—the veins thicken as you move up the tree from skimmer to flier. But we need to increase the sample size to see if the trend holds."
The live skimmers Kramer and Marden videotaped could be "evolutionary remnants" from the past that never developed the ability to fly. Or, they could be insects that once could fly but have since adopted the surface skimming behavior as an adaptation to their surroundings. Walsh's phylogenetic tree will let her say for sure which came first, fliers or skimmers.
Kathleen Walsh graduated with a B.S. in biology from the Eberly College of Science in May 1998. She was an award winner at the Penn State Undergraduate Research Fair in March 1998. Her adviser is James Marden, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology in the Eberly College of Science, 416 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802; 8148631384; jhm10@psu.edu. Funding for this project comes from the National Science Foundation. Visit stoneflies on the web: cac.psu.edu/~jhm10.
Building on Nature
Earth and Environment, Research
biology, James Marden, Kathleen Walsh, National Science Foundation, SEM, stoneflies, students, wings
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Subscribe "Mobile" Newsletter
Business > BusinessNews
Can you use Apple's Smart Keyboard with the iPad Air (2019)?
4 monthes ago | By iMore
Best answer: The 2019 iPad Air has a smart connector, which lets you use the Smart Keyboard cover. In fact, it uses the same Smart Keyboard as the 10.5-inch iPad Pro from 2017.
Get the keyboard: Apple Smart Keyboard
Get the iPad Air: iPad Air
The same Smart Keyboard that works with the 10.5-inch iPad Pro will work with the new iPad Air
The iPad Air (2019) is Apple's latest mid-range tablet, with a 10.5-inch display and a smart connector. Both of these factors enable the tablet to use the same Smart Keyboard cover as the 10.5-inch iPad Pro from 2017. In fact, on Apple's website , the...
Which Apple Pencil does iPad mini (2019) support?
Best answer: Apple's new 7.9-inch iPad mini supports the first-generation Apple Pencil.
Get the Apple Pencil: Apple Pencil
Get the iPad mini: iPad mini
The new iPad mini (2019) uses the original Apple Pencil
Apple has made a number of dreams come true and included support for the original Apple Pencil in its brand new, fifth-generation iPad mini. The first-generation Pencil features a Lightning connector on top, underneath a removable cap. Just plug the connector on the Pencil into the iPad mini's Lightning port, then tap "Pair" when prompted to do so on your iPad, and you're good to go...
Which Apple Pencil does iPad Air (2019) support?
Best answer: Apple's new 10.5-inch iPad Air supports the first-generation Apple Pencil.
The new iPad Air (2019) uses the original Apple Pencil
With its brand new iPad Air, Apple has included support for the original Apple Pencil. The first-generation Pencil features a Lightning connector on top, underneath a removable cap. Just plug the connector on the Pencil into the iPad Air's Lightning port, then tap "Pair" when prompted to do so on your iPad, and you're good to go. From then on, the Pencil will be connected to the iPad...
Apple unveils new iPad, updates Mini ahead of video streaming launch
4 monthes ago | By Reuters
Apple Inc, in a surprise move on Monday, launched a new 10.5-inch iPad Air and updated its iPad Mini ahead of a March 25 event where it is expected to launch a television and video service.
Apple unveils new iPad Air and iPad mini ahead of video streaming announcement
4 monthes ago | By CNBC
The new models offer keyboard support for the first time, and work with the Apple Pencil.
Apple unveils new 10.5-inch iPad Air, iPad mini with Apple Pencil support
Meet the 2019 iPad Air and iPad mini.
Apple has just revealed the newest additions to its iPad lineup with the announcement of an updated, 10.5-inch iPad Air and a new iPad mini with support for Apple Pencil.
The iPad Air's screen size jumps up to 10.5 inches with this update. It also gains the A12 Bionic system-on-a-chip for a 70% boost in performance and twice the graphics capability of its predecessor. The display also supports Apple's True Tone technology for color accuracy in all ambient light settings.
The updated iPad mini keeps the familiar 7.9-inch form factor. It also gains the...
Apple reveals 10.5-inch iPad Air and Apple Pencil-ready iPad mini 5
4 monthes ago | By Venture Beat
Apple today revealed two new tablets: a 10.5-inch iPad Air starting at $499, and the fifth-generation iPad mini starting at $399. The two models are both being offered as midrange alternates to last year's entry-level $329 iPad, and replace the now-discontinued 10.5-inch iPad Pro at lower price points. Both models include Apple's A12 Bi...
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U.S. Supreme Court to hear Bridgegate appeal
By: David Hutter
Bridget Kelly, a former aide to Gov. Chris Christie, and Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who both were sentenced to prison for their roles the so-called Bridgegate scandal of 2013 will be able to take their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The justices agreed to hear the appeal in an order issued June 28.
In 2013, Christie was running for re-election and seeking the endorsement of Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich when the lanes in the town leading to the George Washington Bridge were abruptly closed, causing traffic gridlock.
After Sokolich refused to back Christie, David Wildstein, then Baroni’s chief of staff, suggested to Kelly via e-mail that the Port Authority could shut down the Fort Lee lanes in an effort to put pressure on the mayor. Kelly responded in an e-mail: “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.” The note was a key piece of evidence in the government’s case against her.
Bill Baroni – FILE PHOTO
Kelly and Baroni were convicted of conspiracy by a U.S. District Court jury in 2016 and the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the verdicts last year. Wildstein pleaded guilty and testified for the government in the case. Christie was not charged and has denied knowing about the scheme.
Kelly is scheduled to report to prison in July and remain there for 13 months. Baroni is serving an 18-month sentence.
In seeking review by the Supreme Court, Kelly argued that her conduct was just politics. “Nothing is easier (or more common) than accusing a politician of advancing his own political interests while purporting to act in the public interest,” Kelly’s argued in court filing. “If that suffices to indict, and if a jury finding to that effect suffices to convict, no official in the nation could steer clear of the prosecutorial crosshairs.”
The government countered that Kelly had exceeded the bounds of bare-knuckled political brawling. “[T]he court of appeals in this case upheld the jury’s verdict based on a finding that petitioner and her co-conspirators deprived the Port Authority of money—namely, thousands of dollars of wages paid for public employee labor that was unnecessary and served no legitimate Port Authority function.”
Prosecutors further argued that “[w]hether petitioner and Baroni were motivated by political animus toward the mayor of Fort Lee or by a desire for personal gain, their criminal liability would be unchanged, because their conduct constituted a ‘scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses.'”
12:27 pm Fri, June 28, 2019 NJBIZ
David Hutter
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David Hutter grew up in Darien, Conn., and covers higher education, transportation and manufacturing for NJBIZ. He can be reached at: dhutter@njbiz.com.
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Hannah Purnell | Wednesday, September 21, 2016
UpTech 5 cohort features diverse startups with community focus
UpTech’s fifth cohort of startups began the incubation process on September 6.Scott Beseler
UpTech 5 participant Christi Brown created iReport to help companies streamline training and safety processes.Scott Beseler
German physician Glenn Lawyer’s Healthcast app is described as “GPS for good health.”Scott Beseler
Lawyer’s Healthcast team includes Tariq Khaleeq (left) and Tobias Theobald.Scott Beseler
One of UpTech’s multifunctional conference spaces opens onto the fast-developing “Innovation Alley.”Scott Beseler
Covington's "Innovation Alley" connects several buildings that currently or will soon house startups, tech companies and incubators.Scott Beseler
Jonathan “JB” Woodruff was in the process of changing hats when NKY Thrives caught up with him one recent morning at UpTech’s Covington headquarters. He does that a lot, as one of only two full-time staff for the regional tech accelerator that recently announced its fifth annual cohort of data-driven startups.
In his role as Program Director, Woodruff helps decide which companies make the cut to receive UpTech’s considerable program benefits that range from mentorship and legal advice to up to $50,000 in startup capital. He’s also responsible for continually developing program curriculum, connecting with potential investors, aggregating business resources and mentoring entrepreneurs throughout the six-month cohort cycle. Meanwhile, he serves as Commercialization Director for the Kentucky Innovation Network.
It’s a chaotic pace, but Woodruff adjusted quickly after coming on board 18 months ago, thanks to support from UpTech founders and board members Casey Barach and Bill Scheyer of Skyward as well as Woodruff's counterpart, Operations Manager Abby Ober.
UpTech Program Director JB WoodruffA native Cincinnatian, Woodruff’s career trajectory has roots in Nairobi, Kenya, where he caught the "startup bug" while mentoring fledgling organizations before returning stateside to start his own web and graphic design firm. The experience abroad changed both Woodruff's personal worldview and his approach to leadership — a shift that’s apparent in the nine companies selected this year. UpTech 5 participants hail from nearby Cincinnati, Dayton and Kenton County, and as far away as Luxembourg, New Delhi, Riga, Dublin and Chile. (See the full list of companies at the bottom of this article.)
Incubation techniques five years in the making
Since its earliest days when it was referred to as Greater Cincinnati’s “innovation cluster,” UpTech has maintained a strong regional focus, but now organizers cast a wider recruiting net, not just to diversify the talent pool and showcase our region’s benefits for a broader audience; the goal is also to draw interest from corporate investors.
Soon after joining UpTech, Woodruff authored a 12-point curriculum that serves to streamline the overall incubation process while opening the door to large-scale implementation by corporations like 84.51°, enabling industry giants to tap into the agility and passion that characterize startup culture.
“(Cincinnati-based accelerator) The Brandery partners with Kroger and Procter & Gamble,” Woodruff says. “Data is a little harder, so we’re still trying to find out if the corporate sector could support something like this. Ideally, we would provide training and support for companies that want to house the incubation model and develop the tools to explore great ideas from within.”
Also new to UpTech this year is a “5-plus-1 month” format that gives startups a chance to decompress at the end of the rigorous process.
“It used to be that these companies would just run, run, run for six straight months and then suddenly stop,” Woodruff explains. “Now we’re able to have more of a transition after the product demo, tie up loose ends, take a look at what worked and what didn’t and talk about next steps.”
That recovery time is especially helpful for those startups that fail to gain the support and funding they need to proceed to market — a disappointing conclusion, but not an uncommon one, Woodruff says. “This process isn’t for everyone, and not everyone succeeds. UpTech can only provide the tools and push these ideas along, but we can’t guarantee success. Each company is responsible for building a good product and, more importantly, doing what’s necessary to get customers to use it and invest in it.”
Nine diverse companies share strong community interest
Christi Brown is confident that her UpTech 5 submission is up to the challenge.
Brown's idea for iReport — a data-collection app that streamlines companies’ safety and training programs — stemmed from a terrible experience she had as a third-party administrator. While investigating an on-the-job fatality resulting from negligence, Brown learned that her client's inefficient processes had failed to ensure training, certification and systems of accountability for the parties involved in the incident.
“Looking a person’s family member in the eyes and telling them their loved one’s death could have been prevented is not something anyone should ever have to do,” she says.
That experience sealed the deal, and Brown began exploring incubator programs and researching micro-technology to get a sense of how her idea might translate to app format. She was selected for UpTech 5, and her passion for business incubation grew.
Fast forward to present. Within two years, Brown will sell iReport, which she describes as “absolutely scalable and absolutely saleable,” and start a brand-new venture with the primary goal of helping other entrepreneurs grow their ideas.
“Lots of people are here for the money,” Brown says. “I’m here for the ecosystem.”
Similarly, Glenn Lawyer is confident that his product will “hit the curriculum,” but his take on ecosystem extends beyond the startup community. A physician by trade, Lawyer created Healthcast primarily to give families a reliable framework for navigating cold and flu season.
Described as a GPS system for good health, Healthcast technology relies on a combination of public health data and user-generated info to help patients first prevent illness and, in the event illness occurs, to track symptoms and manage care delivery.
“I wanted to join a program with a strong sense of community, since that's the focus of my work,” says Lawyer, whose colleagues Tariq Khaleeq and Tobias Theobald studied at Germany's Saarland University. “Good health is a community endeavor. If your kids are healthy but the rest of the community isn’t, then no one is healthy.”
Lawyer anticipates that “average people and families” will be the first and strongest investors in Healthcast, but long-term goals include partnering with St. Elizabeth and other area health providers to disseminate the app's benefits across a wider audience.
Seven other data-driven startups make up this year's UpTech 5 cohort. Read their company descriptions below and visit UptechIdeas.org to learn how to invest or beta test this year’s product offerings.
Papr: End-to-end hardware-plus-software solution that offers businesses an alternative to printing physical paper.
Rescoper: Project management software infused with artificial intelligence that encourages team-based efficiency and productivity.
Road-aid: An analytic company that captures and productizes collected road data for a wide range of customers with initial product focus on pothole data that will soon be tailored for governments, drivers and insurers.
Shogooru: Discovery and streaming platform for podcasts and radio that makes it possible for producers to highlight content within their shows and for listeners to find and interact with it.
Social/Arcade: Online drag-and-drop template service for launching branded apps, quizzes and games; will be aimed at creative agencies and small and medium enterprises.
TheMonetizr: Helps game developers monetize their mobile games by turning design assets into branded merchandise. Designed to provide high returns and ultimate automation, from products and shop to manufacturing and worldwide distribution.
WhatSupp: Mobile app that enables the nutritional supplement industry to help consumers make better-informed decisions when purchasing and taking dietary supplements.
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Norwegian airline planning flights to Rio de Janeiro from 2019
TOPICS:2019NorwayNorway TodayNorwegian airlineRio de Janeiro
The airline Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS). Photo: Norway Today Media
Posted By: Gerard Taylor 9. September 2018
The Norwegian airline plans to launch a Boeing 787 airplane route between London Gatwick and Rio de Janeiro’s Galeao airport next year reported the FlightGlobal website, which on Thursday had the plans confirmed by CEO, Bjørn Kjos.
It was known from before that the airline were looking atthe opportunity to strengthen its offer in Brazil. The new route between London and Rio will compete with British Airways’ existing scheduled flight between London Heathrow and Rio.
Norwegian entered the South American market earlier this year with departures between London Gatwick and Argentina’s Buenos Aires with the Boeing 787 aircraft, from February. From the 16th of October, the company is launching domestic flights in Argentina.
According to Kjos, the company sees great opportunities for further growth related to South America. Towards the end of 2019, the new Airbus A321LR aircraft will serve international routes on the South American continent, which will be based in Argentina said Kjos.
The company is also looking at the possibility of long-haul flights to southern Europe, for example to Madrid and Barcelona. The Norwegian boss pointed out that there are very many travellers on these routes.
“It’s extremely expensive to fly on any of these routes.They deserve to pay lower prices,’’ said Kjos.
Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Europe and Iberia currently offer departures from Madrid to Buenos Aires, while Iberia is alone on the routes from Madrid to Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona to Buenos Aires.
Norwegian adds to Hamilton and Montreal in Canada, and Tampa in Florida on their network list this autumn.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
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Home/Campus News/Transphobic universities facing backlash for not having urinals in women’s bathrooms
Transphobic universities facing backlash for not having urinals in women’s bathrooms
It's 2019. More and more women are able to use urinals. Schools should adapt accordingly.
NPC February 13, 2019
In an onslaught of transphobic hate that swept through a multitude of universities in our country, many schools are facing backlash for hate crimes against transgender individuals. In this case, it takes the form of excluding urinals from women’s restrooms.
It’s a biological fact that not all men have penises and not all women have vaginas. This is settled science – so why haven’t some universities caught up? As if the problem of not giving out free tampons in men’s restrooms weren’t enough, transgender women now have to face the harsh reality that they may not be able to urinate into a urinal made specifically for the organs they possess.
Millennial activists from North Arbon State University have expressed their outrage by gathering in protest outside the administration building through the act of urinating on themselves while screaming culturally enriched statements at the top of their lungs
I’m a male to female transgender woman and I still have the parts I was assigned with. I want to go to the bathroom like everyone else but when I get there, there’s nothing but stalls and toilets! Um… excuse me?! Just because I am a woman doesn’t automatically mean I don’t have a penis! This hatred my schools has for transgender people is appalling. I demand urinals in the women’s restrooms!
Alex, 21, North Arbon State University
It may not be today and it may not be tomorrow, but someday we will live in a society where men, women and everyone in between will have the same rights as everyone else. Until every university, college, school and institution across America install urinals in the women’s bathrooms, the protesting will not stop. It’s time to get on the right side of history.
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The creator of NPC Daily. The mastermind behind the entire NPC Daily movement. Yes, this entire website is satire and not meant to be taken seriously. It's for fun. Chill. See "about" page for more details. Now that we got that taken care of, repeat after me: "Orange man the absolute worst."
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Best of NYS Music 2017: Best Music Towns
Best of NYSMusicBuffaloRochester
By Pete Mason On Dec 26, 2017
We’re proud to know that New York is one of the greatest states in the country, if not THE greatest state, for producing musicians and second to none live music experiences. All throughout The Empire State, venues across the state in villages, towns and cities are filled each night with up and coming and established musicians, with something new right around the corner. Your new favorite band might be playing in town tonight, and a few towns over tomorrow, and these are the artists that you can catch early and often, before they rise to stardom. We asked NYS Music’s staff and contributors, along with our readers, what they considered to be the Music Town in New York for 2017, and the winners both come from Western New York, Rochester and Buffalo.
The venues are not the only reason why New York is such a great place for music. With the amount of national, regional and local acts touring through the state, we get the chance see bands and artists rise from their infancy playing bars and small clubs to playing larger theaters and arenas. In addition to the best music towns, we also asked our staff and readers for what they think are the acts to which we should pay the most attention.
Best Music Town – Staff Pick
Western New York had a dominant winner in Rochester as our staff pick of Best Music Town in the state. Rochester’s overall music scene might be one of the most complete in the state, with music legends teaching at the Eastman and Hochstein Schools of Music, the legendary House of Guitars which attracts musicians from around the world, plus venues that cater to a wide variety of music, aiding in the building of a strong scene. The Flour City’s proximity to Buffalo and Toronto also makes it a popular stomping ground for indie bands just starting out, and right off I-90 they bring in touring bands criss-crossing the state. Then there are the talented musicians in obscure bands that are just getting their start, leading to a great deal of artist collaboration, supporting each other as they rise in their respective parts of the overall scene.
Between cafes, bars, theaters, and parks, live music is prominent throughout the Greater Rochester area. Events like Rochester Fringe, Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest, Lilac Festival, Park Ave Fest, and Corn Hill Festival keep the city alive from the spring through the autumn, touching on every genre. Funk n Waffles Music Hall opened earlier this year in the former Water Street Music Hall, serving up live music with a side of waffles. The Dome Arena also re-opened this year, providing a larger venue for national acts. Three Heads Brewing has attracted a consistent slate of bands that pair well with any of the brewery’s tasty offerings. The Main Street Armory, Flour City Station, The Bug Jar, Photo City Improv, and Montage Music Hall are a regular spots for catching touring bands passing through town as well as local bands providing support. The Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, home of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, offers a range of world-class events in one of the most beautiful venues in the state.
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Rochester is a breeding ground for talent. Rochester has a surprisingly large metal scene, one that is #4 in the country for metal bands, including punk band Primitive Screwheads, death metal band Gutted Alive, and hardcore band REPS. It is a point of pride for Rochester metal fans that Metallica came here to record there first album in 1983. Then there are some lesser-known and up-and-coming acts like Lost Wax Collective, Such Gold, Maybird, St Phillip’s Escalator, Total Yuppies, Tart Vandelay, Area Natives, The Medicinals, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Crooked North, Dirty Blanket, Periodic Table of Elephants, The Demos, The Dirty Pennies, So Last Year, Nerds In Denial, Carpool, Druse, Taking Meds, and Talking Under Water. Top notch music education has cultivated phenomenal young talent, such as Pilot the Universe, a band whose members are still in high school but already making waves, and 12-year-old Jack West, who recently had an opportunity to sing on stage with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Rochester bands are also getting national and international exposure. Rochester’s King Buffalo toured North America and Europe this summer with Elder. Following the release of their second album, Content, Joywave crossed the country twice this year – playing in support of Young The Giant and then again on a headlining tour. And Bon Iver chose local singer/songwriter/harpist Mikaela Davis to provide support on their European jaunt this year.
Many famous musicians have called the 585 home, including Lou Gramm (a founding member of Foreigner), Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis & The Playboys, The Chesterfield Kings, composer Samuel Adler, Jazz Brothers Chuck and Gap Mangione, bluesman Joe Beard, and acclaimed drummer Steve Gadd. The roots of Rochester’s music scene can be traced back over a hundred years, to artists like blues legend Son House and jazz musician Cab Calloway. The Rochester Hall of Fame has inducted Beard, Adler, Lewis, and Gramm, House and Calloway, as well as Lew Soloff, who taught at the Eastman School of Music after his many years in Earth, Wind and Fire.
There’s something for every musical taste in Rochester, whether you’re a lucky resident or visitor.
Best Music Town – Reader’s Pick
Buffalo, being the second largest city in the state and one of the largest in their region of the country, sees a lot of music come through its various venues, ranging from small clubs and bars to the large New Era Field. Buffablog organizes an annual event Herd Fest, a SXSW-style multi-venue showcase featuring some of the best musicians in the region. This year’s WLKK holiday music festival stretched out over three days. Then there are numerous venues including Nietzche’s, Tralf Music Hall, Shea’s Buffalo, Canalside, Kleinhans Music Hall, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Mohawk Place, Town Ballroom, Buffalo Iron Works, Sugar City, Key Bank Center, and first year fest Cobblestone Live.
Many popular music acts got their start in Buffalo including the Goo Goo Dolls and Spyro Gyra. One of the current popular bands, Aqueous, whose latest EP, Best in Show, was our staff pick for album of the year and named once again to be a Band on the Rise by our readers. And a wide variety of artists having gained or gaining a fan base from the Queen City. NYS Music 87/90 artists Intrepid Travelers and Folkfaces, folk rock icon Ani DiFranco, Rick James, Cannibal Corpse, Cute Is What We Aim For, Every Time I Die, On The Cinder, Del Paxton, Green Jelly, moe., Willie Nile, Billy Sheehan, and Wyatt Coin.
Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has shared their stage at the landmark Kleinhan’s Music Hall with such greats as Sergei Rachmaninoff, Aaron Copland, and Yo-Yo Ma. With venues catering to a young adult audience, from the all-ages Sugar City to shows on the SUNY Fredonia campus, Buffalo is a fertile market for twenty-something alternative bands like Head North, Super American, MAGS, Previous Love, Ugly Sun, Made Violent, and Mason-Jar.)
Buffalo is also home to recording studios who help regional artists lay down their work, but are talented enough to attract major recording artists. GCR Audio is a state of the art recording studio which attracts local as well as big-name artists, with a list of clients which includes A-listers like James Taylor, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Lil Wayne. Outer Limits Recording Studio has been serving regional and national artists for more than two decades, and its client list includes Eminem.
But more than just the brick and mortar venues and studios, it’s the sense of community that makes the Buffalo music scene great. Artists are supportive of each other, cross-promote, and join in collaborative efforts between musicians to help each other create and grow. Overall, the bands, venues, and industry professionals are conscientious of the needs of audience members to not only have fun but also to provide a safe environment.
Area nativesbuffaloCarpoolDirty BlanketDruseNerds In DenialPeriodic Table of ElephantsPilot the Universe
Pete Mason 782 posts 0 comments
Pete Mason is a teacher and writer living in Albany, NY. "The Grateful Book of Letters" is his third children's book with illustrator Ryan Kerrigan, with whom he has also published "The Alphabet Book, for Little Phans: From Antelope to Zero" and "A Well Traveled Dog." Other books include "PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish," a compilation of art made by Phish fans, and "PhanFood," a cookbook of recipes by and for Phish fans co-authored with Taraleigh Weathers. He promotes PhanArt shows and runs PhanArt.net, highlighting concert posters, official prints and fan creations while supporting The Mockingbird Foundation. He is co-publisher of NYS Music and manages Formula 5.
Twitter: @PhanArt Email: Pete@NYSMusic.com
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Tag Archives: Sense About Science
Responding to Tracey Brown on fluoridation
I appreciate Tracey Brown, Director of Sense About Science, taking the time to respond to some of the comments in my article The ugly truth about critics of “the ugly truth” in science (see “The ugly truth” – Tracey Brown ticks me off). Despite apparent differences I think Tracey and I are singing from the same hymn sheet regarding the need to confront assumptions and check the evidence supporting common claims. That was the message from her lecture and I simply expanded this to include claims of the sort Tracey herself was making.
First, I must apologise for implying Tracey relied only on the reading of the two papers that were cited to me. I of course have no idea what other reading she has done on the subject – although some of her comments did reflect the views of Peckham, a well-known anti-fluoride activist, as expressed in his misleading paper Peckham (2012).
I also did not know for sure she had based her comments on “inadequate knowledge – claims from anti-fluoride campaigners she uncritically accepted.” That should have been expressed as my view, my conclusion, drawn from her lecture – rather than a statement of fact.
I did say “even scientists, and pro-science people, can suffer from confirmation bias – just like anyone else. They can sometimes adopt a partisan position which restricts them to considering only the misinformation and distortions peddled by anti-science campaigners.” However, I was simply presenting that as a general problem – not accusing her specifically of this. We should be able to raise these possibilities without being accused of “rudeness” or “brittleness.” This oversensitivity can be an obstacle to the necessary tasks of demanding evidence for the claims being made by anyone.
The fluoridation issue
I don’t, for a minute, think Tracey has jumped on the anti-fluoride bandwagon. But I am concerned that she seems, at this stage, to have uncritically accepted some of the claims made by people like Peckham and Connett.
Tracey’s understanding of community water fluoridation (CWF) is important. A she said in her lecture, “members of the public have asked “Sense About Science” about it.” Her organisation needs to be able to correct misunderstandings and provide an objective summary of CWF. (In this respect Sense About Science is a similar position to Making Sense of Fluoride, a group I belong to). I think, at the moment, Tracey’s comments indicate her organisation’s advice on CWF could be misleading.
Tracey’s response struck me a being largely defensive – objecting to the style of some of my specific comments rather discussing the evidence for or against CWF or its handling by health authorities and decision makers. As it stands she still appears to adhere to the claims made in her lecture which, I think, are just wrong. So, it is worth expanding on some of the comments I have already made.
Is there really no critical assessment of the evidence for CWF?
It is ironic that Tracey uses CWF as an example where evidence has not been questioned. She even says that “governments went about fluoridation in the 50s by stealth, without discussion which caused a backlash.”
But the facts are that in most jurisdictions the decisions on CWF are usually made by local bodies and water companies, not governments. These decisions usually involve consultations and often very contentious debates. Unlike many other health measures, CWF has been countered from its very beginnings by protests and representations. Although this has usually been ideologically driven and sometimes, but not always, extreme, such opposition has guaranteed a high level of discussion, consultation and scrutiny of the evidence.
That continues to the present day. In my own city (Hamilton, New Zealand) pressure from activists to cease CWF lead to a limited consultation by the council in 2013, and a decision to stop fluoridating. Citizens, many of them quite knowledgeable on the subject, reacted because they felt they had not been properly consulted or listened to and the council had ignored previous referendums and their own polling data. A new referendum showed overwhelming support and subsequently the council reversed their decision and CWF returned to our city in 2014.
Actually, this illustrates two features which must be taken into account in our defence or criticism of social health policies.
Often the central issue is one of values – even the conflict between a social approach or a libertarian one. Decision-makers should take account of such values in their community as they may be more relevant than the science.
Decision-makers often just do not have the skills to judge scientific evidence. This was particularly true for the Hamilton City Council which was effectively swamped by anti-fluoride activists promoting misinformation and distortion.
For many people involved in this process, and many citizens, CWF has been revisited so many times, the evidence scrutinised and criticised so many times, there is indeed a backlash. Citizens are not happy about their local bodies spending so much time and money on repetitive consultation and even react negatively to new referenda. New Zealand local bodies now wish to unload the whole issue onto Central government arguing, quite legitimately, they do not have the expertise to make such decisions. They have had a gutsful of the issue.
Benefits of opposition
This continual consultation and rehashing of the evidence has produced some positive outcomes – the anti-fluoride activity has a silver lining. The Royal Society of NZ, together with the Office of the PM’s Chief Scientific advisor produced a review updating the evidence relevant to the efficacy and safety of CWF to the middle of 2014. The citation is:
Eason, C., & Elwood, JM. Seymour, Thomson, WM. Wilson, N. Prendergast, K. (2014). Health effects of water fluoridation: A review of the scientific evidence.
This was partly financed by local bodies who felt thoroughly confused by the competing claims. I suggest Sense About Science people read this document, and others, in their efforts to get up to speed on CWF.
Not only does NZ now have an up-to-date review of CWF we also have several High Court decisions which put to rest some of the claims made by activists. Poetic justice perhaps – as funding from the “natural”/alternative health industry has actually produced scientific and legal judgements supporting CWF! The opposite of what they intended.
Setting “optimum” levels
Tracey said in her response:
“I stated, briefly, that the one part per million figure originates from those old studies. Other parts of the world have rejected it in favour of different concentrations. My reading of the subsequent research on concentrations was that it was not possible to come up with a clear case for one part per million, as opposed to say 0.7 as used elsewhere, and that although the need for controls is better understood and sometimes applied, the multiple and variable sources of other contributors to dental health have made it harder to get a signal from the noise. In the lecture, I pointed out that it’s very difficult to control and measure the dose that people actually get from water. It’s not clear whether you disagree with this.”
Her original comment on “old studies” still stands. As I said before, standards are set according to the studies available at the time – this does not mean they are not revisited or changes as new studies become available. This has, in fact, happened with CWF and it is misleading to imply otherwise.
I don’t think it is a matter of “rejecting” the research. Health authorities and decision makers in each country make decisions about “optimum” levels taking into account their own specific situations, dietary intake, drinking water consumption, etc. Counties don’t “reject” decisions of other countries.
Of course it is hard to control and measure the “dose”, or intake – but that is true for any beneficial element – most of which have upper and lower bounds for recommended intake. Dietary consumption is hardly an exact science – one should not be concerned about the 0.7 or 1 ppm difference. Why should fluoride present a special problem?
Personally, I see talk about “dose” as another misleading argument promoted by anti-fluoride campaigners. Firstly, because of the implication such accuracy is required and secondly because it is painting fluoride out to be in the same class as a very active and possibly toxic drug requiring accurate control – which it isn’t. Really, fluoride is in the same class as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. It is not a drug.
Trends of declining dental decay
No one claims CWF is a magic bullet, or that it is the only factor behind improving oral health. Yet the graphic Tracey used is promoted constantly by campaigners to “prove” CWF is ineffective by implying health authorities see fluoride as the only factor involved. The graphic “proves” nothing except that oral health has improved over the years.
In my article I assumed Tracey used the image from Cheng et al (2007). In fact, her comments on Austria introducing gobstoppers suggest she probably used the one below from Peckham (2012). There are warning signs there as the citation was a personal communication from Chris Neurath – an activist and “research director” in the management of Paul Connett’s Fluoride Action Network. Even the journal citation should ring bells as Fluoride is a poor quality journal effectively managed by the anti-fluoride community.
And, as I pointed out in my original article, these images avoid showing the WHO data within countries – which do show that CWF is effective. It is extremely naive, and misleading, to suggest that the WHO data shows that it is not effective.
I am seriously concerned that inadequate review of the scientific literature will lead to Sense About Science promoting this misleading graphic in its response to public requests for information.
Real world problems for public discussion of evidence
Institutional cultures often restrict the ability of staff to comment publicly. This may be expressed as a condition of employment or it may just be informal discouragement. On the fluoridation issue, it may just be a matter of institutions preventing staff from participating in the “street-fighting” nature of many of the public discussions. In fact, some local institutions have said they are not ready to expose their staff to the threats and abuse which are often part of these public discussions. It is a health and safety issue for them.
Consequently, these discussions are often handled better by non-institutional “activist” groups like Sense About Science. The group Making Sense of Fluoride (MSoF)is effectively a sister group to Sense About Science, but concentrating on the scientific and ethical issues around community water fluoridation. It was formed precisely because institutions like District Health Boards are not able to take part fully in the public debate. Many MSoF people are not limited by institutional requirements.
Incidentally, institutional restrictions are another reason many people who discuss scientific issues publicly are retired. Such retirees often have the background knowledge and research skills necessary for this discussion but no restriction on what they can say, and where.
Tactical approaches are also important. Very often the public is not interested in the scientific details and qualifications which should be attached to evidential claims. They are often happy to leave such discussion to the “boffins.” Scientific debates may be suitable for some fora but can be a real turn off in referendums. Institutional decisions to forgo scientific debate and detailed qualifications may be completely correct in such situations.
The issue of making disagreements like this public (in the same way Tracey suggests health authorities may not be completely open about the contradictory evidence) is a real one for me with this and my previous post. I had to consider tactical questions. Tracey’s comments on CWF may have been buried within her lecture and not noticed by anti-fluoride activists who just love to publicise and promote such statements. My criticism has now brought them to the attention of the anti-fluoride community. I have handed them a bit of juicy propaganda.
However, my motive is promotion of integrity in science and the need to back up claims with evidence. This is more important to me than a specific campaign of support for CWF. Tracey provided an example which illustrates my concern – so why should I not comment on it?
The public discussion of science, which was the subject of Tracey’s lecture, is not simple and we should not neglect the social and psychological research about public opinion and the way to communicate with the public.
I am grateful to Tracey for responding to my article and wish her and Sense About Science the best in updating their knowledge on CWF.
I am a little disappointed her response was defensive and did not involve an in-depth discussion of CWF. This is probably natural, but it is important that groups like Sense About Science and Making Sense of Fluoride not ignore such challenges. It is also important for such groups to be ready to update their knowledge and opinions on issues when required.
In her article Can you handle the truth? Some ugly facts in science and sensibility introducing her lecture Tracey said:
“The ugly truth is that all of us – however informed, however good our intentions – end up letting things slide once in a while. We overlook, overstate or understate the evidence behind research, claims, or policies, for a number of reasons.”
So true – and something we should continually come back to.
I think Tracey was guilty of this in her claims about CWF. Granted, these were only a small part of her lecture. But to anyone with sufficient knowledge to see her mistakes the claims about CWF did detract from the authenticity of the other claims she made.
Posted in city council, Health and Medicine, SciBlogs, science, Science and Society
Tagged community water fluoridation, fluoridation, fluoride, Making Sense of Fluoride, SciBlogs, Sense About Science, Tracey Brown
“The ugly truth” – Tracey Brown ticks me off
Dara O’Briain holds a Sense About Science logo
Tracey Brown, Director of Sense About Science, has responded to my article which criticised part of her recent lecture (see The ugly truth about critics of “the ugly truth” in science). Her response is in the form of notes inserted into my article at the points she disagrees with.
Here I include those sections of my article she responded to – with her responses in red. Hopefully, this will give readers the context required – and if anyone wants more they can refer to my original article.
I answer Tracey’s comment in the next post Responding to Tracey Brown on fluoridation.
She made these points – and claimed that some of our social policies are based on insufficient information. My point was actually that we sometimes assume that there’s a stronger body of evidence than there is because we forget to question. I didn’t touch the question of what is sufficient. Or that we sometimes exaggerate the amount and quality of information we have to support these policies. That is the “ugly truth” she highlighted in her lecture.
Unfortunately though, her lecture was a practical example of another “ugly truth” – simple declarations are not enough. One’s criticisms of accepted knowledge are not necessarily correct or justified just because one is being critical. No, really? There is still the responsibility to base one’s criticism on facts – and to properly research the area before making critical claims. She based her criticism of at least one social health policy, community water fluoridation, on inadequate knowledge – claims from anti-fluoride campaigners she uncritically accepted. There is nothing in the relevant 4 minutes of my lecture to tell you this.
Tracey claimed that community water fluoridation (CWF) has very little empirical justification. She gave two reasons:
The social health policy is based only on the original research which is over 70 years old and does not measure up to current scientific standards. This is different from what I said. I said that the US and UK’s adoption of 1 part per million as the level at which fluoride’s benefits are achieved and fluorosis avoided is based on studies conducted in the 1930s. I said that these studies did not have the controls in place that we usually expect today of evidence in public health.
Data shows that the oral health of both fluoridated and unfluoridated countries has improved over recent decades and this has more to do with the use fluoridated toothpaste and improved health care than CWF. This is what I actually said: This near universal fall has been attributed to fluoride in toothpaste and improvement in dental hygiene and dentistry. Some argue that this masks residual problems for a socially deprived sub-population, and fluoridation is needed for them. That is a good argument and more generally an issue in public health – it is administered to everyone to produce benefits only for some.
These are, of course, two claims made again and again by anti-fluoride propagandists and campaigners. She could have taken her critique directly from one of Paul Connett’s political submissions to councils considering fluoridation. If she did so, she was irresponsible as there are plenty of experts who could have provided information of far better quality. But as I didn’t, this is irrelevant ad hominem.
I contacted Sense About Science and found out that Tracey used the following papers to “formulate” her comment on fluoride. A colleague sent you two papers, saying ‘that helped formulate’. It wouldn’t have been my description but it is clear that these were not all.
Peckham, S. (2012). Slaying sacred cows: is it time to pull the plug on water fluoridation? Critical Public Health, 22(2), 159–177.
Cheng, K. K., Chalmers, I., & Sheldon, T. a. (2007). Adding fluoride to water supplies. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 335(7622), 699–702.
So, let’s consider Tracey’s claims about CWF
The first claim is just silly. Of course, decision makers use the information available at the time – 70 years ago they used the information that was available then. But fluoridation decisions have been made again and again over the years and it is perfectly natural that decision makers will use the current information for thoseThe efficacy and safety of CWF have been investigated many times since it was first introduced. Science does not stop after a single study. If Brown had made a simple literature search she would have realised that (see Water fluoridation effective – new studyfor just one recent example – there are many others). Or, given that none of us have the time and expertise to be well informed about a wide variety of subjects, she could have consulted somebody with up-to-date knowledge and expertise on the subject. She certainly should not have relied solely on the very one-sided papers by Peckham (a well-known UK anti-fluoride activist) and Cheng et al. Solely? You’ve made that up. This also sets up a straw man to knock down. As above, I stated, briefly, that the one part per million figure originates from those old studies. Other parts of the world have rejected it in favour of different concentrations. My reading of the subsequent research on concentrations was that it was not possible to come up with a clear case for one part per million, as opposed to say 0.7 as used elsewhere, and that although the need for controls is better understood and sometimes applied, the multiple and variable sources of other contributors to dental health have made it harder to get a signal from the noise. In the lecture, I pointed out that it’s very difficult to control and measure the dose that people actually get from water. It’s not clear whether you disagree with this.
From the audio Brown appeared to use this graphic (below – left image) from Cheng et al., (2007) which is very similar to the one promoted by the anti-fluoride propagandist organisation Fluoride Action Network. I have discussed this graphic in several articles and in my debate with Paul Connett (download the pdf) It is based on extremely limited WHO data (hence the straight lines), makes comparisons which ignore the multiple factors influencing oral health, and ignores the within-country data which show the efficacy of CWF (such as for Ireland in my second figure). Yes, I hope you don’t mean that we shouldn’t show WHO data if they have been used by a campaign we disagree with. As my point was simply to show that the data for countries with and without fluoridation is a fairly similar downward trajectory, which is surprising to people, including me, who expected to see greater variation, I can’t understand what is objectionable here. Whether it ignores in-country differences is irrelevant. National data ignore in-country differences in natural fluoridation, access to dentistry, use of toothpaste too. As I went on to say, these data may mask problems for socially deprived populations.
You’re responding as though I’m campaigning against fluoridation, when I am simply showing that the case for it is not as clear cut as many of us might expect. I pasted above and paste again here, my actual words: This near universal fall has been attributed to fluoride in toothpaste and improvement in dental hygiene and dentistry. Some argue that this masks residual problems for a socially deprived sub-population, and fluoridation is needed for them. That is a good argument and more generally an issue in public health – it is administered to everyone to produce benefits only for some.
Unfortunately, the “ugly truth” Tracey Brown demonstrated was that even scientists, and supporters of science, can be fooled by the claims of anti-science campaigners if they are too lazy to do their own checking. Perhaps she also demonstrated that even scientists, and pro-science people, can suffer from confirmation bias – just like anyone else. They can sometimes adopt a partisan position which restricts them to considering only the misinformation and distortions peddled by anti-science campaigners. This is rude. It is also immensely brittle on your part, despite the grand statements at the start of your piece about not being defensive. My overall point was that this is surprisingly not as clear cut and well-established as we might expect, as indeed I expected. And you’ve drawn from this that I have adopted a partisan position which restricts me to considering only the information and distortions of the anti-science campaigners. Even based on the papers you know I looked at, never mind the many others, do you consider Iain Chalmers, a founder of the Cochrane Collaboration, to be an anti-science campaigner?
The dilemma is that we, as individuals, can not be experts in everything. We are not capable, individually, of making a well-informed critical and objective judgement on all the issues we may have to face in preparing a lecture like Tracey’s. We have to be careful about relying on our own biases or poorly informed memories. We have to recognise our limitations and not be afraid to consult experts for clarification, updating knowledge or even just getting one’s head around complex issues. I didn’t actually have such memories: as I said clearly in my lecture, I recently looked into it and was surprised. If I had a bias it was that the evidence was surely stronger and clearer than it turned out to be. My observation that it is weaker does not mean there is no case for fluoridation. I used this example to show that we tend not to question things that have been around a long time. I went on to say, especially when the madcap arguments appear to be on the other side. Throughout this piece you seem to refer to anti-fluoride campaigner statements (I’m assuming you’re accurate about them – I’ve not read them) in precisely that way: as an indicator of what is most likely to be correct.
In this example, I have sufficient knowledge about the science behind CWF to judge this aspect of Tracey’s lecture and see she was mistaken. But what about the other subjects she covered? For example, she claimed that current health advice on cholesterol relies on inadequate research and could be wrong. Do I take her word for it? No! Of course not! That is the whole point of my lecture. I certainly don’t feel I should – if she is wrong about CWF she may be just as mistaken about cholesterol.
That also makes me wonder if the Sense About Science organisation is as credible in its pronouncements as I used to think it was.
I respond to Tracey’s comments in my next post Responding to Tracey Brown on fluoridation.
Posted in Health and Medicine, SciBlogs, science, Science and Society
Tagged fluoridation, fluoride, lecture, SciBlogs, Sense About Science, Tracey Brown
The ugly truth about critics of “the ugly truth” in science
It’s an interesting issue. Do we sometimes get too defensive about established science? In our efforts to counter the propaganda of the naysayers do we paint an over-optimistic picture of scientific knowledge? Do we sometimes neglect to make a critical analysis of accepted science while at the same time demanding this of the claims made by anti-science critics?
Tracey Brown, director of Sense About Science
Important questions – and don’t tell me they haven’t sometimes caused you to have some uncertainty when defending scientific knowledge from detractors. Of course, you are not alone in this. Tracey Brown, Director of Sense in Science, tackled the subject head on in the annual Sense About Science lecture last week.
This was the title of her lecture. Perhaps it is a timely warning. We should not be defensive about scientific knowledge – or the policy decisions that rely on that knowledge. We should always be open-minded and critical. And we should always be realistic about the evidence. We should be ready to present and argue for the science – warts and all. Not hiding limitations and uncertainties.
She made these points – and claimed that some of our social policies are based on insufficient information. Or that we sometimes exaggerate the amount and quality of information we have to support these policies. That is the “ugly truth” she highlighted in her lecture.
Unfortunately though, her lecture was a practical example of another “ugly truth” – simple declarations are not enough. One’s criticisms of accepted knowledge are not necessarily correct or justified just because one is being critical. There is still the responsibility to base one’s criticism on facts – and to properly research the area before making critical claims. She based her criticism of at least one social health policy, community water fluoridation, on inadequate knowledge – claims from anti-fluoride campaigners she uncritically accepted.
Falling victim to fluoridation misinformation
Readers can download a podcast of Tracey Brown’s lecture here. I will update this post with a video link when it is available. She discussed fluoridation from 15 – 19 minutes.
The social health policy is based only on the original research which is over 70 years old and does not measure up to current scientific standards.
Data shows that the oral health of both fluoridated and unfluoridated countries has improved over recent decades and this has more to do with the use fluoridated toothpaste and improved health care than CWF.
These are, of course, two claims made again and again by anti-fluoride propagandists and campaigners. She could have taken her critique directly from one of Paul Connett’s political submissions to councils considering fluoridation. If she did so, she was irresponsible as there are plenty of experts who could have provided information of far better quality.
I contacted Sense About Science and found out that Tracey used the following papers to “formulate” her comment on fluoride.
The first claim is just silly. Of course, decision makers use the information available at the time – 70 years ago they used the information that was available then. But fluoridation decisions have been made again and again over the years and it is perfectly natural that decision makers will use the current information for those decisions.The efficacy and safety of CWF have been investigated many times since it was first introduced. Science does not stop after a single study. If Brown had made a simple literature search she would have realised that (see Water fluoridation effective – new study for just one recent example – there are many others). Or, given that none of us have the time and expertise to be well informed about a wide variety of subjects, she could have consulted somebody with up-to-date knowledge and expertise on the subject. She certainly should not have relied solely on the very one-sided papers by Peckham (a well-known UK anti-fluoride activist) and Cheng et al.
From the audio Brown appeared to use this graphic (below – left image) from Cheng et al., (2007) which is very similar to the one promoted by the anti-fluoride propagandist organisation Fluoride Action Network. I have discussed this graphic in several articles and in my debate with Paul Connett (download the pdf) It is based on extremely limited WHO data (hence the straight lines), makes comparisons which ignore the multiple factors influencing oral health, and ignores the within-country data which show the efficacy of CWF (such as for Ireland in my second figure).
Left: Graphic used by Cheng et al (2007). Right: Same WHO data for Ireland with fluoridated and unfluoridated areas represented
The ugly truth about Brown’s lecture
Unfortunately, the “ugly truth” Tracey Brown demonstrated was that even scientists, and supporters of science, can be fooled by the claims of anti-science campaigners if they are too lazy to do their own checking. Perhaps she also demonstrated that even scientists, and pro-science people, can suffer from confirmation bias – just like anyone else. They can sometimes adopt a partisan position which restricts them to considering only the misinformation and distortions peddled by anti-science campaigners.
But it does highlight a dilemma for people like Tracey Brown who might feel they have a “whistle-blower” mission to insist that science, or its practitioners, pull up their collective socks. (I hasten to add it is a “mission” I support – as I support “whistle-blowers” in general).
The dilemma is that we, as individuals, can not be experts in everything. We are not capable, individually, of making a well-informed critical and objective judgement on all the issues we may have to face in preparing a lecture like Tracey’s. We have to be careful about relying on our own biases or poorly informed memories. We have to recognise our limitations and not be afraid to consult experts for clarification, updating knowledge or even just getting one’s head around complex issues.
The debunking of many of the claims made by scientific naysayers is often like shooting fish in a barrel. It may not require much checking or even serious engagement with the subject. But it is irresponsible to transfer that lazy approach to serious consideration of real science or the social policies informed by that science.
It is especially irresponsible when speaking as the head of a respected organisation and where listeners may feel justified in seeing the claims as expert and to be trusted. Again we face the fact that as listeners none of us can critically judge a speaker’s claims on all the subjects covered.
Destroying credibility
In this example, I have sufficient knowledge about the science behind CWF to judge this aspect of Tracey’s lecture and see she was mistaken. But what about the other subjects she covered? For example, she claimed that current health advice on cholesterol relies on inadequate research and could be wrong. Do I take her word for it? I certainly don’t feel I should – if she is wrong about CWF she may be just as mistaken about cholesterol.
Annual Lecture 2015 · Sense about Science
Can you handle the truth? Some ugly facts in science and sensibility – an article by Tracey brown introducing her lecture.
Posted in Health and Medicine, politics, SciBlogs, science, Science and Society
Tagged Annual Lecture, fluoridation, fluoride, SciBlogs, Sense About Science, Tracey Brown
What has science ever done for us?
Lord Taverne. Credit: Wikipedia
Well, according to Richard Taverne it is at least partly responsible for making our society more democratic, more tolerant and more compassionate.
Lord Taverne is founding chair of Sense About Science and former Labour minister. He gave this year’s Sense About Science lecture titled: “What has science ever done for us?” (see Annual Lecture · Sense about Science).
The Guardian Science Weekly has made this lecture available as a podcast. You can download it at Science Weekly Extra podcast: What has science ever done for us? I have listened to part of the lecture and it is very thought-provoking.
Alokh Jha, on the Science Weekly blog, gives this introduction to the lecture:
Sense About Science was founded by Richard Taverne 10 years ago to further the public’s understanding of science and help scientists advocate an evidence-based society.
At the time many scientists seemed reluctant to take part in public discourse, now 5,000 have signed up with the organisation to do just that. There’s still some way to go in promoting the public understanding of science in the UK, says Taverne – alternative medicine and the national lottery are thriving, and only one of our MPs is a graduate scientist.
To mark his retirement from Sense About Science, Taverne delivered its annual lecture on Monday 23 April at the Royal Society of Medicine, which posed the question: “What has science ever done for us?”
He argues that … apart from making us wealthy, helping to feed the world, cutting infant mortality, explaining the origins of the planet and our species, letting us fly, watch television, expanding our lifespans, inventing anaesthesia … science has made us more tolerant, compassionate and democratic.
Posted in philosophy, SciBlogs, science, Science and Society
Tagged Guardian, podcast, SciBlogs, Science Weekly, Sense About Science
Clarifying the nature of the association between social dominance orientation and environmentalism
Periostin - A biomarker in adults with asthma
Modelling the probability of capture for New Zealand's longfin eels ('Anguilla dieffenbachii') and shortfin eels ('Anguilla australis')
Paleoenvironmental analysis of early Eocene marl and limestone alternations from Mead Stream, New Zealand
Investigating the anti-cocaine, anti-nociceptive properties and side effects of MP1104, a novel mixed opioid receptor agonist
Sulfidation of Zero-valent Iron Nanoparticles for Environmental Remediation
Mathematical models for blood flow in elastic vessels: Theory and numerical analysis
Recruitment of Ostrea chilensis (Philippi, 1844) in Foveaux Strait, Southern New Zealand
Traversable Wormholes, Regular Black Holes, and Black-Bounces
Visible Markers of Traumatic Brain Injury and their Influence on Affective Reactions and Discriminatory Behaviour: A Comparison of Two Models
Using neutral and outlier loci to uncover the genetic structure of 'Mytilus galloprovincialis' populations from the eastern Adriatic coast using population genetic and seascape genetic approaches
Speciation in the Cladophorales species flock of ancient Lake Baikal
Awareness and Integration: Understanding the Challenges of Inferring Multisensory Integration Outside of Awareness
What good is wood in streams?
The Influence of BCL6 on the WNT Pathway in Glioblastoma Therapy Resistance
Patterns of population genetic structure and connectivity of squat lobsters associated with vulnerable marine ecosystems
Synthesis of Novel Pyran Fragments to Incorporate into Peloruside Analogues
Mitochondrial Transfer in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Communication Breakdown: Differing Relationship Wellbeing Effects of Positive and Negative Spin in Communication Behaviour
Quantum dot bioconjugates for the detection of extracellular vesicles in saliva and breath
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Pittsburgh Today & Tomorrow: Regional Annual Report
The 30-year cycle
Thirty years ago, in 1983, Pittsburgh was in the midst of a massive upheaval. The mighty industrial engines were going quiet, and the metropolitan unemployment rate exceeded 18 percent. The following year, 50,000 people left the region, and most of them were young adults, forced to seek new futures elsewhere.
A Tale of Two Pittsburghs
Those of us who live in Greater Pittsburgh understandably feel we know a great deal about this region. We certainly know about our neighborhoods, our friends, our families and our jobs.
This column is the first public glimpse of a project that will yield a great deal of information and understanding of who we are as residents of this region, what we do and how we view our region.
In Pittsburgh’s industrial heyday, the region dove into recession as the mighty engines of manufacturing throttled way back. And when a recession ended, Pittsburgh roared back, as rising demand jump-started factories.
Pittsburgh Today & Tomorrow Report 2011
In January 1983, unemployment in metropolitan Pittsburgh reached 17.1 percent as deep recession and structural change rocked the region. Steel strikes raged, and famous mills went cold.
After 26 years at the helm of the Post-Gazette, John G. Craig Jr. founded the Regional Indicators project and its Web site, pittsburghtoday.org. And since this magazine began five years ago, every issue has contained one of his reports on the state of the region.
E Pluribus Region?
It is often said that “a new era is at hand.” On an individual level, new eras can present themselves whenever a person chooses to see and act in the world in a different way. For a nation, new eras are harder to come by, though with every federal election, such is promised.…
Energy & Pittsburgh
Beginning in this issue and then picking up steam over the next three, Pittsburgh Quarterly is publishing a series examining Pittsburgh’s contributions to and potential in the realm of energy.
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